ZachTheZip

Thanks for the links!

A 16 point win at Marshall looks pretty good. OU only beat them there by 2 points. I think this was a direct continuation of what we saw against VCU. VCU was a learning game with us finally getting our full roster back. This game we showed that we learned from that experience. We're not playing anywhere near our full potential yet, either.

UA relaunches bowling team

If we can't have it behind the bench, then you could simply switch which side the reserved section is on, or move the benches to the other side. Also, I forgot to mention above that those renovations should be done regardless of whether a new arena gets built. They have to be done.

Terry Pluto talks about his conversation with coach Bowden at the VCU game.

Happy New Year! May it be better than the last.

Here's my plan: 1. Build a new arena. Design it with men's basketball games in mind. If the city wants it to host an ice rink and are willing to take up a significant portion of the cost, then that's fine. I love watching games at the Q and don't at all feel like the design takes away from the atmosphere. In fact, it feels less like a high school gym and more big-time (which can help attract some recruits), something the JAR will never be able to shake due to its architectural limitations. 2. The JAR will now be focused on hosting WBB, volleyball, and indoor concerts. First, replace all the seating. The "home" side will get new, more comfortable, chairbacks. The other side and the north side (upper and lower, both), and the lower south side) will get plastic lumber bleachers, much more comfortable and durable than the current seats, and something the nicer high school gyms already have that we don't. Also, on all sides, the railing will be eliminated and the track made narrower into a simple walkway to get to and from seats. 3. The upper south side will be eliminated completely. In its place will be a two-level luxury suite area that will extend to where the railing currently is. The first level will have a continuous glass face and will be a small restaraunt area. The current Tommy Evans lounge will become its kitchen. The upper level will be actual luxury boxes for the high rollers and for celebrities to come to games without being mobbed by the GA crowd like they have to deal with now. 3. And now the cosmetic improvements. Replace the scoreboard with an HD one. Replace the orange stat boards with either a ribbon strip or the screens like the ones in front of the scorers table. Paint all the walls blue. Get a lighting system that you can turn on and off. The seating arrangements would allow the students to sit behind the bench. It would be the only place they would be allowed to sit until that filled up. With the high rollers in the new luxury box, it opens seats up in the reserved section so the students aren't really kicking anybody out. The lower north section can be the athletes' family section. The band can finally realize their dream of taking over the entire lower south side. All of this would help the atmosphere tremendously by removing some of the boring people and consolidating the students. The capacity is lowered slightly, but not as much as you might think, while at the same time packing the crowd into a smaller space.

Footballscoop.com: Akron: We have been told that Chuck Amato has accepted the defensive coordinator position. We hear that Todd Stroud will be joining the staff as defensive line coach (from Colorado State...but has worked with Amato before) and we hear that Terrell Buckley will coach the corners.

It makes sense that the DC job would be offered to somebody who can run a team. Bowden pretty much said that the D will be autonomous under the DC while the HC works with the offense. Amato is perfect for that. Its easier to bring in a good coordinator when they know they won't be constantly micromanaged like a certain previous head coach liked to do to his staff.

Footballscoop.com - Akron: We hear Terry Bowden has offered the defensive coordinator job to Chuck Amato. John Pont (Miami Ohio defensive intern / linebackers) will have a spot on the staff and we hear Ben Murphy, director of football operations at North Alabama, will serve as his director of football operations. Chuck the Chest!

There was a feature yesterday in the ABJ about "Quake". Sounds like he's enjoying it. How could you not?

I'm getting ready to head down to the JAR to see how he does with the "regular" Zips fans. I hope we get a decent (for winter break, anyway) student turnout tonight and that tomorrow is a sellout.

“Do we want to go all-out and try to win instantly? Or do we want to build a foundation? I think the answer is somewhere in between. This first year, if we’re late, I would think this year would be a year that would have to happen. I don’t think you can build your program on junior colleges. This first year, we don’t want to sign 25 anybodies, just to sign. If there’s a need immediately, we can go to junior college and do that.” I like this. There's no reason you can't try to win a few while also putting things in place for the future. Too many coaches fall into either the "win immediately at all costs" or "building is more important than ever winning a game" categories.

Rasor is liveblogging the presser. Got most of the highlights and good quotes.

although he mentioned Youngstown as a place with talent? news to me? where's eqiuns lol If you don't think the Youngstown area has excellent high school talent, I don't know what to say to you that would convince you otherwise.

A lot of problems to be solved, but winning cures most of those things. We're going to win at Akron, we're going to compete for a MAC Championship at Akron, and we're going to bring the Wagon Wheel back to Akron.

Says it's important to have a staff with ties to the community and area.

Audio here.

From footballscoop: Akron: We have confirmed what we told you we expected to happen before Christmas. Terry Bowden is bringing offensive coordinator Alan Arrington, Jeff Bowden and A.J. Milwee to Akron.

I really am baffled by our policy of waiting until the buzz has completely die before making official announcements. But anyway, the introductory press conference is today at 5:00PM, followed by an in-person intro at the WBB game. I am interested to see how the introductions go at both the WBB game and the MBB game, and how they differ with the size of the crowd.

Thanks for finding this. Just a short little blurb, but nice that it was even mentioned.

Based on the recruiting patterns, Akron appears to be focusing on post-graduate players more than JUCOs. But Coach Bowden might change that philosophy. I am certain he's been in contact with Coach Okruch and the GAs to gather as much recruiting information as possible.

Bowden was able to load up on D-I transfers at UNA because they didn't have to sit out a year to play. He won't be able to get nearly as many transfers to come in at Akron simply because a lot of them won't want to sit out a year.

Back on topic, the first episode airs tonight at 6.

New offer: LB Darryl Waters, Hargrave Military Academy