Leaderboard

How the hell is Enrique Freeman not plastered all over the city of Akron as a marketing plan?

There's 27 minutes per game up for grabs over the next 6 weeks due to Nate's injury. We'll see if he takes advantage of his share. If this team is going to do something special in March he's the X factor that's got the potential to torch P5 teams who decide to focus on Ali and Freeman. Speaking of Ali - he actually played like he wanted to take over the game in the last 7 minutes. Dawson's steal lit a fire under him. I want to see that angry, aggressive Ali for the remainder of this season.

they should be promoting him for the basketball equivalent of the Heisman award

Duquesne 0-4 to start A10 play. Oof

I just got to watch the replay and the player post-game interviews. Definitely a complete team win. That said, I want to give a shout out to Sammy Hunter. I think that might have been his best all around game. He has hit a lot of threes in the past, but he is playing defense better, rebounding better, driving better, shooting mid-range better. He's making great strides, keep it up!!

Isn't Lamar Sperling there as well? Might be a real good fit with our new Offensive Coordinator's style.

20 & 14 from Freeman tonight. His nation leading 13.1 RPG will go up, and he will keep pace with Woolbright of Western Carolina with a co-leading 15 double doubles on the season (note: Freeman has played 1 less game than Woolbright). Say it with me ZipsNation. ALL. AMERICAN.

Not sure I’ve ever seen a better, more impactful performance by a guy who didn’t attempt a single shot all night. Kudos to Kaleb Thornton. Love having him on this team.

We have 10 on the cheer squad and 12 on the dance team and none of them are better cheerleaders than Evan Wilson.

I think a lot of players see it as a chance to "study abroad". They can get a graduate diploma from a second school...get a change of scenery...experience a different culture. Let's face it - Ronan Chambers has lost a lot of football games in his college career. Like 90% of them. Why not take your NCAA "Grad Transfer Get Out of Jail Free" card to see what else is out there? If it doesn't work out...you have your UA Bachelors degree...and off you go into the real world.

PCCC welcomes the Zips into the Portage County Animal Husbandry Center Friday night to renew the rivalry. The 9-8 Flushes got back on the beam last night with a win at DeKalb. They’ve dealt with many illnesses and injuries so far. Mr. Pinky has used a number of lineups and last week held their top scorer, Sullinger, out of the starting lineup. The game is to be broadcast on ESPNU. Sullinger leads scoring at 14.7 ppg while Payton leads rebounding at 8.1 rpg while contributing 14.6 ppg. The Zips main goal between now and Friday, per Groce, is to get healthy.

I’m sure there was a lot of investigative research put into the rumor before it was released.

Chicken or the egg?

Groce said in the post-game that an illness is going through the team. Tribble missed the last two practices then gutted out 16 minutes. Even Groce is sick. Dawson getting on the floor for that loose ball tonight was the play of the game.

They braved the temps!

Here’s a compiled list of recruits (scholarship only) during the Moorhead era. Like all classes, some pan out and some don’t. OL recruiting usually lags behind the skill positions because solid OL are at a premium in the portal and harder to land, while HS signees take longer to develop. QB In: 2022 - Dijon Jennings (HS) 2022 - Jeff Undercuffler (TP) Albany 2023 - Tahj Bullock (TP) Virginia Tech 2023 - Steele Wasel (HS) 2024 - Brayden Roggow (HS) 2024 - Ben Finley (TP) California Out: Dijon Jennings = (TP) Weber State Jeff Undercuffler = Graduation Steele Wasel = (TP) 2022 class - Undercuffler will be remembered for his performance against Kent State this past season. Beyond that, he struggled with consistency. Jennings never saw the field and transferred out. 2023 class - Bullock has all the physical tools to be successful, but was in essence a freshman in a redshirt sophomore’s body. I say that because 2023 was his only true significant action of his college career. If he ever puts it all together, watch out. Until then, he’s a situational player. Wasel had a high ceiling, but did not see the field and transferred out after two springs. 2024 class - Roggow and Finley are new additions to the roster. Roggow will be a true freshman, while Finley arrives with the most experience of the current quarterbacks. Looking around the conference, Finley may be one of the better passers in the MAC come 2024. That being said, he will need to work on limiting the turnovers. Expect another QB to be added to the roster before the season starts. RB In: 2022 - Charles Kellom (HS) 2022 - Anthony Stallworth (HS) 2022 - Clyde Price (TP) Kansas State 2022 - Cam Wiley (TP) Minnesota 2023 - Lorenzo Lingard (TP) Florida 2023 - Drake Anderson (TP) Arizona 2024 - Jordon Simmons (TP) Michigan State 2024 - Marquese Williams (TP) Minnesota 2024 - Sean Patrick (HS) Out: Anthony Stallworth = N/A Cam Wiley = (TP) DII Lorenzo Lingard = Graduation Drake Anderson = Graduation Clyde Price = (TP) 2022 class - Wiley and Price split time in the backfield in 2022. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses, yet neither was a complete back. Wiley transferred out and Price had a season ending injury. Remains to be seen what type of form Price returns in. Stallworth never saw the field and left the team. Kellom redshirted in 2022 and became a key special teams player in 2023. He will be a redshirt sophomore in 2024. 2023 class - Despite having little production before arriving at Akron, Lingard was a major pickup and was arguably underutilized in the first half of 2023. Anderson was also underutilized. That said, it is difficult to make a case for Anderson receiving more touches out of the backfield when Lingard was the other option. 2024 - Simmons, Williams, and Patrick are the newcomers. Simmons is probably somewhere between Lingard and Wiley/Price as far as talent goes. Even though Simmons does not have the top end speed of Lingard, he should be RB1 in 2024. Williams and Patrick are small in frame and unproven, yet were dynamic at the high school level. WR In: 2022 - Shocky Jacques-Louis (TP) Pittsburgh 2022 - Daniel George (TP) Penn State 2022 - Alex Adams (TP) LSU 2022 - Caleb Anderson (JUCO) 2022 - Bobby Golden (HS) 2023 - Paul Davis (HS) 2023 - Jean Louis (HS) 2023 - Adrian Norton (HS) 2023 - Dakota Thomas (TP) Western Kentucky 2023 - Phaizon Wilson (TP) Grambling 2024 - Kyan Mason (HS) 2024 - Justin Campbell (JUCO) 2024 - Jacobi Moore (JUCO) 2024 - Jarvis Rush (JUCO) Out: Shocky Jacques-Louis = Graduation Dakota Thomas = (TP) JUCO (now Southern Miss) Caleb Anderson = (TP) Alcorn State Daniel George = Graduation 2022 class - Jacques-Louis was named All-MAC 3rd Team. Adams was named All-MAC 1st Team in 2022 and then spent most of 2023 injured. George was deserving of an All-MAC selection in 2022, but was snubbed. He came back in 2023 and was named All-MAC 2nd Team. C. Anderson was stuck behind George on the depth chart and transferred out. Golden has seen his role increase each year as a receiver and is also the starting punt returner. 2023 class - Norton was one of only two freshmen that did not redshirt in the 2023 class. Coach Moorhead called him the most talented receiver on the roster. Louis, Davis, and Wilson redshirted. They will all have an opportunity to claim significant snaps in 2024. D. Thomas transferred out before the season started and went JUCO. 2024 - Mason is a highly touted freshman even though Rivals inexplicably downgraded him recently. Campbell, Moore, and Rush are all physically talented JUCOs that will push for snaps immediately. TE In: 2022 - TJ Banks (TP) West Virginia 2022 - Caden Clark (TP) Alabama 2022 - Marquell Darnell (HS) 2023 - Connor Cravaack (HS) 2023 - Jacob Newell (TP) Arizona State 2024 - Max Whisner (TP) Missouri 2024 - Khalil Witherspoon (HS) Out: TJ Banks = Graduation Marquell Darnell = (TP) Caden Clark = Retired 2022 class - Banks was, at bare minimum, a part time starter from day one. He was solid, but never seemed to take the next step in his development. Darnell and Clark left the team without contributing much. 2023 - Newell has the potential to be an All-MAC candidate and split time with Banks this season. Cravaack redshirted and has a high upside. 2024 - Whisner will likely see significant snaps early and may be the best blocking TE on the roster. Although Witherspoon has a ton of potential, he will need to add mass and will likely redshirt. Another TE will probably be added to the roster before the season starts. OL In: 2022 - Keylen Davis (HS) 2022 - Jourden Hale (HS) 2022 - Tyhler Williams (HS) 2022 - Ka’Marii Landers (HS) 2022 - Max Banes (TP) Houston 2022 - Anthony Whigan (TP) Penn State 2023 - Josh Blanchard (TP) South Florida 2023 - Ben Frank (TP) Hobart 2023 - AJ George (TP) Cincinnati 2023 - Keon Kindred (TP) Maryland 2023 - Jayvin James (HS) 2023 - Jonas Mann (HS) 2023 - Delvin Morris (HS) 2024 - Roosevelt Mitchell (HS) 2024 - Eli Fields (TP) Southern 2024 - Laurence Seymore (TP) Miami (FL) 2024 - Dayne Shor (TP) UCONN 2024 - Da’Quan Thomas (TP) North Carolina Central 2024 - Jerrod Burrell (JUCO) 2024 - Alex Fox (JUCO) Out: Ka’Marii Landers = (TP) JUCO Jourden Hale = (TP) JUCO Max Banes = (TP) Houston Anthony Whigan = Graduation Ben Frank = Graduation 2022 class - Landers became a starter at left tackle, as a freshman, before transferring out and going JUCO. Hale did not play and also went JUCO. Williams and Davis redshirted and then became starters as redshirt freshmen. Banes was a starter before injuries and then transferred back to Houston. Whigan was named All-MAC 3rd Team. 2023 class - Blanchard was the starter at left tackle before an injury at Indiana derailed his season. Kindred also dealt with injuries. Frank started 10 games at LG and had his ups and downs. George did not see any snaps. Mann, James, and Morris have high upside, but redshirted. 2024 class - Seymore is a proven IOL from Miami (FL) and should be an immediate contributor. Thomas was voted 1st team All-Conference in the MEAC and should also be an immediate contributor. Shor was originally an Alabama signee that transferred to UCONN. He has all the physical attributes, yet has not done much at the FBS level. Fields is a massive lineman that could play either guard or tackle. Burrell is a JUCO with size and should at least be on the two deep. Fox brings positional flexibility and will likely land on the two deep. Mitchell is a freshman who should redshirt. DT In: 2022 - Curtis Harper (TP) Syracuse 2022 - Ravontae Holt (TP) Wyoming 2022 - Devon Robinson (TP) Memphis 2022 - Kyle Thomas (JUCO) 2022 - Kiawan Murphy (HS) 2023 - Marcus Moore (HS) 2023 - Tyler Carter (JUCO) 2023 - Terray Jones (TP) Tennessee State 2023 - Lama Lavea (TP) New Mexico State 2024 - Nathan Kapongo (TP) New Hampshire 2024 - Elijah Davis (HS) 2024 - Ronald Hull (HS) Out: Curtis Harper = Graduation Tyler Carter = Graduation Ravontae Holt = N/A Devon Robinson = (TP) N/A Kyle Thomas = (TP) N/A 2022 class - Harper started all 12 games of his single season and led the DTs in sacks. Holt was injured in the first half of his single season, but was the best DT on the roster by the end of 2022. Robinson and Thomas developed into a solid backups before transferring out. Murphy has played in 6 games to this point and will be a redshirt sophomore. 2023 class - Jones could have made an All-MAC team (probably would have if the team record was better) as he played just as well and had similar stats to a few of the DTs that did make it. Lavea started and played in 11 games. Moore was one of two freshmen who did not redshirt and has an incredible amount of potential. Carter hardly contributed. 2024 class - Kapongo is expected to push for a starting role or, at bare minimum, be a top backup. Davis and Hull have high upside, but will probably redshirt. Another portal or JUCO DT will probably be added. DE In: 2022 - Victor Jones (TP) Wyoming 2023 - Ahmad Rabah (TP) American International 2023 - Kam Cheatom (HS) 2023 - Bruno Dall (HS) 2023 - LaJoshua Jackson (JUCO) 2023 - CJ Nunnally (JUCO) 2023 - Kabbash Richards (JUCO) 2023 - Antonio Smith (JUCO) 2024 - Tristen Graham (HS) 2024 - Jahvon Frazier (HS) Out: Victor Jones = Graduation Ahmad Rabah = N/A Antonio Smith = (TP) 2022 class - Jones led the team in sacks in his single season. 2023 class - Nunnally was named All-MAC 1st Team. Jackson and A. Smith were backups in their first season. Richards was injured during most of the season. Cheatom and Dall redshirted. Coach Moorhead said Cheatom “will be a star in this league.” Rabah left the team before the season started. 2024 class - Graham and Frazier has plenty of upside, but will likely redshirt. LB In: 2022 - Bryan McCoy (HS) 2022 - Jaharon Griffin (HS) 2022 - Antavious Fish (JUCO) 2022 - Tim Terry (TP) Buffalo 2023 - Shammond Cooper (TP) Illinois 2023 - Gage Summers (JUCO) 2023 - Melvin Spriggs (HS) 2024 - Jason Hocker (HS) 2024 - Dahvon Frazier (HS) 2024 - Rich Benenge (TP) Army Out: Tim Terry = Graduation Jaharon Griffin = (TP) Alcorn State 2022 class - Terry started all 7 games in the back half of the year in 2022 and finished as the highest rated player on defense. Fish played in 10 games in 2022 and then become a full time starter in 2023. An argument could be made Fish was deserving of an All-MAC spot. McCoy saw action in 11 games as a freshmen and followed that up with leading the team in tackles as a sophomore, earning All-MAC 3rd Team status. Griffin was mostly a special teams player, but did become a solid backup as a sophomore, before transferring out. 2023 class - Cooper started 8 of the 11 games he played in. Summers and Spriggs redshirted. 2024 class - Benenge should immediately push for snaps on the two deep. Hocker and Frazier have plenty of athletic ability and will likely redshirt. CB In: 2022 - Cam Threatt (JUCO) 2022 - Devonte Golden-Nelson (TP) Memphis 2023 - Joey Hunter (TP) South Carolina 2023 - Judson Tallandier (TP) Pittsburgh 2023 - Zayden Laing-Taylor (HS) 2023 - Catrell White (HS) 2023 - Silas Proby (JUCO) 2024 - Justin Anderson (JUCO) 2024 - Iesa Jarmon (JUCO) 2024 - Keyveon Johnson (HS) Out: Judson Tallandier = Graduation Cam Threatt = (TP) N/A 2022 class - Golden-Nelson dealt with injuries during his first year and then tied for the team lead in interceptions during his second season. Threatt contributed little and transferred out. 2023 class - Tallandier started all 12 games. Hunter was injury prone, but still played in 8 games. Laing-Taylor and White have plenty of ability, but redshirted. Proby did not see any snaps on defense. 2024 class - Anderson and Jarmon will likey push for starting snaps and should, at bare minimum, land on the two deep. Johnson only spent one year of HS as a DB, so it’s safe to expect a redshirt. S In: 2022 - KJ Martin (TP) West Virginia 2022 - Nate Thompson (TP) Duke 2022 - Jaden Woods (TP) Eastern Kentucky 2023 - Terence Thomas (TP) Purdue 2023 - David Jester (HS) 2023 - Darius Owens (HS) 2024 - Rodrick Hunter (HS) 2024 - Daymon David (TP) Oregon 2024 - Aman Greenwood (TP) Syracuse 2024 - Paul Lewis (TP) Cornell Out: Nate Thompson = Graduation KJ Martin = (TP) N/A Jaden Woods = (TP) East Tennessee State 2022 class - KJ Martin was All-MAC 3rd Team in his second season. Thompson started 18 games in two seasons. Woods regressed in his second year and transferred out. 2023 class - Thomas did not contribute on defense in his first year and will be a redshirt sophomore. Jester and Owens have high upside, but redshirted. 2024 class - Lewis should be an immediate contributor and will probably start. Greenwood will likely start opposite Lewis. David should land on the two deep. Hunter will most likely redshirt.

Western looked pretty tough. It was a good game last night.

He is widely regarded as an offensive genius. Akron's record under JoeMo is Akron's fault, at least to the national eye.

I saw an podcast that talked about possible new OC at OSU if they make a change. toledos HC was a candidate and surprisingly JoMo was listed as 2nd option. really?????

The halftime GOAT

The Wooden Award. Frye for Heisman 2004 Freeman for Wooden 2024

We've seen a couple of good/re-surgent MAC programs come into the JAR in BG and WMU. Both games played out the same. These games remind me of those early round NCAA games where the 15 seed keeps it close with the 2 seed for about 25 minutes of playing time only for #2 to get some big plays and pull away. The line of the game -14.5 was probably about right and didn't take into account the flu and a broken hand. Seems like when one of those guys makes a big play the others get going. We've seen a few Zips teams in the past miss the chances to put teams away. These guys made a few transition 3s that are daggers. I liked having Liles in. And Tavari, whom I'm never sure about, steps up when he's called upon. From my perspective, which is often wrong, Groce seems to be managing the game to keep Freeman out of foul trouble. As for Friday, Clark we are waiting...no expectations. These guys aren't feeling well and Coach Groce's dad is in bad shape. Kent is also struggling with issues. Fortunately, the Zips don't have to travel far this weekend and can be healthier for when Clark's friend Jeff Boals and the Kittens crawl into town Tuesday.

Refs helped close that gap.

Groce said Nate will likely be out a couple of weeks and hopefully not many weeks. Something like that. Edit: Groce was more specific in the TV postgame interview. He said 6 weeks, hopefully less. Ugh!!

I wonder if Jacob Corrigan is still acting like a little b$&#@ on Twitter while trying to pick fights with Akron fans...

Boa constrictor team. That's what we are. You may have life for most of the game, but in the end, we squeeze the life out of you and you die.

Refs not endearing themselves to the home crowd...

Freeman's post moves are insane.

Nice minutes from Lyles tonight!

It's time for Dawson to get hot.

What a dunk by Scott!

My foreign exchange friend is at his first basketball game and weird always happens when he comes to a sport 9 2 pointers with no fouls or 3s is bizarre

We should have 2-3 "And 1s" so far...

Did these refs come from the WWE? Everything goes tonight apparently.

Biggest student attendance in a long while. Ugly game so far.

How nice of them to allow fans to use a road.

JD Brookhart is credited for molding Larry Fitzgerald Jr. So he can coach.

Eating a salad with your hands shows a lack of class. Helping others in need shows character. I'd take high character over high class. I wouldn't care if we had a stud QB who ate every meal with his hands as long as he works hard at helping his teammates be the best they can be.

10000% this ^ Even do it for the lower seats - maybe one kid ticket under 16 per paying adult? You would only lose a little money, and the bottom would be filled with enthusiastic fans. And kids sitting that close to the action and these larger than life athletes would be hooked for life.

One of the best ways to grow a fan base is to connect kids to it at a young age. I'd love to see free admission for kids with paid admission from an adult.

The college football world is apparently starving for 3rd-5th year OL's. Our mediocre-at-best guys are landing gigs at East Carolina, San Diego State, Liberty... not like that's Alabama, Clemson and Michigan, but still...10 years ago those guys would have ended up at some FCS program. Seems like it's just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic? The JUCO's and random assortment of other guys we pick up are essentially the same caliber of player. It sucks to lose the continuity of several guys playing side-by-side for a few years...but unless the outgoing guys were replaced with Freshman, it seems to work out ok. The days of developing a HS kid with a good frame into a 5th year blocking machine are over. G5 schools can still do the grooming, but a P5 will ultimately reap the benefits.

As you might have noticed, I have some down time. So I’m replowing some old ground with the future bigs on our roster. Amani Lyles just has to wait his turn. He is a strong bodied center behind one of the best in the game. He’s not tall for a center, 6-7, but he can move people around. I would like to see him continue to get stronger and he already has the 3 point shot in his bag of tricks. Marvin Musiime-Kamali as I mentioned before is likely Ali’s replacement on the wing. At 6-6, he’s lean, explosive and has hops. His highlights show a player with scoring ability at all levels. Darrian Baker, at 6-8, 225lbs is definitely a forward. But he is built, moves and plays like a small forward. He’s a prototypical stretch 4 in my mind and eerily similar to Xeyrius Williams. Which would be awesome. Rich Brisco, is a 6-8 power forward. I don’t expect a lot from him offensively early on except for maybe cleaning up around the rim. But he looks like a defensive dream in the paint from the limited material on him. He earns his keep by blocking shots, rebounding and being an overall scrappy pain in the ass. He’s the type that plays angry and is not at all deterred by the occasional elbow to the face. In the Groce/Akron era, I would best compare him to Camron Reece. But his temperament is actually closer to Leron Black during the Groce/Illinois days. If Brisco pans out we are going to love this guy’s tenacity. Quote from Brisco about his own game; "I could score, but mostly I love playing defense. I love getting rebounds, blocking shots, deflecting shots, getting tip-ins. That's just my game. That's what I like to do to help my team win. Whatever they need, I'm gonna do". One final thought, there is a hole in this roster once filled by center, Aziz Bandaogo. Damn, that still hurts. We have a couple of scholarships available this year. I’m hoping Groce can land a 7 foot rim protector. 🤞🙏

Praying the Young Baker duo is the next era of Akron basketball

Added defense recruiting to original post.

It's a NE Ohio thing. I moved from NEOhio almost 16 years ago. I always look back fondly. It's a great place with lots to do. Pro sports year around, great restaurants, great schools and suburbs, museums, Cleveland orchestra, the waterfront, national parks, universities....the list goes on and on. I travel all over the country for work. There is really nothing going on in NYC or Los Angeles that cannot be done in NE Ohio. I don't know how you make people appreciate what they have. Places aren't boring, people are.

Sadly, for this season, the marketing department should have been laying the groundwork in August. Everybody knew they would be good. But looking back does no good. This team has a heck of a highlight reel thus far this season. They need some slick videos that get blasted out on social media and sent directly to season ticket holders, alums, faculty and students. Promote EF as one of the best players in country (which he is). They should be running an all-american campaign for this kid. He is treat to watch. Throw in some ticket deals - Buy one, get one 50% off for January home games, whatever. Send good quality video highlights to the cleveland tv stations after every win. When they 'do' show highlights, it's grainy espn+ garbage. Get people in the door and show them a good time. They will be back. This is a good product and has been consistently for years.

I hope so. They were down last year as well. Also, no Taylor Made or Summa ball toss, no $10K putt at halftime, no Tim Miller sponsored 3 Pointers (that has been gone for a while), no Gionino's T shirt toss, no strong sponsorship presence at all.