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I mean, not to get into a discussion that's really a waste of time re: Bowden. But the last 5-6 games last year with a better roster didn't look much better than what we're seeing right now. I know this is the UMass thread, but I'll put it here anyway. And people have even said it already in some ways. Did Akron have a good reason to fire Bowden? Yes! Does that automatically make those of us who came to that conclusion fans of the current staff by default? Absolutely not! There's a reason that even if we do indeed go 0-12 this year (which I've come to accept, but still support the team) I will not miss what the previous group became. Not at all. That was an embarrassment, so far beyond the football itself.

I think I'd still give Ianello the nod, but Arth is making it more competitive week by week. We're right back to being the most embarrassing program in the country after a few years of competence with Bowden. Sad sad sad.

Last year, 4-8 Bowden beat - Northwestern Morgan State (4-7 FCS) Kent State in OT (2-10) CMU (1-11) We lost 9-of-11 starters on defense, and that defense carried the 2018 team. Due to the timing of his hire he completely missed out on the initial signing day. We lost our best returning WR, Jonah Morris, before the season even started. Shocking that we're bad in 2019. Who knew? Arth is a good person, and a hard worker. He's legitimately focusing on NE Ohio recruits, which is something Akron fans have bemoaned for years. Everyone here should support the guy. Against a lot of odds, his staff and team are busting their ass to bring Akron a winner. If you repeatedly post on ZipsNation bitching about Arth, you're just trying to bring the program down. And bring the supporters down. And that is not why I pay the money, and spend the time, to run a nice site that represents UA well. People that repeatedly bitch make ZipNation toxic and drive good, interesting, fun fans away. That won't fly.

If it is indeed true that - "You improve through criticism. You do not improve from sunshine and rainbows and apathy" then I'll offer the following candid thoughts - You have 3,870 posts on ZipsNation. I am still waiting for the first good one. You started off strong in 2012 with your avatar, and everything since then has been a banal, verbose waste of space. You offer a stunning combination of ignorance and self-importance. #Facts. Tough Love.

So proud of these AK Rowdies this season.

See that the thread comparing Ianello and Arth was shut down. Just for the heck of it, I compared the first 5 games of the Ianello regime with the first 5 this year. The similarities are striking:

You really have no clue.

Awesome news!!!! Just what the doctor ordered for Zips fans! Onward and upward!

Zips win!!!!! They executed well this evening.

He's way in over his head with D-1 football.

Bowden won some games, got us a bowl, got us into a MAC champ game. This guy has gotten us the WORST TEAM IN D1 Title on only 5 weeks. Sorry, this is a bad joke. The players are leaving because, lets face it, anyplace is better than this place. They should just fire him today and appoint an interim coach. Enough of this nonsense.

The nice thing is, the men's soccer team finally got off the schneid and recorded their first win, and they host BG at 7 at First Energy Stadium, so since the football game will more than likely still be going on, if Kent is ruining homecoming for you, just leave and walk over to see some men's soccer, or the best team on campus right now may be the Volleyball team, are playing the Golden Flushes too...at 7:00 as well at the JAR. Who the hell does the scheduling for the Athletic Department that there are two other on-campus sporting events starting BEFORE the football game will be over??

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” ― Socrates

I guess I just wonder why Malone and Concord? Don't we usually only play one non-D1?

So happy for this team and for Daniel Strachan and Sammy Tojaga to get their first goals for the Zips! Also very happy to see all of the various Zips fans posting here. Love it!

Richie Laryea ?? v Wil Trapp and DeAndre Yedlin ??

It was great to see this game from my couch in MD via ESPN3. The video and commentating were both high quality. I only got to see the 2nd half, but was happy to see extended stretches of Akron Soccer, especially down the left side in the offensive third. However, there were also several unnecessary long balls up the middle of the field. Other than a drop in talent or experience or both, it's hard to imagine why this is happening nearly half way through the season. That said, VCU is a respectable program and it easily could have been a 4- or 5-0 win. This team will continue to improve and needs to have the "Dambrot Mentality" where all that matters is winning the MACC. If this thing gets turned around in time for the NCAAT, we are a nightmare first round opponent. No school will want to see us on their bracket.

Kind of like comparing Brain Cancer and Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma... both are terminal. It's a wash.

And another one! 2-0.

Nice header off the corner kick! 1-0 Akron.

@Captain Kangaroo This board is very well done & I agree with most of what your saying but Jonah wasn’t our best receiver & may not have even started. This defense is at such a disadvantage, you have Lako & Davis that are legit D1 guys, new d line that creates no pressure, new linebackers & a bunch of DB’s that never played a college football game a month ago. I expected so much more out of this offense but you can’t do much with little blocking. No run game, now Gibson made things better on pass game cause he knew how to move around in pocket & go through reads, something we haven’t seen but Burkhart is only real game changer we have in speed & athletic ability I hope things get better but unfortunately I think it may get worse before better but this isn’t Arth’s fault. Give him a chance, let him get a couple recruiting classes in & if you don’t see it we should all ask for a change I believe you never settle & always strive for greatness Go Zips ?

Haven't enough info to make a judgement, however... it had better be Reece! Because we need post play badly to improve to have a chance of improving either in MAC play or overall!

Akron didn't fire Bowden to hire Arth. They fired Bowden because he won only 40% of his games through 7 seasons despite playing in the worst division in all of FBS. No matter who the coach was this team was going to stink based off the lack of talent on the roster. If you want to say Bowden would have won 3-4 games with this roster I'm not going to bother arguing as that would be purely subjective, but there is no way this team was going to make it to a bowl game even if Nick Saban was coaching it. If through 5 games you're certain that Arth isn't the guy, I certainly had my doubts when they hired him (still do), that just means Larry Williams hired the wrong guy. There are other MAC programs that can perennially make bowls and their "good seasons" are 9-10+ wins. Why do you think the best Akron can do is a perennial 5-7 team with our "good season" being 8-5?

I have season tickets and I always ask whether there are better seats. The group in front of me did not buy all their seats. I have spoken to at least 10 people that have given up their season tickets after KD left. Considering the last 2 seasons, I think there will me more blue (empty seats) in the lower level than in previous years. I hope we have a great season to get some of those people back. There has always been apathy for Akron sports and then you combine it with losing it makes it difficult to regain those fans.

And just in case they are monitoring this site and planning to take over the world I would like to state that I have always liked robots.

Not if Larry Williams has anything to do with it.