a-zip

OK, it is fine to want it but how does it get done? What is a good plan/strategy? This is an open forum so we can wish for anything we want, say anything we want. Hell, I want it too!!! There are fiscal responsibilities that come with taking the next step - it is not going to happen in the MAC I can tell you that! We need better recruits and we need to get in a different conference, in order to do that it, we need money. I hate to say this BUT - there are many passionate/caring fans on ZN.o I don't think the rest of Akron gives a crap.

OK, I've got that… But what does that mean? You guys are missing my point, which is……..with the resources KD has, he is doing a great job and making the most out of what he has. So when you KEEP SAYING "Think Bigger" are you talking about KD, the AD, the fan base…….who? AD - give KD a bigger budget to attract better quality assistants? Build a new arena? Joe Akron - get your ass to the games so the school sees there is interest and a new arena is warranted? So recruits really want to come here? Look at Akron soccer….the support is the best in the country. Guess what, we compete on a national level, win championships, attract the best recruits, get the best coaches. Why? Because of a rabid fan base and support. We need to attract better recruits and keep the good coaches we have….period. We are getting MAC recruits right now and doing very well with them. "It aint about the Xs and Os, it is all about the Jimmys and Joes" - Bobby Bowden

Very hard, especially when you play in a shitty conference and wind up getting a 12+ seed. The odds say you are going to lose…. just ask Western Michigan . Coach Dambrot highlights below (to include assistant's success and player development in blue….Linhart not in there but he was a great one who also developed under KD). Again, all I am saying is he is doing the best he can with the cards he has been dealt. Unless you know of a surplus of cash to bring in top assistants, I would say the assistants he has and has had are pretty damn good. Is there room for improvement, yes……I am confident KD will reflect and take care of things. Dambrot wasted no time putting his stamp on the program and has led Akron to the postseason in six-straight and seven of the last eight seasons – participating in the NCAA Tournament in 2009, 2011 and 2013, the National Invitation Tournament in 2006, 2008 and 2012, and the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) in 2010. His success ranks the Zips with some of the top programs in the nation. Akron is one of only six teams in the country to win at least 22 games in each of the past eight seasons, joining the likes of Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Ohio State and Pittsburgh. UA leads the Mid-American Conference in overall wins since the start of the 2004-05 season (210) and is the only team in the league, and one of 15 nationally, to post at least 20 wins in each of the past eight seasons. Dambrot's streak of eight-straight 20-win seasons is tied for the ninth-longest stretch by an active coach to do so all with the same program and is tied for the 12th-longest run in the nation among active coaches overall. Dambrot has led Akron to the MAC Tournament title game in each of the last seven years, the longest streak in league history and the second-longest active run in the nation. In his nine seasons in charge of the program, Akron has amassed a 210-94 (.691) overall record, including a 107-41 mark in MAC play and a 119-18 tally in home games (64-10 in MAC play). Akron's 210 victories are tied for the 27th-most nationally during the past nine seasons. In 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach he owns a 318-164 (.660) overall record. Dambrot enters the season in fourth place in MAC history with a .642 win percentage while coaching in the league (230-128 overall; 210-94 Akron, 20-34 Central Michigan), fourth in overall wins (210), fifth in league games winning percentage (.643, 117-65) and seventh in conference wins (117). In 2013, Dambrot was named the MAC Coach of the Year and the Red Auerbach Coach of the year, as well as a finalist for the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award (national COY) and the Hugh Durham Award, which recognizes the nation's top mid-major coach. Mentoring a total of 27 All-MAC honorees, 13 MAC All-Tournament team selections, three MAC Sixth Man of the Year honors, four MAC Defensive Players of the Year, three MAC tournament MVPs and one MAC player of the year award has highlighted his time at UA. Also during his watch, 10 players have been added to the school's 1,000-point scorer's list, he coached the all-time blocked shots leader for Akron and the MAC (Zeke Marshall, 368), Akron's all-time assists leader (Dru Joyce, 503), all-time winningest player (Chris McKnight, 97 victories over a four-season span) and all-time games played leaders (Steve McNees and Nikola Cvetinovic, 141). In 2010, Dambrot was inducted into the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, and at The University of Akron as both a student-athlete and head coach. NATIONAL EXPOSURE The University has increased its footprint on the national level under Dambrot. On the heels of the nation's-best 19-game winning streak during the 2012-13 campaign, the Zips earned the No. 24 ranking in the Feb. 25 USA TODAY Coaches Poll, the first national ranking in program history. UA also received a program-best 43 votes in the AP Poll that week. The Zips have gained the attention of the national pollsters on five separate occasions prior to 2013, including the Nov. 9, 2012, and Nov. 12, 2007, AP Polls, and the 2003-04 preseason, Nov. 18, 2003, 1985-86 final coaches polls. Additionally, UA has closed out six of the last eight campaigns ranked in the final CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Akron continues to play in a number of nationally televised games and has finished inside the RPI Top-100 in the last two seasons, including a program-best 48th in 2012-13. The program has not been afraid to compete against teams from the ACC, Big East, SEC, Pac-12, Big 12, A-10, MWC, MVC and WAC. In 2013, the Zips will play in its second-consecutive ESPN-hosted tournament, the 2013 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, after playing in the 2012 Puerto Rico Tip-Off. With Dambrot in charge, the program tallied its first-ever victories over schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference (at Florida State in the 2008 NIT) and Southeastern Conference (versus Mississippi State during the 2005-06 regular season at the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico). THE DAMBROT ERA HIGHLIGHTS After guiding the Zips to a 19-10 record in the 2004-05 season, the program finished the 2005-06 campaign with a 23-10 mark, which at the time was the most wins in the program's Division I era, and also notched the school's first D-I postseason victory – an 80-73 overtime win at Temple in the opening round of the NIT. UA also posted a 13-0 mark at Rhodes Arena that year, and extended its win streak at home to 18 games, which ranked as the third-longest nationally at the time. In 2006-07, Dambrot led Akron to a school-record tying 26-7 mark (1971-72 team went 26-5) and its first MAC East Division title since 1998. Additionally, the program made its first-ever appearance in the MAC tournament championship game, falling 53-52 on a 3-point buzzer-beater. The Zips ran their win streak at home to 21 games, with a 73-71 loss to top-25 ranked Nevada blemishing what was the fourth-best streak nationally at the time. UA ended the campaign 13-1 at Rhodes Arena. Senior forward Romeo Travis capped off his career by being selected as an Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press – the first Zips cager to do so since 1989. Travis was also honored as the MAC Player of the Year, the first in the history of the UA program, and was named to the all-league first team, MAC All-Tournament Team and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 10 Second Team for the second-straight season. In 2007-08, Dambrot and the Zips provided their fan base with another year filled with excitement and milestones, ending the season with a 24-11 record and an 11-5 finish in league play. UA again advanced to the MAC tournament title game. For the second time in three seasons, the Zips made their way to the second round of the NIT – this time knocking off Florida State 65-60 in OT in the opening round. That was the program's first-ever victory over a school from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Zips lost 68-63 to eventual NIT runner-up Massachusetts in the second round. Dambrot's 2008-09 squad went 23-13 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after winning its first-ever MAC Tournament championship against Buffalo. The Zips earned a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament and fell to Gonzaga in the first round, 77-64, after leading with just over nine minutes to play. Competing in 36 overall games, it was the longest season in program history. During the 2009-10 season, Dambrot's squad went 24-11 and made its fourth-straight appearance in the MAC Title Game. The Zips made their third-consecutive postseason appearance and fourth in five years, playing in the College Basketball Invitational game for the first time. The 2010-11 season saw many ups and downs, but the result was the same as the 2008-09 season. The Zips, 12-10 at one point in the season, won eight-straight games and 12 of their last 15 to win the MAC title for the second time in three seasons and advance to the program's third NCAA Tournament. With a 23-13 record, Akron faced Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the No. 15 seed. The Zips fell 69-56 to the Fighting Irish. The 2011-12 campaign was a season of firsts as the Zips won their first MAC regular season title and became the first league team to play in six-straight conference tournament title games. Akron advanced to its third NIT under Dambrot after falling in the MAC Title Game by a single point. Dambrot also became the first Akron coach to be named to the NABC all-district list, earning co-district coach of the year honors. In addition to the program's first national ranking and a program-best finish in the RPI standings during the 2012-13 campaign, Dambrot's Zips tied the program record with 26 wins (26-7), posted the nation's longest winning streak (19-straight) and the best start to league play in MAC history (13-0), won its second-straight MAC regular season title, posted a 19-point win over Ohio in the MAC title game and earned a program-best No. 12 seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. CAREER COACHING EXPERIENCE Dambrot received his M.B.A from Akron in 1984 while serving as a graduate assistant under former men's basketball coach Bob Rupert. After two years as a graduate assistant, he moved up to a full-time role with the Zips for one season, before taking the head coaching job at Tiffin. In his second season there (1985-86), he led the Dragons to the most single-season wins in school history (24). In 1986, he made his first venture into the MAC, starting a three-year run as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan and worked alongside then head coach Ben Braun (who served as head coach at California and is now at Rice). In 1988, the Hurons won their first-ever MAC championship and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Dambrot returned to northeast Ohio in 1989 as head coach at Ashland, where, in two years, he led the Eagles to a 48-13 overall mark, two final national rankings and their first-ever conference and regional championships. In 1991, he returned to the MAC and took on his first Division I head coaching role at Central Michigan. His 1992 recruiting class was ranked 15th in the nation by Hoop Scoop Magazine and he led the Chippewas to a 20-34 record in his two seasons. THE DAMBROT COACHING TREE A key part to Keith Dambrot's success has come from the knowledge and expertise of his coaching staff. Comprised primarily of former players, both from Akron and his previous coaching stops, Dambrot's current staff includes five former players, including Zips' assistant coaches Terry Weigand (Tiffin, 1985-86), Rick McFadden (Akron, 2003-05) and Charles Thomas (Eastern Michigan, 1987-89). Former assistant coaches under Dambrot have also had success after leaving Akron, including the appointments of Lamont Paris (2004-10) and Jeff Boals (2006-09) to positions with Big 10 programs Wisconsin and Ohio State respectively. Shaka Smart, a Dambrot assistant from 2003-06, made stops at Clemson (2006-08) and Florida (2008-09) before taking his first head coach position at VCU in 2009. Smart went on to lead VCU to the 2011 Final Four.

What it has to do with is the fact that KD is coaching/recruiting and winning with the same facilities, lame fan base, and same conference as these other coaches had and is consistently producing a winner that actually GETS to post season play and wins MAC Championships……did any of these other coaches do this (for that matter, any other coach at any school in the MAC)? Our win totals over the past years put us in elite company. KD has recruited some great players (and even brought the highest ranked recruit the MAC has ever had). Regarding recruiting, I do believe he is still bringing in quality (4 year) players. In order to make the jump we are all looking for, you may have to take some risks…I am not aware of a bunch of Zeke Marshall's ********* recruits lined up to play at a half filled JAR. I also read the same bitching about our coaches on ZN over and over. Early in TB's career here and this season people were questioning him. People also questioned JE and soccer early on. Things turned out just fine for both teams. You talk about "we" need to start thinking bigger…..what does that mean? Until a fan base supports the school that fills the JAR, Infocision, etc - where does the money come from to "think bigger". He is making the most out of the cards he has been dealt…..happy to have him. Not picking on you but what does thinking bigger mean to you?

And now look at our postseason (and regular season) history before KD. Let me know what you find Be careful what you wish for people…….

How do they determine the home teams? We have to travel……aren't we a higher ranked team than IPFW? Ohio gets a home game?

So….do we get a post season tourney?

And teams foul us because they know we suck at free throw shooting.

Really happy for Betencourt….he made some great plays in the end (great steals).

Anthony Lauro WR

Holy S%*T!!! He looks amazing. Hard to find anything on him (i.e. rivals, espn, scout). If KD pulls this off….wow!

Is our class ranked?

Not sure what Rivals/ESPN/Scout say but after watching the highlight films here are my ratings; ****** Newman Williams - looks incredible ****** Travonte Junius ***** Undrea Bullard ****1/2 Kyle Ritz ****1/2 Brock Boxen **** Chandler Kincade **** Scott Boyette **** Kris Givens ***1/2 Anthony Clark *** Jamal Bagget *** Jason Williams

I wish we had a "like" button.

Bettor Instincts Not sure if this has been posted somewhere but there are mentions of Akron and Charlie Frye helping Edelman

Wow!!! Would be a great pick up

He looks good to me!!! Good size

I want Peyton Manning to throw a last second TD over Richard Sherman for the win and then see the post game interview.

Somebody just made a jump on my peckerhead list

The fact that it is so hard of a decision and they are all great (to include players not even on this list) is a testament to what KD means to our program.

yup

I realize this is an open forum and anyone can say whatever they want but it would be nice if people put things in perspective and looked at the big picture before reacting and calling for people’s jobs. In the past year there have been posts calling for the heads of the AD, TB, JE and now KD (oh, and some people even call Tressel incompetent). I personally think the school and athletic program are in as good a shape as they have ever been. The campus looks beautiful, the facilities are great and we have tremendous coaches and administrators that most schools in the country would die to have (I am not just talking about MAC schools). Here are my thoughts; FOOTBALL – we got off to a rough start but played an incredibly tough schedule. TB talked about how good UCF was (and they are), their QB is projected to be drafted 3rd in the NFL Draft and are playing in a big bowl game. Michigan, never been more proud of our team, would have loved to have seen a W the team deserved . Lousiana, beat Tulane in their bowl game. BG – bowl game, Ohio – bowl game, N Ill – bowl game, Ball St – bowl game, Toledo (we knocked them out of a bowl game). The team improved dramatically, attendance sucked, BUT people were complaining about TB, play calling, etc. FUTBALL – People were saying JE was a mistake, we should have gone for a high profile guy with our soccer stature. We struggled early, couldn’t hit the back of the net but eventually started scoring goal towards in the end (which I attribute to a great coach making adjustments and coaching his players). Our soccer team had 12 freshman because our guys get DRAFTED. That means tough rebuilding every year and likely slow starts to get everyone to gel. We were 17-4-1, undefeated against the Big 10, ACC and made it to the second round of the NCAAs (after getting hosed by the NCAA on seeding). Pretty damn good I say. BASKETBALL – Here we go again, people are questioning KD now (the best BBall coach we have EVER had). We have played 7 games in 14 days, traveling from Akron, to Hawaii to South Carolina (brutal schedule!!!). Two of these early losses came to Iowa State (12 rank) and S. Carolina (who I bet we will see in postseason this year). Folks, the team has got to be tired and rightfully so. You want to talk about a young team…..we have ; 1 senior, 4 juniors (Harney/Tree included here), 4 sophomores and 4 freshman. In addition to that we lost arguably the most dominant center the MAC has ever had and a very good point guard who, if he wasn’t such an idiot, would be a senior right now (needless to say a glaring weakness on this team). Is that KD’s fault? THE ATHLETIC DEPT – We have some of the best coaches in the NCAA (I include women and men’s sports in that statement) and gorgeous facilities. To my knowledge, contracts are in good shape with all of them. Folks, the caliber of our coaches vs the salaries some of them could be making are way out of whack. We should be happy to have them all and it would be nice if they were given support from the fans for their hard work. I guarantee you most of them could do better. As mentioned by someone else earlier, most successful MAC coaches are gone after a year or two of success, we have been able to keep ours. BTW - Caleb did not leave for another NCAA team (and I guarantee you he was courted by many to include his alma mater). One of my first posts on this board I stated keeping good coaches is the key to success in the MAC so hats off to TW. So, in my opinion things are just fine, not perfect, but just fine. The only disappointment I have is with the fan base that seems to look for excuses to not support the teams……not enough wins, bleacher seats, bad bathrooms, etc. etc. The campus is a fun place to be, the teams deserve more support………if they get the support the coaches will be more inclined to stay, top recruits will want to come here, the teams will get even better and maybe there would be justification to build a new arena to match the Info. So put your OSU jerseys in the bottom of the drawer and go support YOUR team Akron!!

Wow! Best basketball coach we have ever had is locked up for 10 years and the AD is an idiot???? i guess he is an idiot for extending a football coach with a losing record too

Heeeeree we go. Likely the same people wanting Embick's head early in the year and who thought Bowden was fumbling now want Dambrot's head....unreal!!! Do what you usually do Akron, stop coming to the games ;-)