ZachTheZip

Someone comes up to you and challenges you to a fight. You actually accept, but don't fight back. Does that make sense? If the team wanted to practice they could have just held a scrimmage against their second string. You don't invite someone over to beat your up. Akron has no competitive spirit.

I would really like to get some information on that 7 on 7 game, because that is just ridiculous if true. It is all over yappi and scout. Everyone is laughing their a$$es off that we got smoked by a D3 team. I know 7 on 7 doesn't mean much, but there is absolutely no reason that any D3 schools should even be able to compete with us. Nicely mentioned on Twitter after it happened that it was the first time the players got together after summer break. However, I think the same was the case with Mount. Really though, it's just an excuse. A competitor wouldn't make the excuse that it's just a 7 on 7 or that it's the first time back or whatever. I don't think our players tried too hard and were approaching this as a casual practice session, while the Mount players were treating it like an actual game with their Twitter statuses showing them fired up. Mount was there to win, Akron was there to play catch with friends. It speaks to the different mentalities present in the two teams. A competitor would show up to play and would give a full effort and wouldn't let themselves get beat not matter the level of competition, and I don't think our players did that. This is Ianello's greatest challenge, to change the losing mentality, the skate-by-on-minimal-effort mindset that permeates the team.

Para hablar Inglés.

New offer: SS James Turner OG Tyler Orlosky commits to West Virginia WR Kyle Kerrick commits to Michigan State

Four incoming Zips participated in the Cuyahoga County all-star game. Three of them haven't been listed here before. WR L.J. Chambers of Bedford WR Mike Harrigan of Holy Name DL Elijah Brown of Euclid The fourth player was Isaiah Williams.

Umm... How about no.

I don't think it's the case that we didn't have "room" for him, it may have just been a case of him not getting as much PT as he wanted. My guess is Speas expected to start this year. I have friend who works in athletics at UA and he told me that when Speas decided to transfer to UNC Poter wasn't a happy camper. I guess his response was pretty much "Go ahead. We don't need you." So I don't know if thats any indication that he was going to be important for this years season or not. It sounds like Speas had already decided to leave before he spoke with the coach. I would be mad if I were Porter, too, if that's the case.

He could still redshirt after the prep stint. I don't see it happening, but going to prep school doesn't cost him any eligibility. He seems to really be into Akron, unlike Dylan Ennis. I don't see Melo backing out of his commitment. Great recruit. Can't wait to see him play. Sorry I wasn't very clear. Prep school for a year would be like him redshirting from the perspective of a fan. He graduated high school and will sit out a year before playing. He gets a year to develop and then plays in 2012.

Attending a prep school would take the place of a redshirt season. Details on commitment. I like the comparison to JJ Barea. I hope he lives up to or surpasses it. the prep school he will attend is possibly the College or Southern Idaho.

Another story from IPRB.

6'/2012/PG/Carmelo Betancourt via San Juan, Puerto Rico has committed to the University of Akron. Betancourt plays on the 19U National team. Was seeing interest from UCF, Georgetown, Villanova, Miami FL, Texas A&M, Utah State, Duquesne, and Virginia. A&M said that if they landed him it would be "a major coup". Story on Betancourt from May.

We got a verbal!! 6'/2012/PG/Carmelo Betancourt via San Juan, Puerto Rico has committed to the University of Akron. Betancourt plays on the 19U National team. Was seeing interest from UCF, Georgetown, Villanova, Miami FL, and Virginia... Is this the start of a Puerto-Rican Pointguard Pipeline?

He should help the team GPA Maybe. I haven't heard enough to figure out whether he's from the Ivy league or South America. Both are possibilities at this point.

I also heard tell of a player out of Columbia possibly joining the Zips.

Coach Sowers gives us an inside look at how the Zips football team is preparing for the upcoming season. I have absolutely no idea whether this will translate to the team not being outclassed by FCS teams on the field like we were last year. It's coach Sowers' first year with the program, so we'll see if we appear smaller and less conditioned than VMI like we looked against Gardner Webb. I have only heard positive things about coach Sowers and all indications are that he knows his stuff.

CB Kevin Houchins commits to Louisville.

Anybody check out the redesign? I'm very happy with the addition of a mobile-friendly site.

We are rumored to be conducting interviews this week. I hope that a part of the process is TW impressing prospective coaches with blueprints to a new baseball stadium. I remember when the first drawings of the new soccer stadium came out that it looked like baseball was getting a grandstand.

DT Mikal Meyers commits to Connecticut.

While Rossi had to sit out the Big 33, Tyler Williams tore it up, rushing for over 100 yards.

Wisconsin Green-Bay's Tony Walls has just announced that he will be an Akron Zip. Check out his list of accolades. He was on the Hermann Trophy watch list last season. He also looks suspiciously like Caleb Porter with short dreads.

This guy lists five possible candidates that he's heard mentioned, after a lengthy rant about how our coaching search is taking too long. Little has been found of who may be considered for Akron's next coach but these five names have been mentioned. Michigan assistant Matt Husted Ex-Notre Dame Head Coach Dave Schrage Ex-Wake Forest Rick Rembielak Wayne State Head Coach Ryan Kelley Wright State assistant Greg Lovelady Watch it end up being some random guy who spent time with our AD at Wisky or Minnesota.

2 new offers: OLB Jamal Lyles OT Daron Brown WR Treton Coles commits to Pittsburgh.

Two new offers: WR James White TE Josiah Price

OSU Compliance Director also drives a free car from a dealership in exchange for season tickets. While not really illegal under the NCAA rules, that's one hell of a hypocritical move there. Most universities don't allow this practice because of that.