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Zips Football Season 2020


NWAkron

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These are the type of players Arth is bringing in to the program and University. Hopefully having some patience (whether forced due to financial reasons or not) will pay off. We need to be looking long game, not immediate/temporary results, if we want to be a perennial MAC contender.

 

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30 minutes ago, LZIp said:

These are the type of players Arth is bringing in to the program and University. Hopefully having some patience (whether forced due to financial reasons or not) will pay off. We need to be looking long game, not immediate/temporary results, if we want to be a perennial MAC contender.

 

+1. I’m loving the high-character guys Arth & Co. seem to be attracting. These seem to be guys that will be an asset to the university as a whole; not guys you have to turn a blind eye towards while off the field and cross your fingers they stay eligible. If you follow freshman RB Isaiah Childs on Twitter you’ll be hoping he runs for president one day. I’m not expecting great success (Borat voice) on the field this year, but I love that everyone on board seems to be rowing in the same direction & are on mission to sincerely change the culture - both on and off the field.

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While cruising the UoA athletic web site looking for a depth chart which I suspect will be out very shortly I scanned the current roster and two things popped out at me.

1) there are actually 11 seniors on the roster (not 8 as I thought) so we should be 37.5% better than I was calculating. 

2) Arth must be really good at convincing kids to come here without a scholarship because their appears to be twice as many names on the roster as the 63 or so scholarship players you guys have mentioned. Odds are that a few of them may actually make a positive contribution to the program.

Look out Mustangs - Go Zips

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13 hours ago, Zipmeister said:

While cruising the UoA athletic web site looking for a depth chart which I suspect will be out very shortly I scanned the current roster and two things popped out at me.

1) there are actually 11 seniors on the roster (not 8 as I thought) so we should be 37.5% better than I was calculating. 

2) Arth must be really good at convincing kids to come here without a scholarship because their appears to be twice as many names on the roster as the 63 or so scholarship players you guys have mentioned. Odds are that a few of them may actually make a positive contribution to the program.

Look out Mustangs - Go Zips

Thought we had a lot more Sr’s than 11. I swear we had at least 15 or 16.

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  • 1 month later...

I would like to congratulate those of you who were able to watch more than 2 hours of the season. They averaged 16 points per game. Not exactly entertainment. 

 

As a reward, espn will be sending you a set of Chris Berman salt and pepper shakers from their 1998 collectors series. 

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Most who follow close were realistically hoping for 1 win this season, and thankfully we got that. Realistic goal for next season will be 4-5 wins and winning seasons the majority of the time thereafter if this is going to be deemed a success. We have games vs Auburn and OSU, so will need to win approximately 50% of games outside of that. Luckily, we also have a FCS opponent for the first time in Arth's tenure. I feel good about Bryant and BG. Hopefully we draw NIU and/or EMU in the west. Will need to upset somebody somewhere as well. Temple has dropped off big and their long-time starting QB is transferring out.

 

The good news is this year didn't count against eligibility for any players. It also didn't count against the eligibility of other teams, but I think we have a leg up in this regard being that we were very young, were able to get all 6 games in, and won't have to worry about players foregoing eligibility to go to the NFL, unlike other teams (Jaret Patterson, Dustin Crum, etc). I count 9 scholarship seniors on the roster, 5 of which contributed on offense or defense regularly. Some will undoubtedly move on, but the fact is we don't have much to lose as long as we can limit attrition from freshman-juniors. In all likelihood, we'll end up with something like +20-25 scholarship players next year than we had this year. 25 signing class + potential of some of Hooks/Sampson/Williams/Uran/Corne being back (it has been mentioned some opted out of season and others were ineligible) - seniors moving on - transfers. Huge for potentially adding not only depth, but talent that can play now. 

 

Regarding depth - too many walk-ons getting time in all 3 phases this year. A walk-on CB started the last couple games, we started a walk-on on the OL the whole season, and played the majority of the game with 2 walk-ons at WR yesterday. Not a slight to anyone (and some may be deserving of scholarships), but walk-ons just do not get this time at other programs. We should not have to rely on them that much, though I understand why it happened this year.

 

Regarding immediate help - need to bring in immediate competition on all 3 levels of D. I'd also bring in a OL with at least a few years of experience. Of course, I'm definitely for more competition at QB and I think there will be plenty of that for next season. Hopefully someone will rise to at least an average MAC QB.

 

I'm all for giving time as long as I can see a vision and progress is being made. I understand what the staff is trying to do and there was progress, albeit minimal this season. Keep it going. Early signing day starts Wednesday. Go Zips!

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I guess the trick in being a Zips football fan is intellectually distinguishing between hopes and expectations.

 

In reality, given the odd nature of 2020 and what they had coming in, expectations should have been pretty low.  As far as hopes, I hoped they'd be competitive in most of the game and they fell short there.  I was not troubled by the Buffalo loss.  Buffalo killed everyone.  The Zips weren't going to be the team to avoid that misery.  Looking back, they were competitive for much of the OU game, half of the PCCC game and beat BG.

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1 hour ago, LZIp said:

Most who follow close were realistically hoping for 1 win this season, and thankfully we got that. Realistic goal for next season will be 4-5 wins and winning seasons the majority of the time thereafter if this is going to be deemed a success. We have games vs Auburn and OSU, so will need to win approximately 50% of games outside of that. Luckily, we also have a FCS opponent for the first time in Arth's tenure. I feel good about Bryant and BG. Hopefully we draw NIU and/or EMU in the west. Will need to upset somebody somewhere as well. Temple has dropped off big and their long-time starting QB is transferring out.

 

The good news is this year didn't count against eligibility for any players. It also didn't count against the eligibility of other teams, but I think we have a leg up in this regard being that we were very young, were able to get all 6 games in, and won't have to worry about players foregoing eligibility to go to the NFL, unlike other teams (Jaret Patterson, Dustin Crum, etc). I count 9 scholarship seniors on the roster, 5 of which contributed on offense or defense regularly. Some will undoubtedly move on, but the fact is we don't have much to lose as long as we can limit attrition from freshman-juniors. In all likelihood, we'll end up with something like +20-25 scholarship players next year than we had this year. 25 signing class + potential of some of Hooks/Sampson/Williams/Uran/Corne being back (it has been mentioned some opted out of season and others were ineligible) - seniors moving on - transfers. Huge for potentially adding not only depth, but talent that can play now. 

 

Regarding depth - too many walk-ons getting time in all 3 phases this year. A walk-on CB started the last couple games, we started a walk-on on the OL the whole season, and played the majority of the game with 2 walk-ons at WR yesterday. Not a slight to anyone (and some may be deserving of scholarships), but walk-ons just do not get this time at other programs. We should not have to rely on them that much, though I understand why it happened this year.

 

Regarding immediate help - need to bring in immediate competition on all 3 levels of D. I'd also bring in a OL with at least a few years of experience. Of course, I'm definitely for more competition at QB and I think there will be plenty of that for next season. Hopefully someone will rise to at least an average MAC QB.

 

I'm all for giving time as long as I can see a vision and progress is being made. I understand what the staff is trying to do and there was progress, albeit minimal this season. Keep it going. Early signing day starts Wednesday. Go Zips!

Thanks for repeating my future wins prediction that I made on December 3 in the BGSU article.  It makes me feel good that others are listening to me.

 

Regarding this note, I have a couple of questions.  

-Hooks/Sampson/Williams/Uran/Corne - What happened to these players?  did they opt out?  Corne would be a big help on the OL.  I am not sure that any of the others would help.  I am drawing a blank on Williams.  

-Who are the walk ons that you are referring to above?  I think the WR's are Grimes and Naim, but who are the other players that are referenced.  Looking at the scholarship chart, I thought that the OL are are on scholarship.  Please advise.

 

thanks, 

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1 hour ago, bigjim said:

Thanks for repeating my future wins prediction that I made on December 3 in the BGSU article.  It makes me feel good that others are listening to me.

 

Regarding this note, I have a couple of questions.  

-Hooks/Sampson/Williams/Uran/Corne - What happened to these players?  did they opt out?  Corne would be a big help on the OL.  I am not sure that any of the others would help.  I am drawing a blank on Williams.  

-Who are the walk ons that you are referring to above?  I think the WR's are Grimes and Naim, but who are the other players that are referenced.  Looking at the scholarship chart, I thought that the OL are are on scholarship.  Please advise.

 

thanks, 

Williams is Andre Williams. Was our leading WR in 2018. Left the team last year, apparently came back, then was ineligible due to grades this year. Other walk-ons I am referring to are Ryan Beckman and Charles Amankwaa. No record of them receiving scholarship, though they may be on their way to receiving one. In addition to them I've seen others sprinkled in on special teams. Donatelli, Durant,  Burton,  and Howze were players I noticed this year there that come to mind right away. I imagine i'm missing some.  

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3 hours ago, LZIp said:

Williams is Andre Williams. Was our leading WR in 2018. Left the team last year, apparently came back, then was ineligible due to grades this year. Other walk-ons I am referring to are Ryan Beckman and Charles Amankwaa. No record of them receiving scholarship, though they may be on their way to receiving one. In addition to them I've seen others sprinkled in on special teams. Donatelli, Durant,  Burton,  and Howze were players I noticed this year there that come to mind right away. I imagine i'm missing some.  

Thanks for brining up Andre Williams.  I am not very supportive of players that choose to leave, and then they find out that the grass is not greener.  Regarding the rest of the walk ons, I hope we do not give out schollys to those who do not deserve it.  As I stated elsewhere, the OL will be better with Corne returning and the recruits and players maturing.  Lets close the scholarship gap with recruits and transfers that will make a significant difference.  

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47 minutes ago, LZIp said:

 

Congrats to Akron and the three players for making all MAC.  They are setting the basis for the future of Akron football and several wins next season.  There will be 6-8 all MAC players next year.

 

I do think it was a slap in the face for Bubba.  With his stats and play, he should have been a first team performer.  

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