Let'sGoZips94

All 3 players you're referring to averaged ~7 ppg each. I would love if they decided to return, but should they choose to ultimately commit elsewhere, none of them are irreplaceable. You act like plugging holes with guys like Tyler Cheese, LCJ, Xeryius Williams, Castaneda, etc. isn't a potential positive. Not even giving the man a chance to recruit talent is silly at this point. I promise you the behind the scenes are not as rocky as you believe. I also prefer quiet recommitment as opposed to what we experienced last year. That was embarrassing.

Are the parents/family members who have also expressed excitement for Ford being forced, too? Who on the team voiced support for Ford and has left? There were 12 players on the roster with remaining eligibility. 5 have entered the Portal, one is Connor Groce, and another was likely mutual (Brisco). So far, we've retained 70% of the players we've wanted to, barring any other Portal entries. In today's world, that's a highly successful retention rate. In addition, we actually WANT open scholarships to be able to bring in guys that might fit Ford's system better. After all, he is his own coach now. You're also completely undervaluing his coaching experience. He's been an assistant under one of the better coaches in the country for the better part of 2 decades. He is largely credited with the development of one of - if not the best player in Akron history in Freeman. Players love playing for him. Those are legitimate selling points. Any substantial level of negativity at this point is a choice rather than reality.

I believe this is the father of Tai Perkins, or at least someone related to him. I'd imagine Tai is staying.

247 is better for football IMO. Verbal Commits is terrific for basketball.

Go to Verbal Commits and click "Previous School" to filter in alphabetical order. You'll see our 4 guys there.

Hey uh Groce, want to put in a good word for your boy?

How many Horizon League teams beat P4 teams this year?

100% think you're onto something.

This needs to be fixed going forward.

I gave you several logical reasons why I think there's a good chance the MAC will be better. I don't know for certain, and neither do you. The MAC finished 17th in NET; to call it a "historic year" for any other reason than Miami OH going undefeated (which would probably suggest the MAC wasn't historically good) is hyperbole. They had a good year, but as a whole there is plenty of room for improvement that the Portal can provide as much as it has taken. Remove NIU entirely (cannot express how healthy this is for the MAC), add 3 new coaches for 3 of the worst teams, and there is plenty of reason to be optimistic. Not to mention if the MAC had as "historic" a year as you claim, it's not unfathomable to think that talented players would then be attracted to play in the MAC. There are multiple potential outcomes from this chaos, each with their own logical argument (unless the argument is that Kent being good benefits Akron; that's illogical 😉😂). We will see what transpires.

Something doesn't add up here. We would now have more assistants than when Groce was coach.

What was he peeling? In all seriousness, and asking legitimately - was everything hunky dory between Groce and the admin?

Right, which he may have wanted to remain a part of. I don't need a departing letter from him - he gave us 4.5 MAC titles including an incredible 3Peat. Forever thankful. Now it's the Dustin Ford era and Groce is happy in CofC.

No. Based on all the rumors, it did not end well between him and the administration (mainly Nemer). Does not surprise me that he is just moving on.

I think there's a better chance of the MAC being better as a whole next year than being worse, yes. Keep in mind, we're dropping NIU. Automatically our NET/KenPom should improve as a conference with that dead weight gone. Nearly every team in the country is experiencing this type of turnover. The talent has to play somewhere and with the publicity the MAC got this year, why not play in the MAC? UMass, Buffalo, EMU, Miami OH, and BUGS all had wins over P5 teams; EMU was one of the worst teams in the conference, and Buffalo/UMass/BUGS were major Portal projects coming into last season. Miami OH will find its level around .500 or a little better (probably a little better). Kent will most likely be a 20 win team again. UMass will probably be better. I expect Balls/EMU/WMU to not be nearly as bad/unpredictable. Ohio will probably be a 20 win team again. Toledo will be around there as well most likely. It's not hard to see how the MAC can be better.

Who's to say the MAC doesn't get better? Only 3 teams had 20 win seasons - Miami OH, Akron, Kent.

In a year with a bit more uncertainty due to the coaching change, give me the path of least resistance. Who knows who will end up being good come time for the season, but having Portal chaos in the MAC isn't bad for Akron right now.

We only have 3 guys (one of them is Connor Groce) in the Portal at the moment. Portal doesn't open officially until tomorrow, so technically nobody can sign anywhere yet.

WOW!!!!!! WIDE OPEN NEXT YEAR!

Not at all different. A company local to Akron should be proud to support the Akron-based DI school.

Any local companies want to do this for Akron?

He hasn't signed that extension to my knowledge, and him not leaving says a lot about what CBB thinks of his abilities.

Not sure he offers anything in Kentucky/Illinois/Indiana we didn't already have, but it never hurts to be strong in Illinois/Kentucky/Indiana for basketball. Spending 6 seasons in Fargo/the Summit League could be also be very advantageous.