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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.

Hello Fellow Fans! I thought I would update you on Kwan. This past year has been crazy, but despite the craziness Kwan has became a father to a little boy named Kyler James Cheatham. He also got married on Aug 7th to Emily Rose Correal. Lastly, Kwan will be playing in Israel this season. We are so proud of the man Kwan grown into. His career as pro baller has afforded him to see the world. God is good and we truly blessed!

Good Day Zips Fans! A quick update on Kwan. He's having a GREAT season over in Spain. He's expecting another son with his wife Emily

Here's what I learned Groce says we have 2 more players that will be committing in the next 2 weeks. Once they clear the compliance process announcements will be made. That will bring us to 13 players on scholarship. 4 more football players will be added through the transfer portal in the next few weeks. JoMo is very optimistic about seeing real improvement this season but is realistic about how far the program needs to grow to be a consistent force in the MAC. He totally understands how important it is to beat Kent! Every practice ends with a drill focused on making that happen. Embick says we should see improved scoring this season but we have a young backfield that will need to improve. The rifle team signed 2 freshmen that placed in the top 10 at the junior Olympics recently. Womens golf had their best ever MAC finish this season taking 3rd overall. Track and Field is getting ready for the regionals next week. They feel confident the Zips will be represented at the NCAA meet in Oregon.

I'm dusting off an old thread based on quotes on other threads and my observations of Jimond this year. I have come to senior days of many seasons and stood to cheer the players I thought represented my alma mater in an exemplary manner. I won't cheer any player louder than Jimond. From that awkward out of control freshman to being a senior leader, Jimond has given 100% every minute he has been on the floor. He stuck with UA when KD left and others bailed. Last year, I watched him try to counsel and temper Virshon. This year, I have watched him taking younger players under his wing and offer them advice or words of encouragement. His impact on the team has gone far beyond his basketball talents. He has done the Zips proud. Good luck Jimond in wherever life leads you.

He's what I could glean my first look at the 2024 Zips - Ben Finley saw the field as the #2 QB behind Tahj Bullock. It won't be long before he assumes the #1 position. He hit receivers downfield, whether they were open or in traffic. He moves the chains. Looking forward to watching him in an upcoming scrimmage. Seems like a nice kid too. From observing the player interaction on the sidelines, the other players seem to like him. Finley tosses one deep. Finley reads the D. Myles Walker reels in a 40 yard TD pass from Finley. Noah Perez is still hanging around. Steele Wasel saw a fair amount of action. He seems more confident this season. More purposeful with his actions. It wouldn't shock me to see him pass Tahj as the #2 QB at some point. Tahj received a fair amount of PT Saturday, but seems to be a distant 2nd to Finley in the QB race. Steele tosses a screen pass. David Jester arrives too late to block a PAT. Look out for Bennett Adler this year. I thought he was somewhat of an unsung hero last season. Solid, durable. And sneaky-strong. I'd predict 5-6 sacks for him in 2024. #36 Dante Jackson handled most of the punting today. Very windy...you couldn't tell much from what came off his foot. Adrian Norton handled the punt return duties. With mixed results. He misjudged one that bounded over his head. Braydon Ruggow saw some action. As expected, he looked overwhelmed. Tossed a bad ball on an out pattern that should have been an INT. Missed a wide open seam route for a TD. Nowhere to go but up for him. 😀 Joe speaks to the 4 QB's who saw action today. A little chilly, but overall a really nice day for an outdoor scrimmage. I wish I had hair like Steele. Owen Wiley lines up for a PAT. Then, my camera battery died. Other notes - Finley pulled in a high snap and hit Adrian Norton on a quick slant for a 7(?) yard TD strike in the second half. Perfectly placed ball, and Norton showed nice hands pulling it in while also keeping his feet inbounds. After the play he took his helmet off and got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Joe was pissed and stopped the practice to forcibly remind every player they can cost their team a game with their reactions to adversity, as well as prosperity. Not much news on the RB front. Marquese Williams saw a few carries. He's a little guy. In the post practice mid-field gathering Joe singled out Fish and McCoy as guys that have been outstanding so far. He also brought in three of his former players (not Zips) to say a few words to the guys. He also mentioned the portal opens on Monday, and if any player isn't fully committed to turning the Zips program into a winner, they should use it. Joe also voiced the players can't be thin-skinned. They need to listen to bad stuff in order to improve. Overall, to me, Joe's leadership style strikes a nice balance of being very direct and honest with the players, while also letting them know how much he cares about them and their success.

We most likely should have been anticipating our seed and matchup for the NCAA Tournament today. Instead, the sports world shut down and the world in general is shutting down. I caught myself realizing this team didn't get the proper recognition from the fans at the end of the season. Not because the fans didn't show up, but because a special season like this is usually capped off with a community celebration at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on a Saturday night in March, maybe followed by a NCAA Tourney watch party at the JAR for our seed/matchup. I wanted to let Coach Groce know how much Zips Nation (not this site but the fans) appreciated this group of guys and the season. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Groce, I am not an Akron alum. I was born in 1994, and I'm pretty sure I learned the Akron Blue & Gold fight song before I learned to even breathe. My dad and grandma are both Akron alumni, and I bleed Blue & Gold because of them. Two quick stories before I continue. My parents tell this story where after an Akron basketball game in the mid-late 90s, I fell asleep in the back seat instantly. My dad would whistle the fight song, though, and apparently I woke up just in time to say, "Go Zips," at the end before passing back out. One year, my mom asked me who I wanted to be for Halloween, fully expecting me to say Batman or a firefighter like every other kid in the world. I said I wanted to be Bruce Weinkein, a former Akron 7' Center from the 90s. She made me a custom #00 Weinkein jersey that I would wear to every game, and it eventually got me on the news and got Bruce's attention. One Christmas, he had us meet him after the game and gave me a game-worn Weinkein jersey (I still have it), while also inviting me into the locker room for the next couple of years on Senior Night to get the autographs of the seniors on a basketball (I still have that as well). My roots are Akron, which is why I had mixed feelings when Akron hired you - not because you aren't a great coach, but because we had to get the bad taste out of our mouths from all the butt-whoopings you gave us and the success you had at our rival Ohio U. I remember the first game of your tenure against Cleveland State. We had some raw skill, but I was already impressed with the style of play you preach and practice. It's very fun basketball, and not just because of the faster pace with fluid motion on offense. It's fun basketball because it's fundamentally sound. Thank you for bringing that back to Akron. I love the emphasis on defense, effort, rebounding, and FREE THROWS. The Kent game to end the year was the PERFECT example, with that game being won because of our clutch free throw shooting and effort on BOTH ends of the floor. The 2019-2020 Zips Men's Basketball team was an easy group of guys to get behind. They put the effort in during the off-season to take the program back to a level we're accustomed to at Akron. LCJ was incredibly special, and everyone around him was fun to watch. Most importantly, though, the character on this team was incredible. These are good people, first and foremost, and I want to thank you for recruiting them to Akron. On top of that, thank YOU for being a good man as well. I have heard nothing but great things about you and am proud to say you're the Head Coach of the Akron Zips Men's Basketball program. Thank you for choosing to come to Akron. Team 119 will always be remembered not because of how the season ended, but because of how much joy it gave us as fans. This team won a lot of people over, and we all appreciate the effort from the program to deliver that joy. Who knows what the future has in store, when basketball/sports will resume, etc. I'm excited for the future of the program with you at the helm, and thank you & the team again for such a special season. Go Zips.

Yes, I'm sad that we lost on Senior Night and upset my son foul out! But we should of still won even without him in the game. Basketball is a team game and when one goes down the next man needs to step up! As a mom I'm very proud of Kwan and I know he works his butt off to come out here and try to win games. He will continue on this journey on becoming a great player & and just a better man. He's still trying to figure this out. He is just a passionate young player who wants to win and make his teammates better. Trust and believe God has a plan for my son. At the end of day Kwan leaves Akron with a degree and a masters so with that being said I THANK Akron for giving my son the opportunity that most young men don't get. Thanks to all the fans that supported him through all his ups & downs and will continue to support him.

Bobcat fan here. Just wanted to say good luck out west. Bring that win share back to the MAC!

On Thursday December 20th, new Zips Head Football Coach Tom Arth was kind enough to allow me a 30 minute interview. While I would have loved to garnered details such as recruit names and a detailed list of staff candidates, unfortunately neither was possible. Trust me, I tried. Until things are official, and contracts are signed, we all simply need to put the puzzle pieces together ourselves from Twitter and other similar sources. That said, I though he provided some great insight into his personal life, his football mindset and the DNA that will make up Akron Zips Football in the Arth Era. I hope you enjoy it. Note to Dr. Z: Regarding photography at scrimmages - Coach Arth was quoted as saying “Still photography is great.” Unlike the Bowden scrimmages, where only the initial 15 minutes of warm ups were open to photography, you should now be able to take plenty of action shots. Hope Santa got you a sweet new sports lens for Christmas this year! Coach Arth Q & A

”Who are these guys?!” was the question I kept asking myself regarding The University of Akron’s 2018 Football Recruiting Class. The local newspapers gave Akron’s February 7th, 2018 National Signing Day virtually no print space. Northeast Ohio television stations all but ignored the event. And the various internet recruiting websites again focused their columns on the Power 5 programs. Aside from the noble efforts of a couple local AM radio sports talk personalities, the Zips signing day coverage fell well short of what a real fan wanted to learn about the class, and certainly beneath the coverage it merited. 2018 has a chance to be a great year for Zips football, and the kids bound to these 25 letters of intent have some really interesting storylines. So I thought I would head down to the Zips football offices and see if Head Coach Terry Bowden would give me a little time to discuss the class. Here’s what he had to say. Program Growth Generating a Bright Future

I stopped down at the EJ Thomas meet-and-greet last night. The downside was it was poorly attended. The upside was being able to spend a good amount of time talking to Groce. The guy barely knows where the JAR's located, so it wasn't really the time nor the place to ask who'll be the starting point guard next season, or who's going to round-out his staff. The conversation was "casual." He was very gracious with us. After talking to our group for an extended time period, Larry Williams had to pull him away to speak to some of the other attendees. I think he would have talked to us all night if Williams wouldn't have interjected. He said his #1 priority was getting to know the existing players, and trying to "recruit" them to stay with the Program. The signing day is April 12th, but he's giving the kids some extra time recover from the coaching changeover and make a well-thought-out decision...to an extent. He mentioned "three weeks" as the max time before he needed an answer. Based upon the tone of our conversation regarding Antino, there's a chance he sticks around once the emotions subside. He met with the team yesterday, and is meeting again with them today. I asked if he had any idea regarding the players abilities, and said he'd watched the Zips final two games in the MAC tourney. I assured him that the sparse turnout at EJ wasn't indicative of the Zips basketball following, and that we'd had 7,000 Zips fans at The Q only a couple weeks ago. He didn't seem concerned, as he knew of our respectable game day crowds from his time at OU. It was more of an event to make the guy and his family feel welcome. I think once the dust settles, he'll prove to be an approachable guy, The next 2 weeks will be fun...certainly the most intriguing basketball recruiting period since Zeke's. And the coaching staff formation will be fun to keep tabs on as well. It was fun to catch up with a couple other ZipsNation members that I had't spoken to in a while. And the University put out a really nice spread of food. Although it was a cold, crappy Thursday night I had a good time, and left with the feeling that our Basketball Program is in better shape than it was had Keith Dambrot stuck around for another season.

K-Roo and Dr. Z get it. This is the time when strong leadership is required. Scarborough...Van Horne...whomever...needs to come out guns-a-blazin' and say: "How the F#*k does some wing nut faculty member's uneducated, self-serving opinions get any media traction whatsoever? We are D-1A, we'll always be D1-A, we have a great team this season that will contend for a MAC title. We have a great coach and great kids whom we support 100%. The last 6 years are ancient history. It is time to move forward and get the football program back on a Championship track. Our team this season will be great. Get your tickets now and come down and have some fun." "Furthermore, to address the issue of revenue - our last AD made a horrific football HC hire. We've been politically correct in ignoring this fact for some time....but in light of the shadow he cast over our program, it is time to call a spade a spade. At a time where it was critical to put our collective foot on the gas pedal he single-handedly set our program back 10 years. The hole he put us in was unprecedented, but we are finally out of it and moving forward. It is short-sighted and ignorant to look at the past 5 or 6 seasons of Akron football and InfoCision and say that is our fate. Instead, the football program and this 30,000 seat stadium are our way OUT of our financial bind. That stadium is a way to galvanize the local community, generate revenue, get alumni and prospective students on our campus...it is a sleeping giant that we are committed to awakening in 2015." "There is one reason to drop to 1-AA. That's to save 22 scholarships. But why would we do that? You can't tell me with the facilities you see on campus, the coaching staff, the student athletes...that Akron football can't compete with Bowling Green, K.e.n.t. State, Toledo, Ball State, etc? That's insane. We can compete at the 1-A level. We can, and should compete for a MAC Championship every season. And after enduring and overcoming what Tom Wistercill and Rob Ianello did to the football program, the winning starts now. If you want to discuss dropping to 1-AA, have an educated discussion with me after the 2015 season. Until then, discuss Cate Jenner or deflated footballs or Johnny Manziel or whatever other "sports" topics you "sports" guys discuss for 12 hours every day. Leave Akron Football alone, because, to be quite honest, you know nothing about it."

A few thoughts on last night's basketball celebration and reunion. The event was the brainchild of Karl Schwarzinger, former 70's player and huge supporter of Zip basketball. The night sold out. Tickets were $100 each plus fees. Approximately 220 were sold, but not attended. It was a class event. I asked if the proceeds were going to NIL. Karl said no, but they would go to the program. The team showed up. They are a great group of guys. Groce once said if you go to Akron you have to buy into our culture because we don't change for you. These players have bought in. They are very athletic and because of that, and no dominant low post player, for now, Groce said they will play faster and emphasize transition. All have bought into defense. Josiah Harris came over and introduced himself. He is very personable. I asked him how he liked the team and he was very optimistic they will keep Akron at the top of the MAC. I asked him why he came to Akron. He said he liked the program, Groce, the tradition and it got him closer to home (Canton). He loves the new practice facility. He thought it was equal to what he had at WVU. Tressel was there. You could not get to him as all the old, deep pocket supporters were always surrounding him. When he spoke he was typical Tressel. Joe Dunn asked him to comment on the changing world of college athletics. His answer was 5 minutes long and he said zero. My friend leaned over to me and said "that is why the media in Columbus called him the senator. He talked and talked and said nothing concrete." Huggins was asked to describe how he built Akron by Joe Dunn. Hugs answered he got guys who wanted to get better and would play defense. That's it. He has lost weight, but he now looks like a recluse or hermit: beard, long hair, slicked back. At my table were three players who played for him. To a man they all loved him as a coach and said he made them better every day. Bud Wentz talked. I thought he and Len Paul were the best speakers of the evening. Bud said he is having more fun with Akron basketball than any other time in his life. He said our NIL will aid in retaining players, not poaching them. Akron was one of the first schools to set up a collective. Bud contacted the lawyer who set up the first collective he knew about, for Arkansas baseball, and learned all he could about doing it right. His enthusiasm for the program, the coach and our future are very high. Len Paul, perhaps the best player to ever play for UA, spoke more from the heart. He said if he had it to do all over again he would still go to Akron. He loved Wyatt Webb and his teammates. Brian Westover, a 6'8" center on one of Len's teams told his wife that the reunion with his teammates was one of the best moments in his life. Len actually left a school in Texas to come to Akron. When Wyatt called him he was already in Texas but said send me a ticket and I'll be on your team. The rest is history. Guthrie was very circumspect about leading an athletic dept in these changing times. He noted he is talking more with lawyers that anyone else. He believes the MAC is the best place for UA. Our focus would be conference championships, not trying to find a seat with the big boys. He noted the AD's and presidents do not want to get into player bidding wars, which we will not win. Instead Akron needs to focus on retaining players thru offering a place that cares about them, builds personal relationships, gives them great facilities and educates them. He told me later NIL will play little role at Akron. Football has little, if any, NIL money to offer. Basketball has what it needs to hold our players. Finally, other administrators feel we need to be ready for a G5 championship. This was not said in any remarks by the speakers. There were many other speakers like Steve McNeese, Eric Mclaughlin, Dr. Climon Lee and Enrique Freeman. All talked glowingly about their time at Akron. Thru the eyes of these former players you realized we have a special place at UA, despite all its challenges. The last speaker was Groce. He captured the crowd. His thoughts on continuous improvement got you excited for the future. We were listening to someone who was ready to move the program still higher. And he knows how to do it. Another night like this is already scheduled for the last weekend in July 2025. The focus on using this weekend for all teams to reunite will be emphasized.

Went down to the lower area to near the tunnel to watch the celebration. I couldn't be more impressed by our guys. A few took pictures with my son, who was on cloud nine. If there was any doubt he's going to grow up a die-hard Zips fan, that's gone. He's a lifer like his dad. 🙂 Some stories while we were down there: There was a little girl who asked Mikal to sign her Zips poster she made - he took it, said "I'll be back", and went and had all of the team sign it. Was chasing down each player so this young fan would have them all. Just won a championship and thinking of others. Sammy asked a young boy near my son if he was going to grow up and win a MAC Championship for the Zips. He also took a ton of pictures with kids and fans nearby. Enrique actually went into the stands to take pictures with the students who came. Took his shoes off and gave them to someone. Probably spent a good 10-15 minutes signing and taking pictures with fans. He also went over to the band and celebrated/took pictures. We saw one band member ask him for his gamertag (basically his screen name on Playstation to play online with). I think he may have had some sort of disability, but I don't want to assume. Anyhow, Enrique took the student's phone, typed his gamertag in, and took a picture with him. Literally minutes after winning a championship. This group is one we can be very proud of for more than just being a fantastic basketball team

Hello Zips Nation. I am a St Bonaventure alum from the dark ages who has lived in the Akron area for 35 years. Big MAC hoops fan here, who tries to attend several Akron and Kent games a year. The Bonnies fan base really is looking forward to Saturday’s matchup at RM Fieldhouse. It should be a good one. Zips have a great roster with Ali back in the mix. Here’s some insight on the Bonnies: we started slow the first month, with a 3-point home loss in game 2 to rival Canisius that sent the fans into a sky-is-falling frenzy. Our other two losses are to top 30 teams Auburn and FLA Atlantic. Hopes are very high this season with all five starters returning from last year’s 14-18 season. It was the Bonnies first sub-500 record in more than a decade but we were very inexperienced. Now with three key transfers the Bonnies are the oldest team in D1. Go figure. Bona has been playing great D the last month while shooting much better. In a recent 10-point loss the Bonnies held FAU to 64 points … 23 below FAU’s average. Our downfall was 21 turnovers when FAU turned up the pressure. The Bonnies are lead by two grad transfers who have emerged as our best players. Mika Adams-Woods (6-3 PG from UCincy, 15 ppg) and Chuck Pride (6-5 wing from Bryant, 12 ppg) are experienced, solid guys who are childhood friends from Syracuse. Bonaventure gave them a chance to play together this season. It’s been a great fit. Exactly what the Bonnies needed. Woods is an excellent floor leader, defender and scorer … exceeding all expectations and stat lines from his 4-year Cincy career as a starter. Woods is shooting 60% from the field and 50% from deep. In one 3-game stretch Woods made 19 shots in a row including 10 three-pointers. He has 48 assists to 19 turnovers. Pride has deep, deep range. He’s a solid rebounder and passer who gets to the basket when healthy. He missed several games with a high ankle sprain this month and has been getting back up to speed. He was averaging 16 pts, 6.5 rebs before getting hurt. We are hopeful that Pride will benefit from having the holiday week off. The Bona big men, Venning and Brown, both are 6-10, 250+ lbs, — very physical dudes which is the MO for the Atlantic 10. They can score when not hurt by foul trouble which is about half the games. Unlike the Zips front-court players, our centers like to work inside and can bog down the offense if they don’t see double teams. How we match up on D with Freeman and Ali will be a key to the game. The Bonnies go 9 deep. We start four guys between 6-3 and 6-6. Barry Evans, a 6-8 high-energy athlete off the bench, likely we be our best option to control Ali or Freeman. Evans is a solid defender and rebounder … he can fill any role off the bench. Moses Flowers (6-4 win) is a dangerous outside shooter as our 6th man. Flowers is coming off of a career-high 25 vs Binghamton. Other starters are Darryl Banks III of St Peter’s NCAA fame two seasons ago, and Assa Essamvous (formerly Yann Farrel) are streaky shooters. Both have had games with 5 threes made in the last year. Banks has been struggling and losing minutes to Flowers. Despite a solid roster and some solid stats, the Bonnies have feasted on bad teams. Bona is prone to scoring droughts and sometimes too dependent on the three. The Zips will be a good test and it should be the best of the 3 games Saturday.

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. 😀

Eight In The Boxen

Who is QB1? I don’t think there’s much doubt Finley is the leading candidate. Finley makes quick decisions and throws a catchable ball. He also has enough mobility to be effective in the run game and when scrambling. Finley has played at a high level in the past, so there shouldn’t be many overwhelming moments for him at the G5 level. Bullock has not developed as much as I hoped. My take is that he is mentally processing too slowly because his physical tools are not lacking. He is still an asset to the offense due to his bruising running style and should be utilized in short yardage/goal line situations. Will Akron have much of a run game? Purely speaking about the running backs, the answer is yes. There is not a RB on the roster with the makeup of Lingard, however, all of the backs are made for RPO type offenses. What I mean by that is they have a rapid burst once the ball is in their hands and catch the ball well out of the backfield. They can make the first defender miss and have enough speed to create explosive plays. Who will replace All-MAC receivers George and Gathings? The first choice would be Norton. The true sophomore has the make-up to be an all-conference player in just his second season. If Adams is healthy, he will return to his role in the slot, leaving the typical third receiver position up for competition. It’s possible that player is not currently on the roster. Multiple offers have gone out during the spring. How about the OL? It’s still a work in progress, but the starters will likely resemble most of the first combination displayed in the Spring Game. They were facing a defensive front that is reasonably one of the better defensive fronts in the MAC, so it’s hard to say how much improvement has been made. What was clear was the increased athleticism as the offensive line (especially the tackles) were able to climb to the second level of the defense and give the run game room on the speed options and perimeter plays. Inside runs were harder to come by in the Spring Game. Is there a better defensive front in the MAC? Maybe, but not by much. Miami has one all-conference defensive lineman and two all-conference linebackers returning (Zips have Nunnally and McCoy), so they can lay claim to this title in the pre-season. Zips have impressive depth at defensive tackle and linebacker. The only question is at the backup defensive end spot. The 2023 JUCOs could step up or perhaps one of the redshirt/true freshmen will see significant time. How’s the secondary looking? Long, athletic, and physical. Coach Renna and former CBs coach Bell have done an excellent job recruiting and developing talent. The downside? There is a void of actual game experience outside of Golden-Nelson, D. Lewis, and a few of the transfers. There may be some growing pains early in the season, but this is a talented group that should be assisted by the excellent defensive front. What’s the status of the Special Teams? Jackson returns at punter and was solid in that role in 2023. Wiley was strong down the stretch on FGs and PATs. Zips received a commitment from an FCS Freshman All-American kicker in March. New long snappers will also be arriving soon. Is the roster complete? No. By my count there are currently about 5 open scholarships. Most of the recent offers have gone out to wide receivers and offensive linemen. The roster is in the best place it’s been since Moorhead’s arrival and this year’s spring portal options are much deeper than last year’s. There is a good chance a difference maker or two will be signed. Who are the new coaches? QB - Michael Shuster (Duke Grad Asst.) WR - JD Brookhart CB - Kresean Reed (Northern Arizona CBs) ST - Ryan Matviko (Offensive Analyst) Which MAC team has been hit the hardest by the portal? Ohio. The Bobcats have also brought in some players who should be quality replacements, but they will be heavily tested this year. A substantial drop off in wins from the previous two seasons would not be a surprise.

1,583 days ago, Greg Tribble and Ali Ali suited up for their first regular season game for Akron, against Malone. Was Freeman with the team yet? He played later that month. Anyway, Ali started and played 19 minutes, Tribble played 14 minutes and both made an impact in the box score. Today, all 3 will play at the JAR for the last time. The last home game is always bittersweet, but this one is far and away the most I’ve ever felt that before. These 3 guys have been in my life longer than some of my close friends. I’m going to enjoy every second of tonight. Hopefully a comfortable win. These guys have done so much, and still have a lot on the table. Go Zips!

Warning: I got long-winded late at night, sorry. When it comes to recruiting, there are few better than Groce. A saying at Illinois was "Mothers love Groce" for the way he was able to alleviate their concerns during the process. And the guy's work ethic is off the charts. Also, I think he (and Dustin Ford) have proven to be solid at player development as well as game planning at each of their stops. As long as the Akron administration continues to meet him half way the sky is the limit. I believed that on day one and nothing has changed. Groce has the ability and the patience to continue to grow this program incrementally. And I believe we would be even further along if not for COVID. It's my opinion that injuries and the unethical side of the business is why Groce failed at Illinois. Nothing more. You lose your 4 star point guard 2 years in a row to season ending injury it's going to have ramifications. And today, if Illinois gets into that 2 way battle vs. Villanova for Jalen Brunson they would send in the CEO of the NIL Collective to try to seal the deal. Groce didn't want any part of that crap. I don't have first-hand knowledge, but the evidence was clear then. Groce ended up the "recruiting bridesmaid" way too many times on the high level recruits for it to be pure misfortune. Groce always talked about "not taking any short cuts". I took that statement to mean he had no intention of buying a championship. Now thanks to NIL, all of those seedy dealings are legal and part of the standard operating procedure. The other aspect of the P6 racket that I don't think people quite appreciate is the pressure to win immediately. I know from following Illinois that P6 fan bases can be entitled and insufferable. And their donors can be even worse. I don't see any of that appealing to him anymore. There are many factors that motivate a student athlete to attend a university; prestige, promises of going pro, immediate cash payouts, specific educational goals, family legacy, other relationships such as girlfriends, favorite team growing up, etc. Some of those might not apply to Akron, but here are a couple that might. Guys from the Cleveland area can play for their local team and their friends / family can attend many of the games. Freeman's family is a great example. And this is the pitch I believe Groce is using more than any other; come to Akron and you can be a part of building something special, something bigger than yourself, create your own legacy and the players that follow you will stand on your shoulders to reach even higher. This approach appeals to a certain personality and it's not for everyone. But Groce can sell that. I truly believe Groce is just getting started. Go Zips!!

Hello My fellow Zips Fans! Just wanted to share a picture of Kwan from the Fiba Europe Cup 2019-2020.

Hello Zipsnation, Kwan ask me to post this on his behalf. As a family we would like to thank the University, fans , and coaches who supported our son through his 4 years here. Go Zips

George Thomas interviews Larry Williams, Jeff Boals, Anthony Stewart and Lamont Paris about UA opening. GT has kicked it up a notch!

Some final, random thoughts on the game... There will never be a bigger opportunity lost for the Zips to beat Ohio State in basketball. The Ohio State team I saw on Tuesday night was essentially Ohio U masquerading in Ohio State uniforms. In the MAC, that team would be 10-6. Maybe worse. I do believe the dead-legs excuse. I never saw 3-point shots careen off the backboard like I saw towards the end of that game. From guys like Antino and Josh, who are typically solid. The 4-games in 6 days...with all being do-or-die tourney games, and 4th going to OT was just too much. In hindsight I'm sure Dambrot wishes he'd have played Jimmond a little more, and rested McAdams. Buy I admire that he went with his seniors to win or lose the game. He didn't do that at the end of the Buffalo game (sitting McAdams for the final possession), and I bet it's a regret. And before anyone writes a sappy "please get of KD's back" post - if you ever were a successful head coach at any level, then you've coached in Championship games against good coaches and great talent. Those games are always dogfights. And you make calls that you, in hindsight, regret...but you make them and live with them. And if people question them...so what...it's part of the deal when you're a coach. The Zips had at least 12 opportunities to put pressure on OSU with a back-breaking 3-pointer, and came up empty every time. The Zips team I saw the bulk of 2015-16 should have won this game by 15+ points...but it didn't happen. The OSU fans were nice. I wanted to hate them, but they were all very respectful. The cheerleaders from both programs performed together at one point, and the arena even played the Akron fight song over the PA system during a break. That's unheard of in any road game, let alone a tightly-contested tournament game. Referees did a nice job. Absolutely no homer element. If those guys ref'd the MAC finals, we'd have won the game. No way Buffalo would have only 1 foul whistled in the first 17 minutes of the 2nd half. Big Dog has developed into a Big 10 talent. OSU really had no answer for him. I think he fouled 2 guys out? His free throw misses were brutal. But you can't knock a guy when he puts forth an effort like we've seen from him over the entire season. Zeke came to UA with the accolades, and had a very nice career. But a dominant senior season puts Big Dog as UA's #1 all-time best center. Who'da thunk that last season? Kwan had some big blocks. He's a good at-the-rim defender, but he's not a good on-ball defender. Especially so the further away he gets from the hoop. It will be interesting to see how he works on his game over the off season. We really need the redshirted kids to step up and contribute in 2016-17. There are plenty of game-minutes to be had for the kids that put in the most work this off-season. The coaches need to re-evaluate themselves, and the program too. What can be done differently to better prepare the Zips for post-season success? The scheduling mindset of the past decade appears to be in obvious need of re-evaluation. Is it better to play a freshman with upside than upper-classmen who may have maxed-out? Who redshirts? Who leaves? I don't have much more to offer that already hasn't been said. It was a fun ride, but an all-too abrupt stop. See you at InfoCision.

#10 Ben Finley is the hands down #1 QB. He began the scrimmage with a 20 yard pass to Adrian Norton, then a 30 yard TD to Norton. A severely blown coverage nets #88 TE Jake Newell an easy TD Ben sprinted to the endzone to celebrate The OL acquitted itself well today. The starters were #55 Blanchard, #58 Burrell, #56 Davis, #54 Williams and freshman Jayvin James at RT #15 Terrance Thomas broke up this pass intended for Adrian Norton. It was one of the few times Norton was stopped on Saturday morning. Isiah Jones made a nice over the shoulder TD catch in the back of the endzone. Boding well for the future, it came courtesy of a nice Brayden Ruggow toss. Jordon Simmons got a lot of PT today. He looks to be the #1A RB. Kellom looks to be #1B. Simmons breaks the goal line for a 10 yard TD. Tahj looked better today than in the spring, but there is no QB competition. He'll likely get some early season opportunities as we try to keep Finley as healthy as possible for MAC play. But he's entrenched at #2. Tahj moved the team down the field, but an ill-advised pass was snatched by Syracuse transfer Aman Greenwood and taken the distance for a pick 6! Like the Zips, the scoreboard remains a work in progress. Oddly enough, it's probably as effective right now as it was the past 2 seasons? Joe addresses the team after the scrimmage. Overall he was happy. He liked the physicality. I agree, as there were some hard hits, and tough running. It was a noticeable ramp up from the spring. He like that the defense generated 3 turnovers, and made several stops on 3rd and short. A few final words from the Coach before the players hit the shower. Owen Wiley hits a FG. We seem in MUCH better shape with special teams this year. The FG/XP holds were flawless. #47 and #99 hit some solid FG's. #99 and #36 both nailed KO's into the endzone. #95 Castle had some great punts. #37 Garrison Smith (McNees State transfer) kicked two second half FG's (both < 30 yards). Hoban's Grant Gainer pulls in a swing pass from Brayden Ruggow and waltzes into the endzone. #3 Jarvis Rush (Jr. JUCO from Mississippi) eyes a deep ball from Ben Finley... ... and pulls it in for the TD! A guy I am very high on is #9 Paul Lewis III (Safety). He's all over the place on coverage, physical against the run, fun personality...you will LOVE him. Shown here dapping up #13 Rodrick Hunter. Adrian Norton, celebrating after a Finley TD pass, can't be stopped in 2024. He seems to be Finley's go-to guy. He has great hands, and uses his body to shield-off defenders really well. #7 Alex Adams showed so much promise 2 seasons ago. If he could regain his 2022 form, the Zips could have a hell of an aerial attack. Other notes: Marquese Williams, the Minnesota transfer, seems to be the #3 RB. #29 Jordan Castleberry got some carries, and also scored a TD. Starting DL was #95 Andre Proffit, #90 Demitri Madden (UTEP), #16 Fr. Dahvon Frazier and #94 Kabbash Richards Bennett Adler is wearing #1 this year!?

I was able to attend today's scrimmage. It was offense (blue)/defense (white), just like last week. Below are some notes and pics - #15 Ben Finley continues to impress. Had a couple nice TD tosses. Zips fans will find this kid an absolute breath of fresh air. Unflappable...doesn't get rattled after a bad pass or a WR drop. Accurate. A different level of QB than we've seen in an Akron uniform for a while. You will all love him. Ben can run if needed...but we gotta keep this kid healthy. Ben zips one over the middle. Tahj started the scrimmage. Other than a couple spot appearances by Wassel and Ruggow towards the end of practice, he and Ben split the reps. In the right situations, Tahj is dangerous. He was wearing the "can't hit me" green jersey today, so rushing attempts aren't all that informative...but he obviously is a handful for a defense when he decides to use his feet. Steele got only a series or two, but did toss a TD. Ruggow got one series. He'll definitely benefit from a redshirt. Not a knock on him...he's just got a lot to learn. #22 Charles Kellom had a great day. He looks like he will definitely contribute this year. Two receiving TD's! (this one off a Finley swing pass). Nice TD celebration by Charles & Co. #22 pulled in a 35 yard TD on a 3rd and 18 from Ben Finley. This was Steele's 5 yard TD toss to Adrian Norton. At the 5 yard line, lined up behind redshirt Fr. TE Aiden Diaz, Hester scampered around the left tackle for a rushing TD. Hester had 2 TDs today, and the OL lifted the diminutive RB to the sky. #17 Justin Campbell, a Ball State transfer, had a couple nice grabs, including this one over the middle from Tahj. The defense made some big plays today. Here, #11 Davonte Golden-Nelson jars the ball loose for a turnover. Here you go, @taylormade28 🦾 Big Ben meets with Soph. WR Paul Davis and Charles Kellom after Kellom's long TD reception. Steele Wasel had the "best hair award" last week. Hester nabs the honor this week. Great day for Blake. He got a lot of opportunities, and delivered the goods with a couple TDs. This OL sat out todays scrimmage. A familiar face is again prowling the Akron sideline. The scrimmage concluded with a pick six of Tahj Bullock by #13 Freshman Rodrick Hunter! Joe was as positive as I've ever heard an Akron coach after the practice. He emphasized he felt they got better today. He told the team they should be very pleased with how they executed. Pleased, but not satisfied.

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.

I talked to Chad Welker today at the golf outing and the web cam should up and running in the next day or two.

This seems like good news.

Yes. But we have a life, and sometimes we misplace trust that our members will act like adults. Jut so everyone knows - when I cut the check to Invision every 6 months to keep this site going it comes out of my pocket. I do it because I feel Zips fans need a nice place to discuss their teams comings and goings. 97% of you "get it," and I appreciate your contributions. If you are a cyberbully looking to inflate your ego, you're in the wrong board. Start your own Zips site and run it as you please. But here, you play by the house rules. It's as simple as that.

Don't blame Groce for Mark's lack of ability to compete at the D1 level....disingenuous to suggest it was on Coach's back, if you ever watched him play at UA. No disagreement on Mark being a great kid, etc. but just wasn't a D1 baller. Walsh and mark will compliment each other.

Written by @Captain Kangaroo Article linked here.

After attending one team practice it's clear to me why we were able to keep at least SOME of our players from escaping to PA. Damn! This Groce guy is a motivational leader. Two hour full contact session at UH Gym 2 from 10:30 - 12:30, and there were a couple of elbows to the chops in the lane. Everyone came out no worse for the ware. Coach G is a totally positive force on his players -- the only words of criticism on the floor were from #0, who for good or bad -- and I think it's the former -- is the vocal leader of this club. I did wonder if the attitude is similar to some of us -- "We have nowhere to go but up.", but I imagine the team's expectations are higher than that, as I could sense a belief in their chemistry and confidence to compete vs a recent top 15 team on the court Friday. 'E' Olajakpoke was throwing down just like in game, and didn't even miss "bunnies". Steve French be warned. Want to hear a name to be looking out for in the future -- if not necessarily this weekend? That guy #13, the new JC transfer can play with a smooth presence on the court, and puts up three-pointers with more confidence than, e.g., Virshon who will be good but isn't quite there after just two months. BUT, I have to say he played tough hard-nose defense today, and that will be important vs USC's guards like McLaughlin who you HAVE to keep away from the ball. BTW, the reason #13's not on the GoZips.com roster is because he does not have a head-shot photo yet that is required for consistency with the rest of the players. I swear, that's what I was told was the reason! From the way Coach talked to his troops -- especially about errant passes underneath that the Trojans big man will mark "return to sender" -- it seems he expects USC to be at full strength personnel wise. One more shorter no-contact session tomorrow and a walk-through in the arena at the same time on Thursday. Coach Groce is attending a Coaches Against Cancer fund-raiser tonight with Hawai'i coach Aran Ganot and I guess the other tournament coaches. An opportunity to tell the Dan Peters Story to a wider audience. #ForPetesSake. Aloha and mahalo for reading!

You came here at the absolute worst point in the 124-year history of the football program, and you leave us with the best season in Zips history. It's hard to believe and if I didn't watch it happen in person, I doubt I would ever understand the full impact of your careers at Akron. So, thank you. Thanks for believing in your team and yourselves when nobody else did, thanks for taking a huge risk in coming here, and thanks for sticking it through to the end.

2001: Spicer Hall demolished at University of Akron 2016: Spicer/Hall demolished at University of Akron Have faith.

Nice little story in Zips Line today. Read the La A QUICK STORY I WANTED TO SHARE Our 13th-ranked Rifle team competed Saturday at the University of Mississippi, earning a hard-fought and -shot 4.601-4,591 victory over the No. 17 Rebels. That’s a great win for our program, but what made this trip particularly memorable was a man in the crowd wearing a Zips shirt. Although there are Zips fans all over the world, Oxford, Miss., is not exactly a hot-spot for UA alumni, so it was a pleasant surprise to see someone there wearing our gear. After 36 years as our Head Coach (following his time as a UA Rifle team member), Newt Engle knows everyone associated with our program. Since this gentleman wasn’t related to one of our current student-athletes or a former Rifle letterwinner, Newt walked over to introduce himself to a smiling stranger who was waving and cheering for our team. His name is Perry Arrington, and he’s the brother of our late Football Assistant Head Coach, Alan “Tank” Arrington. An Ole Miss grad, Perry is from Mississippi and lives there today. He told Newt that it was the first time he ever attended an Ole Miss event wearing the colors of another school, but he wanted to cheer for the Zips because of how much our school and athletics department meant to his brother and family. We all miss Tank every day, and we think often about Perry, Tank’s wife Gail, Tank’s mother Gale, and their entire family … it means a lot to us that we still have a Zips fan in Mississippi, especially because all of us here in Akron who had the honor to know Tank always will be lifelong Arrington fans.

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.

A great week to be a Zip! It's finally here! Thursday is going to be special, I've got high, high hopes. Which scares me to death in a program and stadium that has done everything to beat the hope out of me for nearly its entire existence. I know nothing about SFpa. and will not pretend to. Looking at their season last year, they weren't much of a match for EMU to open the year, and they weren't as fortunate as Mr. Arth's Zips as they lost to the Bryant Bulldogs. A look at their schedules from previous years, and they along with 2021 opponent Bryant have also just recently begun playing FBS teams. They were on Buffalo's schedule in 2020 before it was canceled, and of course the EMU game last year. In the UA game against Bryant last year, which was an incredibly painful experience, it was obvious how much of a physical advantage the Zips had, but it didn't matter until the final quarter. They were much tougher than Akron despite the lack of size, speed, and skill. We don't have an official 2-deep, but we've got a lot to be intrigued by. I loved Irons' potential last year, but once he got hurt against Ohio he was never the same. Perhaps saving him from getting killed the last 8ish games will be good for his future. I have all the faith in the world in JoeMo + Fessler and the offensive staff to help with his decision making and ball security. He's one of the most athletic QBs in the league, and made plays against the likes of Auburn and Ohio State. I feel good-not-great about the UA QB situation going into week 1. I like opening against a team like this to ease into the new season and new system. Word out of camp is that Cam Wiley looks the part in the backfield. I loved what I saw from Norrils last year. Will Akron have a consistent rushing attack (sans Teon Dollard year) for the first time in decades? Wait to see! The thing I'm most excited for are the receivers--including the TE. Replacing Mumpfield, Mathison, Qualls, and Williams was no easy task, but this staff did that and then some. Daniel George has been phenomenal in camp, Alex Adams may be one of the best prospects to ever wear a Zip uniform, and Shocky Jaques-Louis is a seasoned vet who has done a lot of winning. Throw in Brank and TJ Banks and you've got options all over the place. What does this all mean if the O-Line continues to be swiss cheese? Not a damn thing. Joel Rodriguez is one of the most important pieces to the puzzle. He's had a great young career with JoeMo and got his college football start with one of the best teams of all time at Miami back in the early 2000s. The line is big and experienced. They've also got the potential to take the next step. Defensively? I'm hopeful, but not as sure. This will be an experienced unit with a lot of nice transfers sprinkled in, which I'm quite excited about. It will be so nice to see Bubba back out there on Thursday, that in itself is something to be pumped about. Overall, I see this as a vastly improved team already, simply based on the improved coaching staff. They put together a phenomenal recruiting class including a lot of transfers to get this thing turned around fast. JoeMo talks a lot about the seismic transformation that's going to take place. As the season has approached, I've started to feel the same way. I mean, how can it not work out this time? It's a perfect storm for Akron football to go where it wants to go. And the journey begins Thursday. Can't wait! Go Zips!!!!

I have yet to meet the new AD. One seemingly small, yet impressive thing he's implemented is displacing some lower-reserved season ticket holders in the JAR and creating a lower-reserved student section. That idea was suggested here years ago and was dismissed as impossible. Likewise, selling beer at the JAR was suggested here years ago, and dismissed as absolute lunacy. Now we have a basketball student section as engaged and full as I've seen it in decades. And during a pandemic, no less? And I can have a $6 beer at my seat and watch the game, and shockingly...nobody has died because of it. There was a General Electric commercial a few years ago which contained the phrase "Ideas are frightening because the threaten what is known. They're the natural born enemy of the way things are." There are way too many people within UA that had clung to "the way things are" for decades. And believed issues like football game day attendance is just "the way things are." Why? It is a lot easier to say "I wouldn't have built that stadium" than it is to fill it. You're off the hook scot-free...it was the fault of the guys preceding you. It seems like UA may have finally lucked into an ambitious, engaging AD who can pull it out of it's decades-long death grip on the past. He made a great hire with Joe Moorhead. He's implementing changes that are seemingly simple, but on UA's conservative scale, are groundbreaking. I look forward to seeing InfoCision butts-in-seats increase appreciably over the next several years. Based upon the student involvement at the JAR this winter, I expect an immediate uptick in student attendance at football games this fall. Great things are going on at UA. Thanks to Guthrie for pulling us Zips fans off the ventilator. After a 3-24 three year stretch, I was ready to flat-line. Now I'm ready to party! 😁

I hope this works. Zippy Video.mp4

Last year, 4-8 Bowden beat - Northwestern Morgan State (4-7 FCS) Kent State in OT (2-10) CMU (1-11) We lost 9-of-11 starters on defense, and that defense carried the 2018 team. Due to the timing of his hire he completely missed out on the initial signing day. We lost our best returning WR, Jonah Morris, before the season even started. Shocking that we're bad in 2019. Who knew? Arth is a good person, and a hard worker. He's legitimately focusing on NE Ohio recruits, which is something Akron fans have bemoaned for years. Everyone here should support the guy. Against a lot of odds, his staff and team are busting their ass to bring Akron a winner. If you repeatedly post on ZipsNation bitching about Arth, you're just trying to bring the program down. And bring the supporters down. And that is not why I pay the money, and spend the time, to run a nice site that represents UA well. People that repeatedly bitch make ZipNation toxic and drive good, interesting, fun fans away. That won't fly.

Long time Zips fan and ZN.o member Go Zips peacefully passed away tonight as his beloved Zips dispatched hated KSU. Fred was a longtime volunteer assistant with the basketball program dating back to the Bob Huggins era. If anyone ever bled blue and gold it was Fred. He was very opinionated but he truly loved every kid that passed through the program. Fred had a stroke late last year and was sorely missed by the staff and team. He did make it to one final game on February 14th, a win against Toledo. RIP Go Zips!

Hello to everyone. My name is Tiffany. I am Fred's daughter. There aren't words to describe how much your kind words about dad have lifted me up. He was extremely passionate about the Zips. I mean, I pretty much grew up in the JAR. If any of you have a favorite photo or anything you would like to share, please do. Even maybe loaning memorabilia... I am trying to put together some photo boards and items to display at the viewing. I will hopefully have a date and time set for services today. I will post them on here. Also, the obit will be in the Beacon Journal. Please feel free to contact me here. Thank you again for all the kind words and well wishes. My dad has been so blessed to have a great group of people to call his friends.

To all ZipsNation members - I want to put in writing the following - This site was created to allow Zips fans an venue to discuss the various athletic programs. There's no other reason. Rather than sit around with our thumbs up our butts waiting for media coverage, a few of us banded together and did something about it. It would be very easy to drop out and move to a back page of the MACbbs board like K.e.n.t. But I think that would be embarrassing. We created something nice here, with high functionality and a higher standard for content. When opposing fans visit our site, I want them to be impressed and think we are legit. I pay to maintain ZipsNation. Happily. I deal with all the a-hole opposing fans attempting to post, and a bunch of stuff that's invisible to the general public too. I'll sit in a dark Subway parking lot at 10 pm, after a 14 hour work day, talking to some Marshall Podcasters/bloggers to help promote the Zips and ZipsNation. Whatever it takes. Dr. Z has done yeoman's work to ensure to make it look sharp, and install upgrades. He also gives us great pics, which you don't get on other MAC boards. This site has to be about Zips athletics, and fun. It can't exist to cyber-bully other fans. I do not want good people to avoid posting for fear someone will threaten, or just be downright disrespectful to them. Can you tweak someone's nose? Yes. Can you have a passionate debate? Yes. Can you say "The AD sucks!" Yes. But when it gets to the level of "Meet me behind the church after school..." or "Suck <insert something lame>", that's not acceptable. It can't be. One of our posters was a bit out of line the other day, and penned an apology. It takes a man to do that. It isn't easy. It's 100% accepted, and we move onward. I've got around 10,000 posts here. I'm pretty happy with most of them. A couple... I wish I hadn't posted. And I've had to apologize. It happens. I hope K'92 returns to posting. The backbone of this board is the guy that travels to Wisconsin and posts a trip recap complete with a humungous soft pretzel pic. I wish we had 100 more of him. Times are great for Zips football. We've won 7-of-8 games, with the lone loss coming at Wisconsin. Compare that to the Brookhart recruits on Bowden's first team - they won 6 games in their entire 4-year careers! This weekend should be a blast. Great weather and a great home opponent. And I look forward to seeing what that guy under the scoreboard has cooking in his smoker.