72 Roo

Another heartbreaking game in which we find a way to lose. The issues that drive me nuts i.e. discipline, QB play, play calling, OL play and running the ball, keep coming back to one source, coaching. If we had a decent QB we would have 2-3 more wins. This staff knew DJ has gimpy going into the season. Did they plan for that? Did they prepare Taj, Jennings, Wassel or just work with Undercuffler? What they have done so far is terrible. Looking ahead Undercuffler cannot win against good MAC teams. For Joe having a rep as an offensive genius we have yet to see any sign of that. Our play calling does little to help the OL or put the ball in Lingart's and Anderson's hands. This is even though Joe has talked every week about the need to increase their touches. Who does he need permission from to make that happen? He answers only to himself and this issue is squarely on him. In this he is failing. Joe shows signs of cleaning up the discipline issue. Compared to the Indiana game, the Buffalo game was a huge improvement. Yet it was a lack of discipline penalty that gave Buffalo their only TD drive, even though we had stopped them. I predicted a 6-6 season. I now feel 4-8 is all the progress we will make this year. At least we have funnel cakes, soccer and basketball.

Agreed. Calm it own.

Of course Morgan State is in the SEC. This off-season there was much publicity and incredulity given to USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon going to the Big Ten and Morgan State going into the SEC. I have it on good authority (a guy in a bar whose cousin lives in Alabama) that Nick Saban personally called the league's presidents to get Morgan State in. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

This team will win games, this year to be exact. Our coaching is good with the potential to be great. Our talent is no longer an issue. Yet we still find a way to lose. Maddening as this is I believe it is due to one issue, discipline, mental discipline. Repeatedly we find ourselves in position to win, yet we don't. An argument can be made that we could be 4-0, certainly 3-1. Mental discipline is the difference. We have not found a way to gain that extra 1-2% that separates winning from finding a way to lose. Though I believe some on the team have it. First Lingart, Fish, McCoy and Jones comes to mind. There are many more, yet not enough. This lack of mental discipline was seen last night in: Three interceptions (two due to DJ locking on one receiver and not following his progression; one due to Undercuffler throwing behind Banks) Unsportmanlike conduct on Frank for stupidly jumping IU players on their sideline leading to the loss of a much needed 1st down Two S & C coaches leaving our bench and crossing all the way to the other side of the field to restrain our players and antagonize the refs. Inexcusable! Dropped TD pass by Adams with no one around Repeated holding calls on N. Williams Missed gimme FG by Jackson Dropped interception by KJ Martin that may have sealed the game Unsportsmanlike conduct on Gaithings pushing an IU DB in front of the ref after he had secured a 1st down catch These mistakes alone amounted to near 20% of our offensive plays. We are our own worst enemy. Correct our mistakes and we win consistently. Joe and staff will get us there. Mental discipline comes slowly, but when we get it this team will roll. And it will begin this season. Just my thoughts.

Dear Baby Football Jesus, in your golden, fleece diapers. Please use your baby football Jesus powers to bless Akron with a miraculous offense. One with competent QB play and an abundance of touches for the running backs. We can only hope that with these miracles, Akron can pull off the upset and extend the streak of the MAC being the Big Ten's kryptonite. Woo! WOO! Owww! Amen!😇

Some random thoughts on the ND tie soccer match: The Zips were the better team. Flat out, no discussion. The Zips were prepared and the coaching staff selected a good team to put on the pitch. UA suffered a disgusting tie because they did not capitalize on numerous scoring chances in the first half. ND pressed hard, but so also did the Zips. Akron repeatedly won the ball back with its press. The transition from press to attack was beautiful in the first half. The crowd was a thing of beauty. I was disappointed at its size at kickoff, but it just kept growing and growing. The students did a nice job of eventually filling the hill. The second half started like ND wanted to play. They attacked and had the better part of possession for the first 5 minutes. Akron counter-attacked after that and ND parked the bus in front of its goal. ND hoped to play for the rare counter that would catch the Zips by surprise and yield a goal. That wasn't going to happen. A friend of mine said at 7:00 in the second half "they are playing for a tie." I replied that can't be, they are supposed to be better than that. I was wrong. Shame on the ND coaching staff for hunkering down. The are supposed to respect the game more than that. They clearly wanted to protect their under-achieving record and bloated reputation. I couldn't agree more with the opinions offered earlier that the Zips should have taken more chances on attack and taken more shots. They seemed to want the perfect opportunity rather than taking what was given. The ball takes weird bounces in the box and Akron will not get them if they don't shoot. This was a good game to show the Zips they are an exceptional team if they come to play. We have the potential to go deep in the playoffs and the better competition in the Big East will get us ready for it. It's OK to believe. This team can get better and it can do it.

Thanks. I'll try it.

Nate Williams # 76 was in street clothes the entire game. You could see the leader that he was. He was doing everything he could to encourage his teammates, even grabbing the damn tire to put over a deserving players head. If Landers comes back he will be welcome, but he needs to commit to going to class.

It looks like our season will revolve around the issue of finding an effective QB. My thoughts on last night's game are these: The event management sucked. The music was poor and excruciating loud. Give me more of the band. UA needs to copy what works for other programs. I'm talking about during the TO's and commercials. That entertainment is usually cheap. Engage MBA students to go out and see what is fun at other stadiums. The OL was unsettled with Williams out. It lost ground from the week before. Play calling is hurting us. No run game. No bubble screens. No passing to the backs. I can't believe this is Joe calling the plays. Find something that works and you take the pressure off the OL and QB's. Our goals are still out there to be grasped. The D can win some games if the O can play. Now we will see who can coach. The talent is there to go .500.

If one of those 3 of 12 passes beyond 10 yards was the one to Lingard, DJ is seriously hurting and needs to have a reduced role. We can win with Undercuffler even if Joe doesn't trust the accuracy of Taj. But when you think about it Taj's accuracy has to be better than DJ. The numbers tell the story.

I don't know how the rest of you feel, but I have this nagging thought that yesterday's loss was a failure of coaching. I know, and believe to my core, that Joe is the anointed One. Still yesterday it was plain for all to see the quarterbacking cost us the game and Joe did not have an answer. Undercuffler would have beaten the Owls. I suspect that is true of Bullock. But we saw no change. Make the change now. If DJ is hurt give him time to heal while someone else leads this team. If he's not hurt he's played himself out of the starting position. This is a good team that can win with a decent QB. We have other areas of improvement but let's stop the biggest bleeder first, then go to the others.

This team has improved. That leaves us in pain because we could have beaten Temple. The OL is much better (with more to improve still). The DL is OK, but has to get to the QB. The other areas have the talent to win. Our coaches have a change to make. The DJ we saw today cannot win games. No arm velocity, locks onto one receiver - no progression, no accuracy, questionable leadership. Bring in a new QB against Morgan State so the team can get used to him. We have seen these coaches can make a team better during the season. Start now.

Unfortunately I think there is more reality in your post than the rest of us have come to believe. We are told this program is turning around. Then you see the product on the field and all you can do is shake your head. Jen will be given time. Last year was a pass. This year is only expected to establish the foundation for success. Next year is do or die. If she can't do it we just lost three years and we are following football's miserable tradition. At least JoMo came to rescue football. Who will put women's soccer on the map remains to be seen.

Nothing short of an outstanding win. Vermont is the real deal. They make us play to our best or fade away. This was playoff soccer early in the season, which will only make us better and prepared for the BE. Our depth is incredible. That is a credit for the coaches going out and getting it and the players who built this culture that makes top players want to come to Akron. Now please, please share that magic with the other Zip footballers at Temple.

FloSports responding to my request to lower their pricing by saying they are looking to offer a reduced price package at sometime in the future. No time line was given. It was a one line reply.

I appreciate the contact. I sent them a message asking for pricing similar to ESPN+. At $29.99 per month I will not subscribe. Hope they change.

Nice opener ladies! New season, high hopes. Any word on how they did against the Bonnies?

Not much of a baseball fan, but I hope the program continues to grow and competes for MAC championships.

Also known as Larry, Curly and Moe.

I was on campus last week and visited soccer and football friends. One guy who has seen every football practice said Taj Bullock was ahead of DJ in the QB race. He said Taj would be the starting QB if we had to play today. Taj has done a great job in grasping the offense, something they felt DJ would have an advantage in. Taj's arm and athleticism is better than DJ's. This guy also was glowing about Lingard, the OL, CB's, and kickers. He was worried about our interior DL. Joe has the team ready to win a lot! This team will give us something to get fired up about.

If you are thinking geographically the addition of WVU to the ACC may make sense. The trouble is P5 college athletics thinks only in terms of revenue generated. That makes it ridiculous for WVU to leave the Big 12 for the much lesser finances of the ACC. Money guides all P5 decisions. The ACC grant of rights has screwed those schools for the next 12-13 years.

There are others on this site that can do better than me, but for starters we have a hell of a recruiting class coming in. They will join the returning starters who are first rate across the board. We are healthy and have Gyuwon Chong back. He is one of the most dynamic, play-making attacking midfielders you will see this season. Our forwards are fast and proven scorers. Our D has no weakness in Sangwa, Kamdem, Jackson and Henry. They protect a goal manned by Mitch Butler, who is the best goalie we have had in years. Our coaching staff is in my opinion the best in the league. Add our tradition and gameday atmosphere, which brings a lot of recruits to UA, and you have lot to be excited about. This team is for real. See you at the pitch.

Put me down for 6-6. I will reserve my prediction for a bowl game when I learn of the opponent (but I like Catdaddyp's 8-4 better).

There were losses last year, but if you went to the games and watched how they improved you saw the the foundations for wins were being established. That was clear for all to see. Build the foundation and the wins will come. Joe and staff have righted the culture and added better talent, talent equal or better than our opponents. Our coaching is better than the rest of the MAC. The wins are coming regardless of what you believe.

From what I know including conversations with coaches and administrators Guthrie does not want to go to a new conference, but Joe is open to it. I hope Joe wins.