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"Through four preseason games Capi has totaled 15 pressures and has been the Cardinals’ best pass-rusher."

Per roster update Sammy Laster is now with the Zips. Listed as a linebacker. The once, Top 5 underclassmen linebacker in South Florida in Top 25 prospect in Miami-Dade County for the class of 2017 missed his entire junior season. Laster is 5-foot-11, 190-pounds with sub 4.5 speed as well as sporting a 3.4 GPA with a 22 ACT and 1180 SAT.

Great to see Ball get the nod. The stereotype for a Power 5 transfer is they're a "mercenary" with an entitled attitude. That's the polar opposite of Warren Ball. I think for Ball to come on Akron's campus and work as hard as he's worked, and be as solid a representative of UA and he's become, is really impressive. It's cool to see his teammates feel the same way. If a player finished 2nd or 3rd to Ball in the Team Captain's vote, there's no shame in it. Ball is just a really special kid. Hope he has a healthy, kick-ass 2017 season!

Updated to add Cotton, and correct eligibility of Riak. Groce confirmed at golf outing that he has to sit 1 to play 2. Go Zips!

And yet, I have heard players voice the opposite about TW. One offensive captain - hard to pick between a guy like Ball and TW. I think people are reading too much into this.

It took a lot of work by Daniel during the summer to get those kind of results. His new standing vertical would have put him into the top 10 of last years NBA combine numbers.

Waiting impatiently for my depth chart.....

I couldn't agree more Buck. My only hope is that PSU doesn't back out of the game.

I'm sure they were aware. I was more so referring to how quickly this nutritionist aided Utomi in getting results.

Brian bell is back on the roster. I feel this tips the odds slightly in favor of the Zips vs PSU.

Way too much dough. It would be much better as a Piada-style wrap.

Maybe he's better at being the interviewee?

The Zips passing game is unknown right now. QB Tommy Woodson is reportedly healthy and ready to play. That would be huge for the Zips, because he is a talented senior. If receivers get open, he hits them. And he throws a nice deep ball. The receivers are mostly new, but I like them. I look for Williams to have a fantastic Freshman season. Tough to tell with Stewart, because he's been dinged up . If he's healthy, he's going to be a great one. Dixon looks really promising...Wolf and Coney are proven seniors...Chapman looks good in the slot. My only concern with our passing game is how long it will take for Woodson to shake off the rust, and how long it will take for him to develop chemistry with the new guys. I don't have any concerns regarding the actual talent. So to answer your question - If Penn State stacks the box, we have a great chance to bust some big-gainers. Our OL is a strength, Woodson is a talented vet and we have talent at WR. Our secondary is the #1 strength of the team. If Gilbert and Davis can be any kind of disruptive force in the backfield, the Zips DB's will get a pick or two. The Zips staff needs to play-to-win. If we're ultra-conservative on offense, then we'll lose 48-7. In games like this, for the smaller team to win, someone unexpected needs to break out. I'm excited to see Andre Williams and Jamal Davis III (Pitt transfer) make their Akron debuts.

I always try to watch the Lady Zips whenever I can. Hopefully they'll be on ESPN3 more often, I know i see WBB during the season from time to time. The Zips feed has always been so bad I haven't even tried looking at it in years.

I was not expecting those 2 at all and normally not a good thing when a senior QB is skipped for that honor.

Groce has brought a nutritionist onto the staff to work with the players. There has also been an emphasis on strength and fitness training. Every player on the team has seen significant improvements in BMI and other biometrics. As an example Daniel Utomi dropped from 18% to 11% fat which allowed him to increase his vertical jump by 10 inches.

Jiu named MAC Defensive player of the week..... http://www.gozips.com/news/2017/8/22/womens-soccer-jiu-named-mac-defensive-player-of-the-week.aspx She's going to be a Difference Maker for the Women...keep them in matches for the entirety.

This time it counts....Zips WSOC win their first regular season match of 2018, 3-0 over Green Bay. A little disorganized to start the match but then settled into a nice attack in the second, similar to Friday night. Erica Schrader seems to like the leadership role and Baughman, Corrigan and O'Brien look more relaxed now they have a season or two under them. Jiu in goal is sure going to be a factor going forward. Now the first road trip and the competition gets a little tougher. I like 1-0-1 after the first weekend though.

Not a bad start for WSOC. 8 freshmen start against 2 time defending champ Milwaukee from Horizon League, and picked to win again in 2017. 0-0 draw, with the team looking stronger as match progressed. Impressed with frosh keeper Amani Jiu, who made some very athletic saves, and commanded the backs well. Also, freshmen Wilson twins are strong, fast and relentless. St. V/St. M product Catie Corrigan shows good offensive skills and a good boot. Tomorrow should be a chance to see how quickly they rebound from an overtime match on two day rest.