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http://www.nscaa.com/web/web/News/Articles/November_2016/Final_Fall_2016_NSCAA_College_Players_of_the_Week_Announced.aspx This is the final announcement of the NSCAA College Player of the Week for the 2016 Fall season. NCAA Division I Men's Winner Stuart Holthusen University of Akron Junior Forward Auckland, New Zealand

Strong runner. I like it! I can't wait to see him and Bridges from Ellet on the Zips over the next several seasons.

I don't think our defensive situation is a complicated one. We are not a great program. We were on our way to becoming a good program but we're derailed by a rebuilding year on defense that amuck with repetitive injuries in key positions. Top that with Tommy's injury and it turned into an ugly mid-season. Not having an earlier bye coupled with 2 consecutive short weeks has made it an even tougher situation. I am not sure we have the talent at LB or DL to move the D forward a ton, but hopefully, these kids eat,drink, and breathe tackling drills during the off season. Younger, physically weaker and smaller kids can't get away with arm tackling or just diving to take a hit at a player. Offensively, I think we have all been pleasantly surprised at the talent of the OL. I would expect that their run blocking will continue to improve. We don't have depth because we are still on our way to becoming a good program. The depth is starting to come but it isn't there, yet. The offense has a lot more depth than the defense, right now. We have not lost games due to offensive play calling. We have list games, mostly, because our defense has played horribly. We lost at Buffalo because Tommy was obviously playing injured and our defense played horribly. We really need to score a Daryl Monroe, Rodney Coe, or the like at both the DL and LB position as transfers next year to help stop the bleeding while younger talent develops and we continue to recruit better talent. Our special teams kick coverage will improve as our defense learns to tackle. Our specialists have played well this year. It's a miserable thing to watch your team fall apart due to injuries but there was no magic bullet to fix what happened this year.

I seem to remember someone around here saying that

If nothing else, this surge up the polls by WMU could at least be a barometer for how high a MAC team can go with an undefeated season and a couple of decent OOC wins. I'm also feeling a little less jaded today concerning my belief that the press no longer gives a fair shot to a good team from a low level conference.

Suggs' highlights -v- Marlington http://www.hudl.com/video/3/2688291/581eb6493bd81437e4704bc3

I think it's really premature to question how the defense is being coached, considering the massive personnel losses coming into this year, and so many key injuries throughout this year. I'm sure we can all talk about what they could do differently, but I know we're really limited in how we can perform right now. Give it until next year, and I bet we see big improvement. In the meantime, hope for some big 3rd down stops and turnovers to help us the rest of the way. I think we actually did a great job of keeping Toledo's points to a minimum for most of the first half, and demonstrated some inspired play. I think they just wore us down with our lack of fresh bodies after that.

Skip... Agreed. Next year our offense may even be better. The line may even learn to run block. But the OC position needs serious re-evealuation. i hope Bowden has the courage to look for more help. I know he likes Millwee, but that relationship should not stop him from improving the offensive coaching. I'm not sure Amato is the problem on D but the talent sure as hell is. A drastic upgrade is needed to get that side of the ball to just be average. I hope there is help in the transfer area or JC's. I don't see any freshmen talent that would come to Akron being able to improve this pathetic unit. BTW, let's stop this insane talk of canning Bowden. He can turn this around and is doing so. I am as frustrated as any ZN member, and Buffalo was inexcusable, but TW needs the time. Our situation is bad and it will take time to turn around. That is done in little steps. TW is making them.