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My son is being born this morning - they're getting a new fan. 😂 The baby's room is nothing but sports with plenty of Akron, and I'm wearing an Akron sweatshirt and the 2025 MAC Champions t-shirt, so he has no choice.

Very revealing article. I remember a news story on Nate Johnson, discussing when he came to UA and Groce wanted to redshirt him. His mom said "Does that mean he gets and extra free year of education?" Groce replied "Yes", and mom was excited to have him redshirt. Fast forward to today: "Five years ago, more than 4,400 Division I men's basketball players were legally and collectively paid a grand total of $0 in NIL earnings. That number is now promised to be in the hundreds of millions." We live in The United States of America, and every citizen is free to make as much money as they'd like. That's what makes our country great, and I can't fault any kid for taking the cash being thrown at them today. But it has destroyed what made college basketball so cool. It's created a G-League disguised as college basketball, and that isn't nearly as cool. It's money-driven and corporate. It's eliminated the underdogs and Cinderella's and created a handful of Yankee's, Mets and Dodgers. And no, Rob Senderoff...the Zips ain't the Yankees.

Yeah, I get the logic—this coming season is probably his best shot to cash in before heading overseas, and I can’t fault a guy for trying to secure his bag. But honestly, if he hadn’t made a public return announcement, I wouldn’t even be mad about him exploring his options or jumping in the portal. What rubs me the wrong way is making two big public statement about coming back and then flipping on it. That feels bush league to me. I lose some respect for that move, not for him portaling. It’s one thing to weigh your options quietly, it’s another to put it out there and then backtrack.

Looking on the bright side, I imagine the number committed to keep Nate wasn't small, so we should have an okay budget for the roster spot

I blame every Zips fan who didn't contribute $350,000 to the basketball program's Day of Giving fund today. And people wonder why the mid-majors performed so poorly in the NCAA tourney...every good/great player gets poached, regardless of culture, coach, NIL money...from the NIL/portal era until the end of time there will never be another number raised to the JAR rafters...unless we lower the bar to "impactful 1- or 2-year mercenaries". Get used to #foreverazip and watching your most promising Zips players compete in other team's jersey's for their final year or two. If this doesn't make you appreciate Freeman, nothing will. I can't imagine the money he turned down to stick with the Zips. The Zips should still be the favorite to win the MAC. And the spread for our Round #1 NCAA tournament game should be around Zips +17. Shammah and Sharron will happily take his minutes, and flourish. But you don't improve your roster by losing the MAC PoTY who was entering his senior season.

Wouldn’t this be nice?!

congrats!

Just confirmed with Shammah's grandpa that he's staying put.

Any time the NCAA tries to put rules in place to get things under control they get sued and lose in court. They have no authority. Without the players forming a union and a collective bargaining agreement being formed, there is no way to restore order.

We've gone from thinking that kids deserved an opportunity to make some pocket money signing autographs at the local car dealer to backups making millions. It's ridiculous.

Don't forget, it's the UA Day of Giving. Get in and donate something to the basketball program.

AKR 3-0 LOU For several years in a row now, Zips play their best of the season in Historic Crew Stadium. Saving the best for last, I suppose. For the second consecutive year, Louisville Cardinals were the victims of an Akron squad congealing and playing with purpose. Not for the first time this Spring, Sophomore F Remi Agunbiade #13 proved a tough customer, very aggressive in the offensive third. This guy has tremendous raw athleticism. It will be incumbent upon Embick & Co. to draw the best out of him. Transfer from St. Louis, Junior MF Jack Sullivan #19 showed promise especially in the offensive third. Seems a box-to-box midfielder. Good to see more of him. Sullivan will push for a starting spot come Fall. If you are not already familiar with R-Senior GK Mitch Budler #1, perhaps you have wandered on to the wrong forum. "If you don't know, you better axe somebody!"

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/mls/2025/04/17/lionel-messi-game-cleveland-inter-miami-cf-vs-columbus-crew-darlington-nagbe-evan-bush-homecoming/82762394007/ Nagbe, 34, had a tremendous collegiate career with the Zips. As a freshman, he was named the Mid-American Conference Newcomer of the Year, and was a Soccer America first-team all-freshman honoree. He led the Zips to the NCAA tournament every season, and helped them win their first national title in 2010. "Akron was definitely life changing for me," he said. "I was able to be close to home, play for a great team and a great coach. Being able to represent Akron, it was a huge accomplishment. Being from Ohio and getting the chance to stay and be a part of a championship team and bring back the first national champion, it was definitely a special moment in my career. I owe so much to that school."

✋🛑

I think Akron will win 4 games this year behind QB Ben Finley. 1. Duquesne 2.Buffalo 3. Massachusetts 4. Kent state The biggest recruiting signing I'm excited about is Cibastian Broughton and I think he has a great shot at winning the starting QB position by 2027

I can't link what isn't posted 😂 that was the point

Is the Conner Groce era upon us?

Losing either of those 2 would be devastating as it magnitudes the loss of Nate that much more.

There was a recent court ruling stating that two years of JUCU do not count against your four years. It raises what I think is an interesting question based upon college athletics now being minor league pro sports. At what point can a player no longer play in college? For example, a player goes to the NBA after two seasons at School x. The player bombs out after three years in the NBA or some other professional league different than college. Why can't the player go back to college, finish a a degree and get paid NIL money? I would imagine a man with three years of NBA or D League could name a pretty high price at a college. I hate to even bring this up because as disgusting as it sounds, the logic connects.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/the-10-million-club-college-basketballs-portal-recruiting-hits-unthinkable-levels-of-financial-chaos/

Nate could have told us this before I made my $5000 "anonymous" donation this morning. 😁

A tad unrelated, but it appears feartheroocollective.com has been updated so football and soccer are now live for donations. The general fund link still prompts an email.

The Toledo Blade ran an article a week or two back where they pulled MAC coaches to find out what MAC teams are paying and what players are making. If I recall correctly, one anonymous MAC coach said he believed Nate Johnson would be worth $400k on the open market and said Akron's total roster had to be $1+ million. What exactly Nate will sign for I have no idea.

Came out of the delivery room to this crap news. Happy for Nate - life changing money coming his way. In no way, shape, or form should players ever be shamed for taking the money; always blame the NCAA and the greedy bastards that have let this be a free for all with no guardrails. In addition, continue to hold guys like Freeman on the highest pedestal for their loyalty. I don't think this is that big of a talent loss. As Captain said, you'll struggle to improve by losing your will-be-senior and reining MAC POTY, but the discussion all season was how average the competition was for that award. Nate isn't that great of a shooter and he had so many boneheaded plays over the years. The biggest hits will come in the experience & fit departments. If we can find a shooter or even another front court player to replace Nate, I don't think we'll see much - if any - drop in success. Good luck to Nate and thanks for some wonderful memories, especially the euro floater just over a month ago.

Agreed. Next season is probably the most money he will ever make in his life before he heads overseas to play. I hate it but I can't blame him. The games against really good comp showed his size, strength and quickness were elite in the MAC but not against the power programs.

I loved watching Nate but against the better teams he never looked like a MAC POY on offense or defense. I'm not taking shots at him for being in the portal, just being honest. I have no ill will towards him for his decision. I just hope his year away is not like Ali Ali's at Butler but I would not be surprised if it was.

2 real factors: 1. His price tag is rising 2. Bud Wentz's portfolio - like everyone else's - isn't looking so great right now.

Looked up Nate's numbers against Arizona, Yale, Arkansas State, and St. Marys: 9 ppg on 8-41 (19.5%) shooting

True. I think he and a P4 team are likely to be disappointed as I don't think he's a difference maker at that level.

I wouldn't be surprised if a school reached out to his agent and a deal is already in place. If he was dead set on transferring, he probably would have entered much sooner. Teams that missed out on their initial targets are probably getting more desperate to land a difference maker as the portal is nearing close so upping offers.

Glad I didn't buy a Nate Johnson jersey.

The flood damage excuse sounds like....ummm.....hooey. I'd be very surprised if Burns didn't have a mortgage in that $750K home. As such, he'd have been required to maintain insurance at all times.

It's easy to transfer to Ole Miss...it's tougher to make the team. I wasn't shocked when he left the Zips...he probably merited more carries than what he was getting. But he's not good enough to be on the RB 2-deep of a P4 team. Other than maybe Purdue. 🙂 With Kellom leaving, he could have been "The Man" for the Zips this year. Oh well...

They were a top 4 team and had 2 guys over 7 ft tall (including Edey) when they lost to 16 seed FDU.

This is absurd!

Jordan Simmons right back into the portal Dogs and cats living together

Kam Craft to Georgia Tech. He announced yesterday, but I just noticed it. So much for the return to Miami like the Redhawk faithful were praying.

Go Zips but college sports suck now. F the NCAA.

I'm not a psychologist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once, and I can't imagine this current NCAA environment being healthy for a young man's development.

Groce whiffed again. Clearly, unless the viable and serviceable back up big is hanging out in the rec center, Groce won't find him.

I'm a bit concerned that only 6 of the "Back to work" images are still up on the ZipsMBB Instagram. Young and Tavari Johnson's specifically have both been deleted. I think a lot more dominos are still yet to fall.

247 has Nate Johnson putting his name into the portal.