Let'sGoZips94

How much more is Kent investing this year to win back the Wagon Wheel and potentially go bowling? Multiple things can be true. 1) The program needs better financial support. The University needs to quit half-assing football and commit to building a program worth supporting. 2) JoeMo isn't the right guy for the job. From X's & O's to an ego too large to win over donors - he's just not it.

Why is there not more done with the stadium in the offseason? Concerts, events, etc.

Legitimate question: what are the financial/resource differences between Akron football and Kent football?

Out of likes, but BINGO. Hit the nail on the head.

Troy, who beat Kent on opening night, beat San Diego St (38 KenPom) in 2OT last night.

That list isn't up to date. McElwain is no longer at CMU, and JoeMo is actually the 11th highest paid coach. His ranking in the MAC is irrelevant when considering the financial position Akron is in. $620k of taxpayer money at a school with financial troubles should yield more than the incremental progress we've seen. What's the ROI on the $620k? How's the community outreach from the HC? How's the NIL situation? Is 0 pts in the home opener vs. Wyoming an acceptable ROI for $620k? How about 3 pts vs. Toledo? Is the on-field product exciting and something the community wants to come out and support no matter the outcome? Do we have the Wagon Wheel right now? Surely we do since our rival is in year 1 of an interim HC who inherited a 1-23 roster, right? Damn the restrictions. This season was an abject failure. There were 5 more wins on this schedule that Joe's Zips lost more than the opponent won. Wyoming scored 10 pts at the Info and we scored 0. UAB fired their coach that we couldn't beat. Miami was a potential win and we couldn't score more than 7 pts. Balls is in year 1 of their HC - lost by more to them than Kent did. Lastly, Kent (not going to go into more details there). I'm not saying we should've won all 5 of these games, but we didn't win a single one. The program had a chance to make a national statement by being bowl eligible and forcing the NCAA to drop the postseason ban; they choked, which has been a staple of the JoeMo era.

We're in year 4 of a highly paid coach. Kent is in year 1 of an interim-turned-permanent coach, reacquired the Wagon Wheel, and has a chance to not just match our win total but possibly go bowling. The little victories were fine in years 1&2. It's unacceptable in year 4. 2 losses to first year HCs and we couldn't muster 10+ pts vs Wyoming at home. If it wasn't for UMass joining the MAC, we'd probably be capping out at 4 wins again. I don't see an improved product on the field, at least not what you'd expect from JoeMo in his 4th year. It's hard for me to celebrate barely beating BUGS who is objectively horrendous.

He loves winning meaningless games lol

Fitting end to the Ass Bowl. Put the metaphorical Cheeks Trophy in the trophy case.

Thank you Bruno! Ball game.

Can we get a handshake agreement in this game that BG has to win this in regulation and can't kick a FG to force OT? This game can't possibly torture the human eyes more than it has already...

Phenomenal call.

We finally found a more undisciplined team than us and we still suck.

I like that this tournament rewards the first round winners with an off day. If I'm not mistaken, that's not something we've seen in these early season tournaments which has been detrimental due to fatigue. The winner of Iona/Akron should get Oregon State in the semi's.

I know and I don't quite understand why Steele didn't push for a more difficult schedule after being screwed by the NIT for this reason.

Significantly cheaper than a new arena. 🤔

I don't know what the plans are for a future arena, whether it be a JAR renovation or a new arena entirely, but if it's the former they should absolutely put suites in the north and south ends to utilize those areas better.

To pile on Kent's weak schedule, according to a UNCW fan on X, they were missing 2 of their top players vs Kent. It took a late run by the Golden Flushes to hold off UNCW at the MACC.

Love it. Go Zips!

Show time.

It's a ballroom. D1 basketball should not be played there, hence why Cleveland State was invited.

Helps when their competition is as weak as it has been. Cleveland State beat D3 Capital by 1, lost in buzzer beater fashion to a really bad Loyola team, and they were so bad vs Northwestern the Evanston police started a missing persons search for the whole team. Kent beat them by 7 and let them put up 95. The UNCW game, which is supposedly a good win, didnt feature much competition for Gillespie. UNCW's big wasn't much to write home about. Based on these early performances by Kent, I think they'll be ~.500 in the MAC. EDIT: Didn't realize Kent plays Cleveland State again later this week. What a joke their schedule is.

Strong optimism for the MAC to start the season. Murray State looks like it will be a great matchup. Yale could be an opponent in the Paradise Jam.

We scored 79 with a not-so-great second half. 90 was absolutely in play. Heck, if the officiating is just slightly less egregious, 90 would've been in play. Lots to learn from this game, but I love where the ceiling appears to be for this team.