Captain Kangaroo

I don't know what topic I'm more tired of hearing...ebola or concussions. Probably concussions.

Sounds like good ref-razzing material for whatever's left of the AK-Rowdies.

I'm skeptical.

Bickley had a concussion last week. Don't know his status for this week.

Here are a few recruiting-related tidbits I recently stumbled across. Jacob Harrison, the 2016 QB recruit was offered early after a standout performance at the Zips summer Camp. Milwee apparently loves him, and Jacob likes the opportunity to be a passing QB in such an air-centric offense. Donterio Fowler and Jason Williams are both in Prep Schools and expected to enroll at UA next year. Matt Blaha, the 6' 4" 365 lb OL prospect recently spotted on the Zips sideline, is indeed walking-on with the Zips. Jerry Klue, the Medina/Northwestern DB...we hardly knew ye. He has already left the team. The "soft verbal" of Ronnie Hoggins is more porous than ever. Don't expect to see him in a Zips uniform. Shipman, Dixon, Dunkleberger and Jan Johnson remain solid verbals. The confirmed transfer list for the 2015 season includes: Jamal Marcus (Ohio State) TreVon Chapman (Ashland/Pitt) Larry Hope (Miami Fl) Rodney Coe (Iowa State) Donnell Alexander (Colorado State) Demarco Haynes (5' 8", 160lb WR - Northern Michigan) AJ Coney (Weber State) Travonte Junius is a 2015 grey shirt, as is K'von Wilson. Look for 6' 4" TE Josh McNeil at Tuesday night's BGSU game. This well-traveled, highly-recruited TE will be having an official visit with the Zips. Hopes are high that he'll be in the Blue and Gold next fall. BJ Bonner is another recruit high on the Zips list. Lunch time's over. Apologies up front for any typos. More updates will follow!

When "What's Kyle Pohl's status?" is considered a "tough question," I laugh.

It isn't a tough question. It is the most basic, elementary piece of information on the mind of every Zips football fan - Is Kyle Pohl healthy, and if so, when will he return? Why no mention of his health progress? Has he lost his job to Woodson? This is basic, basic stuff. If you are interviewing an NCAA Division 1 Head Football Coach you address this issue. Remember on Bewitched when Darrin #1 got replaced by Darrin #2? And everyone knew it was a different Darrin, but Samantha acted like it was the same guy? That's what I feel like...there's a new starting QB and everyone is pretending like nothing happened.

And we have a winner for "Understatement of the Millennium."

How can a Division 1 starting QB be out due to injury, and it isn't even mentioned on the team's coach show? What kind of bush league production is it? Ok, I know the answer to that question.

Interesting that the Coach's Show made no reference to Pohl. That means Woodson is the starter. Not due to injury either.

Keener - you need to listen to Dave in Green's advice on following college athletics.

You type too much.

Heartbreaking news.

Yippe.

Why does the starting defense get blamed for all the points? Special teams can't score? Say the scrubs give up a score or two after we're up 31-10 (a la Woodson vs. Marshall)...can you say that Marshall's D wasn't dominant in that game? Even if the starting D gave up 20 points (only 1.9 above their league-best average) , it would be to a Ball State team that's scored 30+ in it's last 2 games. That's pretty good, and would be enough to win.

Zips realize they can't beat anyone when the turn the ball over, and can beat everyone if they play a clean, turnover-free game. No turnovers today. Pohl is well-rested off his bye week, and sparked by the competition from Woodson. Throws for 3 TD's. Running game is still underutilized, but effective when used. Revitalized offense + no turnovers + dominant defense = Zips 31 Cardinals 20

I agree our defense is bowl-worthy. But 7 games into the 2014 season, I have yet to see any semblance of a bowl-worthy offense. Against the teams you listed, I can't see us moving the ball at all...at least under the present offensive status quo. I'll continue to hope that Pohl's bye week brings him back motivated and refreshed, and that Chisholm and Hundley are utilized in the home stretch. If that happens, no doubt a VCU-esque beatdown (the football equivalent - Marshall 2014) won't happen. A telling game for the Zippers this week. Losing to lower-middle MAC teams like OU and Ball State might still leave open the possibility of being bowl-eligible, but it would pretty much eliminate any claims to being bowl-worthy.

VCU was favored by only 7.5 against the Zips. Just sayin'....

There's no way this Zips team loses only 4 games over the entire season. Way too much youth. I agree with '55 that PG is the easy barometer for the 2014-15 team. Losing Diggs and Harney probably dropped Dambrot's blood pressure 50 points. Now he can coach kids who'll listen. That's a big plus. Harkens back to the Dials/Joyce era. I have never seen either of the Freshman play yet, and i know they'll be an improvement over what we had in 2013-14. I'm sure Betancourt will be a tiny bit better too, but he is what he is...a bundle of reckless energy. Assuming no major injuries, I will go with 23 regular season wins. I think this team will get better as the season progresses, get worse when the Freshman hit the wall in February, then finish strong down the stretch.

Inspired by a Keener post of a few weeks ago, I am thinking of installing a new ZipsNation feature - "Grubbin' with The Grate One™." I figure a slickly-produced pilot would immediately be scarfed-up by The Food Network. Guy Fiery's schtick is getting old...they need fresh content. 45% for you, 45% for me, and Keener gets 10%. You in?

Any attendance discussion has officially become more worthless than it already was. If that is possible. Loss to a weak OU team killed whatever buzz would have been generated by entering the BG game with only 2 losses. The MAC AD's made their deal with the devil by scheduling Tuesday night games in November. Time to dig up Red Cochrane and have him hand out $1 tickets...that's the only way to get anyone to attend a game. There will be more Akron Fans @ K.e.n.t. than there will be at either the BGSU or UMass home games.

Right now, I think any of those match ups would bring back memories of the Akron-VCU NCAA tournament game. Hope Pohl's personal bye week springs some life back into the Zips offense this weekend.

Rats. Clairvoyance is a curse.

Probably why it was stopped so easily. Should have kicked the field goal. Stein has been solid, and it's going to be a close game. Forfeiting 3 pts isn't the best move. As a side note - it appears the "body bag" tweet has fired a few Zips up.

I don't foresee the Zips doing that...but they should. If "old school" is in any way used to describe our offense at day's end, I think we'll have had a successful day.