Quickzips

The only way Zeke redshirts is if this ankle injury becomes a lingering problem and KD decides to shut him down for a year and let it heal up. You talk about the Zips having too many C's, but we really don't. Cvetinovic played there last year, but that was more of KD playing the two PF strategy that he has employed in the past (think Romeo and JWood) out of necessity than Nik being a true C. He is much more PF than C. We all know Bardo's limitations so I won't hash them out here again. He's a 15 minute a night guy, maximum. And unless the light came on for Sweich this offseason and he's figured out how to play the college game I don't expect him to get too many minutes again this year. That leaves.....Zeke Marshall. Let's be honest here, a progam like Akron's doesn't bring in the 7th rated C in the country to redshirt him.

I don't want to give NIU any more credit than they deserve, but possibly a couple of people are forgetting that they are very athletic, and they have beaten us the last two times they've faced us, including at home in 2008....when they beat one of the best teams we've ever had. If they recruited well this year, they probably will remain a tough matchup for us....but maybe not for the rest of the league. And much like the last two years, I will again hope that they do not end up on our MAC tournament schedule if they prove to be a tough matchup for us once again.They may present some matchup problems for us. Although I would argue that we have one of the more athletic teams this year that we have ever had and shouldn't have as many problems with them this year as in years past. But that hardly qualifies them as the 2nd best team in the conference.I'm not meaning to challenge your point, but honestly, when exactly did we suddenly become an "athletic" team when we have only added one guy to the roster?It isn't all just about Zeke. Humpty is a great athlete. The McKnight brothers are a pretty athletic duo. Nik Cvetinovic is an athlete. Brett McClanahan's athletic history speaks for itself. We haven't seen a lot of Jimmy Conyers but what we have seen he's a great athlete. Alex Sullivan is supposed to be a pretty good athlete although we haven't seen him on the court yet. Most of these guys have been brought into the program over the last 2-3 years. It's been a building process, but I think we are getting a lot better from the athletic department. The key isn't always finding athletes either. Finding athletes who are also basketball players is a big part of it. I think we all still remember Quade Milum. Easily the most athletic player on the Zips in the last 5 years but not much of a basketball player. I really have no idea where I'm going with this point, but I think we've got some guys who fit the bill of athletic basketball players as opposed to just one or the other.

I don't want to give NIU any more credit than they deserve, but possibly a couple of people are forgetting that they are very athletic, and they have beaten us the last two times they've faced us, including at home in 2008....when they beat one of the best teams we've ever had. If they recruited well this year, they probably will remain a tough matchup for us....but maybe not for the rest of the league. And much like the last two years, I will again hope that they do not end up on our MAC tournament schedule if they prove to be a tough matchup for us once again.They may present some matchup problems for us. Although I would argue that we have one of the more athletic teams this year that we have ever had and shouldn't have as many problems with them this year as in years past. But that hardly qualifies them as the 2nd best team in the conference.

Good to hear that Chris McKnight is stepping up his game. I really think he needs to take his game to the next level this year in order for our team get to the next step. He needs to become more aggressive in the post, on the boards and on defense. Great to hear that our perimeter shooting is picking up. We were shaky at times in that department last year. I'm guessing that some of this can be attributed to the reported development of Brett McClanahan? It would certainly be nice to get back to the Dials, Middleton, Joyce days when leaving a Zip open on the perimeter was a death warrant for opposing defenses.Like Can't State_sucks, I'll believe the NIU comment when I see it. I know they've taken some positive steps the last year or two over there, but they've been a doormat for so long it is hard to see them vaulting into championship consideration. Just can't see them getting past Miami, Can't, Buffalo and OU, let alone Toledo, WMU and CMU. That said, they have probably the best recruting hotbed in the conference right in their own back yard, so a quick turnaround certainly isn't out of the question.

I'm quite interested in this. I had assumed most of the offseason that Roberts would continue to be our starting 2. Any word on what is going on there? I mean we gave the kid a scholarship and everything now? Is Daryl's head not on straight again? Is Brett just stepping up that much?On a side note. If Brett really is picking it up a lot this offseason I certainly am happy about that. Having Brett as the starting 2 certainly adds some size to our starting lineup. Our PG's are still on the smallish side, but when you consider we would be trotting out at 6'4" SG, a 6'5" or 6'5" (Conyers or B.McKnight) SF, a 6'8" PF (C.McKnight) and hopefully a 7'0" C (Zeke). That is a unit that can at least match up size wise with most teams across the country. I've always felt like one of the big things that holds us back when taking on a team like a Pitt or a Texas A&M. Now I don't feel nearly as concerned with that.

I think you have them in the correct order. Yes, go with that.Doubtful, Bardo didn't even start the 2nd half of last year. It was Nik starting at C. So if Zeke isn't quite ready to take over the starting spot I'm sure it will be Nik starting at C. I would go with Nik, Zeke, Bardo.

Some good info in there. I wonder if we aren't going to start pulling some offers from guys like Green and Egner? Euton and Allen Payne would probably be two guys who would be better recruits if they decide to come here. Euton has been well hashed out here over the last few weeks, but Payne would probably be an even better pick up. Would certainly be nice to have him as a SF of the future. Also nice to hear about Brett McClanahan's improvment and the fact that Humpty's ankle is doing better.

Just a point on Nik real quick.I didn't mean to imply that Nik needs to play like an emotionless robot on the floor. That is clearly never going to be him. What he needs to continue to do is harness his emotion and transfer it into productive minutes on the floor. Early in the season he had a real problem letting his emotions get the best of him which lead to some foul trouble, some bad defensive positioning, some rushed shots, etc. As the year went on he learned not to let his emotions get the better of his play on the floor. Nik is a tremendously talented player, and his emotion is part of that. You never want to take the emotion out of his game, just channel it into the most productive form possible.

Nothing I have seen in the past would indicate the answer being a 'yes'. Here is to hoping he will prove us wrong. Thats why I put it as #10 on the list.

Well it certainly isn't football season around here anymore, so it must be hoops season for the Zips right? I mean soccer is still going strong, and that is exciting and all, but football and hoops ARE the big two sports across the country. Meet the team is Saturday and practices are starting up. Time to turn to the friendly confines of the JAR for some Zips hoops! Here are ten things to watch for as the Zips hoops season opens up:10.) Is this the year Jimmy Conyers finally lives up to the promise he had coming out of high school? Conyers' career can only be considered a failure at this point. Highly touted out of high school, transcript issues forced him to miss a year and he has never really seemed to recover. An above average defender, his glaring weakness is on offense where he almost looks terrified any time the ball swings around to him. Don't get me wrong, there have been flushes of what he's capable of doing. A spectacular dunk here, a putback there, but never enough to really get himself in a groove. With Nate Linhart graduated, and back problems an issue for Brett McKnight, having Jimmy step up in his senior year would be a really plus for the Zips.9.) How are last season's injuries healing up? Brett McKnight's back, Humpty Hitchen's ankle, Ronnie Steward's compartment syndrome. The Zips got dinged up at the end of the year last year. Although the team is deeper than it ever has been, injuries are never a good thing. Hopefully these guys have healed up properly and get through the season.8.) The second year. No, I don't mean the second year of the Zips winning the MACC and going to the tournament, I mean the second year of playing time for our talented Sophmore class. Humpty Hitchens, Nik Cvetinovic and Brett McClanahan all played important roles in getting us to the promised land last year, but they still have work to do. Can Humpty limit the freshman mistakes and become a true floor general? Can Nik continue to keep his emotions in check and build on his all around game? Can Brett become more than just a big guard with decent outside shooting? 7.) The loss of Jeff Boals. Coach Boals was the right hand man for KD the last couple of years. Now he is playing that role for Thad Matta at Columbus State. KD has done a very good job putting together his coaching staff since he's gotten here. Will there be a step back without Coach Boals or will the staff just keep on plugging away?6.) Which Steve McNees shows up? We've seen both McNees' over the last couple years. There is the Steve that can light up a team like he did against Miami two years ago and throughout this past years MACC run. Then there is the Steve that disappears, turns the ball over, plays poor defense and can't hit the broad side of a barn. We don't necessarily need Steve to be first team all MAC, but a little more of good Steve and a little less bad Steve would certainly be welcome.5.) The McKnight Brothers. Both are great players, and their chemistry on the floor is obvious, but I've always gotten the feeling that they haven't reached their true potential. Neither is what you would consider a defensive stopper, and they both have a tendency to settle for jump shots instead of utilizing their post moves to score. With Chris being one of only two seniors and Brett entering his junior year it is time for these two to take their game to the next level.4.) The guard rotation. Humpty Hitchens, Ronnie Steward, Alex Sullivan, Steve McNees, Daryl Roberts, Brett McClanahan. Those are six guys, any of which would probably start on a majority of teams in this conference. How do we utilize all of them? Are Humpty and Ronnie healthy enough to play major minutes? What can we expect from the redshirt freshman Sullivan? Is Daryl Roberts commited enough after a year and a half with the program and being on scholarship finally? Can McNees and McClanahan find more consistency?3.) Whose team is it? Last year this was clearly Nate Linhart's team. Two years ago you had the talented trio of Nick Dials, Cedrick Middleton and Jeremiah Wood. Three years ago it was Dru and Romeo. The obvious choice is senior starter Chris McKnight, but I've never really looked at him as a true leader. Who steps up and takes control of the team? For that matter, do we need someone to take on that role at all?2.) The loss of Nate Linhart. Nate wasn't always everyone's favorite player. Let's face it, his was a pretty ugly brand of basketball. But damn if it wasn't effective. Maybe the best overall defender in Zips history and a tenacious player at both ends of the floor, Nate often times defined what Akron basketball, and the Akron community in a larger sense is all about. How do we replace him? Can we replace him? Exactly how much does his loss hurt?1.) The addition of Big Zeke Marshall. Really, how could anything else be #1? Zeke is the highest rated player to ever enter the MAC, let alone the Zips. A true 7 footer who runs like a gazelle and can jump out of the gym. There isn't a team in the conference that can boast of a similar player. Up front, he gives us an advantage over every other team, if only in terms of height and athleticism. How much will the coaching staff ask of him? Will he open the season as the starter? Is his offense good enough to compliment his highly touted defensive abilities? All of these questions will hopefully be answered in the coming months. One thing is for sure, there is a lot of excitement over the big guy from McKeesport.It's a great time to be a Zips hoopster. Coming off our first MACC and our first NCAA appearance in a long time. Highly touted Center coming in. Returning almost all of the team that got us to the promised land. Let's hope that this team can live up to the expectations and then some. I have a feeling it is going to be a great winter here in NEOhio.

It was an honors ceremony for our Winter and Spring MAC Championship teams. It included the Men's Basketball team, the Men's Track and Field program, the Women's Track and Field program and I think there was one other one in there. I forget a lot of it though. I've tried to block out most of my memories from that night.

Great story there Watcher. It's nice to have some teams around here we can be proud of both on and off the playing field. Great to see Zeke putting on some muscle there. Going to need it at this level. Hopefully the guys weren't taking notes from the football team.

Being a law student, the buzz on this one has been going around pretty much since Dean Belsky arrived a year and a half ago. At this point I would say it is more likely than not to come through, but as was stated, the majority of this will be done by private donations and those can sometimes be fickle animals. It really is needed though. The current law school building is one of the biggest things holding the law school back. It isn't set up well at all. Professors offices are spread out all over the place, the library is hidden back in a corner, the heating and air conditioning system is absolutely terrible and the whole thing looks rather dead and dreary. If I'm remembering right from what I have heard the plan is to eventually close the portion of Wolfs Ledges that runs between the Law School and the Buckingham (I think this is what you called the Cunningham building) building and the new law school building will be built in this area. I'm not certain, but I think the plan is to leave the old law school standing and have it converted into undergraduate classrooms. Don't quote me on that though. These are just the whispers I hear around the halls. My guess is that action on this is still a few years away, but I can tell you it is definitly a big priority for Dean Belsky.

Yeah because we would hate to have a Zydrunas Ilgauskas type of player with the zips. That would be a terrible thing. A 7-2 all star with a great mid range shooting ability but not very athletic. Even Kentucky would hate to have a guy like Z. If he stayed commited to kentucky, you would have seen other stuff on their boards now. Now that he isn't, why don't you all join me in prayers that Dakotah decides to become a zip.I suspect you've taken my comment about Ilgauskas and it's relation to Dakotah out of context. I love Big Z as much as the next guy. But anyone whose been around the NBA would have to admit that he has a very particular set of skills and getting up and down the floor quickly isn't one of them. If you listen to the UK fans you would think that Dakotah is the same kind of guy and he just isn't. He's got the outside shot and the soft touch, but he can also get up and down the floor just fine. Nothing against either guy and I would love having Dakotah just as much as anyone else.

Yeah, I'm really not sure where all the athleticism rips are coming from. I've watched some video on him and while he doesn't run like a gazelle and jump out of the gym like Zeke does, he doesn't seem to have any trouble keeping up with the pace of the game. If you listen to UK fans you would think he was a Zydrunas Ilgauskas type who struggles to lumber up and down the floor. That's not it at all. He's able to keep up with his team on the fast break without any problem at all. Again, I wouldn't call him a world class athlete. But to talk about him as an athletic liability is a major exageration.

This just makes me even more curious about what our scholarship situation looks like for next year. Is there an indication that Green or Egner isn't coming or that one of their offers has been rescinded? Is there word that someone might be transfering out? Did Daryl Roberts NOT receive the scholarship from Parrish as was earlier reported?I'm with Watcher on this one though. Could be a huge get for the Zips. With only one PF (Cvetinovic) on scholarship after next year he could see some immediate playing time.

Source for this? Not that I'm doubting it, just curious.

Just checked out the roster today and noticed a freshman (I'm assuming walkon) named CJ Oldham from Solon. Anyone know anything about this kid?

I have to respectfully disagree with CK on this one. The question was whether there is another team in the MAC that stacks up to us talent wise. I don't think there is a team in the conference right now that can make that claim. Did we finish 5th in the MAC regular season last year? Yeah. Did we have the youngest team top to bottom in the MAC last year? Yeah. I really believe that inexperience had more to do with that 5th place finish than talent did. I wouldn't count BG as having the same kind of talent that we have. To me they are in the same kind of place we were during the early Dambrot years. They have a few good MAC-level players that are pretty talented but they lack depth and for the most part are winning games on good coaching and not beating themselves. It's tough to say what is going on down at OU as there has been a lot of turnover down there lately. Can't is watching what is left of their glory years ride off into the sunset as they continue to rely on their backcourt (which isn't nearly as good as it once was) to make up for their complete lack of any relevant big men. Miami had a good recruiting class on paper this year. They may be in a similar situation to us last year, but it's tough to say right now. The MAC West is, well, the MAC West.So after that long winded response the quick answer is, no. Noone in the MAC has the kind of talent we have right now.

Recruits and players are going to leave the program or look elsewhere any time there is a coaching change. In that matter there really isn't a "good" time to make a coaching change. If it is plainly obvious that the coach is a lame duck you should cut ties now and move forward as such.

I'm sorry, but there is just no way that JD is coming out of this without taking at least some of the blame. It's his ship. He's the captain. When the ship starts taking on water people are inevitably going to start looking at the captain. There is just no way that he's coming out of this unscathed. Especially with a new AD and the massive investment that the University just put into the program.on point..the new sheriff in town...er AD did NOT come here to put up with this and won't...he has no allegiance to the staff nor should he...hell he is not going to shoot himself in the foot by taking on somebody else's mess...unless brookhart et al perform a heretofore unseen miracle we will likely get to start all over again next year...It wouldn't be all that big of a surprise if we were starting all over again in the next few weeks.

For those that didn't see apparently Sporting News ranks the Zips #50 in the country heading into the season. http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/zips/2009/09/s...o-50-in-nation/Lot of excitement heading into this season of Zips hoops. Let's hope it doesn't crash and burn the way the pre-season excitement for football has.

I'm sorry, but there is just no way that JD is coming out of this without taking at least some of the blame. It's his ship. He's the captain. When the ship starts taking on water people are inevitably going to start looking at the captain. There is just no way that he's coming out of this unscathed. Especially with a new AD and the massive investment that the University just put into the program.

Bye JD. Nice knowing you. http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/60754807.html

The more I read about Dakotah the more he reminds me of the Indiana Pacer's Troy Murphy. Murphy is a relatively unathletic and not especially good looking 6'11" white guy who starts at PF for the Pacer's. Despite his limitations he is a ferocious rebounder who managed to finish second in the NBA last year in rebounding only to Dwight Howard. At the same time he also managed to hit 2.2 3 pointers per game while averaging 45 percent from beyond the arch (3rd most effective 3 point shooter in the NBA). Everything I keep seeing on Euton has all of those same qualities. Deceptively good rebounder with a good face up game and a shot that extends out beyond the 3-point arch. I personally love the idea of lining him up next to Zeke. It seems like they would compliment each other very well.