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2015 Conference schedule


Staton14

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The conference opponents for 2015 were released today and it appears the MAC has given us a mulligan on playing an extremely easy schedule. No Toledo, WMU, or NIU. Replaced Ball State with CMU, which is slightly more difficult but its at home instead of on the road.

http://www.gozips.com/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/20150108wbleh7

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Darn it! I forgot to put up my prediction thread again this year. I was batting 15 of 16 the past two years. But looking at the complex thread of teams we've played and MAC scheduling trends....we probably won't see NIU or Toledo until 2016.

Every year we play most of the MAC East: Miami, Ohio, UMass, Can't, BGSU...last year was the first year we've played everyone in a single season in the MAC east, as we do again this year. I'd be willing to wager that when UMass leaves, MAC east teams will all play each other every year (5 games) and then the other 3 games will be a rotation of teams in the West, with home-and-home match-ups.

Next season I'd expect we play at CMU, play vs WMU at home and NIU (or) Toledo. But I'll wait on 2016 predictions. :D

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None of these games look insurmountable. This will be the year that we break throo (to borrow from the Lady Zips).

This is a good time IMO to discuss what we should expect from the Zips team this year. How would be measure success, and is it obtainable. Set all other programs aside and strictly use Akron's past and present success as a barometer for where the program is headed. The list below should have been considered for when Bowden first came here.

(check) Bring in transfers who can make an impact now

(check) Win 1+ games a year

(check) Bring in Quality Recruits

(check) End the Road Game Losing Streak

(check) Win more than one game on the Road

(check) Win more than one game at home

(check) Bring home the Wagon Wheel

(check) Win .500+ games at home (Never done before in Infocision Stadium)

(check) Play meaningful games late in the season

() Get above .500

() Get to a Bowl Game

() Win 8-games in one season (Never done before in Akron D-I history)

() Get to the MAC Championship Game

() Win the MAC

Am I missing Any? In order to see progress IMO we need to see one or two of these things checked off this season. I think a reasonable expectation would be to get above .500 and become Bowl eligible would be an appropriate goal and expectation, especially considering our history.

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My expectations are 7-5 and getting the wagon wheel back at minimum. 5-7 and things won't be good. I will be disappointed with 6-6 but wouldn't complain too much as it would be improvement.

CMU I don't think will be as good. They lose two big time playmakers in Rawls and Davis. BG will be tough as always. Not sure what to think about OU. The others are cupcakes.

I know this is a "conference" schedule thread, but I'm real interested in the Pitt game next season. They return the stud RB and WR if I'm not mistaken, and in my mind, Narduzzi is a step up over Chryst. Hard to tell how the team will adjust to a new HC though. They play Youngstown State the week before us, which I don't see them taking lightly as YSU beat them a few years ago and now Pelini is there. Plus it's Narduzzi's hometown team. They also have Iowa right after us and then ND after that. Nobody they can really afford to look past.

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I guess for me in my Sophomore year as a Zips fan, I can only measure last season. Balsy I agree with the above as that appears to be (or at least the first 3, maybe 4) ours to piss away (like 2014). I might add the following weekly things in order to achieve the 5 things above

Offense:

1. Establish an offensive identity ......... Are we a true "uptempo" team, a basic no huddle team ? We were 38th in the country with 76.5 offensive plays per game (Baylor #1 with 90.3 ... www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/plays-per-game ). I believe, based on the time wasted after getting on the LOS and waiting for the play to be called in, that we can easily hammer out another 10 plays per game by simply having a better play calling plan. I'm off the OC rant and if it is Milwee so be it ......... He will have to make great strides from last year IMO

2. Find the right QB to LEAD the offense !!!!! Goes with #1

3. Establish and be able to keep a cohesive Oline ............... Hopefully there will be a bit more depth also

4. WR's who can actually stretch the field AND catch the ball

Defense:

1. A solid two deep rotation on the D-Line ...... Very apparent last season, of the lack of depth in the fourth QTR

2. Need a consistent pass rush ....... Early in the games, we were fine. Goes with the depth above in #1

3. Replace losses in the secondary due to graduation

4. Do a better job of getting off the field on 3rd down ................ Especially in the 4th QTR (also goes with #1)

**** And of course, stay healthy ****

The last two in Balsy's post can definitely be accomplished ...................... Damn, lets kick it off now !!!!

Can't wait for Spring practice, planning a little road trip up to see some practice and the spring game !!!

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I guess for me in my Sophomore year as a Zips fan, I can only measure last season. Balsy I agree with the above as that appears to be (or at least the first 3, maybe 4) ours to piss away (like 2014). I might add the following weekly things in order to achieve the 5 things above

Offense:

1. Establish an offensive identity ......... Are we a true "uptempo" team, a basic no huddle team ? We were 38th in the country with 76.5 offensive plays per game (Baylor #1 with 90.3 ... www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/plays-per-game ). I believe, based on the time wasted after getting on the LOS and waiting for the play to be called in, that we can easily hammer out another 10 plays per game by simply having a better play calling plan. I'm off the OC rant and if it is Milwee so be it ......... He will have to make great strides from last year IMO

2. Find the right QB to LEAD the offense !!!!! Goes with #1

3. Establish and be able to keep a cohesive Oline ............... Hopefully there will be a bit more depth also

4. WR's who can actually stretch the field AND catch the ball

Defense:

1. A solid two deep rotation on the D-Line ...... Very apparent last season, of the lack of depth in the fourth QTR

2. Need a consistent pass rush ....... Early in the games, we were fine. Goes with the depth above in #1

3. Replace losses in the secondary due to graduation

4. Do a better job of getting off the field on 3rd down ................ Especially in the 4th QTR (also goes with #1)

**** And of course, stay healthy ****

The last two in Balsy's post can definitely be accomplished ...................... Damn, lets kick it off now !!!!

Can't wait for Spring practice, planning a little road trip up to see some practice and the spring game !!!

You sound more like a fan than a parent. I like your objectivity.

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Start making posters now for the Tuesday home games. I'm taking ideas for text.

At least we didn't screw ourselves this year. Pitt and Savannah St games are on Saturdays. Why Howard was on a Thursday last season is beyond me. Thank you to whomever in the Athletic Department scheduled the out of conference games for 2015.

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I know I'm in the minority, but I wish Toledo and Northern Illinois replaced EMU and UMass.

I get your point because i am the same way in basketball. Not sure why people complain about the top MAC program playing other top MAC programs (eg. We were "screwed" for having to play WMU and Toledo in crossover games).

I''m not ready for that in football though, at least until we take our program to another level. Concentrate on beating the teams we are supposed to beat first. JMO.

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Calling the 2015 MAC slate a mulligan is the perfect analogy. If at first you can’t take advantage of the easiest conference schedule ever handed to you by the MAC, try, try again! I don’t have a real strong opinion as to whether I like to see easier crossover opponents or not, but I am sort of glad we’ll get to play UMass in their MAC swan song (though I’m not so sure Whipple, assuming he can find a QB he hasn’t sired to take the majority of snaps for the Minutemen, won’t have them playing decent ball in 2015). As had been said even before the schedule came out, 2015 is the year to put up or shut up. The apparently easy MAC schedule simply reinforces this.

Here are my expectations for 2015:

  1. Develop some young O-linemen – Osborn is the only Bowden HS recruit who has played significant minutes to date.
  2. Be aggressive and STAY aggressive on defense – Guys like Brown, Lane, Marcus etc. are best suited to disrupt plays. After the 10-sack Miami game, Amato seemed to pull in the reins after getting burned once or twice. Stick to your guns.
  3. Establish a feature RB, whether it’s Alexander, Hundley, Jones or someone else.
  4. Identify a WR who can stretch the field – whether it’s MTB, Wolf, Means or someone else. D’Orazio will be even more effective working the middle of the field if this occurs.
  5. Take advantage of your special teams – they should be among the MAC’s best.
  6. Get the QB question answered in the Spring – if a change is coming, especially if it entails some tweaks in offensive philosophy (a la Malzahn), I’d want the new guy to have as much time as possible to establish a rapport with his teammates.
  7. Finish the season strong – this is the biggest difference in the way we, as fans, feel in general about the 2013 season versus the 2014 season.
  8. Make me hopeful for 2016 and beyond!
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Way to early prediction with high optimism:

L @Oklahoma

W vs Pitt

W vs Savannah St

W @ Lousiana

L vs Buffalo

L vs CMU

W vs Can't

W vs Ohio

W @ EMU

W @ UMass

W @ Miami

L @ BGSU

8-4 Baby, And Bowden Makes history :rock:

Just make it 9-3 because we are getting paybacks on the Canadians this year.

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Way to early prediction with high optimism:

L @Oklahoma

W vs Pitt

W vs Savannah St

W @ Lousiana

L vs Buffalo

L vs CMU

W vs Can't

W vs Ohio

W @ EMU

W @ UMass

W @ Miami

L @ BGSU

8-4 Baby, And Bowden Makes history :rock:

I really don't see us beating UL-L on the road. They destroyed us in Akron during the 2013 season, and I don't think that much has changed with either team since.

Pitt will be tough with their All-American running back returning and a more competent coach at the helm. I wouldn't count Pitt as an automatic win.

I'll go with 7-5, 1-3 OOC, 6-2 MAC. The last game against BUGS will be for the MAC East, but I don't think we'll quite have the talent advantage yet to take it.

The toughest aspect of the schedule might be the entire last month on the road. 4 in a row at home then 4 in a row away? How does that happen? There should be a line in the scheduling algorithm that prevents this.

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