Captain Kangaroo

K.e.n.t. has 24 more sacks than AkronCle PD:Most successful football teams have an internal motto. In tough times, the motto encourages a leap of faith, giving players the reassurance that what they have done all season is still going to work.At Can't State, this is what they believe now:"We do well together," said senior defensive end Kevin Hogan, a Chardon High School graduate.It's that point in the season for Can't State, as the Golden flushes (5-4, 4-1) sail into uncharted waters against rival Akron (1-7, 0-4) on Saturday, seeking to stay in the hunt for a Mid-American Conference East Division title.The difference could be on the defensive line, where Can't State's 10 players in the rotation have more than just "done well together." The flushes are tied for sixth in the nation in sacks, with an average of 3.33 per game and 30 overall, four off the school record set in 2004. Defensive end Monte Simmons has 71/2 of them and is tied for 13th in the nation individually.Can't has 10 more sacks than anyone else in the MAC, and 24 more than Akron. And Can't's rush to the quarterback is not coming from one spot on the line, but rather from everywhere."Pretty much everybody on the defensive line knows how to play the opposite position," said Hogan, who is third among linemen with four sacks. "Our nose guards know how to play tackle; our ends can play both sides. One advantage this year is there is definitely a lot of trust and accountability, which makes it easy to put different guys in at any time."On a team loaded with freshmen and sophomores, the defensive line has some seniors, including Hogan, Sam Frist and Aaron Hull. Frist and Hull are inside, where the secret to Can't's pass rush begins."Our interior linemen are playing great, some of the best play that I have seen since I have been here," Hogan said. "They're pushing the pocket, creating pressure. One of the things we're doing is pass rushing as a unit rather than rush selfishly. We're accounting for the players we are playing with. That's really helped us become more effective."It also keeps offenses from locking in on one player, or one position trying to slow Can't down."There aren't just one or two people getting sacks. . . . [That's] great for two reasons: One, we're rolling guys in and keeping people fresh. And two, when we're pass-rushing as a unit, it helps with our overall success."That success has Can't State in the MAC East title chase. It is a position Hogan and many of his teammates were in as recently as 2006, only to finish that campaign at 6-6 overall, 5-3 in the conference. That is not where the flushes want to be at the end of 2009."I think the thing we need to do is stay focused, and not become complacent," Hogan said. "That's a problem that past teams have had. Once they've had some success they have become complacent."For us, the things we need to do is focus on one game. Be disciplined and accountable. And take to good coaching. That's where we'll find success."

That's exciting news!

If you've ever seen these early-season, neutral site tourneys on TV, there's usually about 16 people in the stands.It's your call....but if it were me I'd see if I could get some cheapies outside the arena. There's no risk of a sell out.

K.e.n.t is 4-1 in the MAC. Their only blemish is the BG loss on the game's final play.I look at K.e.n.t's talent, and I don't see it being any better than Akron's. Am I wrong? JD cries about his injuries...K.e.n.t. lost their Eugene Jarvis for the season in game #1...they are relying on a 3rd string, true Freshman QB...yet somehow they are 4-1 in the MAC. Who are these 14 key players we lost for the season?Jacquemain? Please. It is a miracle he lasted as long as he did. His "leadership" capabilities were on display as early as 2006.Excerpt for the 2006 Post: Bowser - Legit loss. But no worse than K.e.n.t losing Jarvis.Is Bain a loss? The guy never played!Is Dale Martin a loss? He's been hurt since he was at Louisville. Matt Rodgers? He was getting pulled in favor of Nicely on the next series anyhow.Aaron Williams? Tough kid. I feel terrible for him. But 200lb linebackers tend to get banged up in Division 1-A football.We are losing at near-record pace because our special teams are atrocious and our offensive line is grossly under performing.If the Zips punted effectively, made a decent share of their field goals and got any sort of an offensive line push...we would be 5-3.

If that line proves effective, do you mind if I occasionally use it too?

Crush the OrangeI'm jealous. Wonder how much money LeMoyne University Marketing would have needed to spend to get the publicity their basketball program provided last night?

I think he spent sufficient time on Zeke over the past few weeks.Based upon his writings, he doesn't see Zeke contributing all that much in 2009-10, so why mention him?

He picked the Derrick Tarver-led Zips to finish 27-3 and win the MAC several years ago, so he could...maybe...be wrong.Elton's Preview

The weather looks pretty good. I think 15k UA fans and 8k+ K.e.n.t. fans is pretty realistic. As far as a time-eating offense goes...we didn't convert a single third down against a very pedestrian NIU team. ZERO third down conversions?! That doesn't bode well for this week.I think it comes down to mistakes. It always does. K.e.n.t. doesn't know how to win. They'll screw up plenty. It's just a matter of whether or not the Zips can take advantage of it. And if we don't screw up more than K.e.n.t.

I think the crowd and the intensity will force the mistakes. And the crowd will be behind our Frosh, and against theirs.If K.e.n.t. was smart, they would get their students to InfoCision early and take over the grass end zone.But they aren't...so they won't.

The key to beating K.e.n.t. State this Saturday is obvious - It all lies in the hands of the AK-Rowdies.Last year the Rowdies obnoxious enthusiasm (and I mean that in a positive way) directly affected the outcome of the game when JD forced Ke.n.t. to drive into the teeth of the Rowdie-infested endzone. As expected, the Rowdies got inside the K.e.n.t. kicker's head and he shanked-away a game-tying 20-yarder.This season, both teams have a true Freshman QB. One will be playing at home, with the support of about 15,000 home fans. He can ride that wave of support, so long as the Rowdies provide it.Likewise, the 18-year old K.e.n.t. QB can really show his age if the Rowdies get into the game.JD needs to keep it close...and the AK-Rowdies can do the rest.Are the Rowdies up to the task?Will Igor Iveljic reveal his post-game party plans on live radio again?Who will have the best chili in the Lot #9 Chili Cook-off?Stay tuned Zips Fans...

Dumbest thread in the history of ZipsNation (and that says a LOT). Not worth a response. I learned a long time ago that you can't win an argument with a guy afflicted with Keyboard Diarrhea. He just keeps typing...and typing...and typing...

Charlie Frye? How many Championships did Frye win at UofA? The career LeFevour has has at CMU dwarfs what Frye did at UofA.Stick LeFevour with Lee Owens...with Jesse Smith as his defense's #2 cornerback for four years...it's a wash. Let's see how Dan finishes the season. He should have one more chance to get a win over a 6-6 BCS school.And, as expected, Thunder Dan lost...again...to BC 31-10.CMU scored a TD with 35 seconds remaining to pull within 21-points of the now 6-3 Golden Eagles.One career win vs. a BCS school for this MAC legend. Look for a big loss in the upcoming Little Cesar's Pizza Pizza Bowl.But he has a big poster. That, no one can deny.

The Captain made a trip to his old stomping grounds on Friday to see the Blue Devils cap their undefeated season with a 47-7 beatdown of Leetonia. It was 27-0 after 9 minutes.I can't see the Matt Brickner-Adam Kapelka backfield combo being all that successful.Blue Devils 28Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 7Hope my HS prognostications fare better than my collegiate ones.

I don't buy it. Not in the least.K.e.n.t. State dominated the MAC for almost a decade. They also won multiple NCAA tourney games. Cleveland State won one last season. Butler...Drake...Western K.e.n.t.ucky...all these guys are focused on winning their conference and winning games in the NCAA tourney. Who in the hell would know who Winthrop was if they didn't win a tourney game? No one. How about Creighton? The list is endless.Dominate mid-major teams win NCAA tourney games. That is a major goal of all quality mid-major programs. If the Zips win the MAC again, then lose in the 1st round of the NCAA tourney, it is no better than last year.The NCAA sent the Zips out to the west coast because they didn't earn the right to get a better location or seed. Ditto Miami and K.e.n.t. in previous seasons. Those teams, like last season's Zips, were worthy of being seeded in the teens. It is time to earn a better seed.The low-aimer guy with the "let's just be happy being the tallest midget in the MAC" attitude will always irk me. Dambrot has openly said he wants to be a top 25 team. He has openly stated that he has a "window of success" within the upcoming Zeke 4 seasons where he can get an new arena off the ground, and bust into the top 25.But...low-aimer fan will be uber-satisfied with being the tallest midget in the MAC.I believe in Dambrot. I agree with Dambrot. I disagree with those who've already draft their excuses why we lost a future 2010 NCAA tourney game because it makes them cope better.

NIU rushes a school record 62 times for 523 yards.NIU 52Akron 20Please let me be wrong. Please.

Was anyone else surprised that not one MAC team received a single vote in either the Associated Press or USA Today preseason men's polls?Why would any MAC school receive a vote?

That's really not a fair stat. If you give a guy the bunt sign every time he's at bat, you have to expect his home run total is going to be low.

When Steve Parker was ousted...we rolled on...when Ken Lolla left...we rolled on...if Caleb leaves...we'll roll on...Tradition never graduates.That said - Porter merits more than a token raise this season, and the soccer stadium needs to get off the blocks. Here is where the new AD begins building his resume'.

Get ready to be ecstatic. The kid is a HS All-American. At a minimum, he should produce those numbers next year.It's not enough to just count on an extra year of maturity to move the team forward. I also don't understand why winning an NCAA game is the definition of moving forward. IMHO, what a team does during the regular season better defines how a team is progressing than one week at the end of the year. BB is a strange game where a really good team can have one bad day and lose a conference tournament game....that doesn't really define a team. I'd take going undefeated in the MAC as a strong step forward. Going undefeated or only 1 or 2 MAC loses would be a sign of a consistently good team. That's the step forward I'm looking for.Going beyond the 1st round in the NCAA tourney is absolutely HUGE. I don't get how anyone can blow that off as no big deal?Say the Zips make it to Round #2. The Zips are plastered all over the local and national media. They play on CBS, not ESPNU. The local bars are packed with Akron fans getting excited about their team. Dambrot no longer needs to talk about the potential his team has when he recruits against upper-echelon programs...he can point to himself actually cutting down a net after beating a Wake Forest.Keith Dambrot's Zips have been to the NCAA tourney. Now it is time to win a game (or two).Regarding going undefeated in the MAC -- Sure, that would be HUGE. However, if the Zips were to run the table in the MAC, then bow out in round #1 of the NCAA tourney, it would then be a HUGE letdown. Running the table in the MAC probably equates to no worse than a #11 tourney seed. That's a game an undefeated MAC team should win.Why are Zips fans so afraid of success? Everyone wants to pitter-patter around having high expectations for Zeke...of winning an NCAA tourney game? I don't get it. People SHOULD have high expectations for this team. The SHOULD have high expectations for the highest rated HS recruit ever to play for a MAC school. Side note: It absolutely amazes me how just about every Zips fans has gone from giddy over Zeke, to "I don't expect anything from him the first season." A couple Elton Alexander "buzz kill" quotes and everyone busts out their best let-down coping mechanisms? That's the power of the media.Great MAC teams win NCAA tourney games. Miami has won. Western Michigan has won. K.e.n.t. has won. Central Michigan has won. Throw in Cleveland State too.Zips fans need to appreciate winning the MAC. It's damn difficult to do. But the top mid-majors don't stop at winning their conference. They want more. I want more. Keith Dambrot and the Zips are capable of more. Thus I expect more in 2010.

Since he has a soccer background, it must be true.

I didn't see that theory, but I'm serious in saying that. I remember the early Jawanza years. I hate to pick on him now, but how many open two hand under the hoop shots did he miss? Then in his senior season, it was like a light went on and all of a sudden and he was not only making shots, he was helping us win games. I really hope Jimmy becomes that guy. I hope that light comes on.I think the Zips with Zeke will have to learn how to win in a different way than they did last year. I think we will be better for it come Q time.If we create a similar theory for football, can we call it "The Mark Groza Effect?"

True...if your goal is to lose in the 1st round of the NCAA tourney.If the Zips are to continue their progression, they need Zeke to contribute meaningful minutes.If Jimmy Conyers contributes anything this season, it is gravy. If Zeke contributes it is not "gravy," it is HUGE.I absolutely disagree with the implication that the Zips can't make it out of the first round of the tourney w/out a major contribution from Zeke. Last years team was an incredibly young team. I don't have the numbers available, but they were probably one of the youngest teams in the NCAA's. Yet they went toe to toe with a very good Gonzaga team for 30 minutes. Experience alone says we should be improved this year. I don't think it is at all out of the question that we could make it out of the first round without a major contribution from Zeke. You look at the mid-majors that make runs in the tournament and you will rarely find one that has a true C making a big contribution, particularly a true C who is a freshman. It isn't a necessity at all. Don't get me wrong, if Zeke can come in here and give us 20 minutes a game with 8-12 points and 6-8 rebounds and 2-4 blocks, or even 15 minutes with around 6 points and 5 rebounds and a couple blocks I'm going to be ecstatic. I just don't think it is an absolute necessity for our program to progress. Its gravy.I also disagree on the comment about Conyers. With Nate out of the picture I really think we DO need Conyers to step up. Nate was our best wing defender on the team the last few years. Losing him creates a major void. B.McKnight is likely to take over a lot of Nate's minutes, but the worst part of Brett's game has always been and will always be his defense. Now you can say that McClanahan is being groomed to take over that role, but I never looked at him last year and said, "this kid can be an elite defender." Maybe I'm wrong on that, but I just don't see it. The fact is that we are going to need contributions from Conyers, who at this moment IS our best wing defender. A lot more teams in the MAC and across the country have good wing scorers that can put pressure on your defense than teams that have great big men. We will need Conyers to step up and guard those guys more than we need Zeke to match up with the couple of 7 footers we might see this year.+1-1

True...if your goal is to lose in the 1st round of the NCAA tourney.If the Zips are to continue their progression, they need Zeke to contribute meaningful minutes.If Jimmy Conyers contributes anything this season, it is gravy. If Zeke contributes it is not "gravy," it is HUGE.

That was actual footage of the K.e.n.t. fans approaching the Rubber Bowl for the 1989 Zips vs. F.l.a.s.h.e.s. contest, I believe?If you look closely, you can see a 5 year old Mike Rasor tailgating next to the airport fence.