Let'sGoZips94

LOVE THIS! FINALLY A MID MAJOR CONFERENCE CHALLENGE! Here are the Sun Belt members... App State Arkansas State Coastal Carolina Georgia Southern Georgia State James Madison Louisiana Marshall Old Dominion South Alabama Southern Miss Texas State Troy ULM While the Sun Belt has a better track record on the gridiron, their growth has also created more appeal on the hardwood. We're all familiar with the Blundering Turds. Georgia State, IIRC, played Gonzaga tough in the Tourney last year. The conference added Old Dominion this year, which used to be a CAA powerhouse (VCU, ODU, George Mason, etc.) before going to CUSA and now the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt, I believe, has the 2nd largest mid-major conference media contract, behind only the MAC. This was prior to their expansion and additional success in football. The Sun Belt will most likely overtake the MAC during the next media deal negotiations, and should only see an increase in athletic success. This is a good conference challenge for the MAC, as the MAC's top basketball schools should beat the Sun Belt's best basketball schools, but the middle and lower tier schools will be very evenly matched.

This is the million dollar question that I think we're all asking. There are so many unknowns with the supporting cast, but I at least feel much more confident in the core of this team going into this year compared to the start of last year.

- Clarke seemed to find a groove in the MAC Tournament/NCAA Tournament. He had some insanely clutch moments and nice performances. We need that to continue, as X being off the ball helped open up the offense. - The Dakotas have treated Akron and the JAR well. NDSU as the Bracket Buster in 2012-13 was awesome (still should never have been a T on Zeke), and now the Jackrabbits coming to Akron after a nice NCAA Tournament appearance last year. Their success is so well documented, I thought they had at least one NCAA Tournament win (they've just come close like Akron). Safe travels for the Jackrabbits, and good luck this season regardless of the result. Thank you for coming to Akron. - Groce and March is an underrated love story. What he accomplished with last year's team was nothing short of miraculous.

Beals seems like the coach that will get this program into a prominent light. I love it.

First @fknbuflobo now you... Can't trust anyone in this thread. Sorry @GoZips88. I gave you the wrong info. I'm only as good as my intel.

Of course.

Luke Getsy's Chicago Bears offense continues to hum. Lots of people taking notice as his tutelage and system has Fields playing like a first round pick finally.

There is a lot of hype around this game. Won't be able to attend myself, but will be watching. Go Zips! Show the MAC once again WE ARE AKRON! WE ARE AKRON! WE ARE SOCCER KINGS!

Based on what is sold in the team shop, I really don't know if "affordable" is in Akron's merch vocabulary. However, I do agree with a Shersey being a good alternative.

Oh no... How will they ever recoup the miniscule slave labor costs? This has always been a pet peeve of mine, too. The only jerseys I own are a game worn Bruce Weinkein jersey and the Zips #1 jersey they gave out at a game during the Treadwell years. Would love to see more Akron gear, especially jerseys. And these jerseys are slick. Love the clean A.

Is that the Riverhound stadium? Surprised PA doesn't play the state title games at Philadelphia Union's stadium.

Is that the Riverhound stadium? Surprised PA doesn't play the state title games at Philadelphia Union's stadium.

Ali Ali had/has academic eligibility issues?

Reducing capacity in certain ways is acceptable, you're right. I just don't think simply replacing wooden bleachers with plastic seats/bleachers is an acceptable method of reduction. Also, are we not going to have seating behind the baskets?

If that rendering is what we'll get, why bother? I don't see any benefit aside from a slightly better sightline without the railing. This most likely reduces capacity (right side upper level would no longer be bleachers) and simply copies any modern high school gym aesthetically. I hope this is an "under promise, over deliver" situation.

Anybody with recruiting knowledge know if any of these players come with any expectations? Also, how did we land Greg Beals?

Special team. 2019-20 and 2021-22 are my 2 favorite Akron squads of all time. What that team did last year to pull together through all the adversity and not only beat KSUcks by 20(!) in the MAC Title game, but also come within a couple of baskets of knocking off UCLA in the NCAA Tourney - legendary team. The newcomers this year need to understand what happened last year. The sooner they figure that out, the sooner they buy in, the better off we'll be in the long run.

Zach Gibson - is that you?

8 man rotation... Any idea who could step up to make it a 9 or 10 man rotation? Prather Jr., Mosengo, T Johnson - any of these 3?

When you're the backup QB on one of the worst football programs in the country, the only thing you should be saying to the opponent is Good Luck.

Go Zips! Beat Brick Building U!

These two issues are why I want out of the MAC. The only thing Steinbrecher is ahead of the game on is cancelling a MAC basketball tournament. At least 3 or 4 of the conference members' best sports either aren't supported by the MAC or are dying off in the MAC - Men's Hockey and Men's Soccer. Football and basketball are down, and the gameday atmospheres blow for the most part (doesn't even show well on tv). More than half the MAC doesn't carry their own weight and there's awful leadership at the top that isn't very open to adding talented schools to create a higher level of competition. Not a recipe for success as the landscape of college athletics continues to evolve and pass the MAC by. The conference still uses commercials from 10+ years ago that, at best, were shot in 720p.

That goal against Michigan by Perry was unbelievable. Going down 1-0 early in that game was a gut punch, and to even it up prior to the half was HUGE. Side note: that year (2010), I had my cousin in the family gift exchange. He was a budding Akron fan, and enjoyed their soccer program. I ended up taking a ball to a game and someone on the team was kind enough to take the ball into the locker room and have the entire team (I believe including coaches) sign the ball. Little did anyone know that I'd be giving a signed ball by National Champions that year as a gift. Nagbe, Kitchen, Kofi, Gavin, Caldwell, Mattocks, etc. That is the college soccer equivalent of a signed football from practically any Saban-coached Alabama squad. One of the greatest teams ever to grace the sport.

I'll beat this like a dead horse, but I full-heartedly believe Guthrie is trying to get us out of the MAC. I think he wants to make Akron an attractive school to root for athletically. Football just needs to win, and that beautiful stadium should start filling up. Basketball has a winner, but needs an improved arena experience for fans. Soccer is soccer - We are Akron. We are Akron. We are Soccer Kings. Building an athletic department that goes from the MAC to say the American Athletic Conference is the type of resume builder that will land him the AD job at his Alma Mater - Syracuse.