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I agree Kent is TBD, but I would put Toledo up there w/Ohio-Akron-Miami. Toledo has picked up a nice veteran PG from Marquette, and have a pair of high-quality freshmen guards coming in. Don't sleep on UMass, either. If they pick up a couple shooters their stock will rise. Sadly, with graduations and the portal the 2026-27 season likely won't be as good as the last one. But somehow come March the MAC still puts 4 quality teams on the court for the MAC Tournament semis ... no matter what their records.

I received mine yesterday as well. I plan to get a case and display it in my home office. There have been some talks here about how the success of the program warrants our attention, but it's also great seeing Ford, Bud, and the assistants engage the fan base. In a day and age where college athletics has become more transactional, it's great to still see the sense of community they're trying to instill in the program. They genuinely seem to want to be here and do great things.

This is so cool.

Was just about to post this to call that out. First hint we've seen at the style. Looks like we'll be getting a bigger, more physical version of All Gas No Brakes?

Still waiting for all the dust to settle before I start thinking Power Rankings, but I would agree that Akron/Miami OH are in the top echelon. I just don't think Miami OH was able to retain or retool with any of their "special" qualities from last season. They were a mismatch all over the place due to their size that could also shoot, and they've largely lost that. Skaljac is a nice player but how much of his early success has been due to all of the support around him? Defenses will be able to play him differently and can afford to put a longer defender on him instead of needing all their length for Suder/Elmer/Byers. Todd Simon always does well in the Portal and this year is no exception. He wins in April, Tod K wins Nov. through Feb., and Akron wins in March. Balls, WMU, and EMU should be much improved, especially if the new coaches can actually coach. They've done well so far in rebuilding really bad rosters. Kent & Toledo are TBD. They'll always be competitive, but I'm not seeing anything special. Ohio has added some decent offense it appears, but I question their defensive abilities at the moment which has been their achilles heal. Buffalo and CMU are ? and has anyone heard from UMass?

Billy Donlon made a very nice signing for EMU. Still a downgrade compared to what they lost in Habhab https://x.com/i/status/2047714264954110206

"Our up-tempo style"

I still think Miami, Ohio, and us are the top 3 contenders in the MAC for next year based off where rosters stand today. Maybe a team like UMass has some moves lined up that would enable them to enter this conversation, but they have been very underwhelming. Particularly because their AD said they would be competing on another level financially before joining. Not sure where that money went.

Really not impressed with Miami OH's offseason.

Agreed.

My charitable giving is an investment in people and I want nothing in return except for a young person from my home town to get the same, great education I did. My personal financial investments are an investment in things and I want money in return.

His numbers improved with a stepdown in competition by leaving the AAC for Horizon. His best attributes appear to be his size and makes good decisions with the ball in his hands. It definitely appears like he's a downgrade from what Miami had before, but he does give them some much needed size and figures to be a productive contributor in the MAC.

Poor man's Eian Elmer?

Investment or charity, I am much more likely to invest in a program where I see positive results.

I'm not sure I agree with that last part. Your donations are investments in your university and its students, because I'm assuming you are personally invested in its success.

I donate every year and have a named scholarship in my parents name. I expect nothing in return. It's not an investment. It's a charity.

Tbh I don't have unlimited money. Would be nice. Football could use it more, but basketball has earned it and deserves it imo. Hopefully I can say that about football soon too

I also think as the playoffs expand more and more of those bowl games will be eliminated. Two bowls were eliminated last year and the Detroit bowl was just eliminated. In full transparency 1 was added so it was a net decline of two. Many existing bowls are barely surviving.

The difference IMO is that simply making the NCAA Tournament is bigger than anything the football team will ever realistically be able to do. I'd imagine a lot more people watch Match Madness (especially the first two days) than the Snoop Dogg Bowl, the Potato Bowl, or whatever other meaningless bowl game Akron would make.

Football and basketball are the sports I care about…even with all of basketball’s success, one could argue our ceiling is just winning the MAC and losing in the first round of the NCAA…especially with how the games have played out the past few years. Much less upsets than usual.

I said over twenty years ago that there should be an exchange of programs such that Akron has mostly STEM and Kent has the liberal arts. Also, it is a crime that NEOMED is in the middle of nowhere.

Correct, it wasn't just Hardman, but we saw first-hand why his metrics from @kreed5120's site were so unfavorable. Nate wouldn't have required a double team. He wasn't overly athletic, quick, or threatening from deep. Okonkwo maybe down low but I think that's a stretch, too, considering he only averaged 2.9 ppg as a fully developed 5th or 6th year "senior" at Utah. Young will be missed for his energy, not his height, and we're seeing the future for Akron guards - taller. Tavari and Young got completely covered up by longer TTU players. We have now gone from 2 sub-6ft guards to 6'1" being our shortest (expected) key ball handler (Perkins at 6ft-even would technically be shorter but I'm not expecting a redshirt freshman to be relied on heavily, especially with Tahj/Wilson/Head on the roster). Eric is good and has a ridiculously high ceiling but he isn't the answer at this stage in his career. His game is still raw and his decision making is questionable at times. Not so sure Ty Pence will be much of a downgrade, if any at all. Athletically I'm sure there will be a little bit of a difference, but experience/decision making/etc. should all be upgraded with Pence given his experience. White is also a similar type player but with more physicality.

Bowen's greatest moment as a Zip was in Ypsilanti.

This pretty much sums up how I feel. Honestly, you seem more invested than I am. I might catch one or two games on TV each year, and I don’t go to any in person. My past experiences at games were so bad that I’d need to be paid to sit in Infocision for three and a half to four hours again. And it’s not just about them losing. I’ve sat through plenty of awful Browns seasons over the years. It’s more that the product Akron football puts out just doesn’t feel worth it to me, and I don’t really see a clear path for it to get better.

And they kept their basketball program?