Leaderboard

Woooooooooooooahhhhh buddy the goosebumps from this hype video featuring the guys at the Rubber Bowl!!!!!! I remember the 2017 team intro video was filmed there, so damn cool! GO ZIPS!!!!

I personally am not trying to get too worked up too early in the week @Blue & Gold 😂 This one is an interesting matchup. Both head coaches are considered offensive geniuses in very different ways. JoeMo is far more tactical, while Lewis' offense is much more simple and plays up tempo. This is not the Kent offense of the last 2 seasons, but it's still one of the best in the league. Schlee is an above average MAC QB. He's no Dustin Crum and has not mastered that system yet, but he is a formidable opponent. RB Marquez Cooper is the real X-factor, as in the RPO-up-tempo offense, he is a lightning quick runner who is also very strong and can break some tackles at the second level. I may take a shot to predict Akron to win, but this offense vs. our defense is something I am having trouble talking myself into. With that said, on paper in MAC play, these teams aren't so far apart. Scoring Offense in MAC play: AKRON--27.7ppg KENT--28.7ppg Scoring Defense in MAC play: AKRON--38ppg KENT--34.3ppg Each team has played a pair of one-score games and has a 21-point loss. Kent racked up 700+ yards, but fumbled 5 times in a 31-24 OT win over Ohio, they had a comeback fall short at Miami to lose 27-24, and they blew a 21-0 lead 5 minutes into the game, to be outscored 52-10 the final 55 minutes. Pretty wild number right there. DJ Irons, who is apparently better suited as a RB, is currently 2nd in the MAC in passing offense, averaging 299ypg, completing at a 70% clip. He is also the most sacked QB in the league, which is compounded by both his tendency to hold the ball a second too long, and the offensive line being inconsistent, and now really banged up. I'm very worried about how this game could look if we don't get a couple of those guys back. Considering these team's respective offenses, from QB, to RB (clear advantage to Kent, but I like Price), to WR, there's quite a bit of skill to go around. Dante Cephas is one of the better receivers in the country, and Devontez Walker has come along nicely for them. Akron's three-headed transfer monster may actually have the upper hand at this position, especially when you throw in Brank and Banks who were used beautifully on Saturday. It really is a damn shame that the fumble happened and they blew that chance, because the 2nd half offense was a thing of beauty. Both coaches hate the other team. It feels good to say that again. Tom Arth famously considered Kent just another game on the schedule, and didn't even like to use the word rivalry. Joe Dunn has now said a couple of times and I tend to agree--it's almost a blessing that Kent is up next on the schedule after a disastrous loss like that. It's something to shift your focus and emotion to instead of dwelling on the past week. Maybe he's wrong, but it makes sense to me. And when we watch the Joe Moorhead Akron Football Dynasty Documentary™ in 20 years that details how he made Akron into a G5 power (you never know 😂), what better way to pick up your first FBS win, first MAC win, and truly kick start a winning-not-losing culture than to roll into the Dicks Dump out in the sticks as huge underdogs with not a soul in the country believing you, and coming out of there with the Wagon Wheel back in your possession? It's a picture-perfect storybook entry into this awesome rivalry, but maybe it's just too early in this process and too good to be true. We'll have to wait to see. Either way, I'm looking forward to some morning beers before the sun rises over there in Portage County, and I can't wait to watch this football program that I love play another game. Go Zips!!!!!

Saturday is a “white out” at the Dicks Dump. Kent will be wearing their light blue jerseys (not a school color, also not white), with white helmets and white pants. Akron, the visiting team, will be wearing white jerseys. Whole lotta geniuses over in Portage County.

@Cliff - you may very well be correct. If I were the defense lawyer for the staff, I'd contend: Bubba is 5' 9" and missed the bulk of 2021 with an injury. He's as tough as they come, but playing 95% of the available snaps is risking him breaking down over the course of 12 games. Practices only show so much. Joe needs to see who can play in game action. If you don't play young guys now-a-days, they hit the portal. Players don't get better by sitting. Hopefully giving the younger guys PT today gives us a more game-ready player in the future. 2022 is about building a foundation, not winning a championship. Bubba's been fresh, healthy and very effective all season. Maybe 60% of the snaps is a sweet spot? Bubba was GREAT in the CMU game. I'm glad he stuck with the Zips, and hope he feels he made the right decision by doing so.

I see that the KSU forum is referring to UA as Summit County Community College. I am personally offended having crafted "Portage County Community College" years ago. Low intellect copycats!

We're just a little more than 2 weeks out to the opening of the season and I'm just so damn ready for hoops to start that I thought I'd get the ball rolling with the game 1 thread. The reigning Summit League regular season and tournament champion Jackrabbits of South Dakota State come to the JAR to open the season on November 7th. SDSU was picked to finish second in the Summit League preseason poll (behind Oral Roberts). Last year, the Jackrabbits had the first undefeated regular season in Summit League history. THe Jackrabbits fell to Providence 66-57 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Last year’s Summit League Sixth Man of the Year 6-8 Forward Luke Appel (11.1 ppg/4.2 rpg) is joined by 6-3 guard Zeke Mayo (10.6 ppg/2.7 rpg/2.1 apg) on the Summit League Preseason First Team.

The JAR will be hopping that's for sure.

Thanks! Added. Looks like another guy Moorhead recruited while at Mississippi State. I like the offer. On a side note, his partner on the DL is DT Elijah Davis who is an absolute monster.

I see what you did there.

More room for Rutgers and Georgia Tech.

In Arth's three "rivalry" games, the Zips lost to the Flashes by an average of 32 points.

I know that hope is a dangerous thing with Akron football, but I have felt since the Liberty game that this was the game where the Zips would start winning a close game instead of losing a close one. Last week was as close a loss as you can get, and I really do believe in these coaches and players to start turning things around here. Saturday is my birthday and I'm looking forward to a big gift-wrapped W from the football team delivered in Kent.

Narrated by the DL coach too. Gimme a brick wall to run through!!!!!!!

JoeMo gets it. This is a diss track with class. Beat Porta-potty Community College.

Maybe the injured OL were held out last week to hopefully be ready for this week? Last week's opponent was "less important" than this week, especially in year 1 of JoeMo.

I want our guys to look up at the end of the fourth quarter and see a Zips win!

I don't think the offense is the problem. The offensive is doing its job but the defense has been absolutely terrible. Coaches have not been putting the team in the best position to win! Liberty, Bowling Green, and Central Michigan should all have been WINS with Bubba Arslanian in the game. He is only playing 50%-60% of the defensive snaps. Don't understand what this coaching staff is seeing? He is currently ranked 3rd in the nation for tackles and only playing 50%-60% of snaps. How many tackles would he have if he played every snap and how many wins would we have? Coaches seem to have the linebackers rotate on every 5th play. Here are the updated linebacker stats. #27 Bubba Arslanian 77 Tackles (3rd the Nation) # 5 Tim Terry 24 Tackles # 9 Jeslord Boatenig 19 Tackles #40 Bryan McCoy 17 Tackles #59 Andrew Behm 17 Tackles #35 Antivirus Fish 11 Tackles Moorhead has said in several press conference he would play the best players. It's obvious he's not playing the best linebackers with consistency. Would have 3 more victories with the best players playing???

Anyone have an inside track on discounted game tickets? I'd hate to give KSU $40 for two tix if I can avoid it. 🙂