Leaderboard

I became a Zips fan after moving to Ohio last year. At times, the games were difficult to watch and the incoming recruiting class didn’t provide much hope. Joe Moorhead has quickly changed that outlook. I don’t expect the Zips to win the MAC this coming year, but the 2022 class is a great start towards that goal. My thoughts on the 2022 transfers are below. I’ll give my thoughts on the incoming freshmen at a later date. Transfers: RB - Cameron Wiley = Transfer from Minnesota. Wiley was a backup for the Gophers who flashed at times. He displays patience, vision, and power when running the ball and could develop into an every down back. He may not turn into an all conference player, but should give the running game more production. WR - Shocky Jacques - Louis = Senior transfer from Pittsburgh. Shocky was a part-time starter at Pitt and is a proven receiver at the Power 5 level. He has demonstrated the ability to make difficult catches in his career and will go up and get the ball. He should slide right in as a day one starter. WR - Alex Adams = Transfer from LSU. Adams was an explosive player in high school that hasn’t lived up to his potential. If the staff can motivate and develop Adams, he’ll be an all-MAC player before he graduates. TE - TJ Banks = Transfer from West Virginia where Banks was a backup TE. He mostly played split out as a WR in high school, so learning to be an in-line TE at the D1 level was an adjustment. Banks exhibits a large catch radius and a big bodied target for the QB. If he can pick up the nuances of blocking, he’ll be a weapon at Akron. OL - Max Banes = Transfer from Houston where he was a part-time starter. Banes brings Guard to Tackle value to Akron. He has excellent size, demonstrates great feet, and runs extremely well for an offensive lineman. He should be a starter from day one. DE - Devon Robinson = Transfer from Memphis, where he did not play. Robinson was originally a scholarship player at Mississippi State and then walked on at Memphis. This is the definition of a boom or bust opportunity. It’s worth the staff taking a chance on Robinson as he possesses immense talent and could be an all MAC player if he lives up to his potential. DE - Victor Jones = Senior transfer from Wyoming. Jones played DE and DT during his time at Wyoming. He was a productive backup who will bring experience and provide immediate defensive line depth. DT - Curtis Harper = Senior transfer from Syracuse. Harper was a productive backup who will likely be a starter before the year ends. He’s strong, agile, and should cause problems for interior OL in the MAC. OLB - Tim Terry = Senior transfer from Buffalo. Terry was a multi-year starter at Buffalo and will look to claim a starting spot at Akron to close out his career. Having a player with Terry’s experience can only help the LB corp. CB - Cameron Threatt = JUCO transfer via way of Mississippi State. Threatt is a long and rangy DB that’ll be able to line up anywhere in the secondary. He’ll provide immediate depth as well as push for a starting position. S - KJ Martin = Transfer from West Virginia. Another long and rangy DB except Martin is a true S. He was mostly a backup at WVU, but did start a handful of games. Martin is excellent when coming to help from the weak side, but will need to shore up his tackling technique when facing head on. He’ll provide depth and push for starting minutes.

Indeed. And the MAC is a grind and the MAC Tournament is a grinder. So we don't get too cocky, it's good to remember that, in the MAC Tourney, we beat Buffalo after a Bulls last-second, potentially game-winning shot was a near-miss, and we beat Toledo by 8, while UT didn't help themselves, going 10-of-22 at the free throw line. Having said that, our D was national-level elite -v- KSUcks & UCLA, not letting KSUcks get into any comfortable offensive flow, while also keeping high powered Blue Blood UCLA discombobulated for most of the game. (If the refs didn't cheap-foul Enrique out of that game we beat UCLA.) Add to that young, sophomore-heavy roster the offensive fire power we're bringing in next year with our redshirted freshmen (and the fact they got to witness first hand how good we can be when we sell out on the defensive end of the floor) and I'd like to see us crack the Top 25 next regular season.

The City of Akron needs to have a plan for this eyesore. Do something to help an area of town that has people from all over North America visiting each year for the Soapbox Derby. This idea cleans up the area, gives part of the structure some purpose and becomes a Metropark. Saw this suggestion before about making it similar to the Cleveland Metroparks -Strongsville Toboggan Chutes & Chalet... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi5pZOi8Oj2AhVRbs0KHRUHBlIQFnoECBMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.clevelandmetroparks.com%2Fparks%2Fvisit%2Factivities%2Factivity-types%2Ftobogganing&usg=AOvVaw3YKYH9bqBIjIQtCzcuCpOZ

Sekou Kalle in the transfer portal. So it begins.

from time to time, I would play as UCF vs UAB. You would have a bunch of knights fighting against a bunch of dragons.

@Ham I guess you could say I have a fondness for a rebuild. I was an AD at the high school level for 8 years and coached for 13 years. One of those jobs I built the program from the ground up and the other was a turnaround. I’ve been out of athletics for the past 5 years and have recently rekindled my passion for football. I’ll probably get back into athletics in some capacity, but for now I’m satisfied with being a fan. I recently moved to Ohio, so Akron is my local team of choice. It’s easy to see the difference in the type of players coach Moorhead is bringing in vs his predecessor. They won’t all work out, but the potential is there.

With Spring Ball kicking off tomorrow, I thought I’d go ahead and post my opinion on the prep signees. This is strictly going off their hudl film, as I haven’t seen any of them play in person. Prep Signees: QB - Dijon Jennings = Great athlete and very elusive. Jennings would most likely develop into a dynamic WR if QB didn’t work out. His throwing motion is inconsistent, but he flashes the ability to keep plays alive with his feet. RB - Charles Kellom = Reads the cutback lanes well and runs hard. He’ll need to add mass on his frame to hold up at D1. It’s always good to recruit the home state and Kellom will add depth to the RB position. WR - Bobby Golden = Smaller WR that can flat out fly. Golden is a prototypical slot receiver who can take the top off a defense. As far as year one goes, he’ll likely get some looks as a returner on special teams and may see the field at WR depending on his development and team need. TE - Marquell Darnell = Tall athlete with excellent size. Darnell was mostly split out wide in high school, so it’ll take some time to learn how to play as an in-line TE. He flashes solid hands and often out jumped DBs in high school. The potential is there to develop into a playmaker, but it probably won’t be in year one. OC - Tyhler Williams = Underrated interior lineman that brings Center to Guard value. Williams has been well coached at the high school level and will be ready to contribute as a freshman. He’s very agile, strong, and uses leverage well. OG - Keylen Davis = Wide bodied interior lineman that is strong and agile. Davis brings an aggressive mindset and is looking to pancake defenders at every opportunity. He brings Center to Guard value and is the one of most physically ready OL to compete for starting minutes in the prep class. OT - Ka’Marri Landers = Big bodied OL that is unusually mobile for a player his size. He’s an extremely underrated offensive lineman that brings guard to tackle value. Landing a player out of high school with Landers talent and ability is huge. Once he adjusts to the speed of D1 football, he’ll become a stalwart on the offensive line and has the potential to develop into an all MAC player. OT - Jourden Hale = Massive offensive tackle that overpowered defensive linemen at the high school level. Hale exhibits excellent size, balance, and aggressiveness. He’ll need to work on his technique, and tune up his body, before he starts contributing on a consistent basis. DT - Kiawan Murphy = Stout and wide bodied DT, similar in build to transfer Curtis Harper. Murphy has been well coached at the high school level and gets out of his stance quickly. He usually overpowered OL at the high school level, but also flashed plenty of agility. ILB - Bryan McCoy = Aggressive, hard hitting, inside linebacker. McCoy’s strength is in the run game. He quickly diagnoses where the ball is going and gets there in a hurry. When chasing down the play, he’s explosive upon tackling the ball carrier. However, his ability to drop into coverage and defend the pass is questionable and will need improving.

Thanks @Blue & Gold! Glad to be here. I just happened to stumble across this forum and it’s great to see so many active posting Zips fans. Looking forward to spring ball and what this year brings!

Not sure why, but I just had a flashback to playing NCAA Football 2005. They had this Mascot mode where you're entire team was the respective school's mascot. I always had a team full of Zippy's vs whomever - Brutus, whatever the hell they named the bird with teeth to the east, etc. - in the Rubber Bowl. That 2005 Snow Bowl vs KSUcks was my favorite Rubber Bowl memory. Little did we know 2 years after that game came out, Zippy would literally beat all the mascots nationwide to win the 2007 Capital One Mascot Challenge.

Could he pull the dreaded “Reverse Bubba”?!

Great post. I am sure that I do not have this much insight but loved your analysis. Looking forward to the season. Go Zips

I thought the kid showed promise but let's be frank. As a big man he didn't play on a team that was short on big men. Have to trust the staff's assessment on this one.

I'm optimistic for all of them until proven wrong. Additionally, l believe there is unrealized potential in the returnees that our competent staff will recognize and develop. In the MAC, all it takes is a sprinkling of studs in the right places to be a winner. OOC will still be tough, but if we can enter the MAC season 2 & 2, l think we will go Bowling in '22!

What excellent breakdowns, @catdaddyp. THANK YOU!!

Great breakdown! Love hearing it from someone that has coached the sport as opposed to many of us fans (casual to former players). Welcome to Zips Nation!

This kid is impressive. With QBs, it’s always hard to know how successful they’ll be at the next level as so much of it is mental. Assuming Wassel picks things up quickly, he’ll be an excellent addition. He has plenty of arm strength, always keeps his eyes down field, and can efficiently scramble when he needs to. Its pretty clear this staff is targeting mobile quarterbacks. My concern is the ability to hang on to him as more offers are likely to come if he has a big senior season. https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11660442/61b13a44d21bb50410a1a351

@catdaddyp, great post and glad you're here! Go Zips!

If thats the case then they could a planned that better vs letting half a torn down stadium just sit there

Despite being a bunch of low lifes from the coach on down, East Mogadore JUCO doesn't seem to receive the enmity the Zips get from other schools teams and fan bases. Never understood that.

I'd like to see KSUcks get more "best efforts" from their opponents. Luckiest team this season.

St. Peter's is us, but in the Elite 8. In your face defense (our D is better), methodical offense, and solid free throw shooting. Groce has the winning formula. Time to execute.

Wasn't quite sure where to put this, but congrats to Western Michigan who won their very first NCAA hockey tournament game on a fantastic wrap around overtime goal. I tend to root for other Mac teams in tournaments especially in sports we do not play. 😊

You missed out. There is nary a more satisfying feeling than having Zippy stiff-arm the teeth out of the PCCC chicken.

6 ft. 3 in 310 lb. Defensive Linemen.