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Thank you very much for the kind words. I think is was roughly 18 years ago that we began ZipsNation.org. Seven of us met outside Porky's Shop and pitched in some money to get the site started. @Zip Watcher did the original heavy lifting to set up the server and work with Invision. He's also the guy that came up with the "ZipsNation.org" name. Now-a-days "XYZ Nation" is everywhere. Back then is was more novel...and pretty perfect. Although he doesn't post much anymore, he continues to help with the server updates and issues. And keeping the domain name valid. And probably some other stuff I'm unaware of. Beyond participating, @ZZZips helps fund the site, paying for the server. This is greatly appreciated. In addition to his stellar photography skills and posts, @Dr Z has taken over the technical side of things, installing the updates to keep the site modern and running smoothly. This is not his specialty...he has learned this side of the internet on his own and the site would not exist if he hadn't stepped up and volunteered to do this. I pay the bi-yearly Invision fees. And I am the "heavy" when things occasionally get out of control, or improper content gets posted. I'm happy that doesn't happen too often anymore. Which ties into the closing thoughts - At the recent March MAC tournament two different people whom I, at best, casually know approached me to say how much they enjoyed the ZipsNation site. And what a great community of members we have. This is a "community"...with are scores of "regulars" that keep the site fresh, informational and interesting. And there are several hundred "lurkers" who check-in daily. Keeping the discussions on a high/professional level is what I want. No "professional" like everyone should write like Grantland Rice, but that everyone should be civil and respectful. The class exhibited by this site's members allowed me and Dr.Z being able to work with UA on the athletics stories and photography up through the COVID era. Several coaches over the years have told me "I don't read ZipsNation, but I have people that do. And they tell me you run a nice site." Of course, when I asked newly-hired Rob Ianello if I could stop by his office and interview him, he stuck his open hand in my face and stated - "We had FIVE fans sites covering us at Notre Dame...FIVE!" In conclusion - thanks to everyone in this community for making the site fun and informational for 18+ years. Who knows how long it will continue, but those of us that fund and run it are grateful that so many of you enjoy it, and contribute to making it great.

While I am certainly no GT, I'll do my best to pass along a few things gleaned from a Zips football event held last evening at Café Arnone in Fairlawn.😀 The event was for boosters-only, until the last minute when they opened it up to the public. So I just went on my own. I may have been the only person in attendance that wasn't a former player or administrator. The main purpose of the event was to kick off a booster group composed primarily of former Zips players. Most of the guys seemed to be from the Dennison era. A few from the Faust era. Buchtel coach and former Brookhart RB Bryan Williams was in attendance. There will be a big push to get former Zips back into the fold, supporting the program. They'll be arranging road trips, fund raising and a lot of other things. Joe probably spoke for an hour. The most important thing discussed his adamant statement that he was at Akron for the long haul, and 100% committed to turning the ship around. He mentioned the offers he's had both before and since coming to UA...paraphrasing - "I could be a Power 5 head coach right now...I could be a Power 5 coordinator right now...I could be in the NFL right now...with a lot more commas and zero's on my paycheck...but I'm at Akron because I chose to be here, and I WILL turn this thing around." It was a pretty powerful and honest statement. In no particular order, here are some tidbits (I'm going off memory here) - There are two 2023 scholarships left to give The Zips expect two more 2024 freshman commits by next week. I think one is an OL from Florida? Future recruiting classes will likely be 60-70% from the portal (it depends upon what talent is available in a given year). The rest will be freshman. The preference is the portal guys will be like Alex Adams, mature kids with 3-or-so years of eligibility remaining. From the tone of the QB discussions, DJ and Taj are the top 2. But Billy Fessler said "We've only seen Taj in shorts so far, so we'll see what happens in August." Joe mentioned it was nice to have a guy like Undercuffler in the mix, as "he won a game last year, and was a minute away from winning another." Joe addressed the two late-game fumbles from last year - "I think the guys looked up at the scoreboard and said "Holy crap...we can actually win!?" And then, we folded. He said "regardless of how much you simulate those late-game scenarios in practice, the game is just different." He doesn't feel those situations will be repeated in 2023. 😀 The kicker from Oregon State can consistently put a ball 6-7 yards deep in the endzone on kick offs. Joe thought last season may have been his best coaching job ever considering the program's talent level when it was handed to him. On 2022, he said the Zips were "1 deep" at most positions. Now they are 2-3 deep. That's going to create some great competition and raise the level of play appreciably. "We look like a Division 1 team this year...last year that wasn't the case." Coach Tibesar said he has no idea who's going to start on the defensive line, but he likes the numbers and talent they have on the roster. He said the linebackers look like D1 linebackers. Joe Dunn was at the event. He expects to return for another season of broadcasting. The boosters seem like a good group of people. Older, professional guys who seem more than capable and motivated to make the group effective and grow it. I think 16 people joined last night, at $100 each. Nice start! They're appreciative that Joe and the staff have reached out to them. If you're a former player and want to find out more, contact Reno Ferri or Tom Freeman. Joe said the difference between the Fordham team he inherited in "Year 1", and the Zips team he inherited in "Year 0" was buy-in. The Fordham team won the 1-score games the Zips lost because they universally bought in to what his staff was implementing. That universal buy-in wasn't there for the Zips last season. But it is now. He expects great things now that players know they are being held accountable, and so many returning players have a year of Joe's system under their belts. Overall, a very nice, small-venue event. Definitely worth $30 to hear Joe speak. I'll leave the rest to GT. 😀

I have not posted or logged on to this site for a few years. I have no real football knowledge as many posters here appear to have. My wife and I have purchased season tickets for many years. If we went to a game in the last years, we always left after the band played at halftime. This year we have stayed till the end for all three games. As I said, I am far from a football guru, but I see tremendous improvement with this team. I believe Joe Moorhead is the real thing. He has a plan for this team and is going to try like heck to execute the plan. Give the man some time.

If I were to take a poll, I would bet that every Zip on this board was waiting for Undercuffler to throw an interception on that last drive. He threw some nice balls in the 4th quarter and needs to get credit for this win.

I remember looking at Arth's 2021 team and schedule and wondering "How will this team win more than one game?!" (they won 2). We've come a long way. Sep 2 (Sat) 2:00 PM Away Temple Prediction - Zips offense surprises the Owls. Zips win 34-31 (1-0) Sep 9 (Sat) 6:00 PM Home Morgan State No messing around...Zips win 51-9 (2-0) Sep 16 (Sat) 7:00 PM Away Kentucky Lexington, Ky. Zips keep it close at the half, but a couple explosive second half plays carry Kentucky to a 41-24 win (2-1) Sep 23 (Sat) TBA Away Indiana Bloomington, Ind. WKY took these guys to OT last year. Hoosiers aren't very good. I think the Zips lose in a tight one. 27-24 (2-2) Sep 30 (Sat) TBA Home Buffalo Akron, Ohio We should have beaten Buffalo last year. We will this year. Zips win 45-24 (3-2) Oct 7 (Sat) 3:30 PM Home Northern Illinois Akron, Ohio Pounded these guys last year. We'll do so again. Zips 51-16 (4-2) Oct 14 (Sat) TBA Away Central Michigan Mount Pleasant, Mich. Gifted the Chipps a win last season. History doesn't repeat itself. Zips win 35-20. (5-2) Oct 21 (Sat) TBA Away Bowling Green Bowling Green, Ohio Who knows which BG team shows up? Tough to figure the Falcons out. Zips lost by 3 last season. Bullish that Joe schemes hard to prevent back-to-back BG losses, and the JoMo Zips round into form. Zips win 30-27 (6-2) Nov 1 (Wed) 7 or 7:30 PM Home Kent State Akron, Ohio (InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field) No way the Zips lose this one. Arth was #heretodevelop. Joe is #heretopoundkent. Zips win 39-20 (7-2) Nov 8 (Wed) 7 or 7:30 PM Away Miami University Oxford, Ohio Zips due for a letdown, and Miami always seems to have their number. Miami wins 20-19. (7-3) Nov 14 (Tue) 7:00 PM Away Eastern Michigan Ypsilanti, Mich. How did EMU get good at football? If they can play winning ball, anyone can. Unfortunately, the improved Eagles win 42-31. (7-4) Nov 24 (Fri) Noon Home Ohio Akron, Ohio (InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field) OU is down to their 4th string QB. Zips eek out a 19-17 win and look forward to their bowl game. (8-4) Offensively, the Zips should be able to hang with anyone. OL will be improved. RB is MUCH improved. WR should be as good, or better than last year. I expect a lot from Banks at TE. DL should be passable. Lots of size and mature bodies to choose from. Fingers are crossed a couple unknowns step up and make an impact. LB scares me. None of the returning guys made much of an impression last year. Hopefully a year in the system and in the weight room yields a big improvement. Secondary should be a strength...IF the DL can generate some QB pressure. 8-4 is a crazy prediction considering we've won 8 total games since we beat Northwestern in 2018. But I believe we're a MUCH better team that the one Jo inherited last year. Crazy goal...but definitely possible.

Enjoyed the spring game today. I thought it was a great idea to open up the lounge/box seats. There were not many people in that area until halftime, when it became flooded with fans and recruits that were guided to free food. Well done and way to show off the amenities of the stadium, which otherwise may not often be seen. The game itself flew by. A few things really stood out to me. 1) This team is way ahead of where they were last spring. They look disciplined (minus a few penalties), physical, and know their assignments. 2) The athleticism and maturity was noticeable. 3) The secondary is much improved. It seemed like last spring game WRs and RBs were running free in the passing game nearly every pass. Not the case this year. 4) Tackling was outstanding. I think there were only two missed tackles the whole game. Last SG I remember coming away thinking Wiley had more lower body strength than what he showed on film due to his ability to break tackles. Turned out our defense was just terrible (as a whole) tackling at that point. Position Takeaways: QB - Undercuffler looked confident and in command. He also had the benefit of playing behind what looked like the first string OL. There are still some passes Undercuffler struggles to complete. That being said, he can get the job done. The offense should be in good shape if Undercuffler has to play meaningful snaps this year. Jennings and Wasel received the rest of the snaps. Both did some good things and also looked like young QBs at times. Jennings throws a nice ball and is clearly a solid athlete, but listing him as 5’11” might be generous. Wasel has a big arm and forced a few throws today. He also made a few that gave reason for excitement. His mechanics need work and he seems to realize that as he was focused on the sideline going through step by step motions before the 3rd quarter began. (Irons and Jankowski were sidelined). RB - Lingard is good. He didn’t break any big runs today, even though it felt like he might a couple of times. Not sure what happened at Florida, but the guy has “it.” He did have a nice touchdown run and is the number one back. Lingard will be a weapon for this offense barring injury. Kellom looks ready to contribute when his number is called and Hester also had a nice run. It’s unfortunate Price is out for an extended period, but I have no doubt this group will provide more production than last year. WR - Might as well mark down George for All-MAC. The guy looks the part in every way. It was good to see some of the other guys get substantial playing time today with Adams out and SJL gone. Like @LZIp mentioned, Walker had the best day catching the ball. Thomas, Golden, Anderson, and Gathings were all noticeable. TE - Banks and Ognenovic took most of the snaps. Nothing substantial to report here. OL - My biggest takeaway is that T. Williams and K. Davis look ready. I can’t place who the other guard was, but the lineup blocking for Undercuffler was LT Chambers, C T.Williams, G K Davis, RT N. Williams. Takeaway from the opposite OL was freshman OT Jayvin James. James is huge, has long arms, and moves well. He’s going to be a good one. I locked in on him for a number of plays and came away excited about what he could become. (Landers and Robarge were on the sideline). DT - Terray Jones is a force. It’s unfortunate Holt left because those two could have been dynamic. Robinson seems to have come a long way and will challenge for a starting spot. Nothing stood out about the other DTs, but they did not make it easy on the OL. (Murphy was on the sideline). DE - Pass rush from this position is still a concern. Rabah and Johnson look like the starters for now. We need the incoming players to step up and provide more. (Richardson was on the sideline). LB - This position looked great. Bubba was Bubba. McCoy is physically impressive even though he surprisingly missed a tackle. Fish looks like he knows what he’s doing this year. I noticed him around the ball often. Griffin and Behm also had their moments. CB - The coverage was solid today despite often not having much of a pass rush. Golden-Nelson and Terence Thomas look ready to cause other teams some serious issues. Those two kept popping up over and over. I believe it was Judson Tallandier who also looked good here. All the DBs seem to have added muscle mass. (Joey Hunter was sidelined and I don’t recall seeing Cam Threatt). S - So many of these guys are built and move so similarly now it was hard to tell them apart at times (that’s a good thing). Martin saw plenty of time and Johnson chased down a miscued pass for an interception. This group was solid against the pass and came up well in run support. (Nate Thompson was sidelined). ST - Some good and some not so good. As a group they struggled at the start, but found their groove as the game progressed. Im sure there is more that I missed or forgot to say. It’s late and I wanted to report as much as I could while I had it on my mind.

What went Right and what went Wrong? Quarterback: Unbeknownst to much of the fanbase, DJI had offseason shoulder surgery and was not the same QB coming into 2023. He finally settled into a groove against Indiana, but even during that game it was DJI’s running ability that stood out as opposed to what would he considered a prolific passing day. JU was put in a tough position and expected to do more than he was capable of with the exception of 3 games (Kent, EMU, and Ohio). In those 3 games, the offense used more max protects in the passing game and relied heavily on the run. JU was 58 of 92 (63%) for 624 yards and 2 touchdowns versus 1 interception during that span. The biggest difference in those 3 games was the limited amount of turnovers as he still completed around 60% the rest of the season. Bullock simply was not ready and it seemed his accuracy issues stemmed from processing too slowly. He has all the tools physically to be a premier QB in the MAC, but he is not where he needs to be mentally at this point. Running Back: Lorenzo Lingard was as good as advertised and criminally underused during the first half of the season. This year’s offense needed a big back who could break tackles and potentially provide an explosive play at any given time. Lingard was that back. Despite the lack of touches earlier in the season, Lingard still finished close to 1,000 yards total (rushing and receiving combined). Drake Anderson was underutilized to some extent as well. The better offenses figure out ways to get players like Anderson the ball on the perimeter and in space, whether that be moved into the slot, screens, sweeps, etc. Something we did not do much of this year. Wide Receiver: Adams never seemed quite right and it was later confirmed he attempted to play through an injury. Losing one of, if not the best, WR in the MAC will hurt any offense. Gathings really came into his own and if he can keep his emotions in check, should continue to develop and become a legitimate weapon in the future. George was unable to improve on his 2022 season statistically, but a lot of that had to do with the issues at QB. Same could be said about Caleb Anderson, just to a lesser extent. Walker and Golden provided solid options from the slot, while Adrian Norton seems like a star in the making and will be exciting to watch in the coming years. Tight End: It was thought TJ Banks would take a larger role in the offense and provide a threat across the middle of the field. Although Banks was solid, it was Newell who really surprised. Newell continued to improve as the year progressed and he has the potential to be as good as any TE in the MAC. This year’s offense was most effective when Banks and Newell were on the field at the same time. Offensive Line: Although the OL showed improvement by end of year and gave up less sacks than 2022, they were still subpar as a unit. Blanchard, Kindred, and K. Davis missed substantial time due to injuries. All started at points in the season. Chambers was shifted from the right side and ended up receiving the most starts at LT. Frank nailed down LG and is now out of eligibility. T. Williams was inconsistent at C, which is to be expected from a redshirt freshman. The RG spot saw a number of different faces before Lyons became the starter in the last few games. Nate Williams was moved back to RT and played really well the last 3 games. This unit had more depth this year, but unfortunately not enough quality depth to lose starters for significant time. The 2022 and 2023 classes brought in a substantial upgrade in athleticism. Unfortunately, outside of T. Williams (2022 freshman) and Frank (transfer portal), we didn’t get to see much of that improved athleticism this season. Interior DL: There was some concern coming into the year with Holt and Harper moving on. Terray Jones stepped in and was just as good as either player. He was also the only pass rush threat on the interior. Lavea was a load against the run and provided a solid combo with Jones. Robinson never lived up to his 3 star rating coming out of high school, yet became a key contributor as a backup. Freshman Marcus Moore looks to be another star in the making and should only get better from here. JUCO Tyler Carter (I believe he should be listed as a redshirt senior, not redshirt sophomore) did not contribute much and his claim to fame as a Zip will be getting ejected on back to back penalties with under a minute to go to finish out the season. Kiawan Murphy did not show much and will need to improve in the offseason to at least provide depth going into 2024. Edge: Ryan Johnson was the only for sure starter heading into the season and he transferred out after 4 games. CJ Nunnally burst onto the scene from the JUCO ranks and was one of the MAC leaders in sacks and tackles for loss. It’s not easy to find a lineman that is equally strong against the run and pass rush, but Nunnally is. LaJoshua Jackson and Antonio Smith were also JUCOs who flashed some pass rush ability in backup roles. JUCO Kabbash Richards was hurt for a portion of the season and did not contribute much. Bennett Adler came on as the year progressed and became more than just a run stuffer. He displayed a bull rush against Ohio, exhibiting some pass rush ability. Linebacker: Despite losing Bubba before the year began, linebacker proved to be the strongest position on defense. Former JUCO Antavious Fish flashed his hard hitting prowess in 2022 and the lightbulb came on in 2023. He and sophomore Bryan McCoy finished the year with just under 100 total tackles a piece. Transfer Shammond Cooper proved to be the best blitzer of the bunch and graded out the highest amongst the LBs. Jaharon Griffin moved into a bigger role with the injury to Andrew Behm and may not relinquish that role going into 2024. Cornerback: While not considered a top unit in the MAC, this group was much improved from 2022. Durant again made it difficult for anyone to beat out him out and ended up starting 10 games. Judson Tallandier had an up and down season in pass coverage, but was excellent in run support. Joey Hunter and Golden-Nelson had their moments and also missed substantial time with injuries. Cam Threatt did not play much of a role and may be moving on as it sounds like he already has his degree. Safety: I expected this unit to take a significant leap and become one of the better units in the MAC. That did not happen, yet this group was still solid. Nate Thompson was inconsistent, but did finish the season strongly. Although KJ Martin does not have the stats to back up, I thought he had a better year than 2022. Corey Thomas was the biggest surprise and proved to be extremely versatile. Thomas also finished the year as the highest rated player on defense. Lewis was one of the reasons why the defense was improved in 2023 as he was a major factor at the nickel position. Special Teams: The punting unit was strong and Dante Jackson was an upgrade over the previous punter. Kickoff and kickoff return were also solid. Field goal kicking was a disappointment until the final few games and part of that has to be placed on the coaching staff. It’s difficult for any kicker to be replaced from game to game and in some cases kick to kick. There has to be some consistency with the unit. Coaching: The offensive play-calling was maddening for most of the season. As much as the staff deserves credit for last year, they also deserve just as much criticism this year. The majority of the season it felt like round pegs were being forced into square holes and the staff did not adapt to their personnel until the end of the season. On the other hand, the defense was much better than some probably realize as they were forced into bad positions time after time. Tim Tibesar and his staff did an excellent job on that side of the ball. Recruiting and Wrap-up: I still 100% believe this staff is recruiting at a high level and had the best class in the MAC this past offseason. I also 100% believe the offensive staff badly underperformed with the talent at hand as mentioned above. I was wrong in that 2023 would be the turnaround year. There were 7 games decided by one score. This program is close to turning the corner and should have already done it. I expect another strong recruiting class will be brought in, which will finally give the program several strong classes stacked. That being the case, 2024 must be the turnaround year. Talent gap will no longer be an excuse and it probably shouldn’t have been an excuse this year outside of Kentucky, Miami, and Ohio. There was enough talent in place, with good coaching, to make a bowl game. Portal opens in December and I think our last commitment came in June, so we have about 7 months of roster transition ahead.

With the recruiting period soon to kick into high gear again, here’s a look at the past two recruiting classes and how they’ve performed (scholarship offers only). Keep in mind we have one more game to play so the final 2023 stats will change. The 2022 class brought in a few impact players and a wealth of upgrades throughout the roster. SJL, Anthony Whigan, and Alex Adams were all-conference players, while Victor Jones, Curtis Harper, Ravontae Holt, Tim Terry, Cam Wiley, Max Banes, Daniel George, KJ Martin, Nate Thompson, TJ Banks, and Ka’Marii Landers all became quality starters. STEPPING IT UP: 2023 saw former JUCO Antavious Fish and sophomore Bryan McCoy have breakout years at linebacker. Redshirt freshmen Tyler Williams and Keylen Davis (before injuries) became starters on the offensive line. Sophomore Bobby Golden, sophomore Jaharon Griffin, and senior Devon Robinson saw their roles increase. Sophomore Charles Kellom was a key special teams player. KJ Martin and Daniel George’s stats may not reflect it, but I thought they took a step forward this year as well. An argument could also be made for Jeff Undercuffler, but that probably depends on which game is being discussed. STATUS QUO: Nate Thompson wasn’t bad, but may have taken a step back as he was surpassed by KJ Martin and Corey Thomas on the depth chart and in production. TJ Banks was about on par with his 2022 year. Devontae Golden-Nelson had his moments and saw more playing time, though he was not necessarily that much better than the previous season. Caleb Anderson played about as much as he did in 2022, but he was caught behind George, Gathings, and in competition with a rapidly improving Adrian Norton. Redshirt freshmen Kiawan Murphy was limited in his snaps, while Dijon Jennings did not play. Kyle Thomas shined a few times before deciding to redshirt and transfer out. GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION/MISSES: Jaden Woods seemed significantly less disciplined in his play from the 2022 season and transferred out. Alex Adams and Clyde Price’s production regressed due to injuries. Cam Threatt has been a non-factor. (Marquell Darnell and Anthony Stallworth were misses in recruiting) 2022 Recruiting: Transfers: WR - Shocky Jacques-Louis - 2022 3rd Team All-MAC. Graduated. OL - Anthony Whigan - 2022 3rd Team All-MAC. Graduated. DE - Victor Jones - Started 11 games in 2022. 52 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. Graduated. DT - Curtis Harper - Started 12 games in 2022. 17 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. Graduated. DT - Ravontae Holt - Started 5 games in 2022. 18 total tackles. LB - Tim Terry - Started 7 games in 2022. 46 total tackles and highest graded player on the defense in 2022. Graduated. RB - Cam Wiley - Started 7 games. 486 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns. Transferred out. OL - Max Banes - Started 7 games in 2022. Transferred out. TE - Caden Clark - Retired from football. WR - Daniel George - Started 12 games in 2022. 67 receptions for 793 yards and 2 touchdowns. <-> Started 11 games in 2023. 48 receptions for 508 yards and a touchdown. S - KJ Martin - Started 9 games in 2022. 53 total tackles and 1 interception. <-> Started 8 games in 2023. 41 total tackles, a sack, and 2 interceptions. S - Nate Thompson - Started 11 games in 2022. 72 total tackles. <-> Started 6 games in 2023. 34 total tackles and a sack. QB - Jeff Undercuffler - Started 2 games in 2022. 58.3% completion, 791 yards, 5 TDs vs 5 INTs. <-> Started 4 games in 2023. 61.9% completion, 1275 yards, 4 TDs vs 8 INTs. TE - TJ Banks - Started 11 games in 2022. 21 receptions for 175 yards. <-> Started 10 games in 2023. 19 receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown. CB - Devontae Golden-Nelson - Started 3 games in 2022. 11 total tackles. <-> Played in 11 games in 2023. 22 total tackles and 2 interceptions. WR - Alex Adams - 2022 1st Team All-MAC. <-> Played in only 7 games in 2023 and over 400 less snaps due to an injury. 22 receptions for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns. DT - Devon Robinson - Played in 4 games in 2022. 5 total tackles. <-> Played in 11 games in 2023. 13 total tackles and half a sack. S - Jaden Woods - Started 2 games in 2022. 29 total tackles. <-> Played in 4 games in 2023 and Transferred out. RB - Clyde Price - Started 5 games. 349 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns. Missed 2023 season due to injury. JUCO: LB - Antavious Fish - Played in 10 games in 2022. 16 total tackles and 2 sacks. <-> Started 11 games in 2023. 78 total tackles and a sack. WR - Caleb Anderson - Played in 10 games. 5 receptions for 39 yards. <-> Played in 10 games in 2023. 6 receptions for 40 yards. DT - Kyle Thomas - Started 4 games in 2022. 14 total tackles. <-> Played in 4 games in 2023 and Transferred out. CB - Cam Threatt - Played in 4 games in 2022. 5 total tackles. <-> Played in 5 games in 2023 on Special Teams. Freshmen: OL - Ka’Marii Landers - Started 6 games. Went JUCO. TE - Marquell Darnell - Redshirt. Transferred out. RB - Anthony Stallworth - Redshirt. Transferred out. LB - Bryan McCoy - Started 2 games in 2022. 24 total tackles. <-> Started 4 games in 2023. 94 total tackles and a sack. Led the team in tackles. OL - Tyhler Williams - Redshirt. <-> Started 11 games in 2023. WR - Bobby Golden - Played in 7 games in 2022. <-> Started 2 games in 2023. 16 receptions for 134 yards. Also the starting punt returner. OL - Keylen Davis - Redshirt. <-> Started 6 games in 2023. Injured during the rest. LB - Jaharon Griffin - Played in 8 games in 2022 on Special Teams. <-> Played in 7 games in 2023. 14 total tackles. RB - Charles Kellom - Redshirt. <-> Played in 4 games in 2023. 4 rushes for 5 yards. DT - Kiawan Murphy - Redshirt <-> Played in 5 games in 2023. QB - Dijon Jennings - Redshirt <-> DNP in 2023. 2023 Recruiting: The 2023 class produced a number of starters and a handful of players that have all-conference potential. As far as the transfers go, Lorenzo Lingard panned out to be one of the better running backs in the MAC and may collect over 1,000 yards total (rushing and receiving) by end of season. Those numbers could have been much higher had Lingard received more touches earlier in the year. Terray Jones, Shammond Cooper, Lama Lavea, Ben Frank, Judson Tallandier, Tajh Bullock, Jacob Newell, Joey Hunter, and Josh Blanchard were all starters or started at times throughout the season. Drake Anderson was a key backup. Keon Kindred, Phaizon Wilson, and Terence Thomas all seem talented, but were not regular contributors. JUCO CJ Nunnally will surely be an all-conference selection. Punter Dante Jackson produced at a higher level than last year’s punter. LaJoshua Jackson and Antonio Smith flashed their pass rush ability and were solid backups. The other 4 JUCOs did not contribute much and will redshirt. All the freshmen will redshirt except Adrian Norton and Marcus Moore who became key rotational players this season. 2023: Transfers: RB Lorenzo Lingard - Started 11 games. 137 rushes for 612 yards and 4 touchdowns. 33 receptions for 313 yards and a touchdown. Highest graded player on offense in 2023. DT Terray Jones - Started 11 games in 2023. 40 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. LB Shammond Cooper - Started 7 games in 2023. 37 total tackles and 2 sacks. Highest graded player on defense. DT Lama Lavea - Started 10 games in 2023. 23 total tackles. OL Ben Frank - Started 9 games in 2023. CB Judson Tallandier - Started 11 games in 2023. 33 total tackles. QB Tajh Bullock - Started 2 games in 2023. 49.2% completion, 228 yards, 2 touchdowns vs 3 interceptions. 56 rushes for 134 yards and 3 touchdowns. TE Jacob Newell - Started 2 games in 2023. 13 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown. RB Drake Anderson - Played in 11 games. 38 rushes for 128 yards and a touchdown. 15 receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. CB Joey Hunter - Started 2 games in 2023. 8 total tackles. OL Joshua Blanchard - Started 4 games in 2023. Injured, but did come back for 15 snaps vs Miami. OL Keon Kindred - Played in 5 games. OL AJ George - DNP in 2023. WR Phaizon Wilson - Redshirt S Terence Thomas - Redshirt JUCO: DE Clarence “CJ” Nunnally - Started 11 games in 2023. 58 total tackles and 7 sacks. Highest graded defensive lineman. P Dante Jackson - Starting punter and was also 2 of 3 on FGs. DE LaJoshua Jackson - Started 2 games in 2023. 17 total tackles and 2 sacks. DE Antonio Smith - Played in 11 games. 3 total tackles and 2 sacks. DE Kabbash Richards - Redshirt DT Tyler Carter - Redshirt LB Gage Summers - Redshirt CB Silas Proby - Redshirt Freshmen: WR Adrian Norton - Played in 9 games. 9 receptions for 71 yards. DT Marcus Moore - Played in 6 games. 6 total tackles. QB Steele Wasel - Redshirt WR Paul Davis - Redshirt WR Jean Louis - Reshirt TE Conner Cravaack - Redshirt OL Jonas Mann - Redshirt OL Jayvin James - Redshirt OL Delvin Morris - Redshirt DE Kameron Cheatom - Redshirt DE Bruno Dall - Redshirt LB Melvin Spriggs - Redshirt CB Zayden Laing-Taylor - Redshirt CB Catrell White - Redshirt S Darius Owens - Redshirt S David Jester - Redshirt WHAT CAN BE GLEANED FROM THIS? There is no doubt the 2023 season was a disappointment. However, there is also no doubt the talent level has increased since Moorhead’s arrival. The team is much deeper. Unfortunately, this program is not currently deep enough at every position to overcome key losses (in-particular QB and OL). That must be addressed. The OL problem will likely take care of itself through development. QB may do the same, but a proven and steady hand must be added to the room. The staff has done an excellent job developing the freshmen and will need to continue to do so. Overall, portal and JUCO recruiting has been strong as well. We know the 2024 high school class is mostly wrapped up, so now we wait and see what the portal and JUCO ranks have in store. As already alluded to, QB is at the top of the list. Key graduation losses this year are: QB - Irons RB - Lingard WR - George TE - Banks OL - Frank DT - Jones CB - Tallandier S - Nate Thompson (?) I think KJ Martin has another year if he wants it. We will also surely lose a handful of players to the portal that will be a surprise.

If you read my posts you know I'm not a fan of Guthrie. That being said, I do believe Akron Athletics is better off now than under Larry Williams. More on my thoughts on Guthrie later in this post. Here's my "State of Akron Athletics" comments. First - Facilities. Since Guthrie arrived we've seen repairs made to InfoCision that were needed, although we still need to fix/replace the video board. The JAR is what it is, but it's not terrible, and the new floor, the addition of a "$$$ donor bar" are all positives. It still looks good, and those who do attend infrequently still think it's a good facility. FirstEnergy continues to be one of the top Soccer-specific Stadiums in NCAA soccer, and they recently upgraded the sound system to give more sound clarity and moved the speaker system to make the seating area more enjoyable before the matches (you can actually talk to your neighbors pre-game without screaming!) Ocasek is a very nice facility for swim meets, and they just added a huge, state-of-the art video system that is not only informative, entertaining and readable, but offers the swimmers and divers training assistance. Of course, basketball is getting a new training facility as well. And the new track and field complex at Lee Jackson field is fantastic, although the throws area are a little convoluted. All of these were done under Guthrie, so hats off to the AD and The U on Facilites. Coaches - Guthrie was smart enough to realize that Coaches Groce, Embick and Peresie were the most successful coaches (and programs) he had, so he's left them alone, and even has enhanced their contracts. It doesn't mean he keeps his mouth shut and doesn't criticize them in public to others, which is a big negative IMHO about Charles. He is overheard many times at games/meets/matches being very critical of his coaches to the general public, which I'm sure get back to the coaches mentioned and may tend to undermine their confidence. That being said, I believe he made positive hires in football, softball and volleyball. Baseball has been a circus. He needed to move on from Sabo but the OSU coach fiasco and then not re-signing last year's coach has to be questioned, as well as his new hire. Granted baseball hasn't started and time will tell but his pick is a little underwhelming. The Women's soccer hire was and is disastrous, not that she is a bad person or knowledgeable, it's once again a terrible hire for a D1 school with a Nationally ranked Men's program. Track and Field is another terrible hire. Some will point to the 2023 Outdoor MAC title for men as an argument, but the head coach had little to do with that, it was the throws coach and his athletes that won that title. Meanwhile the women's program is still in shambles. And she's already lost the throws coach after one season and has gone through 2 PV coaches already in one year. It's no secret Guthrie chased Coach Mitchell off, like he did Herlihy from soccer (needed). Still...Now we have a new Lacrosse coach, so we'll have to see how that goes. And I do feel the new hire for Women's basketball is a solid choice without watching one game, but once again, Guthrie's handling of the Jackson situation was pretty ham-handed. Department - The Athletic Department is not what I would call a well-run machine. Being a retired businesswoman, I understand wanting to have staff around you that you have confidence in and comfortable with. And I understand the desire to change, but change for change sake is not always a good thing. The department was already reeling from needed staff reductions, like all departments at Akron when Dr. Miller came on board. It appears from the number and quality of recent departures from Athletics that the methodology is "make life hell on them and they'll leave on their own" rather than try to work towards a different and consistent approach. They've lost a lot of good people and their replacements seem more like a hodge-podge rather than a unified front. Game Day Experience - It is abysmal. At all events. From football's thuggish music on every down instead of marching band, lack of any entertainment during time-outs, quarter changes etc. to the treatment of us fans by game-day staff, plus the cost of everything, it's not going to bring anyone to games. Basketball was so-so but once again, where are the things that make families and casual fans want to attend? They finally seemed to "get it" at the last few soccer matches with a few give-aways. Let's face it, it just flat out is terrible across the board, especially compared to the entire MAC conference, other than perhaps KSU. We do got to many away events in the MAC plus go to watch a niece and nephew who compete at other MAC schools, and hands-down we are 11th out of 12 in Game Day experience. Eastern Michigan leads the way, Miami is very good, Toledo is solid, and I can go on. So that's my "more-than-two-cents" worth. I'm sure I've given enough ammo for some of you to tear into me and tell me where I'm wrong, but the premise was to offer "thoughts" on the State of Athletics....and these are mine.

Lots of folks b-wording online about diversity and replacing a woman with a man and Jackson got screwed and BLAH BLAH BLAH Today was the first real action toward turning the page and getting back to the winning culture that Kest was able to build for a handful of years. I don’t want any more “atta boy” and “atta girl.” I want to go back to beating Kent once or twice a year—at least. I want to regularly advance in the tournament. I want to play for championships. So little of the discourse is about that. It’s all about feelings and politics and all that nonsense. The nonsense that losers and complainers like to get caught up in. I much prefer discourse about winning, recruiting, play style, etc. For those fans “leaving” that are telling the program to “enjoy not having fans,” well, we have the worst attendance in the league so nothing is changing. Instead of being divisive and whiny, let’s show some TEAMISM and be #1Akron. Go Zips!!!!

I agree Amankwaa really stood out. I hope he stays healthy the remainder of the year...we really need a capable corner. I mentioned it after the BG game, and it bears mentioning again...this Zips team reminds me of the old Kent teams that consistently made one or two bizarre mistakes that cost them a game week-in-week-out. The botched exchange between Price and Irons was definitely a tip of the cap to those bygone Kent teams. Seeing that ball laying in the turf, and Irons and Price are running towards the endzone...it's as exasperating today as it was on Saturday. Irons has had a couple chances this season to lead the Zips to 4th quarter comebacks, and each time the offense has fizzled. Somehow that's got to change. Unlike some, I don't see the rest of the season being a lost cause. Kent is 2-5, and playing poorly Miami just put up a whopping 13 points in a loss to mighty Bowling Green EMU just put up 10 points in a 29-point loss to NIU Buffalo and NIU will be tough. But those next 3 games for the Zips are winnable, if we can eliminate those bizarre, perplexing, improbable mistakes that have become the 2022 Zips calling card. I'm so incredibly grateful Joe Moorhead decided to take on the challenge of building a Zips football program. He's not some retread living off his past and milking the University for a few more nice paydays. He's not a young, unproven coach that has no clue what is needed to be successful at the G5 level. He's a proven D1 head coach, proven elite offensive coordinator, and a guy that, for some stupid reason, believes in the potential of Akron Football as much as us fans do. He's here for the long haul, and he'll get the job done. Within 2-3 years we will be at the top of the MAC, with a sustainable program that will continue at that level for years to come. Robert Irvine fixes failing restaurants in one day...it isn't so easy with a dilapidated, neglected 85 scholarship football program. Looking forward to the Kent game. Unlike last season, where the players tanked and the game was over before the halftime show began, it should be a competitive war.

The reception was a nice event. Groce starts speaking and half of the room wants to run through a wall for him. He did allude to something negative that he hoped they could treat as a learning experience and I got the sense it was the YSU scrimmage. Tavari, Baker and Prather were not present so I assume they had class. Ali Ali is still awaiting approval from the NCAA. The new women's coach really made a good impression on the crowd Enrique was a real pro in front of the crowd. Same for Reagan Bass.

The lack of wins thus far in 2023 is profoundly disappointing. And, I'm as beaten down and any remaining fan over the abject futility I've witnessed during my support of the program for the past 5 years. But I have zero doubt Joe Moorhead will turn this around. He has been incredibly successful at every stop along his college coaching career. Akron will be no different. He inherited the worst program in Division 1. If we were #130, we were lightyears behind #129, let alone #78. Joe needs to figure out an offense that can be effective with the talent he's got. And he needs to figure it out soon. It doesn't help that his QB room is now missing Irons, and stocked completely with unprovens and underwhelmers. But that's the cards he's dealt. We have very good WR's and RB's. That should be enough to win our share of MAC games. I love our defense. People forget that is was an achievement when Arth's teams could force a punt over 4 quarters. We've come such a long way on that side of the ball. I remember when MLB pitching coach Roger Craig was once asked, when his pitchers were getting shelled over an extended stretch, "As a 'pitching guru', how are you going to get your arms back on track?" Craig replied "Guru? Right now I ain't gooruin' worth a damn!" I have to believe Joe feels the same way about himself, and the Zips offense right now. He has higher standards than the results produced by that side of the ball so far. I'd hoped it was possible for Joe to completely pull us out of the Arth Abyss in 17 games, but apparently it may take a few more. It sucks, but I 100% believe he'll get it done.

Busy weekend, so just some notes off the top of my head. - This team talks way too much to the opposing team and to opposing fans. It’s a sign of being undisciplined and it came back to bite us in crucial situations. That needs to be cleaned up. - Outside of the two interceptions, Irons was the best he’s looked this season. He moved around well in the pocket, was able to push the ball downfield, and his scrambling ability was a difference maker. - Most of the pressure came from the right side of the OL between K. Davis and N. Williams. Williams struggled mightily against the speed of Indiana’s edge rushers. - The DTs did a great job all game keeping the OL off the linebackers. McCoy, Fish, and Cooper were routinely running free to the ball. - There were several option plays Indiana ran that would have gashed us last year, but the athleticism and discipline of our DEs and LBs stood out. - Speaking of the LBs, McCoy had a standout performance with 12 total tackles and seemed to always be around the ball. - The red zone and goal line stands by the defense were incredibly impressive. DT Kyle Thomas was stout in that area again. - Good for Andrew Behm. I’ve been critical of his play and it was nice to see him snag the interception. - KJ Martin had one of his best games as a Zip. Too bad he dropped an interception that could have iced the game. - Special Teams once again created another turnover. Unfortunately, once again missed at least one field goal, which was another missed opportunity for this team. - The identity of this offense has to be to run the football first. Lingard saw his most touches with 14 attempts and produced 113 yards and a touchdown. He was close to breaking a few other runs. I’ll continue to say it, give him the ball. Between the running ability of Irons/Bullock and Lingard/Anderson, is what will keep the offense on the field and eventually open up more one on one deep ball opportunities. It will also limit turnovers. - Total Yardage: Akron = 474 Indiana = 282 - Time of Possession: Akron = 34:24 Indiana = 25:36 This team could be 3-1 or 0-4. Instead, we’re 1-3 heading into MAC play. I thought the team would have turned the corner by now, but we are still fighting some of the same issues of finishing games with 2 losses of a combined 5 points. Sooner or later this group will put it all together. Side note: Blanchard went out with what looked like a knee injury and did not return. QB - Irons (Bullock) (Undercuffler) RB - Lingard (Anderson) WR - Gathings (Walker) WR - Adams (Golden) WR - George (Norton) TE - Banks (Newell) LT - Blanchard (Chambers) LG - Frank (Kilbane) C - T. Williams RG - K. Davis (Kilbane) RT - Chambers (N. Williams) DE - R. Johnson (Adler) DT - Lavea (K. Thomas) DT - T. Jones (Robinson) DE - Nunnally (A. Smith) (L. Jackson) LB - Fish (Behm) LB - Cooper (McCoy) NB - C. Thomas (Lewis) CB - Hunter (Durant) CB - Tallandier (Golden-Nelson) S - KJ Martin (C.Thomas) S - N. Thompson (C. Thomas)

This week's very very very painful advanced box score: https://collegefootballdata.com/boxscore/401520256 This one will sting for a very, very long time. Obviously, the Michigan game 10 years ago would have been far more seismic, but this one felt so much different because this Akron team, in the 2nd half, finally began to show flashes of its potential. The defense could wind up being a unit that finishes in the top third of the MAC as far as overall effectiveness. They're starting to create some turnovers too. And a couple of the huge chunks of yardage they gave up on Saturday were on great deep balls by Jackson, both at Tallandier which could be something to keep an eye on. These linebackers are a joy to watch, imagine if Bubba was still here! Offensively, though N. Williams had about 35 holding calls, I feel the OL did a nice job. Indiana didn't seem like they wanted to pressure the QB as much as most teams Akron plays, so DJ was able to stay in the pocket a little longer and make some throws. This was as close to the 2022 DJ that we have seen, for better or for worse. I still don't see him as a QB that is able to be aggressive and go out and win games with his arm, but his effectiveness running the ball was outstanding. If Jackson makes that kick, you'd probably give him the game ball. But DJ willed Akron to that position. Having an offense based on generating yardage through scrambling isn't what I want to see, but having that as a threat with the playmakers on this team could be huge. When you give the ball to Lingard, good things happen. I don't know what is so hard to understand about that. Every time he has the ball, he runs hard and finds space, like he's shot out of a cannon. You can see the 5* DNA he has. Same with Anderson, for that matter. Very disappointing that Adams dropped the big TD. Great throw, would have swung momentum like crazy. Such a big coulda-woulda-shoulda. And I really feel for Jackson. He is a great kicker and punter and I was so bummed for him and the team when that kick went wide. It's just one of those funny intangible things--not knowing how to win. The second Bowden year saw quite a bit of that. Close losses to Louisiana and Michigan, close win against an FCS, and they looked awful the first few games of MAC play. The 2023 Zips are in a similar spot. They should be 2-2, funny enough with one of those losses to Morgan State. I stand by what I said about Moorhead teams having some discipline issues. That happened at Mississippi State and it seems to be happening here as well. This teams does enough to shoot themselves in the foot during plays, getting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Indiana proved to be costly. All in all, there were again so many self-inflicted wounds and this team still had an easy win and gave it away, on the road against a bad Big Ten team. You gotta win that game. I hope this is a better lesson in urgency than the close losses to Temple and MAC teams. It's time to start expecting to not only compete, but to WIN against teams who have similar talent. They are a favorite over an FBS team for the first time since hosting Bowling Green in 2020. Before that, in 2019 they were 10-point favorites at UMass. Akron fans haven't walked through the gates of Infocision Stadium to see their Zips be a favorite over the visitors in nearly 5 calendar years. If ever there were a time to put up or shut up, it is now. Let's go 1-0 this week. Go Zips!

In my best Brent Musberger voice - “You are looking live at the fourth floor of the Staybridge Suites in beautiful Lexington Kentucky…”

Once again, @catdaddyp drops more information in an off-the-top-of-the-head post than the Akron Beacon Journal provides in a lifetime.

I was on campus last week and visited soccer and football friends. One guy who has seen every football practice said Taj Bullock was ahead of DJ in the QB race. He said Taj would be the starting QB if we had to play today. Taj has done a great job in grasping the offense, something they felt DJ would have an advantage in. Taj's arm and athleticism is better than DJ's. This guy also was glowing about Lingard, the OL, CB's, and kickers. He was worried about our interior DL. Joe has the team ready to win a lot! This team will give us something to get fired up about.

Who will be the backup Quarterback? It’s clear Irons will be the starter as long as he’s healthy, but who will step in if injuries hit or a change of pace is needed? At least initially, Jeff Undercuffler is the likely choice. However, Virginia Tech transfer Tajh Bullock has a big arm and brings a different dimension to the run game. The staff may devise packages for Bullock just as a way to get him on the field and take advantage of his skillset, regardless of who else is at QB. This scenario would allow Wasel to redshirt and continue to develop without the unneeded pressure of learning on the fly. Will the run game be any better? The running back position has been significantly upgraded with the additions of Lorenzo Lingard and Drake Anderson. Throw in talented redshirt freshman Charles Kellom (and eventually a healthy Price) and this group will certainly improve on last year’s numbers of an abysmal 89.6 ypg (including all 12 games). As good as the passing game was/is, a strong rushing attack will make this offense even more potent. Who will replace Shocky Jacques-Louis? Coach Moorhead confirmed wide receiver is the strength of the team at MAC media days. Alex Adams and Daniel George have two of the three receiver positions locked up and someone else will need to separate themselves for the third spot. It sounds like Jasaiah Gathings currently has the inside track. The redshirt sophomore and North Carolina native had a promising start to 2022 before an injury derailed his season. He will be pushed by Myles Walker, transfer Phaizon Wilson, and several other talented freshmen. Will the Offensive Line be able to run block effectively? The OL was adequate at pass blocking and downright poor at run blocking outside of a handful of games. That will change. Offensive linemen, especially in an offense like Moorhead employs, must display as much athleticism as their defensive counterparts. Meaning on top of the general traits OL need, they also need to be able to move well enough to seal off defenders (especially on the edge), get to the second level, and be able to run. Too many of the OL last year struggled in those areas. Incoming transfers Keon Kindred, Ben Frank, Joshua Blanchard, and AJ George will immediately help. The staff brought in Keylen Davis and Tyhler Williams in the 2022 class and they should be ready to substantially contribute as redshirt freshmen. Toss in preseason All-MAC selection RT Nate Williams along with veterans Ronan Chambers, Brian Kilbane, Alex Robarge, Tony Georges, and the OL is starting to look like a group that is ready to open some holes for the backs. Will the DL be able to create pressure on the quarterback? The defense struggled to create pressure on the quarterback without blitzing in 2022. Even with the blitzes, defenders were stonewalled way too often, leaving the back end of the defense in difficult situations. The athleticism and potential has been increased during the offseason, but the key to this year’s group is developing at a much quicker rate than last year’s DL. Returning are two of Akron’s 2022 highest rated DL (according to PFF) in DE Ryan Johnson and DT Kyle Thomas. The interior of the DL may surprise with the additions of transfers Terray Jones, Lama Lavea, and JUCO Tyler Carter. Devan Robinson has one more opportunity to make a difference and Kiawan Murphy was singled out by coach Moorhead last year as a guy that was quickly developing. On the edge is where the Zips will have far more options than in 2022. Last season Victor Jones, Zach Morton, and Ryan Johnson were the only productive options. Now a slew of players will be available. Senior Julian Richardson will be expected to provide some pass rush and will be joined by transfer Ahmad Rabah along with JUCOs Antonio Smith and Kabbash Richards. JUCOs CJ Nunnally and LaJoshua Jackson bring some versatility and stoutness against the run. Who will replace Bubba? Losing Bubba is tough, there is no way around it. Former JUCO Antavious Fish will have the first shot at filling some big shoes. Fish was inconsistent in 2022 as he was finding his way in coach Tibesar’s defense. When Fish was locked in, he was impressive. Sophomore Jaharon Griffin and JUCO Gage Summers will push Fish for snaps. At the other LB spot, sophomore Bryan McCoy will start and compete with Andrew Behm and transfer Shammond Cooper. How good can this secondary be? If there is a consistent pass rush, the secondary could be very strong against the pass. Physicality will not be a question with this group as run fits should be solid. Between the linebackers and secondary, Zips fans can expect some big hits in 2023. Transfers Joey Hunter, Judson Tallandier, and JUCO Silas Proby have been brought in to compete at CB. Returners Tyson Durant and Devonte Golden-Nelson had their moments in 2022. Transfer Terence Thomas will compete with Darrian Lewis at NB. Cam Threatt, Rishad Hence, and a few freshmen could also see time. Senior safeties Nate Thompson and DJ Martin are primed for big seasons. They will be backed by Jaden Woods and potentially Corey Thomas. Safety is the only position on offense and defense that did not have a portal addition this offseason (unless Terence Thomas is considered a safety as a NB). Will the special teams be improved? The kicking improved as the spring game wore on and JUCO P Dante Jackson was recently signed. Akron has an excellent special teams coach in Allen Tucker and all phases of special teams should take a leap. Will a 3-4 alignment be seen more in 2023? The roster is far more versatile and will allow coach Tibesar to show some looks he was not able to in 2022. Tibesar will probably display a defense more in line to his previous stops, but expect to see the 4-2-5 nickel alignment when facing 11 personnel. Can Akron win the East? Football (and athletics in general) are very much “what have you done for me lately” in today’s society. 99% of national pundits think Akron will be a doormat. If social media and message boards are any indication, the rest of the MAC fanbases also don’t take Akron seriously. Everyone is allowed an opinion, but that does not mean it’s correct. Sometimes even the loudest voices or media members with a platform are misinformed. Most are completely ignoring how competitive this team was in MAC play and the improvement that was made as the year progressed. The other key factor that has been ignored is recruiting. Coach Moorhead has used the portal as well or better than any other G5 school and is also landing some very talented players from the high school/JUCO ranks, not just at one or two positions, but throughout the roster. If the Zips are to become a dominant program in the MAC it will start on both sides of the line of scrimmage. While Akron may not have an elite OL or DL (yet), progress is being made and enough talent is in place to compete in 2023. Ohio has the easiest path to the East, but that does not mean they are a shoe-in. Expect the Zips to “upset” a number of teams and their fan bases this season. Enjoy the ride, it’s going to be an exciting year.

Being a retired firefighter/paramedic I have very little patience or feelings for people who get behind the wheel crap faced. Some may disagree with me, it’s nothing personal. I just have a different perspective.

When Astroturf installed the new stuff last year, they made a mistake and put twice as much crumb rubber in as they were supposed to. Water could not drain properly. You are supposed to be able to spill a bottle of water and see it disappear into the drainage system. With too much of the crumb rubber, water (in the form of rain) was pooling on top, potentially causing a safety hazard/unsafe playing surface in inclement weather. The company who installed the turf is at fault and is on the hook for the $1 Million+ mistake. Totally new surface coming in. After 13 seasons with the same turf, we get a new surface two years in a row.

I was able to stop by campus and take in this morning's scrimmage. Here's what I observed - Golden was the #1 punt returner (although punting in the low-ceiling Stiles Center is impossible). hen a punt hit the roof, someone would toss a high ball to the returner who'd run it back. No tackling. It was a full 4-quarter offense vs. defense scrimmage. Undercuffler took 60% of the snaps. Dijon took around 25%, and Wassel took maybe 15%? DJ Irons was in attendance. In good spirits, with no visible injuries. Just progressing through the long rebab from his shoulder surgery. Hester got a lot of carries. He had fun today. He's a good RB. Probably not in the Top 3 in the depth chart, but he wouldn't hurt us at the position if we had a decent OL. He also still seems like the #1 KR. Gathings made a few nice catches. He played quite a bit. Dijon is a tiny QB. He's a full 6" shorter than Undercuffler. He didn't have a great day. To be fair, he wasn't playing with the 1st stringers. Bu I can't see him pushing for the starter's job. Undercuffler threw a couple TDs, and also had a couple picks. To me he still looks like a very capable back up, but not someone who can carry a D1 team. Walking out of the building, I overheard someone say "that was the worst our offense has looked all spring." #22 Kellom got some carries, and two TD's (one, a 70 yard run). He's apparently has had a good spring. Neither #99 or #44 distinguished themselves kicking FG's. Granted it is tough to judge kickers indoors when their kicking into a net with taped goal posts. 6' 8" German import Bruno Dahl was seen trying a few 50 yarders after practice. He's obviously played some soccer in his day. 😁 Lingard #27 broke a nice 30 yarder early in the practice. He can go from a standstill to full speed on a dime. He was talkative and engaged the whole practice. Seems like a good kid. He also ran back a KO later in the practice. He could be a dangerous return guy. Wassel didn't look like he'll break any of Charlie Frye's records this season. If anyone was expecting him to push for a starting job in 2023, based on this scrimmage, I'd say you'll need to be patient. He has the tools, but will need time. #20 Price was in sneakers and a tee shirt. He had a little limp. Didn't play. #93, #95, #97, #9 were our primary DL's. #99 and #54 played a lot too. It was difficult to get a gauge on the defensive line play. The stands were folded up to allow the baseball team to hit in a cage, so you had to watch the entire scrimmage at field level. KJ Martin made a nice high-point catch in traffic. Jax Smith caught a pass from his HS teammate Steele Wassel Myles Walker got the nod as the #2 punt returner Wassel threw an endzone pick on a long pass to Dakota Thomas. Thomas told Wassel on the sideline "That was a great pass...not your fault." Thomas also had a potential deep TD catch ruled out of bounds (by a 1/2 step). Joe spoke to the team after the scrimmage and told them he was happy with the physical effort. He said it was the best he'd seen since he took over. "I'd rather ask you guys to dial it back than to beg you to play harder, so keep it up!" I can't attend the spring game next week, so I look forward to reading everyone's observations!

I know this will not be a popular comment, but I thought both teams respected each other and played a physical but very clean game. I did not see any taunting and I remember on one play Tribble was knocked down and the Kent player offered his hand to get him up. I hope this sportsmanship continues when we play them in Kent.

Early season nominee for the dumbest post of the year.

OFFENSE 473 yards of total offense and 34 points should be enough to win most games, but unfortunately that was not the case yesterday. The only plays calls I was critical of were the reverses that we tried several times for little to negative success. The staff must’ve seen something on film they liked with the reverses, but it did not translate to the game. QUARTERBACK: Irons was excellent outside of the meaningless interception on the last drive. Some of the throws he made across field, from the opposite hash, were really impressive. Not all D1 QBs can make those throws successfully. Irons was patient, moved around well in the pocket, and made solid decisions with the ball. His running ability continues to give the offense an extra dimension that has to be accounted for by the defense. RUNNING BACK: The more I watch Price, the more I like him. He does so many little things well. Watching him squeeze to his blockers and hit the next gear at the right time was great to see. Price did a solid job in pass pro as well. When Price isn’t getting hit in the backfield, he almost always collects positive yardage. It was good to see Norrils get a few carries and hopefully that will continue. WIDE RECEIVER: What an impressive display by these guys. They created separation all game long and made some difficult catches. George’s catch across the middle of the field in between several defenders - wow. TIGHT END: Both Banks and Brank were heavily involved in the pass and run game. They totaled 8 catches between them. We had some success running the ball on the double TE sets and I hope we see more of that. OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters were Daniels, Banes, Georges, Whigan, Williams. Landers was inserted at LT early and was impressive. It’s only a matter of time before he’s the starter there. Robarge subbed at both guard positions and was solid. Kilbane saw some snaps at C. DEFENSE I don’t even know where to start. Ohio hit us on a few calls which happens no matter who the opponent is, but overall I thought the DC put the defense in a position to be successful on most plays. I’m not totally sure what the heart of the issue is outside of talent level, but I’ll touch on a few points below. DEFENSIVE LINE: Jones, Harper, Thomas, Morton started. Holt saw more playing time than Harper, despite not being a starter and did some good things. Thomas was double teamed a heavy amount. There are either some trust issues or a lack of understanding going on. To give an example, there was one play where Morton demolished the tight end’s block and had the QB stuck in the mud on a designed run, but instead of keeping outside leverage, Morton dove inside where he already had LB and S help. The QB was then able to get to the edge and gain the first down. Other issues that are common are overrunning the play when pursing into the backfield and allowing the play to come right back underneath. The linebacker/safety/nickel (depending on alignment) should be there but they are getting taken out the play in some fashion…usually by their own doing. LINEBACKER: Bubba is Bubba and continues to get the most out of his ability. He understands football and almost always smells out the play. Boateng started beside Bubba and was rough to watch. Boateng has plenty of physical ability but seems to lack intuition or know where the play is going the majority of the time. I lost count of the times when he should have been filling in to stop the run and was MIA. Terry did some good things and should be starting with Bubba. It’s exciting to see the potential of Fish and McCoy, but they are still learning and can get their eyes in the wrong place at times, which leads to busted plays. SECONDARY: Thompson had a strong game. I was critical of him earlier in the year, but he is one player in the secondary that has taken it up a notch. Martin missed way too many tackles and is not physical enough at times. JKP seems to be regressing. Our cornerback play is flat out disappointing. Hooks’, who has plenty of physical ability, was beaten a number of times. I watched one play where he was lined up several yards off the LOS, the WR ran a hitch route and somehow Hooks ended up 8-9 yards off the receiver on that move. To add insult to injury, he then missed the tackle. Durant was picked on again. We saw Hence get physically outmatched on a TD throw as well. Hence was with the receiver step for step until the receiver simply shoved him off at the top of the route and created separation in a legal way. Lewis helped in the run game, but also missed a sack opportunity. He was not as strong in the passing game. We need to improve in all areas defensively. Not every team will have a QB on the same level as Rourke, but the defense cannot play that poorly again. When we blitz and do not reach the quarterback it ends up being a big play almost every time. I still think we will win some games this year, but the defense must improve. While we may not have a top level MAC defense, I do not believe they are as bad as what we saw yesterday. If they can give this offense a chance, good things will happen.

After games were completed...as of October 29th, the zips were #30 in RPI. With the results of games played from October 30 to Nov. 3, the zips had dropped to #35 in RPI (before they took the field at Xavier).. The zips RPI percentage as of Saturday morning Nov. 4...was .5582 After losing to Xavier on Saturday night, the zips dropped to #38 in RPI RPI percentage dropped almost a full point down to .5488. Yesterday was not a good day for teams that played the zips during the season. The zips 3 strongest non league opponents were Notre Dame, FIU and Vermont. All 3 went belly up in their conference tournament quarterfinals. The zips really needed all 3 to win their leagues. Notre Dame was the top seed in the ACC tournament and they lost last night to #9 seed in ACC...Louisville. FIU lost in the American Athletic conference quarters to 5-7-3 Florida Atlantic Vermont lost in the American East conference quarterfinals to 6-7-4 NJIT as a result of those 3 tough non conference teams losing early, the ZIPS strength of schedule went down as of this morning, the RPI for the zips is #43 Zips RPI % is .5453 Davidson RPI is 44...they are still playing in their conference tourney...they would probably pass the zips with a semifinal win Yale is 47...they are still playing in their conference..they would probably pass the zips with a semifinal win From looking at the numbers, it looks like an RPI of 38 will be the last team in..... if there are 3 or 4 upsets in conference tourney, the last team could be an RPI of 34 or 35 23 conferences get automatic bids 25 at large selections. Pac-12 and West Conference are only 2 that don't do a tournament.... I will go alphabetically by conference....and then list the top remaining RPI teams....if the favorite wins the tourney numbers shown are RPI as of Monday moning American Athletic - semis on Nov. 9 28 Memphis vs. #4 SMU #101 Florida Atlantic vs #30 Charlotte 10-3-1 FIU is #27 and has 9-4-4 record conference will probably get 4 teams into tourney.... IF Florida Atlantic pulls off 2 more upsets, conference will get 5 teams American East - Semis on Nov. 8 #42 NJIT 7-7-4 vs #5 New Hampshire 124 Binghamton vs. #21 Bryant 14-1-2 Vermont is #24 and has 11-5-2 record if NJIT gets a non PK win over New Hampshire in the semis, I think that NJIT will get into tourney even if they lose in final to Bryant ACC - Semis on Nov. 8 14 Louisville vs. 26 Clemson 9 North Carolina vs. 22 Syracuse others certainly in tourney from ACC 2 Notre Dame 6 Virginia 12 Wake Forest 16 Duke 29 Pitt aCC will have 9 teams in tourney Atlantic 10 Semis on Nov. 8 85 Dayton vs. #44 Davidson 93 UMass vs #33 VCU 6-5-5 St. Louis is #35 ....lost on PK's to U Mass in quarters...St. Louis should make tourney unless there are 3-4 major upsets in the WAC, Colonial or Summit Fordham is probably on outside looking in for NCAA tourney...they are #45...lost 1-0 to VCU in quarters Atlantic Sun - semis tonight...1 bid league 141 Stetson vs 156 Bellarmine 129 Central Arkansas vs. 58 Lipscomb Big East - Semis November 9 55 UConn vs. #3 Georgetown #50 Xavier vs. #53 Providence Akron is #43 winner of Xavier vs. Providence could possibly pass zips in RPI with a semis win winner of Xavier -Providence game will have won 6 league games as opposed to 2 for Akron., if Georgetown wins the league, the Big east could only have 1 team in tourney Big South - Final Nov. 11 - 1 bid league 119 UNC Asheville vs. 88 High Point Big Ten Semis Nov. 8 56 Ohio State 6-6-5 vs. #39 Penn State 61 Michigan 5-5-7 vs. #32 Indiana on outside looking in...Northwestern led the league for most of year...they are 48 and won't make tourney Michigan State has very similar record to Akron 7-2-7....Michigan State also has win over Notre Dame Spartans are 59 in RPI If Indiana and Penn State win semis, they will both improve RPI Big West final Nov. 11 one bid league 67 UC Davis vs 70 UC Irvine Colonial final on Nov. 11 63 Monmoth vs. #8 Hofstra 12-3-4 Drexel is 49 with 9-2-5 record if Hofstra is upset in the final....that will lower the rPI for last team in ..as Hofstra will be in tourney Horizon semis on Nov. 9 - one bid league 157 IUPUI vs 127 Green Bay 161 Purdue Ft. Wayne vs 77 Oakland Ivy League - semis on Nov. 9 47 Yale vs 80 Harvard 105 Brown vs 41 Penn Penn and Yale should both rise in RPI with a win in semis Metro Atlantic - semis Nov. 9 - one bid league 52 Iona vs, 176 Manhattan 118 Siena vs 92 Rider Missouri Valley Conference - semis on Nov. 8 this is the league that W. Michigan, NIU and BGSU went to.....it will get more teams in tourney this year than the big east 98 N. Illinois vs. #20 Western Michigan 13-1-3 #34 UIC 11-4-3 vs. #23 Missouri State 10-2-3 if Northern Illinois were to win tourney, this league get 4 teams in Northeast Semis on Nov. 9 - one bid league 116 St. Francis vs. 160 Sacred Heart 112 LIU vs 91 Fairleigh Dickinson Ohio Valley Conference 183 Lindenwood vs. #46 SIU-E 14-0-3 197 Eastern Illinois vs 168 UIW SIU-E should win the tourney. If they did lose the finals on PK's , would the NCAA not give them a bid even though SIU-E would have no losses? if they lost finals on PK's , their record would be 15-0-4 Pac 12 - this is a league with no tourney 13 UCLA has 19 points with 5-0-4 record....one last game against San Diego State 25 Oregon State has 16 points with 4-1-4...they host Washington in last game 38 Cal plays at Stanford....if they win...Cal will jump in RPI 18 Stanford 40 Washington Washington is 5-6-6 and plays at Oregon State... if Washington ties or loses, they are sub .500 and won't make tourney if they get a straight out win, they will rise from #40 in RPI Patriot League - Semis Nov. 7 - one bid league 138 Colgate vs 79 Boston U 128 Lafayette vs. 62 Loyola MD So Conference - finals nov. 11 - one bid league 153 Mercer vs. 83 Furman Summit - Semis Nov. 9 #19 Denver 11-2-4 vs 134 Kansas City 60 Oral Roberts vs 151 Omaha Denver will be in tourney ...win or lose....an upset of Denver....would lower the last team in RPI Sun Belt - Semis Nov. 8 - super strong soccer league South Carolina was 5-8-3 before they upset top ranked Central Florida last night semis 101 South Carolina 6-8-3 vs. #7 West Virginia 13-1-4 #37 Kentucky 7-6-4 vs #1 Marshall 15-2-0 Kentucky has defeated West Virginia and Marshall in the latter part of the season other teams that could be in tourney Central Florida is now #10 in RPI after losing in conference quarters James Madison lost in conference quarters...they are #36 WAC - semis on Nov. 8 17 Seattle 12-2-3 vs 136 UNLV 114 Utah Tech vs 73 Cal Baptist similar to Summit league, Seattle is in tourney...if they are upset, the #38 and #37 teams in RPI are in trouble West Conference - no league tourney this is an interesting one...one league game left to play if San Diego stumbles in last game with loss or tie, Santa Clara could win league and 4 teams from WCC could get in 81 Santa Clara has 4-1-1 record in league 6-7-3 overall...plays Pacific 5-7-4 #31 San Diego is tied for league lead with 4-1-1 record 10-4-3 overall they play Gonzaga 3-8-6 San Diego beat Santa Clara 2-1...wins TB but if Santa Clara wins their game and San Diego ties.......Santa Clara gets NCAA tournament automatic berth #11 Portland is 4-2-0 and 11-4-0 ...they are in NCAA tourney our old friend Ryan Kingsford and Loyola Marymount are #15 in RPI...2-2-2 in league...at #15...LMU will get one of 25 at leage OK....what you want to see.......who will get 25 at large.... for all conferences....I assume that current Highest RPI teams wins tourney...I have UCLA and San Diego winning their leagues Atlantic coast conference - North Carolina is highest RPI team in semis 8 teams will get at large bids 1. Notre Dame - rpi of 2 2. Virginia 6 3. Wake Forest 12 4. Louisville 14 5. Duke 16 6. Syracuse 22 7. Clemson 26 8. Pitt 29 Pac 12 - assume that UCLA gets automatic berth 9. Oregon State - rpi of 25 10. Cal 38 - they could drop with loss to Stanford or go up with win 11. Stanford 18 Big 10 - assume that 32 Indiana and 39 Penn State play in finals...Indiana wins 12. Penn State - current rpi of 39...should improve if they beat Ohio State in semis if Ohio State and Michigan pull upsets in semis...Penn State is probably out of NCAA Sun Belt - super strong league...#1 Marshall is assumed to win tourney 13. West Virginia rpi of 7 14. Central Florida 10 15. James Madison 36 16. Kentucky 37 American East - a surprisingly strong conference...assume that #5 New Hampshire wins tourney 17. Bryant rpi of 21 18. Vermont 24 if #42 New Jersey Institute of Technology gets a clean win over #5 New Hampshire in semis (after NJIT upset Vermont in quarters), NJIT might get an at large bid even if they lose to Bryant in final West coast conference - I have San Diego getting automatic berth 19. Portland rpi of 11 20. Loyola MaryM 15 American Athletic - I have #4 SMU winning league 21. FIU rpi of 27 22. Memphis 28 23. Charlotte 30 Missouri Valley - I have #20 Western Michigan winning tourney 24. Missouri State rpi of 23 25. UIC 34 Atlantic 10 - I have #33 VCU winning league 26. St. Louis rpi of 35 Davidosn is currently 44...if they beat Dayton in semis and lose to VCU in league finals, Davidson should end the year higher than 44 I have listed 26 teams for 25 spots...as I do not know how #37 Kentucky, #38 Cal, #39 Penn State and #40 Washignton will do this week as I mentioned.....if these teams don't win their conference tourney, the last team in RPI will drop #3 Georgetown #8 Hofstra #17 Seattle #19 Denver what will committee do if #46 and undefeated SIU-E loses on tourney on penalties there will probably be upsets teams not shown in the 26 above......(could be on outside looking in) #40 Washington loser of #41 Penn vs. #47 Yale (if both win semis) #42 New Jersey Institute of Technology #43 Akron #44 Davidson (should improve with a win in A10 semis) #45 Fordham winner of #50 Xavier vs. #53 Providence (if winner loses to Georgetown in tourney final)

Just getting on board a plane wearing my Akron hat with that giant new A. The PCCC basketball team is also on the flight with coaches and families and they have to walk past row 10 all looking at me 😆. They are headed to play Hampton

I am stunned that there are Akron fans who root against moments like last night. And disappointed. This is the most engaged I've been in MAC nonconference basketball in a while.

I think the offseason priorities are: 1.) Bring in a grad transfer QB, or some seasoned guy with a decent track record who perhaps got squeezed out by a young phenom. 2.) Need a couple seasoned OL's. Easier said than done, but we need a couple more solid guys that we've presently got. 3.) Identify an returning player to be the #2 QB. Develop him. Quickly. 4.) Find your 2024 kicker. We can't have a 3-kicker rotation again. 5.) Replace Lingard and Anderson with someone good. Maybe Kellom is one? 6.) Get Alex Adams back on the field. 7.) Keep Tibesar. 8.) Find another groomable young QB if the ones on the roster aren't going to work out. Don't hang on to a recruiting mistake...move on. 9.) Get better in short yardage situations. Much better. 10.) Make the fans happy. They've been through a brutal stretch. 7 D1 wins in 6 years is unfathomable. Our 2023 offense was unwatchable. Beg, borrow, steal...do whatever you can to post a winning record in 2024. The days of 0-, 1, or 2-win seasons are over. We had a defense good enough to win 6 or 7 games this year. And the worst offense in memory.

The "Field of 68" puts out an incredible comprehensive preview almanac. I'm probably biased since they are very high on the Zips, but it seems like, somehow, they put in the homework on all 360+ D1 teams. Best $20 I spent this year. They have Akron winning the MAC too. They have the Zips #4 in their preseason mid-major top 25. No other MAC team is in it. They have Enrique Freeman as their #4 Mid-Major player to watch. Again, no other MAC players made the cut. Some snippets from their Akron review: "The 2022 NCAA Tournament appearance is still fresh in the minds of Zip nation. Usually, it’s a stretch to draw parallels between teams two years apart. However, there are some déjà vu vibes brewing with this 2024 rendition." "As a coach, it’s not always wise to look backwards and fixate on what worked in the past. Today, competitors adapt, players change and the game itself continuously evolves. For John Groce, however, a stroll down the 2022 memory lane may illuminate a proven path back to the NCAA Tournament in 2024." "The boomerang transfer return of Ali Ali will light the way, as will the impending return of Mikal Dawson, a quasi-starter on the 2022 squad who missed last season with injury. The reunion of Ali and Dawson is a storybook backdrop to what could be a special season for the Zips. " "Don’t let Sammy Hunter get lost in the frontline shuffle, especially after his coming-out party in March." "Rookie Darrion Baker is a man-child in the middle and may be plugged in to bigger bully lineups. If he played anywhere else in the league, Baker could be a fringe starter." "In short, Akron’s combination of depth, talent and experience is second to none in this league." "In the team’s foreign tour this summer, Freeman displayed a newfound comfort zone along the perimeter, including shooting 3s off movement. That’s a scary proposition for the rest of the league, assuming he can convert at a high clip. The same goes for Dawson, who must regain his shooting stroke and shake off a year’s worth of rust." "Don’t dismiss this perimeter nucleus. There are question marks, sure, but Groce’s hit rate with freshmen and transfers deserves the benefit of the doubt. " "The bedrock of the backcourt is Greg Tribble, a defensive specialist who sets the tone for Akron’s coverage. Tribble’s offensive limitations can be frustrating, but his defensive value more than outweighs those flaws. He’ll be asked to run point in spurts this year, though his upside as a lead creator is limited by his rim-or-bust shot diet." "Another guard on deck is Ryan Prather Jr., a former three-star recruit who redshirted last season. It’s not often three-star prospects are slapped with the redshirt tag in this conference, further proof of Akron’s depth and robust internal competition. Groce said Prather was still nursing an injury over the summer, so he may not be cleared to play until fall." "The rocketship that is Hunter, coupled with the return of Dawson, gives Groce an endless supply of wings and forwards to play with." "The roster imbalance, however, portrays the perimeter as the Zips’ weakness. Whether that’s actually true or just a misnomer, comes down to Thornton, Scott, Tribble, Nate Johnson and Tavari Johnson. Collectively, this quintet runs the gamut of prototypes — but none is a bona fide scorer." "'Guys like Xavier Castaneda, and (Loren) Cristian Jackson — those guys were scorers,' Groce said. 'Our scoring this year will be carried from the frontline. We need the point guards to make open shots, but their primary job will be facilitating for others and defending.' On that note, role acceptance will also be pivotal this season."

It's not about "calming down" and it's not about being an overly negative Nancy troll. It's about being frustrated. Did anyone expect Akron to beat Kentucky coming into the season? No. However, it was circled with a "maybe" next to it based on what we saw from our offense last year. What we are witnessing is a complete regression on offense that is way closer to Arth Ball than supposed JoeMo Ball. That is what's so damn frustrating about that game last night. We're an embarrassment on the side of the ball that draws interest, draws fans, and is supposed to be the absolute strength of the head coach. What's even more frustrating is Kentucky tried to, at the very least, allow that game to be a one score loss if not an Akron upset. It was right there for most of the game, and only got away from us after we failed to capitalize on a plethora of opportunities. Our offense looks like I'm watching with DirecTV from the mid-00s on a stormy day - constantly buffering, never smooth. Gaining 2 yds is incredibly difficult and everything is side to side - not up the field. It's one of the worst offenses I've ever witnessed, and that's not hyperbole. To top it off, we have don't have a reliable, DI kicker, so even 3 points on a stalled drive is difficult. I don't care as much about the shoot-yourself-in-the-foot crap; those few plays are amplified with every play mattering in our garbage offense. Our defense will win us some games this year, and I'm hoping we have enough on offense to win a few more in the MAC. But man, I am incredibly frustrated right now. I expected to progress this year, not regress, at least offensively.

In 2017 I watched Wake Forest, with future LA Rams back up John Wolford,eek out a one point win at App State. They played terrible and deserved to lose. They had to block a couple of field goals, with the second one being the last play of the game. After that, they settled into a solid season and beat Texas A & M something like 55-52 in regular time in the Belk Bowl. It propelled the program forward. If there are terrible wins, the Zips got one yesterday. They need to take it and move on. The talent is there to be successful in the MAC. They just need to play better and get the program moving forward. Everything they probably want to accomplish is still in front of them for the taking.

The ESPN betting talking head on SportsCenter just featured this matchup and said we should all bet the Zips and the points! Spoke highly of Moorhead and DJ!

Currently at the breakfast/practice. Some quick observations: Enrique is making threes from the wing off of pick and pops; Darrin Baker is a man; Shammah Scott is going to be a big contributor; Ali looks happy and healthy; Dawson looks to be back up at full speed; Groce is not mellowing with age. I can't wait for the season!

Probably deserves its own thread

Ali Ali

This will be my 53rd year as a season ticket holder. I consider my two club seats a bargain. At $500 each I get a parking pass and great club amenities for 5 games. By comparison, I attended a Cavs game recently where a lower level seat went for the same price for one game! Zips athletic events are a bargain.

When he first accepted the Akron gig I think Joe could have gone to 10 other places that would have paid him more. The opportunities won't stop now that he's here. College, and occasionally NFL teams will annually put him on their interview list. I just don't see him leaving until he gets the job done. He's here for the right reasons - the chance to run his own program again, a decent salary (you can live pretty nicely on $700k in the Akron area), and for whatever reason...like all of us hard-core supporters...he actually believes in the potential of Zips football. Faust famously called Akron a "sleeping giant" when he came on campus back in the mid 80's. We've been asleep ever since, thanks to horrible facilities, horrible hires and overall administrative ineptitude. It's amazing how many 1-AA teams have ascended to 1-A since the Zips were the first to do so back in 1985. And every single one of them has been more competitive than the Zips. To me, Joe is our first legitimate chance to get off the 38-year schneid. He wants to be here...he's got the facilities...he's a brilliant guy...he's a proven winner...if he can't do it, no one can. Stay the F away, NFL. You don't need Joe. We do.

Great ender here. John Groce is such a blessing to this program. Every season we are never out of it. So endlessly grateful for how fun his teams are to watch.

@catdaddyp has been one of the best, if not THE best asset to the football section of this forum. This is a disrespectful, trash response to a thoroughly developed post that highlighted a pretty important aspect of the discussion. I'm glad you saw a 1-9 record. I saw a number of 1 score losses that were enabled by a porous defense that turned it on for the final 2 games - ironically when JU was under center.

It is only fitting that two of the original MAC MSOC sides square off for the last MAC crown. That title definitely belongs in Akron.

Since 2010, Zip coaches in their first season are a combined 3-40. Joe is so obviously in over his head. They’re losing games the same way Arth did in his first year. No progress. Just had an RB set the single game completions record and throw for 400 yards. I mean what is this guy doing? Put the 6’6” dude at RB you dummy!!!! Look, nobody on this board has sugar coated anything about what they see on the field this year. @catdaddyp isn’t some lifelong Zip die hard cheerleader. The dude just loves football and has picked the Zips, freaking awesome. And folks are clowning him for saying the team has made immense progress from last year and the prior couple years. As for myself, I have numerous times for weeks noted that Akron is still a bad football team, and I had higher hopes for 2022. But reality set in quickly, as similar mistakes from the past have been mixed in with some very efficient and impressive performances here and there. It hasn’t hit the win column, and it’s frustrating as hell. But as someone who has been to every single game at Infocision for over a decade, the steps forward are obvious. How soon the blowout home losses to Temple, Ohio, Buffalo, and Kent just last year alone are forgotten. Sure, almost doesn’t count. But not getting embarrassed and being in a position to win for 75% of the games against G5 teams this year is a pretty damn clear step forward to me. If we’re at this 1-6 point come next year, concerns will be had. But it’s just mind-numbingly stupid to me that someone would be out on THIS coach and THIS team after THESE 7 games. The same way how many people were “out” on Groce after 2 years of underwhelming when it was also painfully obvious that the program was improving and would take more than 5 minutes to build into something worth a s***.

Depending on who you talk to will get you wildly different views on this year’s team. I’m very bullish on Akron and think the team will take a major leap in the win column. Similar to Temple, Akron was playing their best football towards the end of last year. Even with a roster that wasn’t quite up to par with most opponents, Zips lost 5 conference games by a score (7, 6, 6, 3, 1). The major flaws were lack of pass rush (dead last in MAC play with 13 sacks), giving up sacks (last again with 36), run game (averaged less than 100 yards per game on the season) and inconsistent CB play. On the bright side, Zips led the conference in passing yards per game on offense and improved the run defense by 140 yards per game vs the previous season. Zips collected the #1 Comprehensive recruiting class in the MAC (according to Rivals) during the offseason and kept significant losses to a minimum. Outside of graduation, key losses were LB Bubba Arslanian, DT Ravontae Holt, and LT Ka’Marii Landers. The offense should be more explosive in the run game with the additions of former 5 star RB Lorenzo Lingard and Arizona transfer RB Drake Anderson, while the passing game that averaged almost 300 yards per game in conference should be just as effective. The offensive line may not be elite, but should be improved. There will be a noticeable difference in athleticism along the OL. Defensively, Zips will field a strong group of safeties and CB play will be much improved if the spring game was any indication. There is a chance all five starters in the secondary will be former P5 players. The linebacker corps is fairly young and/or inexperienced, albeit talented and physical. The DL is where most questions still remain. There was an overhaul of players this offseason, which was probably needed. Five JUCOs and three transfers were added. Another situation where the athleticism (and also length) has been improved. However, who starts there or even plays the most snaps is anyone’s guess at this point. The biggest difference between this season and last is the amount of talent throughout the roster. I would pit Akron’s depth against any other team in the MAC at this point. That may sound crazy in year 2 of Moorhead’s tenure, but the portal has opened up another avenue of flipping roster talent that wasn’t available just a few years ago. Also, a mark of a strong coaching staff is the development of players and improved performance throughout the season - something we saw from the Zips last year. To close out the season, Akron held the top rushing team in the MAC (NIU) to 89 yards rushing and followed that up by limiting Buffalo to 27 yards rushing. Most casual observers seem to have issues getting past the name on the jersey and think this will be the same ole Akron. Of course, those same observers don’t follow recruiting so that’s not a surprise. Like you mentioned, week 1 can be fluky sometimes. It’ll be interesting to see how this one plays out. I suspect both teams will be improved by the end of the season and it’s unlikely a loss by either side will be much of setback. On a side note, Joe Moorhead’s Fordham teams went from 6 wins in his first year to 12 in his second year. That’s FCS ball and may not directly correlate to MAC play, but does go to show Moorhead knows what it takes to drastically change the direction of a program. Looking forward to this game and hope both teams avoid any major injuries and also give the staffs significant insight that will help with the rest of the season.

I couldn't agree more. I will never forgive Shaka Dumb for the pressing the Zips the entire game in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. We lost our point guard, Alex Abreu two weeks prior and then the day of the game - seven Zips were sick with the flu or had food poisoning. Shaka finally stopped pressing with less than a minute to go and up 40 points. He did this to Keith Dambrot, who WAS allegedly his "best friend in coaching." Shaka is trash.

Assistant Coaches getting cards for dissent I can live with a little bit. It can be argued that it is the AC's job to get the occasional card, from a strategic perspective. But it becomes a HUGE problem when players start following the coaches' examples and dissent every call. Coaches and players do not have the same role. WAY too much mouth from our players! And that shite got to stop right NOW! No card on the field is a good card unless it is earned in a tackle. Malik Henry clubbing the ball across the field after the play? Unacceptable. Not to mention Dumb. We have seen way too much of this lack of discipline recently. Coaches had best come correct on this. Bench mouths off to referee? OK. Fine. Players on field should not complain to ref. Let the bench do that. I expect this to change come Spring. And yes, the entire coaching staff will know my expectations.

We just won a game that S Dak St shot 52% from the field, made more FTs than us (+4) and out rebounded us. I'd call that a damn gutty effort.