Captain Kangaroo

You got it on the nose, Captain! You know what else would be nice? A few turnovers! Remember the Marshall game 2 years ago...they played like crap...I think they had something like 7 turnovers? It would be nice if PSU shot themselves in the foot a few times.

Anyone remember the Va Tech game? No one could stop Jason Taylor. He almost single-handedly won that game. Either Chase Blackburn or Duane LeFall need to have a career game at PSU. If we can get some pressure on their QB, it will make our DB's lives a lot easier. Who's our #2 wide out? Remember Va Tech in 2001? Tech's DB couldn't cover Schifino! He was en route to a monster game when he got the concussion. From then-on Bailey got double-teamed and our passing attack disappeared. We need a #2 wide out to step up and take the heat off Hixson. A #3 would be nice too...but a solid 1-2 punch will put pressure on PSU's D. Those are the two biggest keys to a win. I think the emergence of a #1 RB is probably a close 3rd. I give Ringer the nod, with Briggs getting some carries too. Kennedy...who knows? A big "stage" for a true Fr., but Brandon Payne had a great Fr. debut against PSU in 1999 if I'm not mistaken? If we can keep it close through 3 quarters...do we have the depth to hang in there? Under Owens, our 4th quarter collapses were legenday...Miami several times...Wisconsin...Virginia...Marshall several times....God I could go on forever. Back to work...BTW: Got my game tickets in the mail Friday! Great pre-game night campus environment there...if you don't check it out Friday night, your missing out!

I don't think you can say the kid "didn't give Akron a second look" based solely on this column. Keep in mind that, to a man, every local scribe was a buddy of Lee Owens and Paul Winters. They will take advantage of every opportunity they have to slant their columns against the Zips, even if it is something subtile like mentioning a local HS star was recruited by Can't while conveniently omitting his recruitment by the Zips. That's been proven in about 20 PD/Beacon/Repository columns since Owens November dismissal, (most of those columns were posted on this board.) An Ellen Alexander column written only a few days ago stated "New Akron coach JD Brookhart is expected to improve on the 7-5 record posted by former coach Lee Owens last season." Yeah...everyone is expecting more wins...even though we replaced 2 1-AA non-conf games with Virginia and Middle Tennessee, and replaced Eastern Michigan with Northern Illinois. Oh...and we lost our top 4 receivers and 85% of our running game due to graduation. F Ellen in the skull. As far as losing Sutton...the conspiracy theorist in me says the timing between Kennedy's signing and Sutton's commitment to Northwestern is curious, to say the least. Northwesten is a great academic school, so you can't fault the kid for going there. If it was Indiana or Minnesota I'd probably be a little miffed. In general, we got a kid that OSU felt was worthy of a scholarship...and lost a kid that really wasn't even on their radar. I think Tressel's recruitment of Ohio talent has been pretty impressive. If he felt Kennedy was good and Sutton (Ohio kid) wasn't...I gotta believe we'll be just fine without Sutton. Who knows...maybe in a season or two he shows up in NE Ohio looking to complete his final 2 or 3 years of elegibility?

You have to believe that JD was involved with recruiting Kennedy @ Pitt.

McDaniel from Woodland Hills is likely more of a FB, I think. I know Biggs, the JUCO, is being counted on to make an immediate impact. Some of the other guys might get a look as DB's? Wonder how this might affect Tyrell Sutton's decision? One thing I'll always remember: Didn't we have Brandon Payne, Hendry, Marcus Sanders, Thomas Plummer, Matt Carter, Ringer, etc. and we wondered "how the hell are there going to be enough footballs for these guys?" Payne gets hurt, Sanders quits, Plummer gets booted off the team, Carter quits, etc. All the sudden we're down to Hendry! You can't have too much depth!!

Per gozips.com: Although "remaining" is a poor choice of words, I'd take this to mean he can play from Day 1. Now...I wonder if he'll redshirt, or play?

Obviously great news! Did he simply not meet OSU's requirements, or the NCAA's? Wonder if he's elegible (for us) in 2004?

I'LL BE THERE, ZIPMAN!!! ORDERED MY TICKETS TODAY!! CARMAN'S TRIP SOUNDS LIKE DA BOMB, BUT DA CAPTAIN LIKES PARTING ON-CAMPUS DA NIGHT BEFORE DA BIG GAME!! ARE YOU FEELIN' DA CAPTAIN...OR MR. GREEN JEANS...OR BUN E. RABBIT??

Andy Owens and Coach (former) Meyers' kid, both gone. I expected it sooner?

My bad, Hula-roo. I thought you were Z-P, not Z.I.P. Read it too quickly, I guess? I owe you a beer.

That is classic!

Aren't you the same guy that hated the Zipsnation.org site, and wanted to return to the old blue board? You still running Netscape 1.0?

Thanks! I'll give it a shot.

Someone sent me a copy of the interview: David Lee: "So...how are The Golden flushes looking in the offseason?" JD: "Uh....I'm coach of The Zips." David Lee: "Zips....Zips...man, why is that sounding familiar?" JD: "It's the 24,000 student University that's 4 blocks from your desk." David Lee: "Oh man, I'm so embarassed...sorry about that. So are the Mount Union Zips gonna have a big 2004?" JD: "We're the AKRON Zips. Is this some kind of joke?" David Lee: "My bad again, man. For some reason Mount Union football always comes to mind when we're talking local collegiate football. Now Lee, can you tell me what you're gonna do about that defense? My man Paul Winters always has the offense up to speed, but the D always let's him down?" JD: "I'm not Lee Owens. Lee Owens is coaching at Ashland this year. Paul Winters is coaching at some Division 2 school in Michigan, I believe?" David Lee: *blushing* "Oh, there I go again...GOD am I embarassed. Now I'm starting to see why I've been stuck at The Beacon for all these years and can't get a job at a real paper...damn I'm a horrible excuse for a beat writer." JD: "Don't be so hard on yourself. Let's get started on the right foot. What would you like to ask me regarding the 2004 Akron Zips' Football team?" David Lee: " Umm...I'm sorry...what was that? I was trying to figure out the best way to get to Younstown from here. I'm doing a big story on my alma mater YSU. I might stop in and see Coach Pees on my way there." JD: "Isn't Pees in New England with the Patriots right now?" David Lee: "DAMN you're funny JB! We're gonna get along just great!" JD: "I have a meeting. I need to leave. I think you can find the door." David Lee: "That's cool. I heard there is an interview with you on GoZips.com. I'll just copy that and reprint it in a few weeks. That's how I do my best work. Later on, JC." End of interview.

Again, I refuse to give my personal info the The Beacon so I can't read the column. If you have access to the Beacon page, give it a read.

No mention of Jabari at WR...Blackburn not listed on the preseason all-MAC team, but Earl and Rohr are...the departed Shippy listed as a possible contributor.Fun Reading - Click Me I do agree that 6-5, 5-3 is to be expected. I hope for better, but that's a reasonable expectation.

If Roger Brown has ever set foot on the U of A campus or seen a Zips football game in the past 10 years, I'll sh!t a brick. Glad to see he's such an authority on collegiate long snapping. F Roger Brown in the skull.

If they didn't get test scores or grades, they may still be enrolled, but they can't be placed on a roster until successful completion of an academic year. Look for them next year?

Lost is their QB from 2003, as well as their top 4 wide receivers (#4 WR is moving to QB). See how they lost one of their WR's below: U.Va. receiver, facing charge, unlikely to play this season By DOUG DOUGHTY, LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE, The Virginian-Pilot © July 10, 2004 University of Virginia wide receiver Ottowa Anderson, who started 13 games last year as a junior, is facing an assault and battery charge and almost certainly will not play this season. “Ottowa has been a valued member of our football family for three years,” U.Va. coach Al Groh said. “He is not enrolled in summer school and is not planning to be enrolled for the fall semester. “Ottowa has not been training with the team, and we have not been planning on playing him this upcoming season.” Groh, on vacation in North Carolina, said he had not spoken to Anderson, a graduate of Norview High in Norfolk. The Albemarle County Police Department issued a statement Friday saying Anderson was charged in connection with an alleged assault on a female acquaintance. Police said an emergency protective order also had been issued stemming from a domestic situation police investigated on Wednesday. Anderson had not been picked up as of Friday evening, so the arrest warrants had not been served . The woman Anderson is charged with assaulting, Jessica R. Turner, faces the same charges. Anderson alleges that Turner hit him and threatened him with a knife. “The essence of a family is that you care for each other,” said Groh . “You don’t turn your back when problems occur. Family members counsel and care. “At the same time, strong families have standards and values that must be complied with. We will emphasize to Ottowa and all team members that we abhor abusive behavior. There’s no justification for abusive behavior.” Anderson, a 6-foot, 186-pounder, was generally considered the best blocker among U.Va.’s wide receivers, and his 33 receptions last season were high among Cavalier wideouts with remaining eligibility. “As a player, he’s been one of the most compliant, one of the most energetic, one of the most competitive kids on the team,” Groh said. “He will not leave the practice field without understanding exactly what you want him to do. Academically, he’s a bright kid. He’s very capable.” On the other hand, Anderson faced academic issues that threatened his eligibility even before police started looking for him, Groh indicated. Anderson has never been redshirted. Technically, he could return for a final season of eligibility in 2005. Groh, however, said that “a lot of things would have to be resolved” for that to happen. He did not elaborate. Anderson’s departure comes at a time when Virginia has little depth at receiver. Marques Hagans’ 25 receptions ranked second last year among U.Va. wide receivers with remaining eligibility, but Hagans is the leading candidate to start at quarterback this fall. Virginia will welcome back Michael McGrew, who missed the entire 2003 season after sustaining a broken leg in preseason workouts. McGrew has 60 career receptions, including 27 as a junior in 2002.

His team was one step away from the Pa State finals last year, so maybe they make it in 2004? The Pa HS State championship games are always on Fox Sports Pittsburg, which I get on Direct TV, so maybe we can get a Zips preview? Beyond that, he seems to have the credentials to be in the Big 33 game (FOX OH and Pitt)? Both those viewing options are better than going to Scranton...is't that something like a $26.00 toll on the Pa Turnpike!! I agree that this is a major step in recruiting. I can't ever remember a kid of any caliber committing so early to the program? Maybe little Greskowiak(sic) a few years ago, but he wanted to play with his brother, and was local, so that is a bit misleading. If we get a few more verbals like this in the next few months, I'm really stoked for the future!

Just wanted to bring this thread to the top and drop the "Lost a Kid to WVA" down the board a bit.

Homesick. Gone.

Quick thoughts on the roster: Both Anthony Showers and Parris McNeal made grades and will be in camp? Owens likened McNeal to Dwight Smith on signing day 2003, so it will be interesting to see if that's accurate. Two Buchtel walk-ons in camp? Donte Cloud won't wear #9? No "Cloud 9" headlines on Gozips.com? Rats. A name that doesn't pop up at WR is #21 Josh Smith. I think he can contribute in 2004. We'll see if JD thinks likewise... Sekai Greer up to 220 lbs? Is that possible? A walk-on LB from Cle St Ed's? Drew Higgins still there...I'm glad to see that. Looking forward to seeing him get some reps. Willy Cook: OL 6' 1", 385! If he's my roommate, I ain't letting him sleep on the top bunk! Sam Walker, 2003 DL recruit, moved to OL. 260 lbs...hmmmm... Bobby Gardner on the roster. After that nasty spring game break, does he have any chance of playing in 2004? Mike Schepp up to 300 lbs?! In the 2003 recruiting class he was listed at 245 lbs! Jerrin Jones: 6' 2", 290 DL. On paper that looks awesome...wonder if he can play? Who is he? Joe Radich up to 270 lbs? That's a big jump. Brian White up to 275 lbs! Hey ZFF...if you're projecting your defensive depth chart, don't forget about this guy in 2004. If he stays healthy, he'll make a BIG impact.

Blackhawk back commits to WVU Bruce to play receiver for the Mountaineers Sunday, July 18, 2004 By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Before Jeremy Bruce left his home for a weightlifting session yesterday afternoon, he took some other weight off his shoulders. Bruce, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior running back-defensive back at Blackhawk High School, made a verbal commitment to West Virginia University. The Mountaineers recruited him to play slotback/receiver. "I just decided to call West Virginia and commit," Bruce said. "This takes a lot of pressure off. For my senior year, I just want to have fun and not have to worry about scouts. Committing early gets all the pressure off my shoulders." Bruce also had scholarship offers from Temple, Can't State and Akron. "I love West Virginia," he said. "The fans are just unbelievable. It's crazy down there for games. I love the atmosphere." Bruce rushed for 1,767 yards on 203 carries as a junior and also had 23 receptions for 235 yards. But he wasn't recruited much by colleges until after an eye-opening performance at the Nike Camp at Penn State in May. Bruce ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds. "After that, a lot of schools started calling and talking to me," Bruce said. Bruce is the second WPIAL senior to commit to a Division I school. Burrell offensive lineman John Brown committed to Pitt in March.

Click Me to Link-up I like JD's answers. 7 weeks to Penn State!