SB Nation Zips Preview

After reading this article, it is very scary when the quote that sticks out to me is "Our goal this year is to win one more game than last year," Coach Bowden said. "We just have to work to get that win and then build from that."

It might be a long, long year

He hasn't changed his tune. He said that when he was hired.

As Captain Kangaroo once said, it ain't easy being an Akron fan. But when you've reached the depths our program reached after the last two or three years, the only way to move is up.

I don't know how many games we'll win this year, but I have faith in this coaching staff. And it sure looks to me like a lot of these players who have stayed have some of that faith, too.

So keep your chin up, man. Better days are coming!

There is NO chance of it being worse than last year. And I am for certain, that 2013 will get better, and then again in 2014. Knowing that, I can deal with a few loses this season.

Best line of the article: Even one-time Lord of Ohio, Jim Tressel, has at least temporarily left his coaching days behind him to become the University of Akron's Vice President of Strategic Engagements, whatever that is.

I like "one-time Lord..."

I don't think the cupboard is going to be nearly as bare as it was last year. If we are getting the right information, TB will have some additions at the end of the year. It can only get better.

give me 4-5 wins for the Zips this year and no blowouts and I'll be happy.

I'm happy with one blowout and 4-5 wins or no blowouts and 2-3 (assuming the one blowout is to Tennessee and not Western Michigan, Northern Illinois or any other MAC school, ugh that was embarassing).

It can get worse, record-wise. The Zips could go 0-12. I don't believe that will happen and even if a rash of injuries kept us winless, it wouldn't be as bad as last year because the Zips don't have a blithering idiot at the helm.

I believe the Zips will probably win 3 or 4 games this year. Even if every other factor involved was exactly the same as last year, I think the coaching change is worth 2-3 wins itself.

I think we are going to keep liking Coach Bowden more and more as we proceed. We are extremely lucky to have a coach of his caliber. His personality and media savvy is in the very top fraction of all the coaches in football today.

Ianello personally blew at least two games per season with his ultra-mega-consevative play-calling. If Bowden is a good coach, he'll win at least 3 games next season. I'd be ecstatic with 4 wins, + being competitive most of the other games.

I really believe that we could get bowl eligible. Looking at the schedule if we get a few bounces our way 6 wins is definitely not out of the realm of possibility. Our Offense will ATLEAST be 25% more productive. I expect an excellent running game and quick passing game that will move the ball. None of this stand in the pocket and finesse pass it into coverage nonsense... Ianello was so worried about his secrets getting out that most all practices were closed whereas it seems we are getting tons of coverage so it really is hard to tell where we are at compared to last year at this point but considering our coaching situation I find it very hard to belive that even with installing the new defense and offense that we are worse football team.

Of course none of this means anything if they can't get some wins. We will most certainly be the underdog in almost every game except Morgan State.

Go ZIPS!!!

One thing I am really looking forward to NOT seeing this year is the QB coming to the line and pointing at the middle linebacker EVERY SINGLE SNAP. That alone will make this year better than last.

I am also really curious to see just how crazy Coach Amato's blitz packages will be. One of the reasons our db's looked so terrible last year was the complete lack of a pass rush. The other reason they looked so terrible is because they were, but pressure on the QB will help immensely. Amato knows that and he has been given a long leash. I pretty sure Ianello had the same conservative philosophy on defense as he did on offense and made sure the D played likewise. I would give a nickle to hear what the assistants under Rob truly think about him.

He is not the only one. When folks were getting giddy when they hired TB some were cautioning that this year,at least, was going to be a crapshoot on the field. They will definitely be more competetive. But,its going to likely take another year to see any major change in the W/L column. Thats OK as long as we see a more competetive team that improves from game 1 to game 12. TB just needs to get the program back on sound footing so that quality play can be maintianed over time.

I get ya, Lee. I was just trying to cheer lance up a little.

But seriously, whatever the win total this fall, I think Terry Bowden has already taken Akron football away from the brink of oblivion we all felt it was on when Winters turned us down. There is an entirely new feeling of optimism permeating the program, certainly this board, and even some of the marginal Akron fans I see at my local watering hole. Most of us are tempering that optimism with the reality that the Zips have a long way to go to become what we hope them to be. But I'm not going to let that realism keep me from being excited again about what I believe the future holds. I have hope, even if the reality might be that even a greatly improved Zips team could still be a long ways from good.

So... fear the dadgum Roo! And GO ZIPS!

I agree. With the exact same talent, a coach capable of making sound decisions gets at least three wins last year.