Captain Kangaroo

This game reminds me a lot of the Army game a couple years ago. If we are progressing like it appears we are, we win.Zips 38Temple 20If we come into the game all full of ourselves...like the teams did against Army in 2005, we'll lost 20-0.I like this team's character. 38-20.

Quick notes, since I need to get my gear ready for the afternoon tailgate:* Jeremiah Wood is a flat-out monster. I would put his biceps up against just about anyone from the football team. He was also the most outwardly-friendly guys in the autograph session. He's a guy you really like rooting for. Last year he was in good "strength shape." This year he's also in excellent "basketball shape." I think a common phrase to be heard in the JAR this year will be "Romeo who?" I stayed for about 40 minutes of the practice. It was mostly just drills...tough to get a read on anyones skills.I met Steve Sweich. Very nice kid. He said he was enjoying Akron, and was ready to play some ball. He's by far and away the biggest "big man" frosh ever to play here. He's a true wide body. Legs are thick. Not like Bruce Weinkein. Judging from the scrimmage alone, I would say he'll have a tough time with the speed of Division 1 basketball early on. And his game is definintely 6-feet-and-in...his jumper looks like mine. But he has a great attitude, works hard, and really seems to enjoy playing. He'll be an absolute monster in a year or two, and it will be fun watching him develop up until that point.I'm guessing Chris McKnight takes a few more 3's this season. He has a nice shot from out there.His younger brother definitely won't play up until mid-December. I forget the name of the test you need to take when you graduate high school...but whatever that standardized test is, his test scores didn't reach Akron until September 4th...after school had started. Thus he's ineligible. No practice, no nuthin', He is on campus and taking classes. Will he play after mid-December? It will probably depend on how bad he's needed, and how quickly he can catch on to the system. If he's going to be the 3rd man on the depth chart, due either to the guys in front of him playing well, or his learning curve in digesting the plays, terminology, teammates tendencies, etc I can see him redshirting. The guy next to me said "This is the most talent I've ever seen on the floor for a Zips team. Can you believe it was only 5 years ago we were looking at stiffs like Brian Wood and Brian Hipsher getting decent minutes?"I overheard one of the staff talking about Rydell Brooks excellent work ethic. He can't play this year, and no one really seems to know where he'll ultimately fit in. But he's apparently a good kid, and he just got a little homesick @ Niagara.Coach Kraley apparently took Scooter Taylor's old position? No details there. However, the guy that lived every former Zips player's dream...taking a swing at Thunder Dan...Ryan Andrick was seen helping out at practice. Is he now a bench coach? Was he just helping out, taking in a practice at his alma mater? Only The Shadow knows.

Nice crowd, considering the time slot. Nice event for the kids!

Sometimes ya just gotta tell it like it is.

I think K.e.n.t. will punt fewer times than Akron did. Maybe 12 times total?K.e.n.t. will have 7 or 8 turnovers.OSU 51K.e.n.t. 3

That is simply the best. I walked into the bathroom in the press box tunnel at the K.e.n.t. game. The stalls were all occupied. All have no doors. I felt so embarrassed for the guys taking a dump. Are we in Cambodia? How much do a couple pieces of plywood and some hinges cost? Or three shower curtains??!! My guess is the stall toilets in the Heisman Lounge have doors? I guess that's all that matters.

I was puzzled to see the Zips soccer team playing a Saturday evening home match at the same time as the men's football game at the Rubber Bowl. In yet another scheduling decision rife with conflict, the Meet the Team event for the basketball programs is being held tonight...up against the Tribe and HS football. Click for details...my guess is they won't run out of food. BTW - I'll be at the JAR

I was watching that live on Channel 5. You must have found the version edited for the Internet? When shown live, the highlight was cut off just as Alphonso Owen caught the ball, and they switched over to a 10 minute feed of Jim Tressel counting his toe-nail clippings.

QB: Would you take CJ11 over Luke Getsy? It is an interesting question. Luke got a shot with the 49ers because he's a pretty decent QB. But he took a lot of unnecessary sacks. Any he had a penchant for tossing the ball away too soon. Or, simply flipping it in the air to avoid the sack...and getting a grounding penalty.CJ11 looks better and better every game. It is unfair to compare him stat-for-stat against Luke, because he's playing his first few games of football since 2004 @ Mentor HS. Conversely, Luke was a 5th year senior last season. Unless the last couple games are flukes, CJ11 seems to be progressing as well as can be expected...maybe better? He moved the team well at UConn, and moved it VERY well at WMU. The more games he gets under his belt, the more the coaching staff seems to be letting him make plays. CJ7? Unless CJ11 regresses for some reason, I don't see him getting back into the mix.RB: It is no coincidence that the emergence of Bryan Williams has coincided with CJ11's improved play. Having a game-breaking threat at RB makes a QB's life a lot easier. Williams/Allen is a HUGE upgrade over last year's RB corp. Alex Allen is probably going to be like Nick Dials in hoops...getting better and more comfortable every game.WR: Screw it...throw it to "The Man" every play until someone proves they can stop him. The Man has more than made up for David Harvey's departure. Al Owen seems to be getting into the mix, which will only help. At worst, it is a wash thus far when comparing WR production of 2006 to 2007. My gut feeling is a new #2 WR is going to emerge vs. Temple. Wait and see.TE: Invisible. Same as 2006.OL: Can you believe they're collectively playing better than last season's veteran OL? Seems like JD's OL recruiting, and the OL coaching, have been stellar? The spread offense seems to be a big help to our OL. Kicker: Igor is 8-10. He's missed only 1 PAT. It almost makes me want to cry.Punter: I think Stec has improved a bit from 2006, but he still has a ways to go to be All-MAC caliber.KO Returns: David Harvey who? Bryan Williams is averaging 35.2 y/return.Punt Returns: David Harvey who? Andre Jones is averaging 20.2 y/return.D-Line: Thus far, a "wash" when comparing 2006/2007. LB: A "wash" when comparing 2006/2007. Stokes is having a great senior season. Secondary: I think they're playing a little better than last season. The performance has slipped the past few games, but Tate/Jones/Corner will be fine. They've just been dog-tired. As the offense keeps improving, the better-rested secondary will play with a lot more consistency.Overall: I like this (2007) team's upside, and weekly improvements. If we can put together a strong effort against Temple this weekend, I'll feel very confident we can win the MAC East. Temple is dangerous...they played UConn a hell of a lot tougher than we did. And they beat NIU last week, so they'll be confident. But is we stay aggressive on the offensive side of the ball, we win:Zips 38Temple 20Then a bye-week! My liver can use the break.

Remember when Toledo was doing well...and Toledo fans would post fairly regularly on ZipsNation? Funny how that has stopped.

Ryan Bain will make a HUGE impact next season. He's Nate Robinson, but without the motivational issues.Lemon will be bigger. Joe Rash will be ready. Shane Shead will be ready. Deni Odofin, who will see PT the remainder of the season, will be ready.Look for our D-line to make a vast improvement next season. The drawback...we lose Tate & Corner, so we may struggle in the secondary. We'll need an improved pass rush to compensate.BTW - Brion Stokes will break Jason Taylor's all-time career tackles for loss record this year. I thought that was an interesting fact.

It seems to work ok for me? I think when I added Dr Z's option(#4), it erased the previous votes? My first poll on the new site...gotta deal with the learning curve, I guess.

Click for Original CallClick for Option #1Click for Option #2Click for Option #3Click for Option #4(Thanks to Dr. Z)

The thing that struck me was how seat-of-your-pants-crazy the play actually was. From the radio feed, I envisioned it as some organized, crafty play call. Minus 13 pitches, it was the Stanford Band play. I'll take it.

I was told Da'Von tore his ACL. I'll try to get more info.I thought I saw him on the sidelines during the Can't game?You probably did. If you see him this week, it will probably be on crutches.

Word on the street is --Provided the satellite transmission to ESPN went well, the final touchdown at Western Michigan will air on ESPN2 today at 2 pm during its college football show. I don't know when exactly when it will air, but it scheduled to air.Call your wife and have her set the VCR!

I'm eternally jealous of any Zips fan who attended that game!!

I was told Da'Von tore his ACL. I'll try to get more info.

Click for a great column

That's pretty classy of you. Thanks!

Dambrot mentioned a downtown arena at this summer's golf outing. He said "I don't want to discuss it. We need to fill up the JAR. Next question."His reply led me to believe the downtown arena ain't no where near a reality. The improvements coming to the JAR will be in the locker rooms and the coaches offices. Other things, such as seating, will be improved too. But it will take time.I look for a new arena in 5-8 years. No sooner.

CJ11 starts. CJ7 should start looking at Jabari's success and start thinking about a career at WR before he starts falling too far behind Al Owen.Someone took the shackles off CJ11. Thank God. He looked like the guy I saw in summer camp. If the staff has confidence in CJ11, I do too. Why? My job doesn't depend on his success. Their's does.The Zips have losses to Indiana, Ohio State and UConn. They've beaten Army, K.e.n.t and Western Michigan. To be 3-3 with that shedule is pretty respectable. Yeah, tonight was a miracle, but good teams make miracles happen. Teams rarely stay the same during a given season...they either improve, or regress. The Zips are improving. Unfortunately, so is Miami. And...Buffalo??!

He is enrolled at UA.You are right...we know nothing for sure about Moore. I keep hearing he is enrolled and on the roster, but he was nowhere to be seen on the sidelines during the Can't game. I also didn't see him on the sidelines of the UConn game, although that doesn't surprise me. No need to travel him half way through the season. All that being said....I will wait until I actually see him in uniform before I believe anybody on his status.I'll rephrase it, because I don't think I was very clear: He is enrolled at UA.

Surreal win. Unbelievable.Who else had f.lashbacks to Ball State circa 2005? 2 minutes to go. First down at the seven...and we throw 4 times into the endzone?? Did someone kidnap Bryan Williams and Dennis Kennedy and Frenchy didn't tell me??God Bless the Zips. What a text book, never-say-die performance.