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Thad Matta to Butler. Dakich continues to be a useless gasbag.

That NC/Duke game was outstanding.

That's as close as I have seen to a compliment for Dakich!

RMU 2-3 AKR FT Presumably due to sloppy conditions, match moved to Joe Walton Field where Robert Morris plays FB, LAX, FH, but not Soccer. There are lines all over the place, none applicable to soccer. And the width is less than 60 yards. It was weird playing with what I think is a LAX Penalty Area. Is the GK out? Who knows!? Like everything else in Pittsburgh, the field is built into the side of a mountain. Easily a dozen balls were sent over the fence during play, possibly gone forever. Malik Henry continues to shine along the right flank with speedy overlapping runs out of defense. What is improving rapidly is his service into the box. The first score of the match was just such a run capped by a (no exaggeration) world class cross onto the head of Jason Shokalook for the score. Sublime! Ryan Kingsford is the Zips' best option at several positions, but his most natural place is in the middle of the 3 in a 4-2-3-1, or in "the hole" as some say. His work rate is off the charts and he sprays the ball all over the pitch with a variety of passing techniques. Kingsford probably passed the ball to every single Zip who saw time. Freshman Stefan Dobrijevic again impressed off the bench, slotting in the winning goal with a right footer to the far post from the left side of goal. Extra drama mid way through the second half when Head Coach Jared Embick was tossed from the match for (justifiably) berating the near side linesman. Not sure, but I think Will Jackson may have been tossed as well. At any rate, WilJax did not return after exiting. It was fairly intense for spring soccer.

Zips used far more 12 personnel in 2023 than in 2022. Expect the offense to revert back to more single right end sets in 2024. Jacob Newell - [Redshirt Junior, Returning] - (5.6) 3 ⭐️ HS / (5.4) 2 ⭐️ (Portal) - Transfer from Arizona State where he had a few P5 offers. Newell provides a big target in the passing game with a large frame and excellent hand/eye coordination. He has tremendous upside and will be the top tight end heading into 2024. Newell finished 2023 with 13 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. He was the starting tight end in the spring game as expected. HS FILM * Max Whisner - [Redshirt Junior, Returning] - (5.6) 3 ⭐️ HS / (5.2) 2 ⭐️ (Portal) - Transfer from Missouri. Whisner is more suited as an in-line blocking TE, but does have a decent catch radius. While he may not be as adept at gaining yards after the catch as some of the other TEs, he is a reliable target in the passing game. Expect Whisner to see significant playing time as he is more physically advanced than the other tight ends on the roster not named Newell. The (5.2) 2 ⭐️ rating is about as lazy as I’ve seen by a recruiting service. Whisner was in the competition to be a starter at Mizzou this time last year. HS FILM * Conner Cravaack - [Redshirt Sophomore, Returning] - (5.4) 2 ⭐️ - Cravaack played TE and DE in high school. He will provide a big target in the passing game and flashes surprisingly nimble feet for someone his size. As expected, Cravaack redshirted his freshman year. He played in the 2024 spring game and looks ready to contribute this season. HS FILM * Star Rating Take: TBD Khalil Witherspoon - [Redshirt Freshman, Returning] - (5.4) 2 ⭐️ - Witherspoon played on both sides of the ball in HS as a WR, TE, and DE. He runs well and has excellent hand/eye coordination. He already understands how to use his body to position himself to win contested balls. Witherspoon has the potential to eventually develop into an All-MAC player, but will likely redshirt his freshman year. HS FILM * Banks and Newell received nearly 100% of the snaps in 2023. Banks is now gone leaving Newell as the top option. Whisner will be the top backup and Cravaack should also work his way into some snaps. This is a talented and versatile group that will support in the run game and give the offense reliable options in the passing game. Scholarship Players: Conner Cravaack Jacob Newell Max Whisner Khalil Witherspoon Added: Removed: NR - Grant Gainer - Walk-on NR - Aiden Diaz - Walk-on Removed: (5.8) 4 ⭐️ (HS) - TJ Banks - Graduated. (5.2) 2 ⭐️ (TP) - Brycen Yarmo - TP (5.4) 2 ⭐️ (TP) - Nik Ognenovic - TP Removed Before 2023 Season: NR - Jacob Shaffer - Grad. - Walk-on (5.2) 2 ⭐️ - Tristian Brank - Retired. - Star Rating Take: (5.4) 2 ⭐️ (5.5) 3 ⭐️ - Marquell Darnell - TP? - Star Rating Take: TBD. (5.7) 3 ⭐️ - Caden Clark - Retired. Before 2022 season: NR - Matthew Monaghan - Walk-on NR - Nick Dottore - (Morehead State) - Walk-on NR - Nate Amato - Walk-on

Hope he doesn’t keep shrinking 🙏

RB from Kansas State, who should be joining us in the summer. From what I can tell, only played in one game ever at K State. Still should have 3 years of eligibility considering the extra COVID year. Either one of Norrils or Williams are gone, or we're going to have the most capable backs on the roster in as long as I can recall, with 4 guys competing for playing time (Wiley, Price, Williams, and Norrils).

Another good analysis. My thoughts on the TE's are as follows: Brank - should be the clear #1 TE. Showed he was very capable and productive as a receiver and blocker Ognenovic - great high school stats and pedigree. Has not lived up to his background. Has shown flashes of good play. Banks - transfer from WVU, but he played little and his stats and tape are not very positive. I am surprised that Coach JoeMo pursued this guy. He does have good size. Maybe a change of venue will help him out. Darnell - very good pedigree. Very large and chose Akron over other schools. Looks like he is the real deal to team with Brank to form a great duo. The Zips should be capable of running the 12 or 13 personnel effectively when needed with these 4 tight ends. There are 10 TE's on the roster. If I was coach JoeMo, I would shed the remainder of the tight ends and open up some scholarships.

Yes sir to all. I've attached the most current version. Don't pay attention to the class years as I know some of GoZips roster is wrong, so waiting to update those. Looks like they aren't reflecting last year's redshirts. Also, I wouldn't pay much attention to the special teams player names. More-so just assuming the starting Long snapper, Kicker, and Punter are all on scholly. The current roster is missing additional Arth era players Deacon Allen (OL) and Rey Noi Summerset (OLB). Both were freshman last year and I don't believe played at all. There is one Moorhead signee not showing up yet - OL Keylen Davis Zips Football Scholarship Chart.xlsx

B & G, you overlooked the TE position because for years our coaches have overlooked it. This coach is determined to use all his weapons. In Joe We Trust.

247 has him at 6'1" and 220. Someone must have left him out in the rain.

6-0, 210. Nice sized back! Hope he’s got some wheels.

We have a (HS) State POY. D2, Faith Stinson.

That noise you heard wasn't Bobcat Attack exploding. It was just a collective sigh of relief!

Thanks @fknbuflobo. Fun afternoon/evening in Pittsburgh supporting the Zips in their 3-2 exhibition win over RMU and then attending a 2-0 Riverhounds win over Loudoun. Great catching up with Robby Dambrot and Shane Wiedt and their families. Especially enjoyed talking with Keith, Donna, and Alysse Dambot whom I miss around Akron.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb3eav3p2Ue/ I know that a few great super zips soccer fans made the trip to Pittsburgh today to support the mighty soccer zips. instagram shows that the zips beat Robert Morris 3-2 goals by Jason Shokalook, Malik Henry and Stefan Dobrijevic

@catdaddyp Thank you for another outstanding analysis. I'll admit that TE is a position I usually find easy to overlook.

Can't agree more with your take among this group. Scholarship guesses are spot on as well. I do think one player ends up transferring out after spring ball. We've got 4 guys expecting playing time (Brank, Og, Yarmo, and Banks), and they aren't all going to get it barring injuries. I keep a scholarship chart that isn't 100%, but pretty accurate. Fact is we don't always hear about walk-ons getting put on scholly or official status of players who transfer in over the summer, so assumptions get made. Holding off on posting for now as the roster online needs to have class levels fixed.

I'm taking that as an April Fool's joke. We're lucky... LUCKY... LUCKY to have such a popular mascot. Don't mess with Zippy.

AHA, it's your fault.

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

They are as slow tearing the damn thing down than they are fixing the potholes and highways around it.