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Great post 72. From an X's and O's standpoint I don't think there is any difference between DI and DIII. On offense, we played match ups at DIII just like the big guys - what formations, motions, shifts, alignments, etc. can I employ to create match ups that are favorable for me. How do I create conflict for the defense? On defense how do I make sure we maintain gap coverage, perimeter leverage, cover the field, exploit offensive tendencies, disguise looks, etc. In fact, the zone read offense was created by Rich Rodriguez at the DII level. With 11 guys on O and over 100 years of football history as reference, there are only so many ways to do this. On D, you can only line up 11 (even thgouh at times I wish I could have played 13) so many way and still be sound. As you noted, many times we had to coach what we had to fit into the schemes we ran. We tried to recruit to needs and to the scheme like DI guys do, or at least should do. It's not all about 4 and 5 star guys, it's about guys that fit into what you're looking to run and where the gaps are. Anyway, often there were glaring gaps in the talent level that forced us to tweak the existing packages to fit our talent and give us a punchers chance to win. As noted - that's coaching. Certain teams we played could line up in a 4-3 cover 2 and play it all game and kick our buts because they were physically that much better. The old Miami Hurricanes teams were that way. Do I think Arth can coach - yes I do. Do I think Arth is CEO enough to run a DI program? I don't know, I haven't followed UA long enough to know. I will concede from an overall program standpoint (the kissing babies kind of stuff of the field) is different - has to be because DI is in reality a business and you might need a better CEO than coach at this level. A guy that is smart enough to get the right guys around him and ultimately can recruit by getting the RIGHT kind of kid to buy into the program/vision. My first job I worked for guys who were DI coordinators and moved down as they got up in age. They didn't miss the "crap" that went along with DI football (fund raising, community stuff, recruiting) and could concentrate more on coaching. I admit, I only started watch UA this year so my sample size is small. From a scheme standpoint, I don't see anything that makes me terrified with what Arth is doing. To be honest, I don't see an abundance of talent on this team, especially on D. You have guys playing out of position by design. That tells me there is no one else that can do it - talent is thin. What bothered me, at at least this past week, is the stuff where the operation isn't clean. Couple that with the fact there didn't seem to be a ton of "want to" last Saturday either. That's on both players and coaches but ultimately the coaches have the power to fix it and if they don't then that's on them. The getting lined up issue Coach Arth mentioned is inexcusable - but correctable. We would make sure to get this point across - as part of our extended conditioning this week - until the point sunk in. Get out of the huddle crisply, get lined up efficiently. As basic as that seems can't be taken for granted.

I always appreciated the line that coach Bowden repeated often "We need to find a way to win at AKRON." I feel coach Arth is trying to figuring that out. I hope he does..soon.

I was all for them canning Bowden, as much for off the field stuff not appropriate for discussion here, as on the field stuff. I was also of the opinion that we needed to be patient with the rebuild of the program. My patience is waning. I don't expect them to be challenging for the MAC title but they should not be getting blown off of the field in each and every game (189-65). Not only are they getting physically beaten but they're not doing the little things like getting in and out of the huddle efficiently and lining up correctly. I expected steady improvement. A nearby junior college agricultural school hired a coach three years ago and has gone 2-10, 7-6 and 3-1. Steady improvement. That's what I want to see.

This has been a common trend with Coach Arth. Blaming the roster for performance. FYI, He inherited a very talented Chattanooga roster from Russ Huesman. In Huesman final 4 years with Chattanooga they were very successful and made the FCS playoffs in 2014, 2015, & 2016. Russ Huesman record @ Chattanooga 2013-2016 2013 8-4 2014 10-4 2015 9-4 2016 9-4 Tom Arth record @ Chattanooga 2017-2018 2017 3-8 2018 6-5 ...He must’ve inherited terrible guys from Huesman as well. Huesman inherited a 1-11 team(2008) at Chattanooga and in his first year in 2009 he went 6-5. Again, I think Tom Arth is a great guy, has a very positive perspective, and I hope the best for him.. hopefully he can turn things around. But it’s not looking good and his staff needs to stop blaming their roster and own up to their 0-16 record. They need to be better.

All this over a walk-on offer? Man ?

Zips will win soundly in this game by at least14 points. It will be a total team effort with solid running by Dollard and Knight. I am hoping the freshmen Childs and Norells get a handoff or two to get some experience. I expect a group receiving effort by Stewart, Grimes, Mathison and Qualls, and hopefully others that will catch balls from Gibson. The young OL will rebound with a solid effort. I am looking for the DL to play neutral, not great, but not as bad as they have been playing. And, Bubba will have a career day of 20 tackles. The DBs will also have a neutral day, making some plays and getting beat on some plays. Smigel and Romenick will be clutch. This game will set the stage for 4-5 wins next year and 9 wins in 2022.

F.F.: Zips scoring features: 1 special teams TD, 1 defensive TD, 3 field goals

+1. Mighty Mount Union was glad to see him move on from John Carroll. I have to keep reminding myself of that, because I was pulling for Larry Williams to give Kehres some serious consideration.

A lot talk about DIII coaches and giving them credit for Xs and Os. Surely I'm not the only one who remembers what Arth did at John Carroll. Definitely the only reason he was hired at UT-C and probably the only reason he's here.

I'll Bite. Yesterday there was an interesting post from Palmyra 19 discussing the quality and sophistication of DIII coaching. P19 said he was a former DIII coach and he had high regard for the coaches at that level. He went on to say that sometimes they could not improve the talent level overnight but they were more than willing to scheme up the game plan to negate the other team and play to his team's strengths. To me that is the embodiment of coaching. You are expected to find a way to win. With lousy talent that may not happen, but you still try. I have only seen enlightened scheming from this staff in one game over the last 16. That was Ohio U, and only on offense. So can Arth and company coach? I don't know as I have seen little evidence of it over 15 games. I want to be wrong on this. I want him to succeed. Yet what I saw against Miami causes me to ask questions. And I think that is appropriate.

"Been said on here multiple times I would hire that HS coach down the street who established a Dynasty at Hoban. A HS coach is all we can basically afford right now anyway" My friend I wouldn't hire any high school coach, but I would have given stronger preference to Vince Kehres who at the time was at Mt. Union. We could afford Kehres and he has legit credentials. I especially like the fact that he continued his dad's culture of winning. All the players expected to win at Mount. The staff got the talent and demanded at high work ethic. Kehres inherited a great program, but he went on to make it even better. Look at what a former DIII coach is doing at Buffalo! Their facilities do not match ours and the weather is horrendous. Yet players want to play for coaches who have a vision, can make them better and shows them how to win. Buffalo is doing that now and I believe Kehres could have done that for us. Coaching is always the key to winning programs.

Agreed. Depleted roster is on the coaching staff. They pushed Bowden’s guys out and are continuing to push them out. Players are starting to opt out mid season because of this. Arth staff showed up to a decently talented MAC roster that could have won a couple games last year and definitely should have beat U Mass.. the 2019 team had some of the key players who did not graduated that were a part of the Northwestern win and competed with Iowa State & South Carolina. Could you imagine the outcome of a game if this team and staff shared a field with a team like this? Yes the 2018 Team struggled during MAC play that year but many injuries and poor Play calling at the time. They went to the MAC championship the previous year. Also, Last year they had very talented defensive players and possible NFL talent in Lakos & Davis to build around and somehow still failed to even compete on defense. They ruined these guys NFL hopes & now continue to point fingers at the Bowden Era.... the Bowden era produced quite a few NFL players and gave many of their players opportunities at the NFL. So now the question is was the inherited roster really to blame or is the 0-16 record on the coaching staff???