Leaderboard

💯💯💯 This is what really separates a coach like JoMo vs Arth. Coach has tons of connections at the FBS level and has recruited many of these P5 portal players either as an OC or HC. Arth on the other hand had limited connections and was coming from a place where he recruited at the DIII or FCS level. The portal game is sooooo important in today's game. No connections lead to blind or limited evaluations /Offers. Yet another reason I'm confident in this staff.

Agree, we are going to land some difference makers. I went back and looked at the commitment timeline (not signing) from last year’s class and it went like this: December: Robinson, Wiley, Threatt, Martin, Harper January: Banks, Jennings, Kellom, Terry, Jacques-Louis, Banes, Jones, Adams, Murphy, Gettman, Golden, T. Williams, Landers, K. Davis, McCoy, Darnell February: Hale-Frater, Stallworth March: N/A April: Price, Thompson, Whigan, Clark, George May: Griffin, Holt, Undercuffler, Woods, Golden-Nelson, Anderson June: Fish, Thomas

We got us a long snapper. Looks like he works with the same kicking academy as Owen Wiley.

Cody was promoted to DL coach.

A lot of the new contributors in 2022 were a direct result of connections with Joe & others on staff. He recruited Whigan and Daniel George at Penn State, recruited AA at MSU, hell he even recruited DJI while he was at MSU. Obviously he was already on the roster, but had he been somewhere else and been available, he already had the seed planted. I'm happy with the HS class that was assembled, but the portal class will be the big difference maker. I have high hopes, which is always scary when you're an Akron fan. In 2022 off the top of my head, big time portal contributors were Cam Wiley, Clyde Price, Anthony Whigan, Max Banes, Daniel George, Shocky Jaques-Louis, Alex Adams, Cam Threatt, Nate Thompson, Tim Terry, Victor Jones, Ravontae Holt, Devonte Golden-Nelson. Still plenty more I didn't even mention. It's both amazing that coach could land this talent and amazing that they lost nearly every single close game. This team really should have gone bowling, and I expect them to in 2023.

Another side effect the portal is creating is making better high school players available to G5 and FCS schools. The portal is hurting high school recruiting when it comes to the P5 level, but players who in previous years would be signing at P5 are now available to G5. (Landers may have been a case here.) On the flip side, there is always the possibility those kids have a great season or two and then transfer up to P5.

Exactly the reason why, when JoeMo was assembling his staff earlier this year, I put together a chart tracking the previous stops of each coach. The amount of P5 experience is unreal and a true asset. It's not just "Oh look, JoeMo coached Saquon Barkley," or "Our RB coach produced the #1 RB in the nation at UCONN." It's "Remember how JoeMo coached Saquon Barkley? Yeah well the connections he made while recruiting/coaching that stud led to (insert name of current stud player) coming to Akron."

I’m not knocking those other schools, but none of them are a step up. Especially if the 2023 team takes the leap I expect them to.

Well someone had to start this so I will gladly step forward. Merry Christmas to all Zips, friends and guests on this board. I'm grateful we have this medium to feed my Zip addiction so thanks to the creators and moderators. You've dome something impactful that means a lot to us. Thank you to the brave souls who post risking ridicule, argument and praise. You postors are the life blood of this forum. Thank you to those who use this site to learn more about the Zips. You may be silent at times, but we know you are out there and your support helps to make this the best site in the MAC. Finally, to those I have never met, thank you. Yous are friends I have yet to meet. Merry Christmas! Go Zips!

I’m assuming he expected bigger offers when he entered the portal. Instead of helping the Zips win a few more games or being CB1 going into 2023, he’s now deciding between Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Stony Brook, Illinois State, and Bryant.

Faust was going 1-10 before it was cool. 😎

So their program is at Arth-level. Oof.

I think you're right. And my version of "better" is more entertaining and competitive. There are always going to be the usual cast of characters, around 10 teams, that are always at the top because they can throw money at winning. I'm not interested in those teams and I really don't watch them because their games aren't very competitive or entertaining. I'm more interested in how the free movement of labor (transfer portal) has made G5 football the most entertaining in college football right now. The quality of players has created better competition and entertainment across the board. We see it in bowl games this year. I know as mac fans we can get down on the conference, but the football is better now than it has been in years. Akron is a much better team than last season and will be even better next year. Now, if they could stop pimping out their schools to P5 schools and play games at more convenient times/days for fans (see pimping out) the MAC will have something. The ongoing suicide needs to stop though.