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The difference in engagement online is amazing. From everything to tweets about offers, to updates on the team, birthday wishes, active coaches, communication with recruiting services...these are all things we've never had. I cannot wait for the spring game, and I'm hoping all this work translates into great community engagement. Make the spring game an event. Late April is a great time for it. Give casual fans more reasons to visit Infocision and campus. We're a real D1 team...FINALLY.

Next man up, in Groce we trust baby!!!

This one pi$$e$ me off a little so I am not going to sugarcoat it. Here is a kid that was recruited by a single D1 school. That school allowed him to get on the court early and when he made obvious mistakes the head coach stood up and praised him to the press. He's now obviously been sold a bill of goods by hangers on and other programs and rather than stick by those who have stuck by him he is buying the the unwarranted perception that he's an NBA prospect. Let's be honest. NBA prospects dominate the MAC as freshman or sophomores, they don't enter their 4th year in a MAC program as a "nice" MAC player.

The onlyD1 team in America that was willing to give him a shot and this is his way of saying thanks. Bye bye, I'm not concerned.

An ABJ article on Day One of Spring Ball! Props.

STANDINGS AFTER ELITE EIGHT Robert G. 214 John E. 204 Jeff H. 186 Eric M. 177 Luke T. 175 Mike Spi. 173 David M. 153 Kyle M. 163 Brian G. 162 Nick K. 161 Mike Sw. 160 John C. 159 Rob C. 154 Mark Spa. 148 Andy V. 131 SKY'S THE LIMIT CLUB Top 3 Potential Points John E. 256 Robert G. 232 Luke T. 227 SHAME CLUB Those who had UCLA in the Elite Eight & Beyond John C. (Final Four) David M. (Elite Eight) Mark Spa. (Final Four) (Dis)Honorable Mention: @NWAkron (National Champion - allegedly & probably) BUSTED BRACKET CLUB Champion Pick Eliminated Everyone except John E. & Luke T. THE SCENARIOS The members of the Sky's the Limit Club are the only 3 people with points left to be earned. Here are the scenarios (if my math is correct)... If Duke and Villanova lose in the Final Four, the above standings will be the final standings. Luke T. can climb all the way up to 2nd Place with a Coach K National Championship Title & a Villanova Final Four loss. 3rd place is also a possibility with simply a Duke win in the Final Four John E. needs a Nova National Championship Title OR Nova Final Four win & Duke Final Four loss to win the whole thing Robert G. needs a Nova Final Four loss OR a Duke National Championship Title to win the whole thing Good luck to Luke T., John E., and Robert G. in the Final Four & National Championship. To the rest of us... WE

That post was much more mature than my rejected teenage boy like "I never really liked you anyway!" response.

If this were Freeman, I would be very upset for a number of reasons. Ali Ali isn't a super star. He's a solid MAC player. Dead to me now

He sure wasn't there when we needed him in the UCLA game.

GT: "$#@!. Akron is going to be a notable football program. That means people will actually pay attention to my writing, so maybe I should give a rat's ass about covering Akron."

Not sure if this has been posted or if this is the appropriate place, but I found this and wanted to post. I apologize if it was posted earlier. Go Zips!!

This is what I posted on social media But I'll be more blunt here. This hurts. This hurts for us and for him. For us it hurts on a personal level in that Groce & Co. gave Ali his only chance and have poured 3 years into developing his game. Now some other program gets to enjoy the fruits of Groce's risk, faith, and labor, while we fans get yet another "what if" scenario. But more importantly, this hurts for Ali because I think he's gotten woefully bad advice. He would have been a team leader here for the next two years on a young team with fantastic locker room and on-court chemistry, enjoyed a luxuriously long leash from Coach Groce, would have continued to have plays drawn up for him, and would have gotten 40-minutes of PT a game if he wanted. He was a perfect fit for this culture and for this system. Good luck getting that anywhere else.

We also wouldn't have had Castaneda this year under the old rules therefore likely wouldn't have made the tournament. Embracing the transfer portal is the only way to succeed in college basketball as a mid-major. You have to take the good with the bad. You just have to keep bringing in more quality transfers than you lose. It's also why recruiting hs players IMO isn't that great to build a team. Why spend 2-3 years of scholarships on a player just for him to leave after 1 good year when you can bring in players that can help you win day 1?

I guess you got 1/3 of your wish. Actually, 2/3 of your wish.

I actually thought there was a chance Ali Ali would transfer from how he's been talked up by many like UCLA's Cronin ("KD like shots") and his decision-making in the UCLA game. I think this move for him has to do with big moments. Maybe he believes that if he's in more pressure games (a power conference), maybe he wouldn't struggle in the bigger games, like the UCLA game (especially that miss to the corner). I wish Ali Ali best of luck wherever he goes (outside of the MAC obviously), but I trust Groce and staff moving forward. EDIT: I just looked at a conversation I had with a friend after the Zips lost to UCLA. One of the messages I sent on 3/18 was "I think Ali will enter the transfer portal". It was a gut instinct, but it didn't shock me when I saw that move today.

The thought that you can't make the NBA if you play in the MAC is a farce. If you're good enough the NBA will find you no matter where you play. Just look at Ja Morant who was drafted #2 overall out of a weaker OVC conference. It just happens to be the most talented players gravitate towards the P6 conferences. Ali departure is certainly a loss. 6'8 players who shoot 40%+ from 3 and can guard multiple positions don't just grow on trees. I don't necessarily think it means next season is doomed, but just means Groce has more work to do.

I get that. I'm sure Groce will be able to find a replacement. I just didn't want to break up what seemed like good team chemistry.

Well, after processing for a few minutes I’ve got a couple thoughts. He probably is either believing in his own press, or knows that the likelihood of playing pro basketball in America isnt great when you play college ball in the MAC. I am more surprised that he would leave the program that gave him a chance when no others did, after an amazing title run and with the same group moving forward. Maybe he comes back, who knows what his intentions are. I haven’t seen anything from him on social media. If he does leave, that’s another open roster spot we can fill with a guy who is a good fit with a similar or better skill set. It’s not the end of the world, just a bit of a shock.

He's believing his own press. Zips will be fine.

@clarkwgriswoldis this the "pick and roll" you go on and on about and never see?

Nice article by GT to start us off!

Also like the preceeding comment in the article. “There is no level of compromise. They're going to do it the way we want it done or they can find another place to play or they can sit on the bench,” he said. “It's really one of three things. Do it the way this team needs to be done that's led to a 52-25 career head coaching record and five different conference championships at five different schools as a head coach or coordinator or the [transfer] portal's open for business."

Again, another great post. I sill still grade the high school recruits an A because of the late start and the fact that 90% of the high school recruits sign in the early period. There are 3 recruits that I would like to comment on. 1. Kellom - as I have stated earlier and have received rebuttals since he had only 1 other FCS offer, I expect him to be great and team with Norrils to have a great tandem at RB for the next several years. 2. Bone - this PWO had great high school stats and has run a sub 4.5 40 yard dash. I think he will be a surprise in year 2 of his time at Akron. 3. Paxos - first team D1 all state as a kicker. If you watched any of the NFL playoffs, you saw how important kicking is in football. I see that Slike is no longer on the roster, and I thought he was very good last year. So, we will see how the kicking game develops. I think that most of the recruits will turn out very good. I cannot wait to see what the staff does with a whole year of recruiting. Go Zips!!!

3 players from Cincinnati Taft on an unofficial visit. OL's Mysta Moore and Elijah Garnes, and LB Ronald Cutts.

Great analysis. Better than my initial post when I started this thread. I did a follow up review and was waiting for the pain of the basketball loss go pass to post and wanted to downgrade by original grade on the transfers to a C. But, you beat me to the punch. I think we got the positions from the transfer portal that we needed to provide depth, and most of the players were great out of high school but have done little in college. Outside of Jacques-Lewis and Banes, they appear to have little to no starting experience. Even Terry only started 2 games at Buffalo last year, but he should provide depth. I am hoping that the difference in competition allows these players to be top notch MAC players. Go Zips!!!

"We look like a Division I football team now, and we act like a Division I football team now." The truth hurts a bit sometimes.

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.

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.

Ali Ali and Sekou Sada Kalle depart.