catdaddyp

If you’re itching for more MAC talk, take a listen. It’s not necessarily a great listen, but it’s decent. A lot of love for Toledo and NIU. They also like Ohio and EMU. A few of the guys picked Akron as their dark horse to win 6 games and make a bowl. My thoughts on Toledo and NIU: - Seems almost everyone thinks Toledo is the best bet for a P5 upset over Illinois. I disagree. Feels like so many forget about Toledo losing to Bowling Green and Western Michigan to close out the regular season. They won the MACC against an Ohio team missing the MAC POY and then squeaked out a bowl win. I do think Toledo will have a great season, but I keep hearing that since Illinois lost so much in the secondary, they won’t be as good. Back track a year and hardly anyone was talking about the Illinois secondary before the season started. Just to give an example how situations can get spun to fit a narrative. - Outside of the OL and RB, NIU will struggle with depth on offense. The defense majorly struggles on the backend and have not seemingly shored it up in the offseason. LB play should be better, but it was rough last year, so that isn’t saying much. The Zip OL had their way with NIU’s DL last season, especially in the second half. Banking on Lombardi being healthy for a successful season kinda shows where NIU is as a program and what is likely coming in 2024.

Surprised this kid doesn’t have more offers. Probably actually 6’2 and some schools want taller, but he’ll grow and probably play center. Also guessing he hasn’t done many camps. Gale can move and is a road grader. Love what coach JRod is doing with this line.

Alexander Gale?

I probably post too much, but you guys (and gals) are stuck with me until I ever decide to move back into the athletic realm. I’ll just touch on the football program, which like @MangoZip mentioned is the key driver. I follow turnarounds closely and the successful ones all have the same qualities - culture, coaching, and recruiting. I’m not around the program, but it’s seems the culture is headed in the right direction. Coaching was top notch last year despite not having the overall talent level of some of our peers. (Granted there were some head scratching calls every now and then, but that goes for every staff and there really weren’t that many.) Recruiting has been ramped up in a major way. Really no comparison to the previous staff. In my opinion, high school/JUCO recruiting was top 3 in the MAC for the class of 2023 and the portal was best in the MAC by a long shot. Here are a few comparable situations, but keep in mind all of these programs had more talent on the roster in Year 0. P5: South Carolina - The Gamecocks won 2 games in 2020. Projected to be one of the worst teams in the SEC in 2021 when Shane Beamer was hired, they won 6 regular season games and their bowl to make 7 wins. Last year, they were predicted to win less than 6 games and again be one of the bottom dwellers in the East. Beamer brought in a talented transfer class and won 8 regular season games, just to lose to Notre Dame in the bowl with many players sitting out. Carolina beat out Georgia, Clemson, and a number of other schools head to head for a handful of prospects in the 2023 class, including 5 star Nyckolas Harbor. The 2024 class already has a number of recruits the Gamecocks have beat the elite P5s over and may also beat Ohio State for DE Dylan Stewart. Illinois - Similar to the Gamecocks, the Illini also won 2 games in 2020. They were projected to be one of the worst teams in the Big10 when Bielema took over. They went on to win 5 games and knock off Penn State that year. Illinois landed some key players out of the portal and found some hidden gems in the 2022 class, including (likely soon to be drafted) JUCOs Isaiah Adams and Zy Crisler. Illinois went on to win 8 games last year and did not lose a regular season game by more than 8 points, including a 2 point loss to Michigan. Bielema won some head to heads in recruiting with the 2023 class and has mostly built a border around the state for the 2024 class. G5: (These next ones are probably more relatable since they are on our timeline.) New Mexico State - Jerry Kill took over a program that won 2 games in 2021. He used the the portal and JUCO ranks to fill holes and add depth. It took the team 4-5 games to really find their footing (sound familiar?) and then managed to win 6 games, including blistering Liberty and beating Bowling Green in the bowl for a 7th win. UCONN - One of the worst programs in the past decade. Jim Mora brought in what I considered one of the best portal classes in G5. The Huskies had a difficult early schedule and hit their stride about 6 games into the season. They knocked off Boston College and also beat Liberty on their way to a bowl, which they lost to Marshall. I haven’t followed either NMSU or UCONN that closely this offseason, but know enough that they should be competitive again in 2023. Honestly, we should have beat CMU and Buffalo last year to have had 3 wins. The fact that this staff had the 2022 team within striking distance of every conference game (outside of Ohio) speaks volumes to the progress that was made. Moorhead walked into one of the worst rosters in the FBS (UMASS the other one.) With returners in place and the added JUCO and portal additions, there is no reason why the 2023 team will not achieve as much or more success as NMSU and UCONN in 2023. Just one guy’s opinion, so take it what it’s worth.

Ah, that changes the picture a bit. This team will likely be in throwing distance of winning the the East this year. I expect 2024 will be the year Akron becomes what coach Moorhead wants this program to be. Hope I’m wrong, but from there I’m guessing it’s probably a matter of time before he moves on to a P5 gig. By that time I guess the national pundits will consider him a good coach again 🤣

I hadn’t even thought of that. But if JoeMo is truly here for the long haul, that would mean he’d likely establish Akron into a football powerhouse at the G5 level. With the ever changing landscape, it’s not that far fetched that the school could position themselves for a better opportunity. Similar to Cincinnati for a lack of a better comparison off the top of my head.

Thanks for all the great info! It’ll definitely be beneficial to have a kicker that can put the ball in the endzone. That’ll help tremendously with field position and I think we have a better selection of guys that can run and tackle this year. Thankful Tibesar is the DC. He’s another coach that could go elsewhere and get paid more. Bubba will be missed, but I’m excited about the athleticism and talent at LB. Glad to hear Joe Dunn will be back. He does a really nice job, especially with his weekly football segments. It’s almost not fair having the portal available to this staff. They have so many connections and do such a great job of evaluating talent, other MAC schools won’t be able to keep pace. Once this program turns the corner (which should be this year. We peeked around the corner last season) it’s going to be off to the races. A lot of exciting news. Coach Moorhead will have this program resembling a P5 in every facet soon.

Sorry, I have no knowledge of Brookhart’s situation. We are one of the last teams in the MAC to have the online roster updated. The starting QB of every team is usually under scrutiny for something. Irons gave us the best chance to win last year and if he’s taken another step forward in his decision making, will probably give us the best chance to win this year. What’s not up for debate is Irons being described as a “mediocre” quarterback when he was voted 3rd team All-MAC while missing two full games and parts of others. If someone has already beaten him out this offseason, then that should mean Akron will have two of the better quarterbacks in the MAC. While preseason publications should be taken with a grain a salt, every publication I’ve read has a selection of either Rourke, Finn, Gabbert, Lombardi, or Irons as the top quarterbacks in the MAC. I’ve also watched enough MAC football to know those predictions are solid, unless a quarterback comes out of the blue that has yet to play much. I feel good after Undercuffler after the spring game. Both Bullock and Wasel have plenty of potential, but have yet to play much (or at all in Wasel’s case) at the FBS level.

I’m with you. Ready for the season to arrive! I’ve been going through and watching a bunch of full JUCO game film just to get a better idea of the incoming players. Also have watched other MAC games from last year. Add in the recruiting dead period and it’s such a slow time of year. I forgot to add that at any point Hunter, Tallandier, T.Thomas, N. Thompson, and DJ Martin are starting in the secondary, it would be a secondary full of former P5 players. Not sure how many other teams would be able to claim that.

If you have a direct connection to the program, I’d like to hear more. I’ve never claimed to have a direct connection. Instead I go off of my previous experiences and what coach Moorhead has said at pressers. Care to expand on the Irons situation?

Who will be the backup Quarterback? It’s clear Irons will be the starter as long as he’s healthy, but who will step in if injuries hit or a change of pace is needed? At least initially, Jeff Undercuffler is the likely choice. However, Virginia Tech transfer Tajh Bullock has a big arm and brings a different dimension to the run game. The staff may devise packages for Bullock just as a way to get him on the field and take advantage of his skillset, regardless of who else is at QB. This scenario would allow Wasel to redshirt and continue to develop without the unneeded pressure of learning on the fly. Will the run game be any better? The running back position has been significantly upgraded with the additions of Lorenzo Lingard and Drake Anderson. Throw in talented redshirt freshman Charles Kellom (and eventually a healthy Price) and this group will certainly improve on last year’s numbers of an abysmal 89.6 ypg (including all 12 games). As good as the passing game was/is, a strong rushing attack will make this offense even more potent. Who will replace Shocky Jacques-Louis? Coach Moorhead confirmed wide receiver is the strength of the team at MAC media days. Alex Adams and Daniel George have two of the three receiver positions locked up and someone else will need to separate themselves for the third spot. It sounds like Jasaiah Gathings currently has the inside track. The redshirt sophomore and North Carolina native had a promising start to 2022 before an injury derailed his season. He will be pushed by Myles Walker, transfer Phaizon Wilson, and several other talented freshmen. Will the Offensive Line be able to run block effectively? The OL was adequate at pass blocking and downright poor at run blocking outside of a handful of games. That will change. Offensive linemen, especially in an offense like Moorhead employs, must display as much athleticism as their defensive counterparts. Meaning on top of the general traits OL need, they also need to be able to move well enough to seal off defenders (especially on the edge), get to the second level, and be able to run. Too many of the OL last year struggled in those areas. Incoming transfers Keon Kindred, Ben Frank, Joshua Blanchard, and AJ George will immediately help. The staff brought in Keylen Davis and Tyhler Williams in the 2022 class and they should be ready to substantially contribute as redshirt freshmen. Toss in preseason All-MAC selection RT Nate Williams along with veterans Ronan Chambers, Brian Kilbane, Alex Robarge, Tony Georges, and the OL is starting to look like a group that is ready to open some holes for the backs. Will the DL be able to create pressure on the quarterback? The defense struggled to create pressure on the quarterback without blitzing in 2022. Even with the blitzes, defenders were stonewalled way too often, leaving the back end of the defense in difficult situations. The athleticism and potential has been increased during the offseason, but the key to this year’s group is developing at a much quicker rate than last year’s DL. Returning are two of Akron’s 2022 highest rated DL (according to PFF) in DE Ryan Johnson and DT Kyle Thomas. The interior of the DL may surprise with the additions of transfers Terray Jones, Lama Lavea, and JUCO Tyler Carter. Devan Robinson has one more opportunity to make a difference and Kiawan Murphy was singled out by coach Moorhead last year as a guy that was quickly developing. On the edge is where the Zips will have far more options than in 2022. Last season Victor Jones, Zach Morton, and Ryan Johnson were the only productive options. Now a slew of players will be available. Senior Julian Richardson will be expected to provide some pass rush and will be joined by transfer Ahmad Rabah along with JUCOs Antonio Smith and Kabbash Richards. JUCOs CJ Nunnally and LaJoshua Jackson bring some versatility and stoutness against the run. Who will replace Bubba? Losing Bubba is tough, there is no way around it. Former JUCO Antavious Fish will have the first shot at filling some big shoes. Fish was inconsistent in 2022 as he was finding his way in coach Tibesar’s defense. When Fish was locked in, he was impressive. Sophomore Jaharon Griffin and JUCO Gage Summers will push Fish for snaps. At the other LB spot, sophomore Bryan McCoy will start and compete with Andrew Behm and transfer Shammond Cooper. How good can this secondary be? If there is a consistent pass rush, the secondary could be very strong against the pass. Physicality will not be a question with this group as run fits should be solid. Between the linebackers and secondary, Zips fans can expect some big hits in 2023. Transfers Joey Hunter, Judson Tallandier, and JUCO Silas Proby have been brought in to compete at CB. Returners Tyson Durant and Devonte Golden-Nelson had their moments in 2022. Transfer Terence Thomas will compete with Darrian Lewis at NB. Cam Threatt, Rishad Hence, and a few freshmen could also see time. Senior safeties Nate Thompson and DJ Martin are primed for big seasons. They will be backed by Jaden Woods and potentially Corey Thomas. Safety is the only position on offense and defense that did not have a portal addition this offseason (unless Terence Thomas is considered a safety as a NB). Will the special teams be improved? The kicking improved as the spring game wore on and JUCO P Dante Jackson was recently signed. Akron has an excellent special teams coach in Allen Tucker and all phases of special teams should take a leap. Will a 3-4 alignment be seen more in 2023? The roster is far more versatile and will allow coach Tibesar to show some looks he was not able to in 2022. Tibesar will probably display a defense more in line to his previous stops, but expect to see the 4-2-5 nickel alignment when facing 11 personnel. Can Akron win the East? Football (and athletics in general) are very much “what have you done for me lately” in today’s society. 99% of national pundits think Akron will be a doormat. If social media and message boards are any indication, the rest of the MAC fanbases also don’t take Akron seriously. Everyone is allowed an opinion, but that does not mean it’s correct. Sometimes even the loudest voices or media members with a platform are misinformed. Most are completely ignoring how competitive this team was in MAC play and the improvement that was made as the year progressed. The other key factor that has been ignored is recruiting. Coach Moorhead has used the portal as well or better than any other G5 school and is also landing some very talented players from the high school/JUCO ranks, not just at one or two positions, but throughout the roster. If the Zips are to become a dominant program in the MAC it will start on both sides of the line of scrimmage. While Akron may not have an elite OL or DL (yet), progress is being made and enough talent is in place to compete in 2023. Ohio has the easiest path to the East, but that does not mean they are a shoe-in. Expect the Zips to “upset” a number of teams and their fan bases this season. Enjoy the ride, it’s going to be an exciting year.

Here’s full game film on transfer Ben Frank. He’s #63 on the orange team and plays LT. Very athletic and great feet. Could easily add another 10-15 pounds as he almost looks like a TE with his frame (even though he’s listed as 6’5” 300lbs.) Frank gets better as the game progresses and exhibits a nasty streak. Even gets a personal foul penalty for blasting a defender late on a run play 10 yards downfield. Might take him some time to adjust to the speed at this level, but could definitely envision Frank competing for LT as the season wears on.

If anyone is interested in watching the 2023 JUCO signees outside of a highlight reel, there is full game film on YouTube for each of them. A few thoughts below: Kabbash Richards and Antonio Smith are built similar (Kabbash has a little more mass at this point) and both are clearly being brought in to rush the passer. They could be utilized in the OLB role if we see more of a 3-4 alignment this year. CJ Nunnally is probably the most well rounded DE of the bunch. Stronger against the run, but not quite as much of a pass rusher as Richards and Smith. LaJoshua Jackson played DT at JUCO and will likely play DE in 3 man fronts and be slid inside in 4 man fronts. Tyler Carter has solid size and moves extremely well for a 300 pounder. He’s a little raw right now, but could develop into a starter over the coming years. Honestly, they are all a bit raw. However there is some nice upside to this group and it’s a more versatile collection of players than we had last year. Especially when they are combined with the portal guys and the few returning players. I’m not expecting our DL to be the best in the MAC by any stretch, but I’d be shocked if we didn’t have far more QB pressures than what was produced in 2022.

KJ sounds like a coach in the making. Outside of that, not much here that we didn’t already know or suspect. Regardless, it’s nice to get something from the social media department outside of pictures.

I wonder if the voting style is set to where the HC cannot vote for his own team to be 1st. Looks like the rest of the MAC still thinks Akron does not have much. 😎

2024 QB commit Brayden Roggow (dark blue shorts) slingin it.

Hard to envision more than 3 wins with that roster. Would like to think they’d beat UTEP and Howard. Maybe catch someone else by surprise to get 3? Evan Hull basically carried their offense and he’s gone. Maybe Hilinski has matured since his days at South Carolina? He struggled last year and will likely have a worse OL this year. The defense was dead last in the Big10 against the run, collecting sacks, and second to last in interceptions. Just rough all around.

I’m not sure if even the most avid Ball State fan would pick Ball State to win their division. Not much has been done to improve the worst run defense in the conference. That being said, I think they are a bit better than last year, but 5-7 or 6-6 sounds about right to me. They start out with back to back road games against Kentucky and Georgia. Rough.

That’s basically the case on both sides of the line of scrimmage and at WR. Despite their secondary not having much depth, they could be solid if they get a consistent pass rush…which I don’t think they will (switching to a 4 man front). The new staff seems to be doing a solid job with the 2024 class, so they may become competitive again quicker than I originally thought. It just won’t be this year.

The funny thing about that is I actually have UMASS and New Mexico State on the “Over” this year (not betting advice). Had NMSU outperforming last year too. I think UMASS has a tough schedule, but wouldn’t be surprised to see them win 4-5 games. I honestly don’t know enough about what FIU and Monroe have done in the off-season to have much of an opinion on them. I think more deserving bottom feeders would be New Mexico, Kent State, and probably Sam Houston.

Agreed. Kindred and Kabbash are completely missing. Not only from the 2 deep, but also the 3 deep. Although I think George can play tackle, he’s probably a better fit at guard. George should probably be listed as the backup RG with Robarge moved to backup LG. Kindred should be listed as backup RT. I can’t count the number of times Whigan was asked to pull from the RG spot last year and that isn’t Robarge’s strength. He’s much better equipped at plowing away at DL directly in front of him. Blanchard is also missing and he will be pushing for a spot as well. The DE situation could be so many different combinations and I have to believe Kabbash will be squarely in the mix. A lot of what this outlet said I disagree with such as “Moorhead stepped into a decent situation” referring to all the freshmen Arth played. I can’t see how anyone who has been paying attention would come to that conclusion when less than 30 players remain from Arth’s classes. The one thing this outlet was pretty accurate on was the initial depth chart from last year. Here are the MAC Position Rankings for Zips: QB - 3 RB - 9 WR/TE - 1 OL - 10 DL - 11 LB - 7 DB - 4 ST - 11 Coaching - 10 Some of the above missed the mark so badly I don’t even know what to say. It’s mind blowing that Moorhead had one bad year in the W/L column and he is bumped so far down in nearly every national ranking system. The majority of pundits missed how this team improved throughout the year and that Moorhead inherited one of the worst rosters in all of FBS. It’s also easy to tell which outlets have been paying attention to recruiting and the transfer portal. Watch how the narrative is completely flipped after this year and headed into 2024.

I saw that too and just ignored it. Sometimes PFF badly misses the mark. They do a decent job with most of their game grades (although they really struggle with OL grades). When it comes to their upcoming predictions like NFL draft or the college football season….usually pretty rough.

Here is a depth chart from a source that claims to have spoken to every school’s coaching staff. Not going to say the source’s name because it’s behind a paywall. This source was almost 100% accurate on the depth chart to start the season last year. In any case, take it for what it’s worth as we all know some of this will change. Plus a few additions to the roster were made since this came out. Good offseason chatter though. QB: Irons Undercuffler RB: Lingard (TP) D. Anderson (TP) WR: Adams Walker (surprised this wasn’t Golden) WR: George C. Anderson WR: Gathings P. Wilson (TP) TE: Banks Newell (TP) LT: Chambers (Landers was listed here, but since he’s no longer on the roster…) Frank (TP) LG: Kilbane Stopiak C T. Williams T. Georges RG: K. Davis Robarge RT: N. Williams AJ George (TP) DE: A. Smith (JUCO) L. Jackson (JUCO) DT: K. Thomas K. Murphy DT: T. Jones (TP) D. Robinson DE: R. Johnson CJ Nunnally (JUCO) WLB: McCoy Behm MLB: Fish (was Bubba…) Griffin CB: Hunter (TP) Durant CB: Tallandier (TP) Golden-Nelson NB: D. Lewis T. Thomas (TP) SS: N. Thompson Woods FS: KJ Martin C. Thomas

Looks like JacQai Long committed to Marshall and has also transferred to a high school in West Virginia.

InfoCision should easily win, but it looks like Charlotte is going to win the popularity vote. Speaking of other G5s in the Carolinas, I also think InfoCision is much better than Coastal Carolina’s stadium.