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2021 MACtion


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On 10/30/2021 at 4:16 PM, Hilltopper said:

 

 

I was there.  The BG coach was going ballistic.  And just kept going and going and going.  He even seemed to waste a timeout just to yell at the refs right before he was kicked out.  I was on the Buffalo side, so I couldn't tell, but I heard that the UB coach was doing his share of yelling at the refs too.  

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  • 3 weeks later...

Not sure where to post this, so I will here.  I watched No. Illinois beat Buffalo in OT this week to go to 8-3 (6-1 MAC), and there were a couple of significant points.  First, No. Illinois was winless last year, and the second is that 80% of their roster was freshman or sophomores.  The third point that was made was that they added some significant upper classmen through the portal.  

 

As I rewatched the Akron Kent game last night, I heard the comment that Kent probably led the country in the amount of grad transfers that they signed so that they have a significant amount of seniors on the roster.  This was needed to provide experience as the young players developed.  

 

I see some very strong parallels to my beloved Zips here.  So, if Akron finds a good coach, uses the portal and transfers well, I believe that the Zips can make the jump to a top tier MAC team next year.  On offense, the top players are mostly freshman at the QB, RB, WR, and OL positions.  On Defense, the Line, LB's, and DB's are mostly freshman and sophomores.  We need Bubba back at LB, and our DL is very thin and weak.  So, if we can utilize the portal and grad transfers to add upperclassmen, the Zips can significantly improve.  This will allow our young players to mature and get stronger and better so that they can be very good when they are juniors and seniors.  

 

Akron can be the next No. Illinois and go from last to first in the MAC if it is done correctly.  I (and others) have made these points in the past, but the comments from this weeks games helped pull everything together and into focus.  

 

So, AD Guthrie, get off your derriere and hire a good coach, get some good upperclassmen from the portal, keep the good young players (and there are many of them), and let's have a 2022 season that we can celebrate for a long time.

 

Go Zips!!! (no, I am not high to write this article, I truly believe in this blueprint)

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8 hours ago, bigjim said:

Not sure where to post this, so I will here.  I watched No. Illinois beat Buffalo in OT this week to go to 8-3 (6-1 MAC), and there were a couple of significant points.  First, No. Illinois was winless last year, and the second is that 80% of their roster was freshman or sophomores.  The third point that was made was that they added some significant upper classmen through the portal.  

 

As I rewatched the Akron Kent game last night, I heard the comment that Kent probably led the country in the amount of grad transfers that they signed so that they have a significant amount of seniors on the roster.  This was needed to provide experience as the young players developed.  

 

I see some very strong parallels to my beloved Zips here.  So, if Akron finds a good coach, uses the portal and transfers well, I believe that the Zips can make the jump to a top tier MAC team next year.  On offense, the top players are mostly freshman at the QB, RB, WR, and OL positions.  On Defense, the Line, LB's, and DB's are mostly freshman and sophomores.  We need Bubba back at LB, and our DL is very thin and weak.  So, if we can utilize the portal and grad transfers to add upperclassmen, the Zips can significantly improve.  This will allow our young players to mature and get stronger and better so that they can be very good when they are juniors and seniors.  

 

Akron can be the next No. Illinois and go from last to first in the MAC if it is done correctly.  I (and others) have made these points in the past, but the comments from this weeks games helped pull everything together and into focus.  

 

So, AD Guthrie, get off your derriere and hire a good coach, get some good upperclassmen from the portal, keep the good young players (and there are many of them), and let's have a 2022 season that we can celebrate for a long time.

 

Go Zips!!! (no, I am not high to write this article, I truly believe in this blueprint)

I very much agree. Maybe not to the extent of NIU turnaround this year, but hopefully bowl eligible.

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1 hour ago, LoyalZIP said:

Flushes are about to win the East. 

Am I allowed to say that was hard earned and well deserved?  Don't get me wrong, I still hate the dirty birds, but I am glad they have found a little success.  Someday, we will be where they are now.....

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38 minutes ago, zipsfan33 said:

Am I allowed to say that was hard earned and well deserved?  Don't get me wrong, I still hate the dirty birds, but I am glad they have found a little success.  Someday, we will be where they are now.....


You’re 1000% right. Thought Miami totally blew it in regulation and Kent is far from perfect, Lewis has found the formula to have sustained success there. Sure they lost a couple MAC games by 20+, but they were a clear favorite from the start and delivered. And they went undefeated at home. It makes me sick, sick with jealousy. Akron has never had the swagger that they possess. 

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21 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:


You’re 1000% right. Thought Miami totally blew it in regulation and Kent is far from perfect, Lewis has found the formula to have sustained success there. Sure they lost a couple MAC games by 20+, but they were a clear favorite from the start and delivered. And they went undefeated at home. It makes me sick, sick with jealousy. Akron has never had the swagger that they possess. 

Miami went for two in the first OT. There is a great screen shot of the two point conversion try where the Kent CB jumped the route to knock down pass, but right in the Miami QBs line of vision, the TE is wide open on goal line. That’s how close Kent was from sitting at home today at 6-6 and being left out of bowls, (and they would’ve like Miami will due to more 6-6 teams than bowl spots). Instead we have to read about how great Lewis is from John Telich and Terry Pluto. 
 

Yes, he has improved their fortunes, but they still have no defense and the recent success comes primarily from his move of desperation two years ago to finally play Crum. Minus that, they’re probably sub .500 and still the same Kent. The guy who should be out along with Arth is Martin at Miami. Total mediocrity for 8 years at the historically best program in the MAC. Their administration won’t pay him a $1.25 million payout so they’re stuck. 
 

Unlike most of ZN.o, I am not yet a fan of Guthrie, but I will say I found it refreshing that he didn’t let Arth’s payoff paralyze the need to make a change. Arth’s biggest failure was not the lack of talent or choice of local character kids (in which there were failures on both counts there) but his choice of defensive assistant’s and his relegation of OC duties to Gasser. He was a cancer to most of the players/coaches and terrible in his personnel evaluations. 
 

Here is hoping the new coach brings in experienced FBS assistants.

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Nice post @Zipped Up

 

The replay of the 2pt. conversion attempt is excruciating when you see that TE without a soul by him. It feels like watching the final play of the Michigan game and how incredible that would have been. 
 

I don’t mean to make Lewis into a God of some kind. And you’re right, they were 3 yards from being 6-6. My point on their turnaround is that it’s a complete culture change and they took that program from QB draw on every play to a well-oiled machine that scores a lot, but also gives up a lot. They are not as good as I thought they would be this year, but here we are. They opened as the favorite in the MAC title game. 
 

Also, I use them as an example of a quick turnaround. Yes, they were realllly bad in 2018 (his first year) but in the opener, they took Illinois down to the wire and you could tell it wasn’t going to be the same old Kent. Basically, they have a mentality that Akron teams haven’t had since JD Brookhart’s early years. They have a culture of toughness and if they can kick your tail, they will. Akron hasn’t had that in a long time. That’s what I want most. 
 

As for Martin, he’s built them into the most average MAC program. It’s crazy that they won a MAC title two years ago. They played a disgraceful game on defense yesterday, and they should be the ones going to Detroit. If they’re under .500 next year, I think that’s a place that can safely make a change and be successful so I wouldn’t be surprised to see that happen. 

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8 minutes ago, GoZips86 said:

Dumb question, but what is the best bowl game a MAC school can get? Like, what is the crown jewel of a bowl game for a MAC school to be granted currently?


They’re all pretty much the same. The champ used to go to GoDaddy/Dollar General, but there’s not really a specific tie-in anymore. NIU is playing in the Cure Bowl in Orlando against Coastal, which is a pretty cool draw. 

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18 hours ago, Aaron said:

The crown jewel would be a New Year's bowl invite for being the best G5 team.  Last MAC team to get it was WMU in 2016.

 

 

How humble and understated of you not to mention the Playoffs!  

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6 hours ago, Cykron said:

 

 

How humble and understated of you not to mention the Playoffs!  

Right now, I don't really believe they'd let a MAC school into the playoffs, no matter how good a team they were.  Maybe once the playoff expands to eight... that would be the 'crown jewel' of possiblities :)

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On 12/5/2021 at 11:21 PM, MDZip said:

A record 8 MAC teams have accepted Bowl bids. Someday soon... 😁

Starting out 0-2.  Lost one game in which the MAC was favored.  Need to rally, but it looks pretty bleak.  I always pull for the MAC teams when playing games outside the conference.  

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