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Congratulations to former Zip Darlington Nagbe on winning MLS Goal of the Year.

I am just going with the guys who make the most sense in Groce's system. Guys who can get up and down the floor in transition, finish at the basket, make the open 3 off the pass from LCJ and most importantly DEFEND!

Very interesting. To say the least. You smokin' something, Hilltopper?! Lol I'm gonna go with: 1. LCJ 2. Trimble 3. Dailey 4. Reece 5. Currie Next 5: 1. Tribble 2. Dawson 3. Ali 4. Marshall 5.Edwards

Players transferring is the norm today. Everybody wants to have instant gratification. Go to the transfer portal and search on schools. Most have 3-6 players in the portal. Akron will have more players that want to transfer. If the 4 redshirt freshmen linemen are truly very good, I see many O linemen wanting to transfer to get some PT. We need to understand that this is not a weakness, but it is a reality. I see this as an opportunity to get 3 stud defensive players to close some of the gaps as the young players develop.

My predictions; 1st 5 1. Jackson 2. Dailey 3. Ali 4. Marshall 5. Freeman Next 5 1.Reece 2. Tribble 3. Dawson 4. Trimble 5. Currie ?

I watched the game too and was very impressed. I've seen Hoban play about 10 times in the last 3 years. There is great talent there and I hope Arth can get some of them to stay home and help rebuild the Zips. I'm most impressed with coach Terrell. He has always had his team prepared in each game I've seen. I've never seen him out-coached. He develops players. His play calling stands out as unpredictable, creative and able to take advantage of what the D gives you. In other words the complete opposite of Milwee (I'm still deeply scarred and get nightmares thinking of his offense). I would love to see Arth add Terrell to his staff and further build a relationship with NE Ohio H.S. programs. With his success he would help build a consistent culture of winning at Akron, something we sorely lack. Luke Bauer will find a place on the field and I hope Kharion Davis joins him in the Akron colors. I like their kicker too.

I know that to be true. Defending is not optional with Groce. That said, I have to believe the line up ends up closer to what @Blue & Gold suggests.

AJ Kirk had a tremendous game. I've seen a handful of Hoban games this season and that's the best I've seen him play. Great game from him. (Btw, Kirk is Mike Doss' brother.) On the line Darryl Peterson is Hoban's best and he was the best last night as well. He really dominated whomever he played over. Darryl is a Wisconsin commit, and another "Did You Know?," is the son of former Zips basketball great Darryl Peterson. (I am getting old ? ) Hoban uses Luke Bauer as a DE/outside linebacker - sort of how the Zips are using Ryan McClain. Luke generally lines up in the 2-technique on the line at the DE position - usually on the left it seems. He was matched up all night with Massillon RT Terrance Rankl, whom is a Pitt commit. Rankl's the real deal at 6'5" 290. I thought the matchup was a draw. Rankl didn't allow Bauer any sacks last night (though I saw at least 2 plays where holding could have been called and Bauer was in on a couple group sacks). Also, Massillon was never able to simply run behind Rankl like they pretty much have all season and Bauer made a few plays behind the LOS. So we'll see. He's already got a full-grown-man's body at 6'1", 245 and I'm glad he's going to be a Zip. The Zips have also offered Kharion Davis, whom I believe was named Game MVP. Could Kharion be the lockdown corner we so desperately need? He shut down OSU commit Jayden Ballard last night (though the best pass defense is a good pass rush and that's what we saw last night.) Covering Ballard one-on-one, Kharion was step-for-step with Ballard and then aggressively cut through Ballard's body for a big INT at Hoban's 10-ish yard line. He outfought Ballard for the ball... but that's not really saying much; Ballard is extremely athletic but awfully soft. Hopefully the Zips can land Kharion! Coach Arth should become best friends with Hoban's Coach Terrell. Lol. (And, while he's at it, with Massillon's Nate Moore as well; loads of talent on both teams - though a few of Massillon's best players this year were from... wait for it... Buchtel! Lol. What's up with that?!) Go Zips!

If I had to guess Arth might be tempted to improve his defense with a couple of transfers/JUCOS just to support what appears to be a developing offense. At the MAC level almost have to do that at some point. Not to the extent Bowden did it however. If Arth can coach up a QB, whomever that may be, the offense should be significantly better than under Bowden and..... Assuming a full schedule is played sometime in 2021,obviously not certain, if Arth finds a competent QB, they will be competitive next season.

Is the we need to use the TE more the equivalent of the we need a 7 ft back to the basket post player on the basketball thread?

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.

We have some scheduled. Whether we can play them is the question. Just going to have to be patient and see what happens.

Anybody remember these fearless predictors prognications from last year? As long as we have #1 running the team I like our chances. I think Zips fans will enjoy some surprises this season.