zipboy

I like the comment for the first kid, academic difficulties and an offer from Duke.

I was out at dinner in downtown Akron last week. I don't live that close to Akron so I usually don't go downtown that much. I was happy to see 2 bars with Coors Light Go Zips signs in Neon. Also saw Zips pocket football schedules at a few restaurants. At one bar, the bartender had a Zips cap on and poured the beer in a Zips glass. Made me feel like strides are being made. Great job UAM.

Igor was 0 for 2 last week on FGs vs Glenville. Not sure the distance but Mentor got shut out.

A few thoughts on the scrimmage - No mention of Henry or Tate all fall. How is the battle going? Has Anderson moved into the starting line up? No mention of Jay Rohr this Fall. A few guys are banged up at LB per gozips.com and I have not seen his name in the stats. Any worries? Who has stepped up on the O line? JD tells it like it is. He mentioned at Meet the Team Day that he wished they had a few more weeks to get ready. Sounds like everyone is working hard. Hopefully this is somewaht of a smoke screen.

The focus is still to win the conference. JD will use the first couple of games to get ready for NIU. No one really remembered Penn State and Virginia last year during week 11 with the MAC East crown on the line. I look for us to be competitive, and I would kill to finally win a big OOC game. We are still a year away from having enough firepower. With that said, I look for Getsy to start and Ferguson to get some playing time against Purdue. Getsy probably gets the first 2 games to show that he can get it done. Biggs is a no brainer to start. He was all MAC last year. If Kennedy is as good as we all hope, he should work his way into the rotation. Biggs with 15-18 carries every week is a lot better than Biggs with 25-30 carries every week. There is definitely enough carries for both of those guys. On JD, he has said a couple of times that players win games. He is an outstanding recruiter. While I think he downplays his game day coaching, I thought that it was excellent last year. He also instilled pretty quickly the can do rather than what else is going to wrong mindset. I could not be happier with the guy. When the time comes, he will play the best guys. Eric Wedge has taken a lot of heat this year for sticking with Blake and Boone. I heard a comment the other day that he has shown so much confidence in everyone that guys are starting to play over their heads. Giving a guy a few weeks to show what he can do does not worry me at all. Playing Jessie Smith for 4 years at starting CB is what I call waiting too long. Good posts everyone. Also, fyi I saw that Butchie is the new QB coach at Ashland replacing Tom Stacey. Good luck to Butchie.

Hard for me to put in perspective since I don't follow soccer much other than the Zips scores. Thinking of it in terms I can relate to, how about Dambrot and the boys knocking off Kentucky and Wake Forest back to back. Way to go soccer!

Per the PD, he made a 47 yarder in scrimmage action last week and hit a 55 yarder in warm ups. Strong leg, if he has a good mental make up, he will be fine. Looks like he will be our kicker next year?

Thanks ZIP.

Thanks for the updates. I remember an article in the PD last year that Cloud had a kid before his senior year. He came pretty close to dropping out of school but Ginn convinced him to stay. I still think you take a chance on a kid like that 9 times out of 10. Too bad, the best thing that he could do is get a degree so that he will be able to support his family. I wish him well. Bummer about Marshall. I heard that he was up to 250LBs and was in great shape coming into camp. I expected him to get playing time this year. Question on grayshirts - do you do that because there are not enough scholarships or to sit out and try to pass the test to not lose the year? I thought Jarvis was the former. Is Cruz the latter?

Thanks Captain, great post. It is good to see Anderson as good as advertised. While I like to redshirt the O Line, if we are pointing to 2007 as a top 25 team, an extra year of playing time now will only help in 07. Also I saw that USA Today picked Jabari as the breakout player for the Zips this year. Not the guy that I would have initially thought of but good to hear that he is looking good.

It will really get annoying to the other team when we are drubbing the rest of the league and keep blowing this whistle. I was about to shoot someone at Penn State with that freaking lion roar. Wonder if it will be a sexy whistle at the volleyball games?

Sad story to say the least. I doubt they will ever find the killer or at least convict the killer.

Per the PD, he committed to Dayton. I saw an article a few weeks ago that said he had no solid offers and was not highly recruited. I think ZIP you mentioned a few months ago that he would probably end up at Akron. Anyone know anymore? Were the Zips high on him?

F Doug Johnson. While he meant to be complimentary he is saying that a guy from Akron will have a much tougher time than a guy from Florida because Florida is big time and Akron is not. His perception is ignorance just like much of the country.

I was at the Gridiron 101 last night, a great time. A nice idea idea by UAM and I am glad the coaches, wives and support staff took the time. I always come away feeling more and more impressed that the right people are in place. A few observations 1. The attitude of the staff is clearly that Akron should take a back seat to no one in the country in terms of programs, facilities etc. I can't really describe it but several times when questions came up and I could see someone in the audience thinking we are just a MAC school so how do you expect us to do that instead the answer was look around you, this is an amazing place with amazing people and we can go toe to toe with anyone. I also had the feeling they all really believe it as I know that most of us do as well. 5 years ago if someone said Akron Zips - top 25 program most people would have smirked. (Heck, a few years ago I almost got into a fight with someone who said that Mt Union could play with Akron). With these guys, they would say you should expect a top 25 team. 2. I can see why these guys are good recruiters. Some serious passion and looks like great chemistry in this group. After a few talks, I was ready to run through a wall and hit somebody. "Gung Ho!" If I had a kid, I would want him to play for this staff. 3. It has been a year but the Fieldhouse still has the WOW effect. Kudos to Paul Hammond for keeping it looking that great. 4. No big learnings for the season other than everyone is very impressed with the FR class and their workouts over the summer and with some added depth, we may see some different formations on both O and D. 5. Look for a stadium announcement in the next 6-18 months. I was a little disappointed that it is not as imminent. 6. Good times are ahead. I hope UAM was not disappointed with the turnout. Just because most of the area is a bunch of idiots when it comes to supporting the Zips, those who do appreciate activities like last night. Go Zips!

Thanks for the post Captain, great insights.

My 3 biggest concerns 1. Does the O Line gell? I worry about this group the most. 2. QB - can Getsy be solid? If the O Line is solid, he at least has a fighting chance. 3. DL - Hate to put pressure on one guy, but Gonzalez showe flushed last year where he could be a difference maker. He is one of the few guys we have had under the years who was not undersized. I like the depth in the secondary and the LBs will be playmakers. Special teams should be even better with more team speed than last year.

Encouraging news to say the least but this would be the fastest recovery in the history of ACL tears. If he is reasonably able to play by the end of January I will be estatic.

The Brookhaven PG, Antoine Lavendar who I think started at PG for Oklahoma transferred to another school. That may lend more support to Foust leaving as well if his high school teammate transferred.

Overall, I am pretty pleased in looking at the roster. Some quick observations 1. Balaam is still on the list. That does not mean that he will show up, but at least as of now plans are that he will be. 2. Benjamin from Glenville is on the roster. I thought someone mentioned grades were a concern with him. On a downside, Myron Howard is not listed. He must have decided to stick with track. 3. Terricko Marshall is on the roster. I thought that he was a probable prop 48 candidate. He may get some playing time early on. 4. Rich Spaulding moves to RB. Poor guy, this must be his 8th position by now? 5. Sam Walker not listed on the roster.

I was pretty sure that Garner was a Prop 48 from the start so that does not surprise me.

Weird that after Stacy got the job, Pax TV interviewed him at the Rubber Bowl. Not sure if he is on good terms with UA or they just decided to meet there since no one would be around.

Hilliard Darby DB/WR Taylor Price may not have been a name many had heard of prior to the Ohio State camp a few weeks ago. However, after recording the best forty time in camp with a 4.29, many were left asking exactly who this speedy defensive back exactly is. Standing in at 6-1, 195-pounds, Taylor recorded 52 tackles with two interceptions, a fumble recovery and five blocked kicks in 2004 for the 5-5 Hilliard Darby squad. "I think what sets me apart from other players is my size and strength," said Taylor. "I have good closing speed and awareness too, but I think I need to work on my quickness and breaking on the ball." With this combination of skill and talent, Taylor is garnering some collegiate interest. He is hearing from Ohio State, Cincinnati, Akron, Ohio and Miami (OH). He camped with the Buckeyes and the Bearcats this summer and is planning on camping at Akron on July 24th. While he has yet to receive an offer, Taylor likes each of the schools taking notice. "I really got along well with the coaches at Cincinnati," he said. "I feel like we have a good relationship and I feel comfortable talking to them. I got along really well with my position coach [Tim Haynes] at Ohio State and I got to talk to Coach Tressel. I really like Akron's campus a lot, too." Primarily a defensive back, Taylor plays both ways in high school and some of the colleges taking notice are interested in him playing wide receiver and returning kicks with his blazing speed. "I am willing to play anywhere," he said. "I played running back before high school. It is kind of good to get back on offense." Entering the 2005 season, Taylor hopes to lead Hilliard Darby to their first playoff appearance in school history and to earn All-Ohio honors. "We're looking pretty good this year," Taylor explains. "We will be better than last year. I am not going to give a record or anything, but we have really improved and things are looking good."

Kudos to North Illinois. They just signed a flagship deal with the Score in Chicago, the 50,000 mega power and #1 sports station in Chicago. I can even get that station here. My dream is the day WTAM signs a similar deal with us.

640 always blew chunks. In the Cleveland area 1350 comes in great usually better than 1300. I can think of 2 dozen people over the last 2 years who told me at work they were flipping around and picked up a Zips game or Zips live on 1350. Good to see that we are staying with them. On a side note, any word on if the Joe Dunn will continue on Monday nights. It got to the point toward the end of basketball where it turned into an Akron Zip call in show, not university sponsered so much more banter. I really enjoyed it. It was also good to hear the Zips 5 nights a week in Jan and Feb between the Joe Dunn show, Zips Live, and men and women's basketball.