ZipsBBjunkie

Not sure where you are getting your information. Specific to Groce…Were you at the basketball ring ceremony game? I wasn’t but in the midst of those few weeks was told a very intentional statement was sent at that game during the ring ceremony publicly by Groce AFTER Chuck stepped down. A clip exists somewhere because it was flagged for me in our group chat by people in my baseball circle who also weren’t at that game. One of the guys saw the ceremony streamed or after the fact not sure which. But poaching a coach with an essentially a lifetime contract is another story. Those in our Baseball circles including Skeeles were immediately concerned about what Guthrie leaving would mean for Faulds - fearing yet another turnover season. You sure are confident. Not. A. Single. One. I know Faulds would follow in a heartbeat. Nicholson. The T&F coach - you’re a big fan of hers aren’t you? Maybe you mean Not. A. Single. One. he didn’t hire? Not to mention A10, more respect and bigger money than the MAC. I would think it would depend on a lot of factors.

Once Xavier knew they had a window to get Sean Miller back it wouldn’t have mattered what Steele did short of making the Final Four. Steele is solid and I believe he will have Miami contending from here on out.

Yes. In fact, to the average college football fan, all of these FBS conferences that aren’t part of the P4 CFP conversation suck. It will be super league and everyone else (FBS and FCS won’t matter, independent, scholarship, non scholarship blah blah blah). Do you think anyone who doesn’t root for a MAC team is looking at the collective MAC performance in bowl games (was it 5-1?) and thinking to themselves that they underestimated the MAC and will now make a note to tune into those mid-week games next year. I’m with @kreed5120 it doesn’t matter who comes and goes in the MAC for football, but can we boost the MAC basketball conference ranking so we aren’t just getting the single bid to the NCAA each yr based on tournament champion - at least be good enough to get an at large to the NIT with the auto bid gone. Does the MAC have an actual strategy?

It’s official NIU to TMW

And important to consider the team isn’t built and decisions by players aren’t made in the silos that our threads on this forum are. We’ve had success by WRs since Moorhead arrived. We have a well regarded QB who knows the system coming back. Doesn’t hurt to have Coach Brookhart on staff when it comes to developing wide receivers given his track record having been a WR and coached elite NFL WRs etc. Not only are they finding their level but they go to a P4/P5 and realize they are not only competing for playing time but for time given by coaches into their personal development to gain said playing time. coaches develop favorites. It may not be ‘Akron is their only or last option.’ Fit matters, prior recruitment/relationships factor in, and I think there are plenty of players who have chosen to go P4 out of high school that may get a reality check and understand they could be a better fit elsewhere - different level, different conference, different coaches, whatever it may be.

All these law firms salivating over the absence of any sanity, leadership or control by the NCAA - they will never regain any position of power. It’s the wild wild west out there. It will be lawsuit after lawsuit from here on out. There’s another thread in football about why anyone would want to coach in this environment. Amen.

We’ll know a lot more about this team and Gensler’s second year campaign a week from now. On the road against Ohio and home vs Toledo, both wins they should have if they expect to beat pre-season expectations. Seems there are concerns about the depth based on input on this thread so far. Also curious what NIL commitment for WBB from Wentz is going to translate to.

I’ve been a broken record on this but only because I heard back in the summer this is why multiple coaches including Moorhead went through the roof when the school announced the Browns partnership. Even without a collective up and running, money like that from administration could have funded some type of meal/nutrition programs for football but also other sports programs like baseball and softball, soccer etc. Foundation and maintaining some level of momentum starts from the inside, regardless of NIL which is also critical to get and retain talent. With the provost running the budget and the new President focused on marketing and enrollment?, the ability to build and meet the basic needs for UA athletics appears to be losing steam, just the reality. We all know basketball has the luxury of Wentz getting them whatever they need and that’s great as basketball is our gem and they need to keep winning and beating KSU! But as a supporter of programs like baseball where the absence of NIL hurts but lack of university level support for the basics that athletes have had in the past is frustrating. I’m sure it is magnified much more for football (also beating KSU!$). It will be interesting to see even with Moorhead sitting tight, the level of turnover he will have on his staff. As shared by others in this thread a few already jumping ship. A feather in his cap, since he’s been here he has been able to retain the majority of his coaches over the offseason which frankly is rare for a program that has struggled to win. I’m rooting for him but can’t imagine the frustration.

Lyke may have interviewed but is still out of a job, mother in Akron area I believe and most importantly attended UA law school with … wait for it … RJ Nemer. Don’t put it past him to convince her.

GVH could be the MH for Akron. Wish they’d forgo paying the search firm and just get it done already. He’s local sitting here ready to go. Either that or Heather Lyke who will back soccer in a big way as we’ve seen at Pitt. Hearing it’s one or the other so why waste time and money, especially if you have to pay a former power conference AD. We are losing momentum.

Totally agree! Does she have 1 or 2 yrs eligibility remaining after this season? Would love her to keep developing into a potential all-MAC player and prove out a similar develop, teach them to lead, retain (then add a few key pieces through the portal) approach like the JG method. Hopefully what’s happening with Gensler through the guidance of Wentz and JG.

Take it a step further, it's Akron. Do the budget cutting bean counters really care about Akron football or treating Joe right? The main guy on point for the budget is the provost and he's constantly yapping in his reports on the university state of affairs about the drain of athletics. This is why they moved Miller and Guthrie out right? You posted on the UA partnership with the Browns about the Ohio State check. Think Joe appreciated the first move made by the new president to give the Browns $1.3M for 'marketing'? to help enrollment? Announced right after he came on board, ahead of the news of more cuts, layoffs to faculty and academics etc. If they chose to pay the Browns even with the cuts looming, and according to the provost faculty and academics are supposedly taking precedence over athletics, but they hand the Browns $1.3m. What a joke. The Browns have more visiting fans looking for cheap seats to see their favorite team in the stadium than locals. Who exactly is UA marketing to at the Browns games? Why are those bean counters ok with giving away a million plus to a historically horrific NFL team but not trying to get out of their own abyss, making Joe play money games to support the athletic budget, giving away money to a pro team when they have to shell out multi millions a year to pay off an empty stadium built what 2 or 3 presidents ago, and to your point can't even afford to back their own student athletes nutritional needs. None of this would be considered treating him right and that's on the back of a single decision tied to the freaking garbage Browns. I hope they are all enjoying the high life in the suite while UA, faculty and clearly the best shot at turning around football they've had in years all get screwed again. At least they won't be on the hook for the additional payments required if the Browns make the postseason.

What is average # of All MAC to keep pushing the program forward? Have to get a QB on the list next year, don’t you think? Assume Finley is staying and will be a pre-season pick?

It starts… it could be 2-3 months of this through the end of the NFL hiring season. Prepare yourselves. These types of headlines and his name being circulated is positive for him (and any coach looking for new opportunities).