Captain Kangaroo

Yes!

Yes he did. Scroll down: Football Inks 22 Recruits on National Letter Day 2001 University of Akron Football Recruiting Class Brendon BANKS 6-0, 190, SS, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Woodland Hills) James BATTLE 6-0, 225, LB, Cincinnati (Colerain) Dorian BEARD 6-1, 250, DL, Verona, Pa. (Penn Hills) Geoffrey BEAUCHESNE 6-5, 230, TE, Montreal, Quebec (Du Vieux) Chase BLACKBURN 6-4, 215, DL, Marysville Mark CONLEY 6-2, 285, DL, Lakewood Diontre EARL 5-11, 230, LB, Toledo (Rogers) Dion ELIE 6-2, 185, WR, Atlanta, Ga. Lithonia/Euclid, Ohio Jamie GOODWIN 5-11, 160, WR, McKeesport, Pa. Justin HEIN 6-7, 335, OL, Lakewood Jeremy JACOBS 6-4, 245, OL, Uniontown (Green) Charlton LEWIS 6-4, 250, DL, N. Braddock,Pa.(Woodland Hills) Jason MONTGOMERY 6-1, 180, WR, Southfield, Mich. (Lathrup) Montae MURPHY 5-10 173, DB, Rankin, Pa. (Woodland Hills) Thomas PLUMMER 6-1, 215, RB, Etobicoke, Ontario (Henry Carr) Jerell RINGER 5-11, 195, RB, Dayton (Meadowdale) Brad SHELDON 6-2, 200, LB, Rochester, Mich. (U. of Detroit Jesuit) Richard SPAULDING 6-3 210, SS, New Albany Marcus SUBER 6-1, 185, SS, Sacramento City College Vince VAUGHNS 6-2, 185, RB/FS, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Santa Fe) Greg WILLIAMS 5-10, 185, SS, Canton (GlenOak) Chris WOOTEN 6-0, 240, LB, Bedford AKRON - A share of the 2000 Mid-American Conference East Division title and back-to-back winning seasons certainly made a positive impact on "National Letter Day" for the Akron Zip football program. UA coach Lee Owens today unveiled his seventh recruiting class and announced the signing of 22 student-athletes for the 2001 season. Based on early commitments, the class ranked first in the Mid-American Conference, according to RIVALS.com.

Hey Z-P: An old timer like you has to remember the similar talk of "How are we going to keep Lee Owens" about 2 years into Owens' tenure? I just cant participate in this debate 1.2 years into the guy's D-1A head coaching career. If CMU comes in and knocks us off...like they did Miami...everyone will be calling for the guy's head. Sports Talk in the 2000's is a funny thing.

We just beat NIU. Miami has already lost at home to a bad CMU team, and BG's defense couldn't stop St V's junior varsity. Buffalo...Can't...OU...? All W's. The question is more like "Are the Zips the favorite to win the MAC East?"

Wish I'd have thought of that? The problem with the Zipsfest turnout is more complex than the cost of the spot. If I see someone from the Marketing group at the next game, I'll explain. If they want to give me a call, I'm happy to discuss it. Sufficive to say: They should call up each and every one of the "vacant" spot holders and let them know their money is being refunded and people on the waiting list are being moved up front (they did keep a waiting list, right?). They should also move those fans who put the effort into making the thing an event together. Now. Not tomorrow. Your original spot number now means nothing. The organization of the students for the game was great, well planned, and worked out outstanding. Conversely: The Tailgate fest wasn't...and it flopped.

This is something I really wish Zips fans would do. If out-of-state fans come to the Rubber Bowl, it is every Zips fan's duty, if you cross their path, to welcome them to Akron and wish them luck in the game. That is class. It should be synonymous with "Akron" and it's fans. I went to the Nebraska game several years back and, to a fan, every one of those Huskers came up to me and did exactly what I stated above. At game's end, after beat-down, they couldn't have been classier. Their hospitality and class is forever embedded in my mind. That is what we as Zips fans need to do at the Rubber Bowl and you don't need to wait for some University-sponsored program to do it. CMU fans will be in our lot next week. Let them leave Akron with great memories of the city and it's fans, and bad memories of the game! Note: K-ent is the exception. You can be a bit obnoxious to K-ent fans.

I agree. The students were awesome. Credit UAM for their work in getting them out to the game and showing them what a good time being a student at The University of Akron can be. I would like to see the students take it to another level next week. It back-and-forth "AK"..."ROWDIES" is a great start, but they can be more creative. Keep it up!! Also...it was heartwarming to see a few endzone students hoisting silver flasks in the crowd! Ahhhhh "Tradition never graduates."

He's coached a full 1.2 seasons of college football. The Zips haven't won a damn thing. They haven't won a championship. They haven't beat a real BCS team (beating teams like Rutgers, Army or Temple don't count as marquee BCS wins). JD isn't going anywhere soon. Look at Toledo. Miami. BG. Those teams stay atop the MAC despite losing coaches. The day JD ultimately leaves, we'll be fine so long as we have the commitment from the top. I remember everyone freaking out about the QB position this year..."How will we ever replace Frye?" Worrying about that was a waste of time, just like worrying about JD leaving.

Zips ALWAYS play well at home vs top-flight competition. Today is no different...except for the fact that we have a defense to stop those last-minute drives. Zips 31 NIU 30 Off to the tailgate!

To give you some idea of where Larry Pantages is coming from, I submit my email correspondence with Larry from January 2002 for your review. Larry Writes: -----Original Message----- From: Larry Pantages [mailto:lpantages@thebeaconjournal.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 10:59 AM Subject: Beacon Journal sports reply Sir: I received a copy of your e-mail about the Acme-Zip coverage in the Beacon Journal. I can speak to coverage of Akron's road game athletic events. We have never covered EVERY road game for Akron in any season that I know of in nearly 30 years. When the team has played what even casual fans would consider extra newsworthy games (Pioneer Bowl, at LSU, at Nebraska, at Penn State, at Virginia Tech, at Ohio State), not only have we sent one reporter, but usually TWO, and a photographer also. When the Zips made the NCAA baseball tournament a few years ago, we also sent 2 writers & a photographer to Texas for tournament coverage. We had profiles of players and captured all the excitement. When the Zips made the NCAA basketball tournament with Bob Huggins as coach, the Beacon Journal put out an Extra Edition because the game was played in the late morning back in the days when there were quadruple headers played on the same day. When Joe Jakubick led the nation in scoring, we did many profiles and features and columns about him. When the soccer team reached the NCAA Final Four, we covered that. When Christi Smith made her mark in NCAA women's track, we had centerpiece section front coverage of that. I hope this helps round out your knowledge of the Beacon Journal's coverage of Zips sports -- both currently and in years past. Thanks for your e-mail. Larry Pantages Akron Beacon Journal Sports Editor (and BJ employee since 1972) I respond: ****************************************************************** ----- Original Message ----- From: Me To: lpantages@thebeaconjournal.com Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 5:29 PM Subject: RE: Beacon Journal sports reply I appreciate your response. It is refreshing to see a person of your status at the Beacon aid in proving my point. If you need to refer to your coverage of Joe Jakubik(1983), the Pioneer Bowl(1976?), Bob Huggins(1986), the 1986 Zip soccer team and the 1997 baseball team to prove that your coverage of the University's 2002 sports programs is adequate, hey...what can I say? Good for you! I'm sure you did a great job covering John Heisman's first win at Buchtel College too. Do you expect to be applauded for covering the Ohio State / Akron game? Give me a break. Its sad to say, but I'd be more impressed if you gave David Lee Morgan the gas money to travel to Athens or Mt. Pleasant...that doesn't seem like too much to ask, does it? Could someone besides Terry Pluto write something insightful regarding the University's athletes and programs? Its a "bunny" to write about Dwight Smith or Christi Smith AFTER they win national awards. INSIGHT is telling everyone Dwight Smith's an All American BEFOREHAND. You mention the Penn State game. You know Terry Pluto's article on Butchie Washington...the one that appeared during Butchie's 5th year at Akron? I saw the same full-page story in a Penn State newspaper over a year earlier! David Lee Morgan's preview of the Zips 2001 football team touted Duane LeFall as the team's best defensive player. LeFall was announced as academically ineligible a week before the column was printed!! How did I know that, but the Zip beat writer didn't? Your 50-words-or-less previews of upcoming games are not worth printing. Your coverage of Akron's football recruit commitments are virtually non-existent...your 2 day old Zip News cut-n-pastes taken from GoZips.com? Why bother? Your coverage of the MAC in general...is there any? I could go on, but it’s not worth it. Check out papers in Toledo, Huntington, etc. sometime if you want to see what coverage of a "hometown" MAC school should entail. Best regards, Sir Larry's reply: ************************************************************ Mr. *Me*, If I helped in proving your point (from your point of view), so be it. My point is that when the Zips make a big splash in sports news, we play it big and throw our best resources at it. We get excited -- because there's something to get excited about. I'm sure there are stories we've been beaten on and I'm sure there are athletes that we could have profiled before they won national honors. But in the day to day coverage of Akron, I think our game stories, notebooks and features keep the general audience up to date on what's happening. We think daily readers -- especially those who are Zips fans -- are thrilled when Terry Pluto writes about the college scene. I can assure you there are many metro daily sports sections where the columnist settles into a routine of covering the pro teams and the hot national stuff. Some sports editors and readers satisfy themselves with that. With Terry, the local stories are very important -- and always will be. Again, thanks for writing. Sorry if I didn't pick up your name from the earlier e-mail but I don't understand these e-mail address shortcuts. Larry Pantages Akron Beacon Journal sports editor

If David Lee Morgan DOES write more regarding the Zips...will you learn anything? Do you really want to read it?

By TIMOTHY WOLFMEYER Northwest Herald After Mid-American Conference teams were outscored, 175-9 :blink: , against schools from Bowl Championship Series conferences last week – and because the conference has a 1-18 record against such teams this season – one question has to be asked. Is the TV exposure gained by playing these teams – Michigan, Virginia Tech, Auburn, etc. – worth the humiliation? "I think we all have to be a little more sensible about what we're trying to do," said Ball State coach Brady Hoke, whose team lost to Auburn, 63-3, on Saturday. "There is something to be said about exposing your program to the nation, but playing three BCS teams a year? That takes its toll." Only Toledo (3-0), the lone MAC program to not face a BCS team this season, has a legitimate chance at a major bowl. Every other team came out of non-conference play with at least one loss – most, like Northern Illinois (1-2), have more. "It's tough to come out of non-conference play with any confidence," Ohio coach Frank Solich said. "We need to be a little realistic about what we're attempting to accomplish in these games. You want to create exposure, but winning will also do that. It's tough to win when you're coming in as 20- or 30-point underdogs each week." Solich might be right about one thing. Winning might be the only way for a mid-major team to achieve true national attention. Those schools making a jump in the past few years, such as Utah, Boise State and Fresno State, have done so by going undefeated, not by losing to BCS schools. Impressive company: While no one is ready to include Phil Horvath in the elite list of college quarterbacks quite yet, the NIU junior has – at least statistic-wise – equalled their accomplishments thus far. Horvath, who has completed 52-of-78 passes for 701 yards and five touchdowns this season, currently ranks 19th nationally in quarterback rating (155.62), ahead of Texas' Vince Young, Michigan's Chad Henne and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn. "Phil's been doing a great job of getting the ball to the right guy this season," NIU coach Joe Novak said. "He's playing within himself, not trying to do too much. I'm real pleased with what he's been able to do so far." Horvath has guided the Huskies' offense to 513.7 yards a game this season, which ranks behind only Texas Tech (719.5), USC (633.5), Arizona State (633.3), Michigan State (566.0), Missouri (562.0), Bowling Green (559.5) and Minnesota (555.0). Extra points: Novak said running back Garrett Wolfe, who left the Tennessee Tech game with a shoulder injury, will be ready for Akron. "[Garrett] could have played in the second half [last Saturday], but we were trying to be smart about it," Novak said. "We'll watch him closely. His shoulder just slips in and out a little bit." ... Wolfe had been leading the nation in rushing before a 61-yard performance against the Golden Eagles dropped him to fourth. ... Bowling Green faces Boise State on Wednesday, beginning three consecutive weeks of mid-week MAC games televised on ESPN2. The network will air NIU's game with Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 5.

He played quite a bit at MTSU and did a nice job. He'll only get better too!

Male Athlete of the Week: Desmond Brentley By Kevin Gorman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Wednesday, September 14, 2005 Desmond Brentley School: Perry Traditional Academy Class: Senior Sport: Football Notable: The 6-foot-2, 228-pound quarterback was nearly perfect in completing 12-of-14 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns to lead the top-ranked Commodores (2-0) to a 38-0 victory against Carrick on Thursday in City League play. "I should have completed all my passes," Brentley said. "I had one pass that I threw too far, another I threw too high. I've got to thank my linemen. Without them, I wouldn't have the time in the pocket to do what I can." Brentley is 17 of 27 for 430 yards and five touchdowns heading into Perry's game at McDowell on Friday. Brentley, who has offers from Akron and Temple, passed for 2,118 yards and 20 touchdowns last year. "I wouldn't say it was unexpected because I expect it from myself and my teammates," Brentley said. "We have high expectations as a team. Hopefully, we can keep it going."

One additional note I'll add regarding the MTSU game: Overall, the offensive playcalling was as aggressive as I've seen. Regardless of the 3rd down situation, we always tried to get a first down. Even at 3rd and 27, we're tossing the ball 30 yards down field. No Lee Owens 3rd down, "I give up" draw plays. If we lose on Saturday, we'll go down guns-a-blazin'. This staff really seems to now our strengths...have researched the opponent's weaknesses...and come into the games ready to win. If we continue to grow and improve, that BG game in late-October could be one a lot of people will be talking about. First things first...BEAT NIU!

Quality team? I saw that team perform three weeks in a row, and it seems that the quality had degressed. It went from 5 turnovers against North Texas to like 3 turnovers and 100 yards in penalities against Akron. Quality team? No, not unless we beat an undefeated Vanderbilt or an NC State team with a winning record additionally sweeping the rest of our Sun Belt competition. MTSU would win at least 4-5 games in the MAC. Your defense is pretty decent. Your offense needs some playmakers. Seems like you will be in need of a new coach in November too.

I was really surprised to see Donaldson on the field! He played fine. In general, the entire offensive line looked fine. It was the most time I've seen an Akron QB have to throw the ball in a couple years. Run-wise, they wore-down MTSU. MTSU's D-line is no slouch, so it doesn't bother me too much that we struggled on the ground in the first half. When we needed to move the ball in the 2nd half on the ground, when it really counted, the OL came through. Injury-wise: I am unaware of any major injuries. Hixson is fine.

Here's my fast and random overview of this weekends excursion to Murfreesboro: * Flew in at 10am Friday. Turns out we stayed at the same hotel at the team! Was pretty cool. * Saw JD before the game and asked him for his prediction. He said "If we play like 18 year olds, we'll struggle. If we play like we did last week (Purdue) we'll be alright." Turns out he was right. The Zip freshmen played a little bit beyond their years and the Zips were "alright." * We began tailgating at 12pm. The lot was about 1/10th full of MTSU fans. At 1pm the Hixson's drove by and we flagged them down. Turned out about 13 Hixson's made the trip! Then came the Willis's (OL), Sullivan's, Rohr's, a few random Akron ex-patriots from the Murfreesboro area and pretty soon we had a pretty nice U of A tailgate going on. All great people. It was fun. The MTSU folks were great too. Very hospitable. They seem to be in a southern, parallel universe to Akron. Their "fight" is against UT and Vanderbilt for fan support, much like we battle the machine that is OSU. * Lots of beer in the parking lots, despite "faith and family" weekend! * The Zips were never not in control of the game. Getsey made a couple bad decisions in the red zone that cost us, but each time the defense picked us up. When's the last time you heard that? * The TD MTSU scored was a joke. The WR's foot was at LEAST 2 full feet out of bounds when he made his pivot. The ref dropped his hat where it happened, then, after the play went for a TD, he quickly ran over, snatched up his hat and blew the whistle to kick the extra point. If Frenchie and Joe Dunn went nuts over that call, they were 100% justified. * I saw a Zips coach after the game and said "Nice game." He said "We should have scored 45 points." He was right. We were in MTSU's territory all game, but penalties, bad execution and a bit of questionable play-calling hurt us. To win by 10 while blowing so many scoring opportunities was really impressive and a credit to our defense. MTSU has a nice CB too....I have to give the guy some credit. * Chevin Pace was everywhere. He had a GREAT game. Ditto Stokes. * Jermaine Reid played well too. * The Zips OL gave Getsy plenty of time to throw. Their run blocking began slowly, but in the second half they began to open up some nice holes. * Hixson was spectacular. He's a lot like Matt Cherry, but with a little something "extra." Every catch he makes he's thinking "endzone." He's elusive and has great vision. For those of you that didn't make it to Purdue or MTSU, you'll be in for a treat watching him this Saturday. * Biggs ran tough. He had no holes early on, but really began doing some damage in the 2nd half. * Getsy is a more than adequate replacement for Frye. If he can figure out when to chuck the ball into the stands instead of forcing the play, he'll be awesome. * A little bird told me that JD JD gave a nice post game talk to the players where he stated he didn't know how good this team was going to be at the beginning of the season. But, after 2 games he now knows they're "a pretty darn good football team." The guys on the team were pretty happy to hear that and are pretty pumped about this weeks home opener! * MTSU isn't a bad team. To go on the road and rack up 400+ yards offensively...and shut them down defensively...was impressive to behold. * MTSU hadn't lost back to back home games since 1980. I hear Garrett Wolfe hurt his shoulder and left NIU's game in the 2nd quarter? Wonder how bad he's hurt? Hopefully only bad enough to miss one week?

Emails don't work with Pantages. He is an arrogant, ignorant a-hole. The best thing you can do is cancel your subscription.

The Navy win was a lot of fun.

I will be there, smuggling a flask. Maybe I should skip the Christian concert?

I'm going, but staying in Murfreesboro. Doesn't look like anyone else is? Hopefully in a year or two the "Zips that Travel" will dramatically increase in number. I appreciate the offer. Let us know if you need any directions to the stadium from your hotel, and/or things to do, places to eat, etc. I know to look for an old school bus to tailgate near, and there's allegedly a "square" area that shoud be hopping on Friday night? I stopped by your Delphi forum about a month ago and a few Blue Raiders were kind enough to help me out. Any good microbreweries around Murfreesboro?

I'm going, but staying in Murfreesboro. Doesn't look like anyone else is? Hopefully in a year or two the "Zips that Travel" will dramatically increase in number. I appreciate the offer.

I was watching a CUSA game last weekend. The network showed a list of the 6 or 7 CUSA QB's in the NFL. Included were Culpepper, Pennington and Leftwitch, who obviously never played in CUSA. If we beat OSU in 1894, I'll take it. I'm glad they still count such an old win as one for Akron and the MAC. Lookinf forward the the next one in 2007.

I concur entirely Pouch. I think most agree that Frenchie does a nice job. If you don't...like Pouch said...try sitting through Can't's Bill Needle for more than 5 minutes. Frenchie does screw up names all the time. Does WNIR's health plan not pay for glasses?