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I realize that a lot of people here are again frustrated. I have been frustrated for a number of years. Not just the last 5 or so. That said, There are a few ways a new coach can inherit a program. 1)A coach can inherit a stocked program from a successful coach who moves up. 2)He/she can inherit a program form a coach who was fired or 'moved on' because the program was possibly underachieving or not able to develop a consistently winning program. Maybe some decent talent but not enough to win consistently. 3)Finally, a coach can inherit a program that has very little talent capable of performing at the level the school wants to play at. I think we can safely say Akron was not a program Arth inherited from a successful coach, stocked with talent that was consistently posting winning records. Maybe depending on your viewpoint one could make a case for either 2) or 3) in the case of the Zips. I guess I would lean toward 2). That said ,the incoming coach then has to decide how he/she wants to rebuild/build his program. Either pretty much tear it down and build mainly with new recruits. Or, keep some of the players on the roster and bring in lots of transfers and JUCO's. I think Bowden chose the latter mostly. It appears Arth has pretty much chosen the former. That takes longer, obviously. Right now he is having more success on the offensive side of the ball. That figures since he was a QB at the college and pro levels. The defense obviously hasn't caught up yet. The game ready talent either is there and not game ready or pretty much isn't there. Unfortunately, the events leading up to this season placed new coaches rebuilding programs at a big disadvantage to more established programs with established coaches. Arth is still evaluating talent. The rest of this season should tell him several things:1) Does the defense have enough promising talent to make him believe that there will be significant improvement next season with the players he has. Or, will he need to recruit transfer/JUCO's to bolster that side of the ball more quickly. 2) Is Gibson the QB of the future and can Arth 'coach him up' to the point where can become a serviceable MAC QB with the talent around him on the offensive side of the ball. I don't think Kato Nelson is going to get anymore significant playing time save for injury. Could be wrong but, with what 3 games left doesn't seem like that would be real productive for the program. And 3) Arth is going to have to decide if his assistant coaches are up to the task, or not then make the appropriate changes as necessary. I am still hopeful given what the offense has done with a dominant ground game and QB who is still find his way. Just hope we get a full season next year.

There hasn’t been much recent info on what rotations will look like or what we have in a few players i.e. Tre Edwards, Jermaine Marshall and even Freeman for that matter (I included him because he makes a nice pick n roll play at the end of this clip). Also I haven’t heard much about Bandaogo. We’re very thin on bigs and will we need him in case of injuries or if we play teams like Toledo and Kent who have some legit Centers? What are the expected lineups and rotations? My projections: G - Jackson G - Trimble F - Dailey F - Currie F - Reece Bench (in order) - Tribble, Ali, Dawson and Marshall.

I know it's tough to relax when there has been 20 consecutive losses but let's look at the upside. 1) This season is really just an evaluation period for 6 weeks. Everything will carry over. These young players 74% of roster is Freshman/Sophomore's will get tremendously better in the off season with a strength and conditioning coordinator that is very highly respected. 2) Offensively they are way better off than last year and it's not even close. The offensive line will only get better and will be together for 4 years. Add Nate Williams and Ronan Chambers and some depth and you can argue in 2 years will be best in the MAC. 3) RBs improved over last season, again not even close. Need more depth with untested Freshman. 4) WRs improved over last season as a group. Qualls and Grimes big upgrades. Stewart is the senior leader. Mathison been injured but future is very bright. 5) QB room has competition now. Nelson is injured but will return at some point. Gibson upside is off the charts. You can tell he is a leader. He can make all the throws. His issue is trying to do too much be because of being desperate to win. Bringing in kid from Vero Beach in January is only gonna solidify that position moving forward. 6) Defense needs to get bigger and faster period. DL is young and weak but will benefit with off season training. May need a couple of transfers at this position. 7) LBs are too small and not physical. Struggle in passing game and overmatched. Bubba does it with heart but seriously 210lb LBs is not a good template. Need a transfer or two at this position. ? DBs are young and need to get stronger. They lose every physical battle thus far this season. Poor in tackling, poor in coverage. Look confused. Watts, Cochran and Ogbonna will get better with offseason workouts. Bottomline we gotta be patient. The real Year 2 for Arth begins in 2021.

I think we all deserve a round of applause. The football has been appalling lately but a lot of this discussion (while not all of it) has been constructive and passionate. After however many straight losses, not a lot of fan bases would have anything close to this. I can't wait until we can all celebrate well-deserved success together as fans of our favorite football program. I get disgusted when I see fair-weather fans (many of them fans of Kent) that only show up when they're good. We aren't like that. I love that.

I’m not defending staff. Several players from Bowden recruits have struggled with the requirements of the new staff. Not only in the classroom but on the field. A lot is expected of you. But some of the people your pointing out are out of Arth’s hands. Williams & Hooks are still with team but didn’t make grades. Hooks would help significantly & keep Riley off the field. In my opinion Williams & Burkhart where 2 of the best receivers we had talent wise. One has had grade issues & the other medically disqualified because of ocular migraines. Don’t know for fact but I think with this season not going to be played & not counting towards eligibility Kato had late surgery & will be back shortly. Morris graduates and wants to try somewhere else. He didn’t play at Indiana and had 1 good game against FCS Morgan State. Knight had his opportunity last year & he really isn’t a WR, why the move to RB, his natural position. There are several players he pulled scholarships from like Woolridge that he didn’t believe was D1 talent & he is trying to rebuild The defensive front 7 are just not D1 talent. They just don’t have the size & speed you need to be successful at this level. I use to say this about the OL & I will say Coach Z has brought in 6’6” or bigger Tackles & our line is doing so much better, it’s about feet & length. Basketball players that are not good enough to play in college make great OL, beef up & get stronger I hope for us Akron fans we get to enjoy good football some day, but defensively that won’t be this year. Personally I want to see Kato with a better run game & OL to see what he does. Gibson needs some more seasoning in the spring

Defense did not force a punt . 1 forced fumble and 1 muffed punt. Defense and offensive play calling is the same— there is no identity/ strategy. Offense they run constantly ( no matter the score) and pass to give dollard a breather. Dollard is great athlete but help him out with screens to get other playmakers involved, shot plays to extend the field, motions to keep defense off balance. Run the ball to open the passing game/ pass the ball ( screens, shots, RPOs) to open up the run.

20 game losing streak Tom Arth 0-15 Just got our ass handed to us by our rival on primetime national television giving up 69 points and 750 total yards And folks have the nerve to now basically label these ass kickings as Quality Loses

I'm more than happy to let BUGS have that preseason title. It'll make it more fun when they choke away their season in February.

I just think there’s got to be some sort of realistic expectation of what Feeney has going on. His new coaching staff probably didn’t even get to meet their players until modified fall camp started. New coaches learning a new defensive scheme over zoom while trying to teach the same thing to kids over zoom. THAT is what I’m saying is outside of Feeney’s control IN ADDITION to the multiple players who are listed as unavailable. Sure, there is a ton of room for growth on both sides of the ball, but his ability level as a DC is being affected by things greater than him. Fair to say, right?

I had that pop up on my phone as well! I had originally taken a half day vacation so I could go down and watch. Maybe next year . . .

Last night was supposed to be the night we upset Ohio State ?

GoZips dot com has our first game as being -v- Kent on December 19. Our first game is still a month away? That sucks.