RoyalBlu

Not saying anyone is falling down on the job. Not at all. This has been a Zips schedule pattern going back to Hipsher. The Zips best schedules, IMO, were during the BracketBuster years when the Zips faced really good BBuster competition. But even that wasn't 2 or more power conference teams. I haven't looked, but I doubt there have been more than 3 or so years since the turn of the century Akron has played two non-con power conference teams in the same year. Yes, that means you have to play them on the road, unless you get lucky enough to catch one in a pre-season tournament. Understand, this is not unique to Akron. But you have to first, commit to playing these games. Then you have to lock them in. To have so many power conference transfers, but no power conference games, is a question that needs to be asked. I understand MAC teams are not going to win many of those games. But playing those games first, boost your overall strength of schedule. And second, prepare MAC teams for what they will face later in the NCAA Tournament. As MAC teams have constantly shown, losing these two games does not stop a team from overall 20 wins, or winning a MAC title. Like I said .. not matter what schedule ... Zips favored to win the MAC.

No, not yet. Still looking for games, but not many out there from the power conference ranks.

Based on what I've seen from around the league, the two projected MAC favorites, Akron and Ohio, look to have the weakest non-conference schedules. Miami, Toledo, Kent and several others have at least two games vs. teams from power conferences; Miami, Michigan-Indiana; Toledo, Houston-Purdue, Kent, Alabama-Auburn. Ohio and Akron, at least to this point - from what I've seen - don't have any power conference (B10, B12, SEC, ACC) teams on their schedules. Lots of solid mid-majors, however. Let's not fool ourselves. If Miami, UT and Kent can get those games the mantra - 'nobody wants to play us' - is a little weak. If you can go to St. Mary's for a buy game, you can go to B10, B12, ACC, SEC for a buy game. Just saying. Still pick Zips as MAC favorites.

Definitely have much more size/girth at every position. Should be able to bully a lot of teams, especially in the MAC. Next step is how Zips look against a true opponent. That's still months away. Lots of time to bring it all together.

I was very high on Young ... until Groce brought in the PG from Cornell. IMO He had some other nice major offers where he would have played but likely started on the bench. Doubt Groce got him to come to Akron to start on the bench, no matter how sweet the NIL. Still think Young is a stud, but likely not this year. Remember, it has taken most PGs in Groce's system at least a season before they truly started to shine.

Ditto on Bracketbusters ... Zips had some great BB matchups that were exciting games. A check back on the Kent-SM Bracketbuster ... it was the last (midnight) game (many Bracketbuster games were televised) of the night, and I believe (chk. me on this) Kent became nationally-ranked for the blink of an eye after the win. Still can't remember who was on that team. Can't find a box score.

KSU wins at St. Mary's came (1) in BracketBusters vs. Patty Mills (I think that was his name) ... which says how long ago that was ... and (2) the other was in the NIT against a team with former Cav Dellavadova at PG. Can't remember who played for Kent in those games. St. Mary's is clearly a better program now, but even then, they were second only to Gonzaga in their conference and clearly had NBA talent on their teams..

If I'm not mistaken, SM-Kent have played four times over the years and have split the games, 2-2. One of SM wins was at Kent. Both of Kent wins at SM. Definitely a road win the Zips can get.

Thanks for clarifying my 'word salad.' Pretty much what I was trying to say. Based on The Portal, the Zips are head and shoulders above the rest of the MAC. If this talent translates on the court, which is the clear objective, then the sky is the limit. Other MAC teams don't have this level of 'talent.' However, if whatever talent they have comes with better chemistry, then the playing field is leveled. That's all I'm saying.

This is based on 'quality' of portal recruits, almost all of which Akron had no real shot at coming out of high school, and maybe just one or two shy of having what is rumored to be the best NIL package in the league. That said, I distinctly remember the Marshall years when The Herd clearly had the best roster of talent overall in the league, but just could never put it all together. So you're right, one or more of Kent, Ohio, Toledo and Miami may well have enough talent to usurp Akron on the court. But I still say, based on ROSTER talent, the Zips are the Class of the MAC.

All of this is true, but ... You can click on any column and just scratch your head. Like 'talent.' Clearly Zips are head and shoulders above the rest of the league. But even a rabid Akron fan has to admit Central Michigan ranking a 0 for talent, and Kent ranking -0 is a bit much. Or the transfer column: Eastern, Ball State, Kent and Northern getting more production out their transfers than Akron??? So what does that say about Akron's 'talent' ranking, which is clearly anchored by the incoming transfers. I could go on. Just weird.

Know what I hate about analytics: When they are so clearly and obviously WRONG! https://barttorvik.com/trankpre.php?conlimit=MAC&state=All&year=2024&sort Can't get link to open here, but copy it and try on your browser ... really wonder what these people use for logic.

Still see nothing for Akron ... Toledo has Purdue and Houston ... Kent has Alabama ...

Paladin ... "Have Gun, will Travel" Fits him well.

It's not uncommon for redshirt freshmen (like Baker) who hit the portal to spend a year at a JUCO. They get 30-35 games of experience, quite likely graduate, then have three years of D1 ahead of them. Frankly, I don't understand why mid-majors in particular don't recruit this gold mine more actively.

Surprise (at least to me) Baker ... exit stage left???

Dawson upgrade.

A big physical third guard ... perfect for this team. Defense will be key vs. best perimeter player the opposition has. Very good pickup. Also a good PG backup for inevitable down games from freshman PG, Sharon. (Tavari who?). Adds to the premise this team - w/so many experienced P5 transfers - should be strong right out the gate, capable of winning big (read: P5) games in November and December.

I said in an earlier post (somewhere??) the reason the MAC was so bad last season is because PG play throughout the league was poor to bad across the board. We were spoiled with two years of X, Carry, and others that transferred in and made the league much stronger. No suce transfers last season short of the guy at CMU. It will be interesting to see how that position looks across the board in the MAC this season. Young IMO walks in the door as Top 1-3 in the league, depending on how you want to rank them. We'll see if that looks the same in January. For the sake of the MAC, here's hoping Young is as advertised, ... but he ranks 3-5. Then the MAC has a good chance at climbing back into the 14-19 range among top BB conferences in D1.

Obviously, Akron is far and away the Portal leader in the MAC. But how would you rank the likes of Toledo, Ohio, CMU, BG, Kent in terms of transfers (not HS) recruits coming in? Seems like they all got something out of the portal.

Another note: Unlike many on this board and others, I believe the MAC will be a much much tougher conference overall next season. (Hopefully it shows as early as non-conference). Yes, it's hard to predict each team with all the portal comings and goings, but judging from what teams like Ohio, BG, Toledo, Ball State and Kent have added, I would expect all to be better. Like Akron, those teams have not necessarily replaced departed 'players' as much as they have recruited to their weaknesses. Ohio, for example, desperately needed some size inside, and got it with a 6-10, 250-pound portal. Yes, he's D2, but he has a solid resume and should be a rotational player at the least. I think the same can be said for incoming transfers at these other MAC schools. Toledo, for example, was not the 3-point shooting team last year that they usually are. Now, all of their portal recruits are proven 3-point shooters at the college level (2 from the MAC). Time will tell how good all of these players are on their new teams, ... but in terms of recruiting to their weaknesses, it seems most MAC teams have done that, getting players with proven experience or (like Akron) P5 pedigree.

Frankly ... with 3 years of P5 experience on hand at multiple positions, along with the holdovers for depth, this team SHOULD be able to make a statement or two (read: WIN) vs. P5 non-conference opponents in November and December, then improve over the course of the season in the MAC. Not predicting or expecting anything like an undefeated MAC season, but on paper this Akron team seems to compare with those good Buffalo teams, and they were able to establish themselves both in non-conference and conference. If Akron can do the same, I think the MAC and post-season aspirations should be easily attained.

If I'm not mistaken Freeman was also a 'transfer' albeit academic ... pretty sure he came from Tiffin first.

I think Harris is he plum in this bunch ... he should be able to play any baseline position on the MAC level and be pretty strong at any of them. Not many MAC teams will have a player with that versatility. He should be a consistent 15-20ppg scorer in my mind and that is huge.

Looking at this through your lens ... I see what you're saying. Akron's two latest NCAA appearances were probably more directly related to Kent self-inflicted miscues (24-foul, 22-video). Could Akron have won both games without those incidents? Certainly. But ... It's not like blocking Kent's last-second shot in OT to win the MAC Tournament, and go to the NCAA. No discussion. Zips earn it/took it.