Zipped Up

Last week OU lost 35-7 to a Northwestern team with awful QBs. That same NW lost to a below average Nebraska 56-7 last night. OU will not win another game this year!

Did not watch the show because nothing is ever revealed. However I would bet the house that Kato starts.

Based on his participation in the two scrimmages (DNP in second), I am guessing he may have re-injured his knee. Tough luck for a tough player.

You're correct 72, the AD's office should have at a minimum, an SiD intern or junior staff provide on-line content that the ABJ could use as source material, since they seem incapable of researching or providing any news on their own. The Athletics Review Working Group report that was released on July 1st, should have suggested a coordinated effort between the AD and ABJ to increase interest among the community and student body in all athletics, and as a result, help put fans in the stands as part of the effort to increase revenue. Instead, you can read another article about the OSU QB competition, something you can read about literally everyday in Cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer has thrown out all local coverage of Ohio college's (with the exception of tOSU) and even worse, all High School coverage. If the ABJ would at minimum look to the Athletic Department for information that could stir some interest, it would have a huge impact at minimum expense.

EKU is FCS which has 65 scholarship limit but can offer partial scholarship. All 85 scholarships at FBS ( Akron ) are full, there are no partials. He was a walk-on..

He doesn’t have to be a “football guy” to be successful, but it would be helpful if the person has experience managing a department that had a football program at any level, let alone a D 1- G 5 program and the challenges that presents ( besides just the hiring of coaches).

His three previous AD positions were all at schools with no football. D3 Clark College in Washington, D2 San Francisco State and UWGB.

Akron: UW-Green Bay athletic director Charles Guthrie is expected to be the new athletic director at Akron, per the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

To satisfy the terms of the LOI, the player must stay for 1 full academic year. If the player fails to satisfy the terms of the LOI, the penalty is a loss of TWO years of eligibility. If Akron signs a Qualified Release Agreement, then the player could leave but would still lose One year of eligibility. If those were his previous offers, he better think about whether its worth one or two years of eligibility. And if Akron truly likes him, they don't have to release him just because Coach Cook left. The LOI is signed with a school, not the coach. If Akron wants the scholarship to offer someone else, then by all means, sign the Release, but the kid is still going to lose a year.

If he did in fact sign an LOI in December, he's not going anywhere for a year. It's a contract.

No one knows what Akron has among three of its young QBs. Two just arrived and one was never in the mix last year due to shortened season (no summer and fall camp preparation) and injury. Who knows how good Kipp may be. I think one of the keys to evaluating talent, particularly in HS, is gaging who a kid played against and more important, who he played with. If you look back over the last 15 years or so, Mentor has been a consistent power, with record setting QBs. Was the team good due to QB play or did the QBs excel due to the talent around him? Bart Tanski was Mr. Football in Ohio in 2007, had to walk on at BG. Never really played, ended up on baseball I believe. Next big name was Trubisky, offered by everyone including Alabama (with the exception of genius Urban) , 1st round NFL. Krizancic followed for one year at QB, although he was committed to Minnesota at WR. IIRC the team went just as far in the playoffs with him at QB as Trubisky and he became All-State and recommitted to OU to play QB. Unfortunately he retired from football due to concussion. I would argue the hype around his 1season at QB was due more to the team he played on than his QB skills (not athletic skills as he was a multi sport skilled athlete). Next came Tadas Tatarunas. Big kid, 6-5 225, started three years and went to playoffs all three years. No D1 offers, not even FCS. is currently at Walsh where he has yet to play. Now Kipp. I would say the college coaches (in most instances) seem to be able to determine wether the hype is based on individual talent or team support. Very few kids are recruited D1 based on Sr year. Sophomore and Junior year is make or break time. In Kipp's case, KSU offered him three years ago, sophomore year. They've been to his games, seen his film and had him in camp. The problem with being offered that early is that it really isn't a "commitable" offer until Sr year. That is what his sophomore offer was from Kent. He gambled on bigger offers that never came, including holding out past the early signing period and it allowed Kent to change their evaluation and deal offered.

Per Scouting Ohio, he had 4 offers: Akron, BG, Kent and UMASS, arguably 3 of the 4 worst ranked teams in FBS. Not every kid discloses all his offers but obviously he didn't have anything better prior to the early signing period, or he would have taken it then. Yes he took the best path available, which per the Lake County News-Herald is a walk-on opportunity initially. Says he got squeezed out of scholarship by Kent as they are up against limits due to this year's COVID waiver on eligibility. I am sure that is true to an extent, but if Arth was so hot on him, then he had chance to take scholarship at UA since they still have scholarships available. 1) Either UA's offer wasn't still on the table or 2) he had to decide if he wanted to compete with Akron's 4 young QB's or take his chances against very little competition after Crum leaves after next year. I think my thoughts from December (above) echo his decision. Lastly, if Kent believes he is a can't miss QB prospect, they would not have taken the risk of losing him to the hated Zips (or BG or UMASS) by asking him to walk-on (which will likely be a minimum of 2 years). They would have met the limit by pulling some lower rated OL/DL's scholarship and asked them to earn it instead. Time will tell.

Kehres is currently the Defensive Coordinator for Toledo.

Kipp is a great player but here is some perspective about winning award over Marousek: For most of his career, Kipp played behind a line that featured 3 Big 10 recruits and was throwing to Floriea who turned down BC for Kent, plus multiple other college players on Mentor, a perennial power. Marousek started at North Royalton (never a football power) as a freshmen and played for four years behind an offensive line that had I believe, zero (0) linemen who have played in college, anywhere, including D3. In fact, I believe there are only two kids from Marousek’s HS years that are currently playing in college, one at a D2 Tiffin and Akron’s Kyle Baumann , long snapper. When Kipp missed the semi final game this year due to COVID, they started a sophomore in his first game, who put up over thirty points and almost won the game. Marousek missed the final 4 games of his senior year due to injury so he wasn’t going to be up for any awards as compared to his Junior year, yet his team was 4-2 and looking for only their 4th playoff appearance ever. After he was hurt, they lost their final 4 games and 10 in a row including this year. I know a number of NR coaches and have followed them for years. Marousek was recruited D1 for both football and baseball. If Marousek is healthy, he will compete for the starting job. My prediction is Kipp is holding out maybe til the February signing date to see if any other offers come, otherwise he will join Floriea at Kent, with Crum leaving after next year.

Nate Williams, Freshmen OT. Are the Zips that tight on money they couldn’t sew his name patch on the new number jersey?

I don’t believe either were dressed for the game or available.