rocketfootball

Recruiting updates from me will be sparse. There's a whole new group of coaches...and I have no way to meet them until signing day. Or maybe the summer golf outing.Sucks. This used to be my favorite time of year.A 3 star running back that is committed to NIU visited Akron this weekend and could very well switch his commitment to the Zips. His last name is Bowers.Bowers has switched his commitment from NIU to Akron. Congrats on another good get.That's interesting. Maybe a sign that Howard will have to greyshirt.Howard is not going to greyshirt. If he does sign with Akron he's either gonna be eligible to play in the fall or he won't be eligible. If he is not eligible he cannot go on scholarship in January of 2011, which is what greyshirting would do. He would have to pay his own way for one full year. At the end of the semester in May/June of 2011, if he has good enough grades he would become eligible to go on scholarship in the fall of 2011 and play at that point as a redshirt freshman.I've also heard that he may not sign on Wednesday in hopes that he can get eligible this spring and then go to a BCS school. Not sure what he is going to do at this point.

Recruiting updates from me will be sparse. There's a whole new group of coaches...and I have no way to meet them until signing day. Or maybe the summer golf outing.Sucks. This used to be my favorite time of year.A 3 star running back that is committed to NIU visited Akron this weekend and could very well switch his commitment to the Zips. His last name is Bowers.Bowers has switched his commitment from NIU to Akron. Congrats on another good get.

Howard probably isn't going to be eligible right away next fall, but he can get in school and get eligible for 2011. Morgan Williams did the same thing at Toledo, and he got eligible. His first year on the field he rushed for over 1,000 yards.By the way, Howard supposedly is visiting Can't State this weekend, but I don't see him signing there. Can't State does not have open enrollment so he wouldn't be able to get into there anyway.I agree with Captain Kangaroo. If a guy like Erick Howard wants to come to your school and try to get eligible, you take him.

Just got word that Toledo's out. He's most likely signing with Akron on Wednesday. Then after the spring if he is not eligible he will either pay his own way at Akron for a full year as he tries to get eligible, or go the prep school route.Good luck guys!

By the way, I'd probably give Akron a 60% probability of signing Howard and Toledo a 39% probability of signing Howard. The other 1% is reserved for him to decide on going the prep route instead at the last minute.

Lemee guess......hi brother, Moe? Wherever he ends up a few years from now, it IS nice to see that Zip Logo above the Orange T, etc.Scout LinkScout and Rivals have listed him as an Akron commit because of the story in the Canton newspaper from yesterday about him committing to Akron.Just to clarify everything, he committed to Akron earlier in January. After his commitment, he took an official visit to Toledo. At that time he started to 2nd guess his commitment to Akron. He did commit to Akron before hand though and he has not decomitted, it's just that he is still considering Toledo and could switch his commitment. Personally, I would call that a soft commit.That said, I truly believe that Akron is in the driver's seat. He is definitely considering Toledo, but Akron's got a solid shot at signing him Wednesday. Howard said that he will make his final decision in the next day or two, possibly as late as the end of the weekend.Please don't take my post the wrong way. It is simply to give you guys the latest and most accurate information on Erick Howard. And by the way, there is still a shot at him getting eligible for 2010. He needs a B average this spring. It will be tough, but is still possible.

Recruiting updates from me will be sparse. There's a whole new group of coaches...and I have no way to meet them until signing day. Or maybe the summer golf outing.Sucks. This used to be my favorite time of year.A 3 star running back that is committed to NIU visited Akron this weekend and could very well switch his commitment to the Zips. His last name is Bowers.Does it bother any one else that a Toledo fan keeps up better with our potential recruits than we can now? If you want to know what he knows, simply pay for a scout.com subscription.I also believe rocketfootball follows MAC recruiting as a job, not a hobby. Correct me if I am wrong. He also obviously follows Toledo football very closely, and has a good knowledge of the players of which UA and Toledo have a mutual interest.I work for Scout.com and I do keep up with a lot of MAC recruiting, not just Toledo. Bowers is someone that was not on the radar at Toledo, but he's obviously on both NIU and Akron's radar. Just figured I would drop you guys a bone on his situation is all.And I doubt that I know more about what is going on recruiting wise at Akron than Captain K and some other Akron fans.

Howard's not likely to come to Toledo despite visiting last week. I gotta think that improves the chances of him heading to Akron.

Recruiting updates from me will be sparse. There's a whole new group of coaches...and I have no way to meet them until signing day. Or maybe the summer golf outing.Sucks. This used to be my favorite time of year.A 3 star running back that is committed to NIU visited Akron this weekend and could very well switch his commitment to the Zips. His last name is Bowers.

thats kinda crazy cause I grew up in Fredericksburg OH lolFYI, Josh is from Frederick, MD. Fredericksburg is in Virginia.

Ask 100 smoking-hot girls to be your prom date. Prom is 7 months away. How many give you an immediate "yes?" Now wait a few months...after said smoking-hot girls have not received any concrete offers from guys who've been keeping them on the hook. All of the sudden you start looking a lot better. A few more "yes" responses start to roll in.Ask 100 "middle-of-the-road" girls to the prom. Prom is 7 months away. How many give you an immediate "yes?" Maybe half?Ask 100 homely, butt-ugly girls top the prom. Prom is 7 months away. How many give Doug Martin an immediate "yes?" Get the picture?Your analogy works if you assume that you're an average guy. Akron should no longer be in that position. Akron should be the guy that those smoking-hot girls are waiting on. I know why that's not the case, since Akron lacks two things: winning and being a part of the "popular kids clique" in the form of the BCS. But that doesn't mean that Akron shouldn't be above average when everything else is at the top of the MAC and the facilities are better than half the BCS.Compared to the other suitors for our smoking hot girls, we are "an average guy." Our standards are now above the standards of most of the MAC programs you're fretting over. And July is too far away from prom to lower those standards.Say K.e.n.t. gets 20 verbals in August. What would that say about the caliber of recruit they targeted? They would have secured 20 kids who were obviously really...REALLY desperate for a date.I wouldn't say your standards are above most MAC schools, but yes above some MAC schools. There are many MAC schools that have the same high standards for recruiting. Look at the kids with offers from Toledo, Bowling Green, Miami, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, and Northern Illinois. They are all offering better athletes like Akron is. That's 7 of the 13 MAC schools right there. I'm not sold on the recruiting efforts of Ball State, Temple, and Buffalo despite the fact that Ball State and Buffalo were in the championship game last year and Temple seems to be improving nicely. Ball State and Temple each have a lot of verbals already, but most of their commits only have an offer from them. Buffalo just isn't getting many commits and are not really offering a lot of higher profile guys. Then the rest of the MAC schools like Can't State and EMU are not doing much with recruiting, and it is not surprising.But you look at Akron and the other six MAC schools I gave and they are offering a lot of quality players. And for these MAC schools they are all just average guys competing against the likes of Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Boston College, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, etc.

No.From Rivals.CMU has 1WMU has 2Miami has 1BUGS has 2Can't has 0Buffalo has 1Toledo has 2Temple has 6 (which is disheartening, but again it's Temple)EMU has 0NIU has 1Ohio has 1Ball State has 10With Temple and Ball State. If any of those kids garner any bigger schools, they are gone. Of all the recruits listed there is only one that is a 3 star. If we are still lagging as the season starts or when visits start, then you can get your panties in a bunch.A stadium under construction, is just that, a stadium under construction, until the facility is complete and you can throw their highlight tape up on the video screen and play deafening cheers (recorded from some game) and a announcer calling their name, its really only a "cool, I can play in new digs and this school might care", not "WOW look at this, this school is no joke."Remember, as much pride as we all have in our school, it's because we have the experience of it. To these kids until there is something to experience, we are still just a mid level MAC school.I would not say Akron is behind at all. Rivals is not very accurate for Toledo though. Toledo actually has 4 commits. Not sure which two they have, but Scout has all four of Toledo's which are OL Josh Hendershot, OL Jeff Myers, OL Taylor Miller, and DB Keith Suggs.Bowling Green by the way, just picked up a commitment from three star QB Caleb Watkins.

Nicely just committed to Akron guys. Congrats!

Yes. And :rofl: I think athletically Jermaine is way above the caliber of Toledo's recruiting class. With his academic difficulties, however, he is a perfect fit for the Toledo program. Oh, but this is not meant to be a backhanded compliment and I wish him and Toledo all the best.You're right about academics. In fact, he fits what Toledo and Akron has done in recent years very well. That's why both Toledo and Akron recruited him while some others did not. That's not a backhanded comment by you or me, just fact. I am a Toledo fan and I admit that. Maybe you should as an Akron fan too.However, saying in terms of athletic ability that he is way above Toledo's type of recruit is just wrong. I will only give a couple of examples. What about UT safety Barry Church? He chose Toledo over several BCS offers and was a freshman all-america as a true freshman and has been All-MAC all three years of his career. Running back DaJuane Collins had over 50 DI-A offers with several BCS including Penn State, West Virginia, Purdue, and Boston College. Running back Morgan Williams just set a single game school record for rushing yards in a game this past season as a freshman and he was very highly recruited before the big schools gave up on him because of his academics. To Morgan's credit, he paid his way through school in 2007-08 and got his grades up and was eligible in 2008 and is still doing well in the classroom.Let's face it, both Toledo and Akron have open enrollment and we are more likely to take chances on kids with a lot of talent but poor academics.Toledo's new coach is forcing all players to sit in the first two rows of all classes, and he is going around and checking to make sure they are in class and in the first two rows. He also is hiring a couple of academic liaisons for the football program to help kids beyond what the athletic department does with tutoring. He's working to change the past academic issues at Toledo. If Jermaine Robinson still decided to come to Toledo, he knows what is expected of him. Will he ever see the field? Who knows?!

Toledo has scores of former players NOT making millions in the NFL too.....not sure what you are trying to say.I was not trying to say Toledo was more successful than Akron though. Not at all. I just gave one example of how someone with academic issues can work out. It happens anywhere, not just Toledo. My point with that example is to contradict, if you will, my "bashing" of Toledo and Akron for taking so many academic question mark players in the past that don't make it.

If you want to participate on our board, you are welcome. There's one simple rule to follow - don't be a douche.I appreciate your insights on recruiting, but if you're going to slight UA's programs, academics...whatever...here, or on other MAC boards...your welcome wears out.I don't believe I "slighted" Akron's program, academics, etc. Akron has had the same problem that Toledo has had the last several years. We both have brought in some great recruits and have seen some of them not make it to campus and others not leave because of academics and discipline, and so forth. I am happy for Toledo that Coach Beckman is very big on academics and discipline and has told all the players what he is expecting. Hopefully that will finally change for Toledo.There is no question that Jermaine has had academic issues. He signed with Toledo last year, but couldn't get qualified so he went to a prep school. Though he is doing better, he's not a solid academic student. That is fact, no matter where he goes to school.......Akron, Toledo, Nebraska, USC, etc. That said, both UT and Akron have won big-time on guys they have brought in that have worked out. Chester Taylor is one example at Toledo. He did not qualify as a freshman, but graduated on time and is not making millions in the NFL.The jury is still out on Jermaine Robinson. You know?

You can get your digs in now. I'll smile later.

Jermaine is a heck of a player. Hopefully he can find a way to get eligible and stay eligible for you. I was really hoping he would get eligible and come to Toledo. He visited Toledo over the weekend and had his first face to face meeting with the new head coach. Perhaps something at that visit, coupled with what Akron was offering was enough for him to make the switch. Good get guys.This post has been awarded the "Backhanded Compliment Post of the Month" award and as such is eligible for the Backhanded Compliment Post of the Year" award. Congratulations Rocketfootball.What's backhanded about it? I gave pure facts and said I was hoping he would get eilgible and come to Toledo. I also said he is a heck of a player and said good get guys. There was no backhanded comment there. It is no surprise that he needs to get eligible, whether it is at Akron, Toledo, or USC for that matter. He originally committed to West Virginia last year. When RR left he decided to check Toledo out and switched to Toledo and signed with the Rockets. Unfortunately he never got eligible and had to enroll in prep school at Milford Academy......a prep school that Toledo coaches suggested for him with the thought that he would sign this year. He remained committed to Toledo, but started looking elsewhere after Amstutz resigned. Minnesota looked at him a bit, but didn't offer. Akron was recruiting him, and he talked to UT's new coach and decided to make an official visit to Toledo last weekend. As I already said, it appears that between what he heard in his face to face meeting with UT's new coach, and was Akron was offering him......he decided to commit to Akron. What he heard from UT's coach is between him and UT's coach. It could be that he just didn't fit into the system or just didn't get the same vibe he got with Tom Amstutz. Akron has recruited the Pittsburgh, PA area well and he must have liked what he saw there.None of that is a backhanded comment....it's just the plain truth. He signed with Toledo last year and was a solid commitment to Toledo until Amstutz resigned. Just plain truth.I really hope he gets eligible to play for whoever it will be.....Akron or whomever. You still have 6-7 weeks to hold onto him.....hopefully you will.

Jermaine is a heck of a player. Hopefully he can find a way to get eligible and stay eligible for you. I was really hoping he would get eligible and come to Toledo. He visited Toledo over the weekend and had his first face to face meeting with the new head coach. Perhaps something at that visit, coupled with what Akron was offering was enough for him to make the switch. Good get guys.

JUCO DB Deonte Ball told me he has committed to Akron.I mentioned on here about QB Patrick Nicely a couple of days ago. Apparently he wanted to visit Toledo first in respect to Coach Campbell who had been recruiting him since he was a sophomore. Unless he got blown away at Toledo yesterday, expect him to commit to Akron this week.

Page committed to Toledo today. Mentioned the Michigan game pushed him to the commit, but he already planned on committing to Toledo at some point.

He sounds like Toledo material to me?Ouch. Comment noted. Just try to get more of your commits to be eligible this year.

JUCO wide receiver Ryan Gardner is a "soft" commit to Akron.

I'll ask my younger brother, who is a senior at Hoban along with Will.Rivals.com has a story saying that Will committed to his dad and Akron earlier today.

Morgan Williams is doing really good. He did very well fall semester and if he does the same 2nd semester he will be academically eligible to play next fall. If he continues well on the academic side, he is going to be a beast on the field.