GJGood

I appreciate your insight. I just feel like that proverbial “turning the corner” was almost upon us. You are right that he had to know his recruiting and roster composition methods may be more of an old fashioned (if 8-10 years ago can be called that) approach but I think that is also the way you build longer term success as opposed to one or two good seasons before dropping off the map again. Being that every opponent is older and more experienced I think right about now is when the improvement would start to be expected. Looking at the last couple weeks I think we have started to see that. I think it was finally just starting to build in the direction they wanted. To me now does not seem like the time to pull the rug out from under the program and start over. I know it’s hard to get past the 3-24 and I would have been for the move if that was the record after three years of rosters with his guys that were as experienced as the opponents we were playing. I just thought this program was building to be a top of the MAC team two years from now but was taking its lumps now was part of the learning needed to get there

It’s a moot point now but I don’t know that I agree. I feel like it takes different coaches different amounts of time. Akron isn’t going to get great recruits off the bat. A culture needs to be built. This isn’t like Harbaugh taking over at Michigan and having losing seasons. My sticking point is that a huge chunk of the team seems to be freshmen now. That means we are looking to build from the ground floor up. I don’t think you should turn and walk the other way just as you are approaching the staircase or elevator doors. We have started to see growth as this season has gone on and now we are going to turn around and go backwards again. I would be all for the change if this was a veteran team getting these results

I know it’s not the popular thought in this thread but I feel like making a coaching change now is starting over anyway. This current team is very young and has shown some signs of having some good talent. I kind of want to see where this goes without uprooting everything again right now. That said I do think there is a glaring weakness on defense on the outside. I don’t know if it’s a lack of speed, players in the wrong position, or misreads but every time an Akron opponent heads for the sideline during an offensive play I cringe because the Akron players are always three steps behind.

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I may have liked this schedule better a few years ago, although I am not sure I would like two non-conference potential top 10 teams on the road in any given season. I really liked the original 2020 schedule coming off of an 0-12 year and may have wanted to take a small step up in competition this year compared to that had those 2020 games been played but this is a giant leap and we never got those games against the likes of UMass and NMSU to help out the development. I had a feeling the MAC would load up on the Zips in terms of divisional crossover games. They want as many teams at the top with as good of a record as possible, maybe even get to generate some New Years Six buzz if a team goes undefeated. They want as few land mines in the top teams’ paths and the Zips are not seen as a major land mine right now.

Have to rebound and defend against this team in the semifinals. Not sure there is a worse matchup in the MAC for the Zips than the opponent Friday night. Freeman, Reece, and Ali need to have impactful games inside. Playing consecutive days the first thing that seems to go is the shooting from distance. Of course how many people you play also factors in to that fatigue level and coaches have done as well with that as can be expected. Correct me if I am wrong but if the Zips win tonight would that mean they have defeated every other MAC team this season at least once?

What postseason opportunities will the MAC see? We know 1 team will be in the NCAA and we know Toledo will be in the NIT should they not win the title in Cleveland but what about the other teams? Can someone else make the NIT? Is there even a CBI being played this year? I think I heard the CiT was cancelled. If the Zips do not win the MAC tourney, should they accept a postseason bid to something other than the NCAA?

I agree completely! However, effort is one of, if not the, easiest thing to correct when you have meaningful upcoming games. I expect to see an inspired Zips squad on Friday against the team touted as the favorites to win the MAC when the season started.

Quick look at the MAC standings uncovers something really rare. Toledo leads the conference with one league loss. That loss is Akron. EMU and NIU sit at the bottom of the MAC standings with only one win a piece. That one win in each case is Akron. How odd is that?

Is this still happening? I have seen very little about it, even in this forum. Do I need to be tuned to the radio for Akron-MIddle Tennessee?

This team is going to show great improvement over the next couple seasons as long as we let things play out without rocking the boat too much but I am not sure that I am extremely confident about seeing a positive result on the scoreboard this week simply due to the inexperience and youth the Zips have right now and the success the opponent has had last season and this far this one. I know I have had said it before but I really think the Zips miss having the non-conference portion if their original schedule this year more than anyone else in the MAC. I think this team would have matured and gained more confidence against YSU, NMSU, and UMass.

A testament to how low this team actually fell, we have seen them outscored 82-23 In two games and we are saying how much they have improved. I agree, though, on the improvement. The lines are young, Zach is a redshirt freshman and the running game already looks better than it has in 8 or 9 of the last ten seasons. This could be a tough year for sure. I think it really stinks that we missed out on the YSU, NMSU, and UMass games. All three would have been quite winnable. That said, for the first time in a long time last night I was able to think this team could be pretty darn good in future seasons once the guys get more experience, especially if some decent recruiting classes are on the horizon as well. I like Gibson. I think he possesses what it takes for the Zips to win. He does force the issue too much though. Are these freshman/underclass man mistakes that go away with more experience or is this the way he will always be? I know in general players are not losing their year of eligibility this season but with someone like Gibson playing 4 games last year to redshirt and still be a redshirt freshman this year, does the redshirt drop next year or will he have a third freshman year?

With the former Zips’ injuries mounting this year... I believe Justin March is still on the active roster in Dallas. Any other Zips we can look for on the Sunday gridiron currently?

So, do we expect to see any former Zips actually take the field in an NFL stadium this weekend?

I understand social distancing and limiting the volume and location in the stadium of fans but not sure I understand there being no fans admitted at all. Other conferences are limiting their numbers and even Ohio high schools are allowing 15% of stadium capacity. If a Zips game at Infocision reached 15% capacity wouldn’t that be close to the usual in-game game day attendance we are used to anyway? I hope the attendance guidelines are modified a bit although I do agree you don’t want to be rubbing elbows with strangers at any events in 2020.

I see that Kyron Brown is still listed as inactive by the Jets. Is this still the quad injury? It seemed like it was only going to be a few weeks of missed time when it happened last season.

I hope the Eagles are a positive fresh start for him. It seems to be a good fit because Philadelphia was lacking a bit in team speed on defense. Jatavis should prove helpful in that regard plus he may be the most experienced linebacker on their roster.

I agree you need sustained success not only in win-loss record but in national perception. The other thing no one has mentioned is the MAC as a conference. If we could get a couple of years consecutively with more than one team being ranked in the Top 25 I think it would help increase attendance league-wide.

I want the Akron to get the one seed for the auto NIT bid if they don't win all three in Cleveland. The Zips are more than capable of beating any team in the conference but you never know how a team may react when its do or die or when its three games in three days. Secure at least the NIT then worry about Cleveland.

Great! I just hope it becomes standard for the games to be viewable throughout the season

I am hoping that a significant number of there games will be available to watch if not able to attend in person

While I hope it is a totally moot point and the Zips are playing in one of the top two tourneys, I would also hope they continue to play after Cleveland if the only opportunities are below that. I think guys like Ali, Dawson, and Tribble are going to need as much time as they can get.... You are certainly correct in mentioning there are quite a few seniors but these guys haven't been together for four years like traditional senior groups and they should still be getting better. I'd like to see them as long as possible. Also, Akron has never won multiple national postseason games in the same season in the Zips' Division I era. I would like to see this team be the one that does it... hopefully in the NCAA but if not then somewhere.

I think the problem here is that the worst seed to make it to the semifinals could have played in game one of the quarterfinals while the best seed to make it could have been in the late night game. The amount of rest for each team could/would favor the lesser seeded team their semifinal matchup in this case.

That incident at the end of a great moment for the Zips was unfortunate and I believe started due to something totally accidental. That being said we don't have to like our rivals but we don't need to show our dislike for them in an overly disrespectful manner. Its a great rivalry and both sides have taken it too far at times. As an Akron alum, though, I just want to see those supporting my alma mater stay classy even if it is against our most vehement rival. GO ZIPS!

The Zips did not play well. They got outrebounded astronomically. Most of the team seemed to be off offensively. The Zips lost by 3 points, only three points. I think that shows how good this team can be. I honestly don't think they have played as well the last two weeks as they were playing when the MAC schedule started but are still in the game till the end even when not playing well. At Ohio it always seemed that Groce's teams were just OK in the regular season but hit their stride in March. I hope that happens here.