Captain Kangaroo

With one game remaining in the 2007 Zips football season, it is officially time to begin looking at the future of the Zips QB position. If JD has an “impact” QB in the offing, it will go a long way in assuring he’s the guy manning the sidelines when the Zips take on Kentucky in September 2009. Can Jacquemain or Carlton Jackson pilot the team in 2008? Ummm…no. Jacquemain lacks the intangibles…decent are strength, but no pocket awareness or field vision. Jackson defaults to the run WAY too soon. His mid-range throws are soft and inaccurate, and he handles the football as deftly as Lindsay Lohan handles her car keys at 3:30am.I think a lot will be written about Matt Rogers over the next several months. He’s the odds-on favorite to win the QB battle this summer. We’ll also probably learn a lot more about incoming Freshman Jordan Miller. An interesting “wildcard” in the QB derby is KC Patterson. Patterson quietly appeared on the Stiles Center doorstep in August 2007. A transfer from Sacramento State (although he never played a down for the Hornets) he has an interesting story…and a punchers chance of being in the QB mix this spring.KC Patterson was a Rivals 2-star QB out of Oakmont High School in Roseville California, and was rated one of the Top30 QB’s in the state in 2004. Going into his senior season he had recruiting interest from BYU, California, Colorado, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Washington State. Half way through his senior season, and sporting a 5-0 record, Oakmont lost 9 senior players for the season due to some undisclosed disciplinary issue. Oakmont subsequently lost their next 4 games. Their final game of the season was canceled due to smoke from wild fires. Likewise, lacking any appreciable stats, KC’s D-1 QB offers also went up in smoke.Patterson ultimately landed at The University of San Diego, coached by present Stanford HC Jim Harbaugh. An excellent student, he graduated high school early, and played in 5 games for the Toreros in 2005. That year San Diego, a non-scholarship program, won the mid-major 1-AA national championship.When Harbaugh left for Stanford in 2006, KC transferred to Sacramento State where he red shirted during the 2006 season. A coaching change in 2007 was the impetus for KC’s transfer to Akron this past summer. Interestingly, it appears as though he is/was eligible to play this season, with 2008 being considered his Junior year?It will be interesting to see the fresh faces at the QB position this spring. And in the short term, to see if KC gets a few snaps this week vs. CMU -- He’s eligible to play…and I’m desperate. If he can look off Jabari once in a while…or handle the ball on consecutive plays without fumbling, he’s at least worth a look.

I was there today. Great match. Congratulations to the team! 1st round bye and a home game. I'm banking on it.

Losing game #2 sucked. It was like the UALR game last year. But it is too soon to say it was crippling. We just need to ride the storm out until Steward gets healthy, and hope that when Roberts and McKnight are ready in mid-December we start hitting our stride. I think this team will be a LOT better in January than it is right now.

Which writer did The Beacon send to the games? Thanks for all your notes and pics. It was great!

Vikings Home (Nice site layout)

Great stuff!

Did just the one bottle do the trick for you then?I had to work today. Anymore than one bottle on a Wednesday night, and Thursday @ work gets to be like a 3rd and 17.

7-0 -- Does Charlie Coles coach your football team too?

My wife can vouch for this --Last night I'm sitting on the couch trying to figure out what form of alcohol might dull the pain of watching our sideline-to-sideline offense. In honor of the movie Sideways...I pulled out a bottle of Pinot Noir.

JWood's quotes are funny. 10" added. Yikes. He finally is back to 100% and maybe more with the weight drop.He got Chris McKnight mixed up with Brett McKnight, but other than that it was an ok read.

Is it on the radio (1350AM)?

WR is a concern, but QB it what makes the whole thing "work." We can live with serviceable WR's. But in the MAC, you need a stud QB to win. If we had Nate Davis, we'd be, worst case, 7-4 right now. QB makes that big a difference in the MAC.

I agree with your entire post. But this line sums it up the best.

What a waste of a epic, boarderline-heroic, effort by John Mackey the the rest of the Zips defense. Mackey's play was reminicent of Dwight Smith, circa 2000 vs. K.e.n.t., except Mackey did it on a torn ACL. Nate Robinson goes out early (medically, not mentally this time) #55 moves to nose tackle and we still pitch a defensive shut out. And...we lose.Coach Moorhead is one of my favorite people. If there is a better human being on the planet, I haven't met him. But this sideways offense has finally broken me. We have two stud runningbacks. Yet we pass the ball relentlessly with a QB that might not start on the top 5 intramural flag football teams on campus. Great move bringing in Fumbles McLollypop. What a shocker that he fumbled. Who knew? If I were to try to remember a more pathetic offensive game plan and performance, I'd have to go WAAAAY back...to maybe the BG game two weeks ago. We made Miami's defense look like OSU. And don't tell anyone...but *whisper voice* Miami sucks...the aren't very good...*end whisper voice*.If CJ11 or CJ 7 is our QB next September...I'll go watch Pitt or Mount Union, or go build Habitat for Humanity houses with Jimmy Carter. I just can't watch it. They are both terrible...in different ways, mind you...but absolutely terrible just the same. Sean Hakes must be the all-time sucky-est QB ever, to turn tail on this year's QB competition to play JUCO ball in California. If he was even MODERATELY PASSABLE...the QB job was his. Next Friday, I want to see Bryan Williams in the shotgun taking snaps evey play. He can either run, or hand the ball off to Alex Allen. On third and long...let Jabari QB. What the hell...let Jabari QB the entire game. At least we'd have the ball in his...our best player's... hands more than 4 times per game.How many 3rd and 13's...3rd and 15's...3rd and 17's...did we see tonight? Stec punted at least 10 times!!!! That is absolutely pathetic against a mediocre MAC team!!!Kudos to the defense, who played with the heart of a champion tonight. And a big fat PPPBBBBTTTTT! to the offense, with it's inane play-calling, execution and listless sense of urgency. CJ11 was terrible. CJ7 was worse. Jabari looked like a converted QB who couldn't adjust to a ball to dave his life. Poindexter dropped a game-tying TD pass...just flat-out terrible.I'm telling you...Bryan Williams at QB, or Jabari, vs. CMU. It is our only hope.

"White out Akron," huh? It will look like Happy Valley for certain. Hope the Zips don't get rattled.

Nice finds!

I think that is easy to say when you've had several NCAA appearances over the past two decades (17 overall?). The Zips haven't been to the Big Dance since 1986. Winning the MAC regular season is a hell of an accomplishment, but I would gladly have traded it for a 3rd place finish and an NCAA bid last year.

I have to say I disagree with you on this one --1.) I would take a "tournament" championship over a regular season divisional championship any day of the week. I saw what a regular season championship gets you...jack squat.2.) Miami is solid this year. Xavier may be the "sexier" team, but if they play 10 times, Miami wins at least five. On the court, they're very even. That game was in the 50's, which means to me that Miami imposed their will on Xavier. Vintage Charlie Coles, and a nice win for the MAC.

I wonder what odds you'd have gotten from Vegas 7 years ago if you speculated that in 2007-8 Zips Coach Dan Hipsher would be at South Florida as an assistant and sparring partner Ryan Andrick would be a coach on Akron's bench?1,000,000 - 1?

For fun, Google "miami ohio football" then click on "images" and look at the first picture that pops up.

SWEET!

Wednesday night game...33 degrees...rain...4 hour drive...Zips are not in the MAC East race...need to take a day off work...plus get a hotel...the game is on TV....tough decision, but I will have to sit this one out.I'll place the over/under on Zips fans at the game @ 35.

Marshall's last few years show what can happen to the "Big Dog" in the MAC in only a few short years. Especially if you make the wrong decision for your head coach. UCF seems to show what can happen when you select a good coach, and you stick with him through the inevitable early, rough times.Draw your own conclusions

Shanahan Not Our Man?