ZippyTuba11

2,473 -- record crowd. What a great game for the Zips so far.

3-0 Zips 67:37

Amid the "sky is falling" and the "fire everybody" threads, I thought I'd take a crack at what I have seen so far.First, there is no one player, coach, or group to blame for what went wrong in Mt. Pleasant. The suckage we saw was a complete team effort.All this hate on Rodgers is a little misplaced, IMHO. Did he make mistakes? Absolutely. All things considered though, I still like him as our QB better than Jacq. At least Rodgers can make some plays on his feat, where Jacq would have just taken an ugly sack. I also don't want to see Nicely's redshirt burned. If this season is a bust, wait until next season and come out strong. The last thing we need to do with good talent is what the Browns did to Frye. The passblocking has to get better before I'll call for Nicely to be thrown to the dogs. The coaches also need to completely ditch whatever playbook they have now and get a new one. Almost anything would be better than what we're running. The few times there were plays that went deep, and Rodgers got time, it ended up being a big play. The same was true against the other three teams we've played. I know we cannot do that all the time, but that tells me that Rodgers has a decent arm, and when he can set up for a throw, he can make the right decision and get the ball there.Rodgers is also very dangerous on the ground. I lost count of how many sacks he was able to escape because he was good enough to move around.That said, he is a rookie sophomore and is making young QB mistakes. I think he is going to improve, and with the opponents we have coming up, he will look better and better.To really make him better though, the coaches really need to make a change in the plays they are calling. There is no trickery or any threat to any draw or screen we run. The defense knows what's coming. I know what is coming. The drunk tOSU fan sitting beside me knows what's coming.The coaches need to design some draw plays specifically for Rodgers. Let him do some roll-outs with a pass threat. Instead of handing the ball off on that fake boot-leg, let Rodgers carry it occasionally. We finally saw a few two-back sets, but each time, the RB didn't follow his blocker to paydirt. WTF? Are they not running these plays in practice? In those situations, the RB needs to lower his head and stay behind the blocker until he gets through the line. The only back we have that I have seen that does this is Tuzze. GIVE HIM THE BALL.While I'm on the subject, why do we keep running an ACE set? The O-line can't block, so why do they keep leaving it up to the O-Line to block for the RB? The only way I see the running game being successful is if we give the RB more blockers. We just don't have the speed at that position to do it any other way.And what's up with Igor? If that Chip guy wasn't there to block that kick, the center would have had the world's worst prostate exam. Kudos to the kick return team though. Almost every return was well blocked, and the team came out with fire. After the first return almost went for a TD, I really thought we'd be in for a great game. Man was I wrong. But still, I liked what I saw on most returns. Why can't this carry over to the offense the rest of the way?I have mixed feelings about the defense. On one hand, the pass D does a great job. I see them getting pressure on the QB. Yet they give a lot of room to WRs fairly often.I also noticed that there were several times that we rushed only 3 guys, and they were completely eaten up by the O-line. Chasing Lefevour out there all over the field made them look bad, real bad. The tackling needs to get better. I can't stand seeing plays that could be ended for a loss go for a big gain, and it happens a lot. How about a few corner blitzes? I think that might work well every now and then.On JD, I'd like to see him go at this point. Watching what he marches out there each week is so damn frustrating. The team lacks fundamentals. It's easy to see that there is little discipline out there. That is what JD should be on each day with these guys. Maybe he is ramming it down there throats and they just aren't getting it, but I doubt that is that case. The team needs more time on fundamentals, especially the O-line. I'd love to see JD come out and for every time a defender got to the QB or RB behind the line, the entire O-line does laps, suicides, stairs, or whatever along those lines. It won't take long to bust them into great shape with the way they are playing.It's hard to say what will happen with JD at this point. I sincerely believe he is not a lame duck yet, at least not this early in the season. The season gets a lot easier the rest of the way (except syracuse). The season can still be turned around, but it's going to be no small effort. Right now it doesn't matter who the team faces, they are beating themselves. If JD can pull a winning season out of his ass, I'll be very interested in seeing what opinions on here change. We've got a long way to go.Lastly, with all this fuss over firing JD and Rodgers, and the defense, and the O-line...did anybody notice that Temple drubbed Buffalo 37-13? How about Ball U putting up 30 on Auburn? Hofstra gave WMU a bit of a scare. My point being, this is the MAC and crazy and impossible seasons are the norm. We still have a long way to go, and anything can happen.EDITED TO ADD: We have 4 home games left. 3 should be gimmes (Can't, Temple, EMU). All are games we should win. Taking one from Buffalo, NIU, or BG will be a long shot, but possible (I like our chances against buffalo). 5-3 conference finish. A 6-6 or 7-5 overall is still not a lost cause.

When me and my buddy sitting at the bar can predict what Akron's offense is going to run each play with a fairly high degree of accuracy, they don't have chance.I've always been a supporter of JD, believing that he's right on the cusp of making a break through. I now firmly believe that will never happen. Fire JD, immediately.For those of you that think this won't make a difference, I have to believe that changing out the guy that keeps making the same play calls that never work will have to be a significant improvement. Will it salvage the season? Probably not. But one thing is for certain, I am not going to continue to pay to watch bad football anymore.

I will be at the OBC with a few friends.

If it gets a win, I'll buy it.We have too much RB talent to not be getting 3.5-4 ypc. If opposing defenses start getting hit by our backs for that many yards, it's really going to open up our offensive options. I'm not saying be boring and run Allen behind Tuzze off center every play (though doing it more than 1-2 times a game might help ). I'm saying open up the running playbook and get smart with it. A steady run game, that can consistently get that many yards every down, combined with the passing/receiving talent we have will get big plays and big wins.

Looking back over CMU, they lost to Arizona 19-6. Bad offensive performance. Lefevour had a bad game. At Mich St, they won because of an offsides penalty. The only team they really beat was 1-AA Alcorn, 49-0. I really don't think they are as amazing as so many people make them out to be. They are one play away from being in the same boat as us, at 1-2. Personally, I think Mich St is going to be one of the bottom teams in the Big11, if not the worst this year.On the other side, Akron's losses were to far superior teams. We all know Penn St's resume, but I think Indiana is going to be a surprise to the Big11 this year. Not saying they are going to win it, but a bowl game is in their future. Akron's one win was against a 1-AA Morgan St, 41-0. Rodgers now knows that he is the man this year. I think he is going to have a very different performance (aside from the 4 INTs against Indiana, he did fairly well). If he limits his mistakes, and the coaches use him smartly (run him, damn it!) the offense should look a lot better.The defense needs to lock down on those receivers from CMU. Sure, that opens up Lefevour to run, but I'm okay with that. His running ability will hurt us, for sure, but it isn't going to be his legs that kill us. Keep glued to those receivers and create some turn overs, and we make this a very winnable game.Offense just needs to be steady and not make mistakes. I want to see a slow, powerful, march each time we get a drive. Make every play count. We will not win a shootout. "Three yards and a cloud of dust" will beat this team. It wears down the defense, and most importantly, keeps Lefevour off the field. I think our chances of winning this game are directly related to the rate of playing time Lefevour sees.

I would love it if we could consistently get 3.5-4yds a carry. That's power football. Beat down CMU and keep their QB off the field.

Get rid of Eastern. How long has it been since they really contributed anything to the conference?

The Zips do less with more than any other MAC team over the past three seasons.That's the best description of the Zips I've heard

I hope to god you dont want to put ALL of our MB in those outfits.lolYou might see half time attendance change if we subbed in that band!I would LMAO if Karriker arranged that song for a half time!

Sorry, can't resist (it's not what you think)

31-28 Zips steal one at the end.

If this is true, things are really starting to look bad for the team as a whole.

If we can keep the stadium at or near capacity for the next two years, the $$ should start rolling in nicely to go with the increase of students.

How much did we pay Morgan State anyway?

"Overall, Akron rolled up 436 yards of total offense versus the Bears, marking the first time since Nov. 11, 2006 Morgan State had allowed over 400 yards in a game as the Bears ranked 1st and 2nd over the last two years in FCS in total defense."That's a great stat to me. Had no idea that they were that good.Congrats Wagner. I'd love to see him get in on some goal line plays. He was busting through Bears players on the pick 6.

The 30,000 is max capacity, SRO, I believe.Officially, I believe the game is a sell out if all seats are sold, which they were.

Here is where we finally get to judge how well the team has developed. If the Zips O line can push back Indiana's D line, Akron will win. Everything else seems to have fallen into place this year. The D is miles better, Jacq has improved (he is making better throws), Rodgers gives a good change of pace, the RBs have great talent and depth, and receivers have improved. The O line though is the key. They hit their blocks, give running room for our RBs and protection time for the QBs, Zips will win this.I see now why the NFL likes to take the football first when they win the coin toss. Set up that field position early.I never thought I'd see the day when the Zips were favored over a Big11 team. If the Zips deliver, this city should go nuts.

lol somebody at athletics was reading my posts.

Maybe they will scan them like they did for the football game.

it's hard to predict these guys. They will lose nearly every game in the year, and then go out and beat the team that becomes MAC champs in the last game of the season.Without their QB and RB though? Maybe Martin has some "in" with the football gods.

I love what these guys are doing. The new AD really looks to be getting into it and it's great! Can't wait to see two wins over Indiana this week!

Looking back over this thread, I think band members take this too close to heart. We can criticize the hell out of the football team, but the moment somebody does about the band, we get 20 band members on here telling us how hard they work and how much the poster doesn't know anything about music.Does Bain post about how hard he and the team work when somebody complains about the 3-3-5 defense? Or does CJ11 tell people they don't know football when people complain about his bad throws?Band, you're on the big stage now. You're going to have die hard fans, as well as critics. It's important to understand both, with a level head.

I've been in that band, you can't tell me Mr K hasn't told the brass to play softer so not it over power the woodwinds, because he has.This whole debate is ridiculous. I just stated it is my personal taste. I understand why the U doesn't do. But I'll explain it again, then maybe we can get back to productivity. Taking away the woodwinds means you are putting the melody they played and putting into a brass arrangement. Brass can play it louder. I've seen many good and great bands play side by side with OSU's, and OSU's almost always blows them away with sound production. Does that mean other band is not a good band, and that OSU's is so much better? No. They are just going up against a different band that can do things on a different scale. It's addition by subtraction. A 200 piece brass band is just going to be a lot louder than a 200 piece woodwind/brass band. Therefore a good, small, brass band can put out as much, and in some cases more volume than a mixed band.To address ziprowdy's comments. DCI isn't the only group that gets to pick from the cream of musicians. How many people go to OSU, Michigan, LSU, USC, Tennessee et al to be apart of their bands? There is no reason Akron cannot get this level of success. But they need to have something here that really draws in musicians. They are taking a step in the right direction, but they need to solve a few things. The entrance to pre-game really needs to be an attention getter. The energy comment is something that lots of people have noticed. It's something that has to be addressed with body language. I know the band was playing their hearts out, but when you're up top in the GA on the East side, it just doesn't come across. The sound production is another thing. Up close, the band sounds absolutely amazing. But when you're up top, or the band is facing the other stands, or endzones, the sound just disappears. It could be just an acoustic factor that the stadium brings, but it is a serious issue. I felt like I had to whisper to my friends during half time, or I would be talking over the band. But I was up top, in the East side.