Captain Kangaroo

The first time the Zips played Penn State was 1999. Butchie Washington was in his prime, Brandon Payne was looking All-MAC, Schfino and Baily were the top two WR’s in team history, Rache Culler was absolutely flattening anyone that got in his way…Dwight Smith was at the top of his game…yes, us Zips fans went into that game feeling pretty good about ourselves. The game began 14-3 Penn State, but the Zips played tough. On a subsequent Penn State offensive possession the Zips recovered a fumble, drove down the field and scored on a Brandon Payne TD. The crowd was silent. Payne put his finger up to his lips as he strutted through the endzone, “shhhhhhhhhh.”The Zips held again, forcing a Penn State punt. The 100,000 Nittany Lions fans were mortified. Sensing the moment, Coach Lee Owens figured it would be a swell time to switch QBs. In came Greg Gromek…back came two INT’s for touchdowns in what seemed like a 23 second span. Just like that the rout was on, and a 70-24 beatdown ensued.Moving ahead to 2004, the Zips faced an improved Penn State squad. But the Zips had a new coach, Charlie Frye and hope. Unfortunately we still had a Lee Owens-schooled defense and an offense running an entirely new scheme. The cutback run killed the Zips that day…every time a Penn State running back cut back, the over pursuing Zips got smoked for 20+ yards. The 49-14 score was in no way indicative of the beating. Jabari had a nice game…that’s about the only positive I took out of that one.What will happen in 2006? Will history repeat itself, or can the Zips make history?I think a lot will depend upon how the Zips staff approaches the game offensively. And, how well the defense competes. Will the staff pace itself for the long, twelve game season and limit Kennedy and Getsy’s reps whenever possible? My gut feeling is “no.” Barring injury I have to believe these guys stay on the field as long as the Zips have a reasonable shot at winning. Getsy took 98% of the snaps in 2006 and Biggs took 85% of the carries, so why would the breakdown be any different in 2006?We start senior Luke Getsy against a defense that’s breaking in four new players in the secondary. We also have the best OL depth we’ve had in some time, which bodes well for Luke’s health. Penn State’s Morelli has completed three passes in his college career, and will be facing a Zips secondary that as seasoned as it has ever been. He’ll be facing the best LB corp the Zips have had since Clark, Hilk and Motten. And the starting Zips DL will be as big as many of the Big10 teams Penn State will face this season…just not as deep.I see the game being highly competitive in the 1st half. Luke will use his TE’s to burn the blitzing PSU linebackers. Kennedy will be money in the red zone. Jabari will be double-teamed all day long. Look for Johnny Long to have a big day.The second half is perennially where Big 10 teams pull away from upper-tier MAC teams. If the Zips second stringers can fill in adequately for the starters, the Zips have an excellent chance to keep things close into the 4th quarter. The special teamers MUST come through. If the FG kicker blows extra points or FG’s…or the punter shanks a few…we can’t overcome it. We need these guys to be rock solid. I don’t see us hurting ourselves with penalties. We have too much experience. I do worry a bit about turnovers. We can live with one…maybe two turnovers. That’s it. It will be on our young RB’s, WR’s and special teamers to take care of the ball. The need to step up.We also need help from Penn State. And I think we’ll get it. I’m banking on good pressure from the Zips DL and LB’s to cause two Morelli INT’s. My guess: Penn State 42 Akron 34. I think our defense will get its share of stops, but the DL will tire in the 4th. I think our offense will sustain its share of drives to keep the D fresh…but only for so long. If the Zips are to have a chance to win, we need Morelli to run for his life. Some player…some scheme…something needs to emerge from out of the blue on September 2nd that of which Paterno has no answer. We need a Jason Taylor-esque performance vs. Va Tech in 1996 from someone. We need a Bobby Hendry-like performance vs. Wisconsin in 2002 from a RB that nets 100+ yards. We need a Lavel Bailey-esque WR emergence like Lavel’s freshman breakout game vs. Nebraska in 1997. We need an unsung guy like a Ricky Coble 2001 vs Ohio State who returned an INT 90 yards for a TD. We need Luke to play with the late-game calm of Charlie Frye vs. Marshall in 2003. We need a Dwight Smith-level performance in the secondary, like his game vs. Michael Vick and Va Tech in 2000.Over the last 10 years I have seem a lot of great individual performances by Zips players in games against Top 25 teams. In the end, we’ve always lost by a couple TD’s. If we’re going to pull off a win, we need a total team effort, with some unknown new stars to emerge, coupled with some outstanding performances on both sides of the ball, and a little luck. If some youngsters step up big time, I reserve the right to change my prediction. AKRON 42 Penn State 34.

David Lee Morgan: "Hey, Charlie Frye. I was thinking of doing a feature column on you for the Sunday Beacon Journal. When can we get together?"Frye: "Who are you?"DL: "You know me, man, DL Morgan! Zips beat writer while you were at Akron."Frye: "I'm sorry, the name doesn't ring a bell."DL: "Well...I was the beat writer...but I really never attended too many games. I did cut-n-paste some football stories off the wire and GoZips.com. You seem like you were a pretty good football player. That's why I want to do the story."Frye: *click*DL: "Hello? Is anyone there? Chuckie? You there? Chuckie?"

Can't State football signs H-U-G-E deal with Nike!!! :blink: (one more time)

The Zips played Pitt in the late 80's under Huggins. This was when Jerome Lane, Demetrius Gore, Sean Miller and Charles Smith constituted Pitt's top four players. In the first game, @ Pitt, the Zips had a 15 point first half lead, but lost it @ game's end.The following year they played at the Coluseium in Richfield. It drew about 11k. The game was pretty much a carbon copy of the first one. Zips got a big lead, then wore down at the end.The Zips are pretty-much equivalent to Pitt next season. You can wax poetic anout Pitt and the Big East...blah blah blah...but the simple fact it they're no threat to the final four. Can't beat Pitt the year they went to the Elite 8. Can't was manhandled by Pitt last year, but last year's Can't team, although MAC champs, wasn't very good.Pitt should get some credit for taking this series home/home. But it is a good test for them. They should play games like this. If they lose to the 2006-7 Zips, there's no shame in it. When all is said and done, we'll have 24-or-so wins. It won't be a "bad loss" for Pitt should it happen.Is it true parking for the Pitt game at the JAR will be $500.00 per space? Just a rumor I heard.

I saw the Giants' game Thursday night. Chase was EVERYWHERE. If his neck is ok, he will play a LOT this season. He's a solid NFL middle linebacker.

OK, I'll ask...who's "Walker?"

Yet another "Instant Classic."

Someone from the University was nice enough to give me a call and expain some things regarding the golf outing. As Charlie stated, it is more an "reunion" event for former basketball players than for the general public, although the general public is encouraged to attend. The event is set up for 144 golfers and it is hoped to sell out. It would take an increase of about 50% from last season to do that, but even at 100 players it is a pretty fair-sized event. Because the golfers are primarily basketball guys, the confict with the football game isn't too severe...some cagers will attend, while others don't give a hoot about football. To say the least, it is a transitional period for the University athletic marketing department right now. Hunter began in June, Mack has had 5 or 6 coaches to hire since he began only 8 months ago, in addition to all his other responsibilities. The "act" these guys have had to follow is a LOT tougher to follow than the one Waddell and Thomas followed...and it is now summer, when there's no University sports to debate. The only thing to debate is the quality and timing of University literature and parking programs. Once September 2nd rolls around, all will be well and the fans can shift their focus to the games, etc. A lot of the recent clamor will settle.Personally, I scratch my head at some of the stuff that's come through the mail lately...but EVERYTHING I've heard regarding Hunter and Mack is not only positive, but stellar. These guys need a full athletic year to get their plan in place. I'm betting a lot of stuff will make sense in August 2007 that seems pretty puzzling at this time.

Buying Cleveland Browns tickets, and not using them, is a waste of money. Some may say that is is also a waste of money if you DO use them...but I digress. The Browns hardly miss any season ticket holder who doesn't renew. There are hundreds of fans waiting in line to buy your Browns ducats regardless of how horrid their product is. And, there are no critical attendance criteria of any concern to an NFL team.The University of Akron football team needs income. It needs 15,000 attendance every other year. It is NOT a waste of money to pay for Zips tickets you may/may not use because supporting the team in this manor is critical to it's success. If you care about Zips football, you shell out the $50.00 and buy a ticket. Otherwise, don't bitch when we get out-recruited by another team with bigger resources. You want to continue beating Big East schools for talent, it ain't free. You want to keep JD? It ain't free. You want to keep 1-A status? It ain't free. Buy a ticket for Zips football, whether you might miss a game or two, or attend all of them.

Dude...the Zips home opener is like Christmas for me. We will have at least 20 people at our tailgate party. It will begin at noon. 8 of them would have been excellent candidates to play in that outing. I stand by the statement: It is stupid to have two such events on the same day. There are 365 days in the year. To hold this thing on football's opening day will cost the U some $$. It isn't crying, it is a fact. I'm glad some can make it. I'm sure it will be marginally successful. But it could have been better.BTW: The golf thing is minor. A lot of the recent crying on the board is in response to some folks doing some really stupid, major stuff (season ticket mailing mess, $500 parking debacle, etc.). From what I hear, the stupidity hasn't gone unnoticed.

I took a bunch of Zips posters to my son's day care and handed them out to all the kids. Seemed to go over well.

The Zips Basketball Fall Classic golf outing is September 23rd. Sign-in is at 7am. I don't get it.The average Joe needs to get up at about 5:45 am on Saturday to get to Prestwick at 7am. Probably not a big deal...if you weren't planning on attending the Zips/North Texas game at 6pm that evening. Why was it scheduled the morning of a football game? By the time you're done with lunch it is 3pm. You'd need to hurry home, get cleaned up, the haul ass to the Rubber Bowl to have and shot at getting to your seat by kickoff. And, you'd be pretty freaking tired.By the time most golfers have completed 15 holes, I will be at the Rubber Bowl lot putting up the tents and firing up the grill. There are probably many others who would have participated if it were held at an alternate time.

I hope the tarp over the endzone is removable. To seat only 22k for the home opener is suicide for a program that wants to draw 15k per game. We will turn away 5,000 fans if that is the case. I don't get it.

Playing local 1-AA schools is no longer inexpensive. Now that the 12 game schedule is en vogue, YSU can now travel to Penn State...Ohio State, etc and rake in big $$. YSU can, and has, demanded "North Texas" money to play the Zips. There are no more cheap 1-AA home games to be had.

Derron Smith and Henderson are both non-qualifiers. Both are hoped to be with the team in 2007. To my knowledge Jackson is attending a prep school. As of a few weeks ago, Lemon was on campus. I assume he's still here...I haven't been told otherwise.

Stoudamire submitted his paperwork and should be in Akron soon (if he already isn't here). He is not football-eligible for 2006. Good grades, and we will see him in 2007.

I see neither on the roster? I will get the answer in a short bit.

I believe he, as well as a few others, are non-qualifiers. These players can't be listed on the 2006 roster.

I like the pretentious:"The University at Akron"

It's tough to pay good attention to practice while also keeping track of a very active 5-year old boy...but here's what I take out of today's practice:The back up QB's both looked good. I would want to open the season with them at Penn State in 2006, but we'll be fine vs. Ohio State in 2007. All our QB's are solid.Harvey is a player. As good as advertised. He will play plenty this season.During drills, the WR's other than Jabari seemed to drop too many balls. They all have good size, speed, etc. They have good attitudes and work hard, but it seems playing time for the #4-#5 slots remains up for grabs. Jabari, Long and Harvey seem to be "locks." Fuqua is my favorite for the next slot. The players that demonstrate they have the most reliable hands over the next 2 weeks will win. "Upside" is a pretty overused word, but there's a lot of it at WR. Lot's of young, talented kids.Nate Robinson had the Stuff of the Day. In a red zone drill, Kennedy got absolutely crushed as he tried to break the goal line. Robinson looks to be in relatively good shape and working hard. The entire D-line looked better than it ever has. Kennedy looked great. Mark my words - He will score a lot of TD's this season. I put the over/under at 12 TD's. He's a very tough, strong, fast runner and has a nose for the endzone. Hold your breath for Alex Allen. He ripped off a sweet 20 yard run in the red zone drill. Broke several tackles. On the next play he plowed into the line and screamed. He was down for 20 minutes, then was carted off the field. He was grimmacing and pounding the cart as it exited the field. It didn't look good at all. Chevin Pace is back at full speed. In general, the practiced looked VERY well run. Highly organized. Every drill had a purpose. The players all paid attention. You can see why our team is a year ahead of schedule. I left the practice very impressed. We have size, speed and seeming excellent discipline. I see a great season on the horizon. Penn State will get a game on September 2nd.

I really appreciate all that you guys do to promote the site. I think it's going to be a pretty hopping place to be in about 3 weeks! Our August board traffic is easily triple what it's ever been. Back in the "really old days" (2003 and prior) we'd be lucky to get 10 posts in an August week. We get that about every hour or two now!Hope to see you in the tailgate lot!

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I hear Can't State football is having a Bob Hallen Appreciation Night September 30th. In his honor the Can't team will wear its blue jerseys, with a yellow stripe down the back.

We're safe. No one watches ESPNU.

Dooooooon't tempt me!!!