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"Voluntary" workouts started today.... I was told over half the team was there this morning which is very exciting to me, considering last year I was told were this week of "Voluntary" workouts they had something like 12 players there... Next Monday is the first day of mandatory conditioning for the returning and transfer players... I hope they build a lot of momentum. Right now the Zips are tied for first in the MAC so things are looking GREAT !!!!!!

We have a regular customer at the card shop that's a big Akron fan. He brought his son in who is probably 8-10 years old. He asked me where he can get some 3Peat merch. Luckily, I was gifted an extra hat the other day and had it in my bag. Gave it to him and, man, you should've seen the smile on his face. He went to dinner and came back a couple hours later with the tags off. I asked if he will ever take the hat off and he said, "Nope," with a huge smile. Never be afraid to talk Zips with people. Never know who you'll leave an impression on and foster life-long fandom. Also, 3Peat merch is a huge hit. Props to Wentz and the FTRC crew on creating great merch.

Returning Starter: Last year, C. Cravaack took advantage of Newell missing time with an injury to lay claim to the starting tight end position. I thought Cravaack was playing substantially better than Newell by the end of 2025 and I imagine that played at least a part in Newell deciding to transfer out. New Faces: W. Hook comes in as a transfer from Michigan State. Although Hook only saw snaps on special teams during his time as a Spartan, he easily has the most upside of all the newcomers. An insider at MSU compared Hook to Josh Whyle, who was selected in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. I don’t know if I’d go that far with the praise, but Hook definitely has the potential to immediately step in and be a productive player for the Zips. E. Alexander is a JUCO signee with some potential. He’s a good athlete with a long frame and uses it well to gain yards after the catch. He may not be a great blocker at this time, but he is a willing blocker and should improve in that area with some added mass and experience. Y. DeReese is the most recent, and probably final, addition to the tight end room. He’s actually listed as the smallest TE on the roster, but looks bigger on film, so there’s some discrepancy there. The way he moves reminds me of former Bowling Green and current Wisconsin tight end Jacob Harris. My guess is DeReese is more of a depth addition at this time, but he has the ability to eventually become a contributor down the line. Conclusion: I thought the tight end room had the potential to be one of the best in the MAC last year between Newell and Cravaack, however that did not come to pass. Cravaack came on strong the more he played, while Newell only saw action in six games and didn’t necessarily play all that well when he was on the field. This season will feature some new faces alongside Cravaack that should have enough ability to help this offense be productive. Returning: Cravaack (R. Jr.) In: DeReese (Jr.) - JUCO Hook (R. So.) = Michigan State Alexander (So.) = JUCO Out: Newell = Toledo Whisner = Sam Houston Witherspoon = Still in portal (Transitioned to WR)

In the last 15 minutes of play, I heard the commentators say : Laryea has had a very good game. Richie Laryea has been outstanding. Richie Laryea has been fanstastic in this game. Not surprisingly, Richie was the highest rated Canadian player....by Sports Illustrated https://www.si.com/soccer/canada-player-ratings-vs-bosnia-herzegovina-canada-collects-first-ever-world-cup-point-6-12-26 LB: Richie Laryea—7.9: Ran a marathon down the left wing. Stout defensively and a valuable asset going forward. A strong showing should’ve been rewarded with a goal, but Kolašinac denied him with an incredible block near the goal-line.

https://gozips.com/news/2026/6/10/eight-akron-football-players-named-to-2026-phil-steeles-preseason-all-mac-teams

The Starter: Unless something drastically changes, R. Poffenbarger will be the starter in 2026. Poffenbarger was named an FCS All-American during his time at Albany where he threw for 6,613 yards and 60 touchdowns across two seasons. From there, he went on to become a backup at Miami and North Texas, sitting behind Cam Ward and Drew Mestemaker respectively. Poffenbarger throws a catchable ball and, at least during his Albany days, didn’t turn the ball over much. He’s not necessarily a “dual threat” quarterback, but he has enough mobility to pick up yards on the ground when needed. If Poffenbarger can produce anything close to the numbers he put up at the FCS level, Akron’s offense will have a chance to be the best it’s been in the Moorhead era, especially considering all the weapons surrounding him on the offensive side of the ball. Next in Line: B. Roggow moves into the backup role by default. The redshirt sophomore has been in the system for a few years now and, ideally, will be ready if called upon. Of course, there’s always the chance Broughton or Beals leapfrog him depending on development and overall performance. C. Broughton is an impressive athlete at quarterback. My question is whether he remains at quarterback if, for whatever reason, he’s unable to move up the depth chart. I’m not ruling him out as potentially being an all-conference player, but I am suggesting there’s a possibility it could happen at a different position. It’s still early for those types of decisions to be made, though. S. Beals is a talented freshman with a load of potential. This is the second year in a row Akron has landed a quarterback that had power program offers in high school. Beals isn’t the scrambler Broughton is, but he has enough wiggle and speed to make things happen on the ground when he needs to. He has plenty of arm strength and could make some noise sooner than most would expect. Outlook: This is easily the most talented quarterback room of the Moorhead era. Of course, physical ability is only part of the equation at quarterback. Plenty of players have the arm talent and athleticism but never put it all together because of the mental demands that come with the position. That said, I believe Akron has its starter in Poffenbarger, and I expect him to have a strong season in 2026. Beyond that, there is enough young talent in the room to make me believe at least one of the underclassmen will emerge as a highly successful quarterback over the next few years. New: Poffenbarger (Gr.) = North Texas S. Beals (Fr.) Returning: Roggow (R. So.) Broughton (R. Fr.) Out: Finley (Gr.) Johnson (Gr.)

The Starters: M. Williams returns after a 2025 season that saw him land 2nd Team All-MAC honors. He had as good of a four-game stretch to close out the year as anyone in the nation — hauling in 30 receptions for 458 yards during that span. Williams was an explosive player coming out of high school and there’s no reason to think his role will be diminished in 2026. K. Mason may be small in stature, but he’s as dynamic as anyone on the roster. Mason split snaps with Walker in the slot last season and should take over the starting role full-time in 2026. Barring injury, it’d be surprising if Mason doesn’t find himself on an All-MAC team this year. The Returners: P. Davis is a former Duke commitment out of high school who also considered Mississippi State. Needless to say, he has not lived up to the billing thus far. Davis is now a redshirt junior, meaning it’s time for him to start pushing for meaningful snaps. B. Hills transferred in from Washington State last offseason and while he did not see much action offensively, Hills locked down the kickoff return role. He came close to breaking a few for touchdowns, but surprisingly never managed to take one to the house. With a full year and offseason in the program, Hills should be in a much better position to carve out a role offensively while continuing to impact special teams. J. Louis signed in the same class as P. Davis and A. Norton. At the time, he was probably the least physically developed of the trio, but he eventually managed to carve out a role as a backup in 2025 — appearing in seven games and even starting the finale against Bowling Green. Louis will likely serve as Mason’s backup in the slot. C. Monteiro transferred in from Pittsburgh last offseason and spent 2025 backing up Polk and M. Williams. He should compete for the receiver spot opposite Williams and Mason this season. Monteiro had six power conference offers coming out of high school and still possesses plenty of upside. He didn’t face what most would consider elite competition in Massachusetts high school football, so in his case, taking a little longer to develop is not unusual. If he can take the next step in 2026, it’ll give the offense another weapon in what is already a deep receiver room. L. Sivon was an underrecruited prospect out of high school that could end up being a steal. Sivon has good size, body control, and can really move. @Captain Kangaroo called Sivon his “Sleeper of the Year,” and that’s probably a safe bet. When players with Sivon’s physical traits begin developing technically, they can become dangerous. This feels like one of those situations where Akron was his only DI offer out of high school, yet there’s little chance he avoids getting poached by a bigger program down the road if things click. Newcomers: M. Burris transfers in from UNC Charlotte where he was a part-time starter. Burris is not going to run by many defensive backs vertically, but he runs solid routes and flashes reliable hands. He was credited with catching all 14 of his receptions without a drop last season. He’s also a willing blocker and was frequently used in Charlotte’s “pick” concepts. Burris will play on the perimeter and is currently listed as the biggest receiver on the roster. Akron also offered him out of high school. T. Myers was the top option on his JUCO squad in 2024 — totaling 888 receiving yards — yet hardly saw the field last season at Old Dominion. Myers is another one that Akron previously offered and he’ll likely be a depth addition for this year. G. Hilburn is another JUCO addition who should immediately add competition at kickoff returner. He may also carve out some offensive snaps as he’s a shifty player with legitimate speed who can be utilized in multiple ways. JUCO receivers haven’t provided much more than depth under this staff, but Hilburn has a chance to develop into more over the next few seasons. One Freshman: I’d like to know the story behind J. Riggins ending up at Akron because Kentucky insiders seemed convinced he was a lock to sign with the Wildcats. At different points in his recruitment, Vanderbilt and Florida were major players as well. Regardless, Riggins is one of the most talented high school receivers this staff has signed during the Moorhead era. Still, I’m going to stop short of placing major expectations on him in 2026 because he’ll likely need time to add mass, learn the offense, and adjust to FBS speed. After that, we’ll see just how high his ceiling is. Outlook: The receiver room may have lost All-MAC wideout I. Polk and former All-MAC receiver A. Adams (who unfortunately looked like a shell of himself after the injuries) but this group appears deeper than before. In my opinion, this is one of the most talented positions on the roster from top to bottom. If quarterback play is at least on par with last season and the unusual rash of early-season drops doesn’t resurface, this offense should once again field one of the MAC’s better passing attacks. Returning: P. Davis (R. Jr.) B. Hills (R. Jr.) J. Louis (R. Jr.) K. Mason (R. So.) C. Monteiro (R. So.) M. Williams (R. So.) L. Sivon (R. Fr.) New: M. Burris (Jr.) = Charlotte T. Myers (Jr.) = Old Dominion G. Hilburn (So.) = JUCO J. Riggins (Fr.) Out: A. Adams = Graduation/Portal T. Grear = Graduation M. Walker = Graduation I. Polk = Oklahoma State (All-MAC)

That's a rough way to get eliminated. But what a season for softball! I remember a few years ago this team would be lucky to crack 10 wins in a season

The Zips get a 1-0 win over South Alabama in 8 innings for their first ever NCAA tournament win.

This is a strange comment. We have someone coming in that averaged 17.3 ppg on a .520 eFG%. Are we as good and deep at PG as last year? Most likely not, but at the same time it seems odd to call it a question mark. Steveskie is a proven D1 contributor. In fact, will probably make preseason All-MAC lists (1st or 2nd team). If anything I would say the 2 PG you listed for Kent are the real question mark as neither have played a minute of D1 collegiate basketball. The only thing you can judge either of them on is hype.

Look, I think we can all agree that the biggest winner of the 29-point Game 4 comeback is the Game 1 Cavaliers fourth quarter performance.

He's gone, but these guys are here. Significantly bigger this year. Very much looking forward to seeing this squad in action, but I will gladly be patient so we don't rush back into the crappy weather seasons.

The only hype was because of the Euro mystique. No one would have cared about that dude if he was from alliance

I question any Zip fan who is skipping a key Zip event like a golf outing for a meager excuse like his wedding. It seems Kreed has had his head turned by a subversive KSU spy masquerading as a love interest. Be very careful my friend. We would hate to lose you to the dark side. May the Zippy be with you.

What we know so far....only games confirmed by other schools...are home games for the zips August 20 Dayton August 28 Wake Forest September 18 Butler (BE) October 11 Creighton (BE) October 24 Xavier (BE) Coach Embick and Coach Nanchoff have let fans know that Georgetown will be the 4th Big East home game. Based on past schedules, the zips will play Big East road games at DePaul, Marquette, Providence and Villanova. Zips coaches have previously mentioned attractive home games against Army, Cornell, Syracuse and Robert Morris. I am very excited about this year's team. Go, Zips !!!

MLS changed their roster rules a few years ago. A player can be drafted and return to college for 1 additional season. If the player were to remain in college for a 2nd season after being drafted, then the player would re-enter the draft is my understanding. Remi has the collegiate eligibility, but I don't expect he would return for a second season after being drafted by San Diego. As I recall, Dyson Clapier and Malik Henry returned for the Fall 2024 season after being drafted by Sporting KC and CF Montreal, respectively, in December 2023 (MLS 2024 Superdraft). Malik ended up at Toronto FC through a trade, not by re-entering the draft, https://en.cfmontreal.com/news/cf-montreal-acquires-up-to-75-000-in-general-allocation-money-and-third-round-pick-from-toronto-fc)

The problem with this scenario above ... it does not take into effect injuries have on a season - overall or in part. I remember one season Sczerbiak injuried his wrist and missed 4-6 games with Miami going .500 in that stretch, enough to cost them the regular season title even though they were clearly the best team. In other years teams have lost players for the season, and did not become 'dangerous' until late in the season with a new lineup. In short, while the MAC is indeed a 1-bid league, it is not a 1-team conference. Most seasons anywhere from three to five teams would be solid NCAA Tournament representatives, even though all of them are likely-probably-definitely losers in the first round of the tournament. On Cleveland's neutral court, one of those 3-5 teams is 90-percent going to win the tournament. I'm good with that. The MAC Tournament, in my mind, celebrates the season. Guarantee the regular season champ a NIT bid, no matter what its NET/Kenpom ranking is. Give that team a financial reward for winning the regular season title. That, plus the No. 1 seed should be a viable reward. But don't fuk with the tournament. Again, I would love to have/hear Dustin publicly stand up for this. As a former MAC player and now head coach I would be shocked if he wants a double-bye or any other gimmick messing with the current tournament format.

Thanks, happy to do it. I think the offense could be really good this year. If Poffenbarger plays as well as I think he can, he’ll be a candidate. I’d be surprised if Mason and Williams weren’t selected at WR. There’s a chance both Patrick and Gant will be worthy, but neither make it if snaps are split fairly evenly. In that situation they wouldn’t have the same amount of opportunities as some of the other backs in the conference. Lyons and Jones are probably the best candidates along the OL. I think the collective parts of the defense will make it solid, but I’m not sure if we’ll have that many standouts this year. I like Hull at DT, but for some reason even when we’ve had strong DT play in the past, our players have been passed over. Then at DB, White at CB and David at safety could be candidates it if they can stay healthy.

I'd gladly give up Penn State- Shenago, Concord, Heidelberg, etc.... for CSU or YSU.

It’s a shame, because they deserve better. I also think they’re going to surprise a lot of people this year. I’m probably in the extreme minority here — maybe even alone — but I think football takes a sizable step forward this season while hoops takes a step back. QB1 and the entire offense really is going to make some noise this year.

Some MAC players have or will be working out with NBA teams: Shammah Scott - Suns Nate Johnson - Pistons, Lakers, Thunder, Wizards Peter Suder - Hawks, Bulls, Mavericks, Pacers, Spurs, Wizards Eian Elmer - Hornets Jackson Paveletzke - Bucks and Knicks

In what is one of the more unusual developments during the transfer portal era, every scholarship running back has returned for 2026. The Room: J. Gant became the first back to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a season during the Moorhead era. Gant isn’t the biggest or most explosive runner — in fact, his longest carry of the year was only 36 yards — but he is excellent in other areas. He has a subtle shiftiness when hitting the hole that consistently makes defenders miss. Just as importantly, he has an excellent feel for tempo: knowing when to gear down, when to accelerate, and when to simply lower his shoulder to grind out extra yards. There were countless runs in 2025 that looked destined to lose yardage, only for Gant to somehow turn them into positive gains or at least get back to the line of scrimmage. His strong season earned him 2nd Team All-MAC honors. S. Patrick actually opened 2025 as the starter for the first four games before an injury sidelined him for several weeks. When he returned, he never quite looked fully back to form, and combined with Gant’s emergence, his opportunities became more limited. Still, Patrick remains the most explosive running back on the roster and seems primed for a breakout season if he can stay healthy. The combination of Gant’s consistency and Patrick’s big-play ability gives the Zips one of the better backfield duos in the MAC. M. Williams arrived in the 2024 class as a transfer from Minnesota. I still haven’t seen the level of explosiveness one would typically expect from a former Power Four transfer, but he’s proven to be an adequate option when called upon. C. Gee led Colgate in rushing in 2024 with over 400 yards while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He brings a little more size than Akron’s top two backs and could carve out a role in the offense if he can stay healthy. T. Curry is the biggest running back on the roster. He hasn’t produced much during stops at UAB, ULM, or Akron, but he at least provides experienced depth and has the frame to step in if injuries start piling up. Outlook: This is the deepest running back room of the Moorhead era, and it’s unlikely Gant will put up the same volume of yards he did a season ago with the expected emergence of Patrick. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. Akron finally has multiple backs capable of carrying the load and bringing different skill sets to the offense. With the combination of Gant’s consistency, Patrick’s explosiveness, and solid depth behind them, the Zips’ rushing attack should be able to improve upon last year’s numbers. Returning: Curry (R. Sr.) Gant (R. Sr.) Gee (R. Jr.) Williams (R. Jr.) Patrick (R. So.)

Finally someone with some FBS experience. He was a starter in 2024 before missing all of the 2025 season with an injury, so hopefully he’s able to bounce back this year. Johnson was strong against the run and will likely slide into the starting MLB spot with Nunno at OLB. JUCO additions Jones and Smith will probably round out the rotation

FE/CC is among the best playing surfaces in the NCAA. It is also the envy of many MLS franshises. Infocision may be good enough for lower tiered minor league. But not good enough for Zips. Only First Energy stadium/Cub Cadet field is home.

Ford has seen Max for the last few years. The fact that he was one of the first additions to the team says a lot about what they think of him IMO.

Michael Nanchoff (great interview) this interview occurred during the 2025 Fall season. Sorry if it was previously posted but I don’t recall seeing it.

Now I like your post 😅

You are not in the extreme minority. This team is slowly rebuilding with the biggest jump at QB. 6-6 is definitely within their grasp and 7-5 is possible, but not probable. Regards the football budget, I am not worried. Goodrich and Pottorff know it is low and they are working to add to it while suffering the cuts the university has mandated to right its financial situation. Both will be resolved over time. As mentioned in another post today we are a program that competes well in most every sport. Baseball would have been a top competitor had they not lost their top three pitchers this season, all of whom will be back.

Is it me or if our football team could win, we'd kinda dominate the MAC in just about everything? Baseball too but we can't be perfect

Zips have 12 athletes who qualified for the preliminary round of the NCAA tournament which takes place next week. Good luck to all! https://gozips.com/news/2026/5/21/track-field-12-zips-qualify-for-ncaa-track-and-field-east-preliminary-round

They lost a ton, but retaining Skaljac, Atlason, Ipsaro, and Kirby will help them a ton. Stevie Elam is going to be good for them, too. They'll take a step back like us, but I think they'll be a contender again.

I'm honestly not opposed to the top 40-50 programs splitting off and forming a professional league. It might be what's best for collegiate athletics as a whole. Perhaps that could help create stability for everyone else. It's evident we'll never get back to what things where 10-20+ years ago.

Things are moving fast.......in the transfer portal Top Drawer soccer is reporting some moves....that impact the zips Zips have added a GK from Italy....Francesca Tricarico from Biola University in La Mirada, CA in the year before that, the zips new addition to the GK corps....led Iowa Western JC to a national title transfers out Josh Bartels to Fairleigh Dickinson GK Lincoln McCarty to UNC Asheville Angel Lopez leaves after one semester and goes to South Carolina https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/mens-division-i-may-transfer-tracker_aid55916 https://athletics.biola.edu/sports/mens-soccer/roster/francesco-tricarico/8711

Best wishes to Logan LaMaina as he has transferred to St. Joseph's University https://www.instagram.com/p/DYkNM3UO4hj/

Top Drawer soccer is reporting that the zips have added a player from Long Island University in the May Transfer Portal. https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/mens-division-i-may-transfer-tracker_aid55916 ps....let's hope that this young man does as well as the most recent LIU transfer 🤣😁 (some guy named Emil )

I'm still sick because of this one. My wife and i watch a lot of softball. Maybe more than Holly Rowe. We were excited to see the girls make the tournament. Saturday was the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. How they missed the call when it looks like not only is it a forced out but she is also tagged out... I don't get it. Not to mention that because of the the faulty replay rules, we didn't even get to see if it was a catch or not by the centerfielder that started this whole play.

class of 2027 commit GK from the Pacific Northwest https://www.instagram.com/p/DX3F6AaFBWE/?img_index=1

Matthew Paiva 🥅 to tie the game 1-1 just before HT.

Men's leading by 30 points, women's leading by 20 points. Both with 4 events remaining.

BGSU added Jayden Johnson from South Carolina State. It seems like a fairly solid pickup for them. Last season he had a 23 point game against South Carolina and a 25 point game against Tennessee so don't write him off because he played at a low major. https://x.com/i/status/2055365959058084101

Zips leading the outdoor MAC championship in both men's and women's going into the final day tomorrow!

This was a great interview. Thanks for sharing. We are lucky to have Michael on our coaching staff. he will make a good head coach some day.

Yeah, i do the same and it's how I get almost all of my Zips gear. Usually either new or gently used. And usually about half the price of what it would retail for.

I have a saved eBay search for "Akron Zips Nike" that I check out every week or so. It's my go-to for all my Zips gear now. Tons of team issued stuff shows up on there. I'm assuming it's all surplus that the players and coaches didn't need. But I have gotten an awesome Zips Football hoodie, a game worn football jersey, Akron/LBJ basketball quarter zip and two other Akron Nike pullovers. All came brand new with tags and everything.