Captain Kangaroo

Here's one of those "lock it up" statements that always come back to bite me...but this time it won't:Bryan Williams will have the impact on our defense that Dwight Smith had several years ago. Williams is a game-changer with the ability to score every time the opposing QB throws the ball his way. Just like Dwight. In the spring game he played on a completely different speed than anyone else. The guy was born to play defense, and I think his performance will be worth the price of a Rubber Bowl admission in-and-of-itself. Just like Dwight.I also think the remainder of our secondary is excellent. Jalil Carter is awesome. He'll shine this year. Armin "Kaboom" Kabir is a huge hitter. These guys made Andre Jones' move to offense possible. Brandon Anderson is one of the more gifted players on the roster. With Corner and Tate gone, it is his time to shine.Between the remainder of the DB prospects, SOMEONE will inevitably step up. If DaVon Moore's knee is ok, I'll say it's him. Maybe Will Flemming has a nice camp and gets into the mix at safety? Marvase Byrd is a tremendous talent. I think he'll push the upperclassmen for PT. Miguel Graham is a senior with experience. And my dark horse candidate for a breakthrough year is Evan Laube. He hits hard, hustles his ass off and also seems to have a nose for the ball. I like him.Go back only a few years to see when we had Dwight Smith and...Buehler...Buehler...anyone...? Jesse Smith was our #2 CB for 3 consecutive years and he wouldn't be #4 on this defensive backfield's depth chart. At safety for 4 years...John "Tip Drill" Fuller. To quote Dennis Hopper -- "Bad things, man. Bad things..."The fact that we go 2-deep on our DL for the first time in history is also going to help the DBs.The defensive backfield doesn't worry me in the least this season. I think it will be a strength. Quarterback? *shudder*

That would be justice. The Nemers would be stuck with $150,000 in legal fees, and also need to begin paying taxes on $3.1 million dollars worth of property.

I heard that KC Patterson decided to hang up the cleats and focus on his degree. I wish him the best.

1.) Fumbles McLollypop is now gone.2.) Like I said, half of BG's starting defense is in jail. And they sucked. How bad are the guys behind those sucky starters? I look forward to finding out. I just hope CJ11 doesn't get suspended before the game like he did last season.

Didn't they lose 65-0 in their 2008 bowl game? And they lost about half their defense to arrests in the off-season. I see BG scoring some points this year, but not near enough to match what their defense will yield. They'll suck.

If he can get healthy, LOOK OUT!!??BTW - This is confirmed, not a rumor.Article 1Article 2Message Board CommentsOther Notes

If he finished last in the MAC East with the talent he presently has, I'm sure JD would even admit he's got to go. BTW - No way in hell we finish in last. If we finished dead last in the MAC East in 2008, I think a lot of people would be willing to take their chances with a new coach. 5-6, followed by 4-8, followed by "dead last" ain't the progression you'd like to see if you want to pay off a new 60million dollar stadium. You are dead-nuts on.

You must have linked to the wrong column, because the story I read wasn't nice at all.The writer was too big a wuss to take a stand. If you think it was a travesty, then say so. If it is a triumph for justice, say so. To just be wishy-washy, and use innuendo to make UA look like some rogue college is BS.

That would be cool if he decided to "go his own way" and attend K.e.n.t. I'd better not see Dru at and K.e.n.t. games sporting K.e.n.t. gear, however!

That's a good catch on the roster. I know that Larry Dawson was VERY highly thought of at the beginning of his senior HS year. Rather than take an early Zips offer, it seems he got some bad advice and waited for something better to come along. He had a pedestrian senior year, and the "better" offers never materialized...and the ones that were on the table ended up going to other players.I'm guessing Dawson is walking on. If he gets back to where he was his Junior HS year, he'll earn a scholarship eventually. Beyond athletics, he is apparently a VERY bright kid too. I hope he pans-out.

If the kid was acquitted in court after a one-day trial, I think is is reasonable to give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't get the "desperate" tag on JD for this one. If it shows he's desperate, then 85% of the coaches in college football are desperate too. There are only a handful of teams in the nation that wouldn't have found some way to get Torrence on their team, whether they'd made him go JUCO or a prep school first until the story died down, or took him up-front, they'd find a way.I remember when a Zips running back "roughed up" a woman up several summers ago. Several coaches on the Zips staff wanted to keep him on the team, despite his actions. The administration at the time stepped in and said "no," and he was removed from the team. I post this only for those Lee Owens lovers who would use Torrence's signing against JD. Owens would have taken Torrence in an Ashland Minute. Would Faust have given Torrence a chance? You know it.Toledo? Hey...they were salivating over Ray Williams despite his CONVICTION for manslaughter.Ken.t? They happily accepted Abe Elam into the fold a couple years ago, even though he was previously CONVICTED of sexual battery. And what was up with Cobrani Mixson?The list goes on. There will be some public heat if Torrence indeed signs with the Zips. But keep in mind the same people that make a big stink really don't care if the Zips sign a 3.0 student like Nolan Procter. They're quiet as a church mouse on that one. So they obviously have an agenda.The one-day, open-and-shut acquittal is sufficient for me to give Torrence a chance. Just because some 12 year old girl with a history of lying says you did something doesn't mean it is true. Or that you should write-off the life of a 17 year old kid because of it.

The Axeman Blog

Clix for Hix

Excellent!

Every passing day w/o any word downgrades the Zips chances.

Where was Michigan ranked last August? I have my Wisconsin flight and hotel booked.

The bastard better not be calling Chaz Russell's mom too!

It is tough to get too concerned about the "verbal count" in July. Historically the Zips don't start filling out the class until the fall. I bet it will pick up in September.

When it was recently announced that Nolan Procter verbally committed to the Zips, it wasn't really met with too much enthusiasum on the ZipsNation board. I guess a guy 5' 10", 180lbs doesn't jump out as all that "sexy" a verbal? I do know that the Zips have only 17 scholarships to offer for the 2009 class. And we remain very selective as to whom we extend offers. So I asked myself..."Why not check into this a little bit further?" I contacted Nolan's high school Coach Brendan Flaherty and he was very helpful in explaining what makes Nolan Procter an incredibly well-rounded, talented student athlete.Below is a short Q & A with the Coach to aquiant Zips fans with Nolan Procter --What type of athlete is Nolan?“Nolan is one of the best athletes we have ever had at Groves, and we’ve had over 20 former players go on to play college football in the past seven years. He'll be a three-year starter in both football and basketball and four-year starter in track and field.”On the field, what makes him special?“He can catch anything, and I would say he is a slasher after he gets the ball in his hands. We will move him around on offense and he’ll also be our back-up QB. He started three games last year out of need. He’s a threat to take a punt or kick-off for a TD every time. Nolan will play corner or safety on defense could end up on defense in college when it's all said and done.”How does his football stat sheet fill out to-date?“Nolan has 7 career interceptions, over 50 tackles, 62 receptions for over 600 yards and 10 TDs for his career. He’s 5'10 180lbs and very strong for his size. He benches 275, squats 425, and dead lifts 475."Which schools showed interest in him?"Nolan had interest from most MAC schools and had several offers. If he were a few inches taller he would be a Big Ten prospect. It came down to Akron and Bowling Green and he chose Akron because of the personal interest of Coach Bookhart. And, he really likes Coach Chambers. Dana is very popular in the state of Michigan--very respected by the high school coaches.”Off the field, what makes him special?“Nolan is a 3.0 student, a football captain and very involved in our student government. He is the Mid West youth president of Knights of Peter Clavier. His father is our HS principal and a former college women’s basketball head coach.”If you want to check on Nolan’s progress throughout the year you can do so here.

If he were doing so quickly, then I'd be impressed.

USC wants him too. But only if he enters school this spring. He wants to play now, hence the Zips or Tigers will get his services. Maybe Kansas State makes a late run too.

Overheard at the football golf outing --A few months ago Vince Hill actually called the Zips to see if he was still welcome at UA. He wanted to enroll as a non-qualifier.He wasn't welcome.True story.

I can only hope that such a "homer" call in meaningful in that game.

Just out of curiosity...I wonder what Goodyear has contributed to Infocision Stadium? I'll guess -- nothing. Am I close?For Summa to out-contribute a company the size of Goodyear is pretty sad.

I'm with you on some things, but not on a couple: Take away the Miami game and McNees had a pretty inauspicious Freshman season. He had a lot of turnovers and struggled to get his shot off. Hopefully moving to the #2 will help. Or, maybe he continues handling the ball and simply acclimates to the speed of D1 basketball? I think he's got a ways to go before you could say he'd start on 85% of the teams in the MAC. Emanuel Stewart WAS Mr. Basketball...and it didn't get him anywhere. And the fact that Joyce started as a freshman doesn't affect Steward or Humpty's play this year.Steward has a year of practice under his belt. Humpty can ball. But the fact remains that neither has played a single minute of college basketball in their life. They've never even tossed a pass to one of their (now) team mates in a game. Dru played his whole life with Travis, some with Wood, and his formative years were under Dambrot. That made his situation a little unique. He also played on a national stage his last couple HS seasons. He was a technically a Freshman in his first season, but easily had the experience of a Soph.