72 Roo

Wrong Captain. Take it from a guy who used to date a lovely girl from Mogadore, they expect much more. Unfortunately for me so did she.

I think you are way off. there are at least 15.

I've seen Hoban play a couple of times and they are loaded. I agree that Collier and Martin should be on our recruiting list. There are a few more juniors and sophomores that we should be after. That program will be a pipeline for a many more years. From talking with parents of current players the school has a strong incoming class of current 8th graders. Like this

Not to sound repetitive but I am. I agree with both Balsy and Skip Zip. This is a bad decision for Jerome. i hope he proves me wrong though.

I can't see this transition to be a successful one. He needed another year, w/o that he is a project. I don't see him getting drafted, but signing and getting stuck on the practice roster. I don't think that sits well with him and I don't think he has demonstrated the professional attitude he will have to bring everyday to practice w/o getting the reward of playing. We will miss him but not as much as some think. The receivers will be there, but will the QB and OC be there too. Unfortunately I'm not confident in either of those two positions.

An interesting discussion here. There is no doubt in my mind that Milwee is not a DI OC or play-caller. The four points above are only the beginning. Milwee is not creative. He ignores the TE. He only goes deep when passing or long, near-lateral passes in the flat for 3-4 yds. We have no plays to get the ball to the backs swinging out of the backfield. We have nothing to get the ball under the Safeties and CB's in the middle of the field. Our line is pathetic when it comes to run blocking. They can not fire out and blow people off the line. Therefore, we need even more diverse play calling because they don't respect us to run between tackles. The D is freer to take chances. I'm not sold on Milwee as a QB coach but if Bowden wants him there so be it. Just not calling plays. Bowden is a loyal guy and that will work against him if he doesn't reassign Milwee. Being a QB, grad asst and asst at N. Alabama and then asst at Akron has not qualified him for the play calling role. We need a more experienced coach. Bowden himself would be an improvement. I se this as the most important decision in prep for 2017.

Well said. I hope coach Bowden can get this progrum on top.

Skip and 92, This principle points out that the Zips have a hell of a lot to do to change the culture to one of consistent success. That is why this season is so heart-breaking. We thought we were on our way. In the face of lack of past success change still can occur it is just a harder roe to hoe. Perhaps next year will bring the success we are crave and we build from there. We know we will have a pretty good team. To Skip's point a coach with a track record of success is very desirable if the conditions of his new job are similar. An example of where the conditions are not similar is a DIII coach going to DI or coach Faust going from Moeller to ND. Happy Thanksgiving guys. I wish all the nation the best of holiday. I am grateful for this forum. Thanks to the creators.

Kreed, man you are definitely a "glass is half full" kind of guy. God bless you. I'm glad you are a Zip. We need more like you. As for the Browns, Haslam has no clue as to how to run a team. He does know how to not pay promised rebates and incur a 1 billion dollar fine from the dept of justice to make it all go away , but that is another story. One principle I have always believed in, and my company operates under, is that past performance is the biggest and truest measure of future success. Do you really believe this Browns management team can wisely use draft choices? Remember two of the three highest management positions on the team have never worked in pro football. I believe all Haslam has done is to succeed in making the Browns irrelevant in the lives of NE Ohioans. That is something I thought was impossible. So I guess he is capable of great things. With that track record let's keep him away from the Zips. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.

You are right. Doesn't that just make you sick. We should have taken them several times, but the score is all that counts and we didn't. I need a beer!

Sure, look what analytics are doing for the Browns.

Skip, You may want to reread what I said. I never said we would have 2-3 bad years ahead. I said it would take 2-3 years to remove the bad taste of this season. It will take that long to establish credibility. That's all I meant. We could have done that this season with a 7-5 or 8-4 record. It would have served to show we are for real. That clock now needs to be rewound and started again. BTW, I was not amongst those who said OU was superior to us. The game last night again showed they suck, but so do we. Thanks for your posts. I enjoy them.

The Game: 1) Natson must catch that ball. He didn't. Stop the alibi's. He failed in that moment 2) the D played OK only when judging them against themselves. They are still lousy 3) This team has no discipline 4) No discipline, no heart 5) Goodman did as good as he could. he's a hero in my mind 6) OU sucks. OU beat us. Where does that put us. It's obvious. The Season: 1) Our biggest gain next year will be if Bowden fires/reassigns Milwee. Milwee is not ready to be a coordinator and has proved it in spades. 2) Objectively, the offensive staff is below par 3) This team has no discipline. That's on the coaching staff. They do not demand it. 4) Injuries happen, stop using them as an alibi 5) As said by another poster, our depth sucks and that's due to recruiting. It has sucked. 6) Start next year with an open competition at QB. I will take a dual threat QB (Cato) over a superior passer any day. 7) Joe Akron has not embraced the Zips b/c he knows good football. We do not consistently play good football. In fact this season we rarely played good football. Let's stop complaining about Joe Akron and start earning his support. 8) I support Bowden and expect him to make the corrections to the staff that will lead us to a better season. I want him to succeed. 9) We have a good team coming back and/or awaiting eligibility. All is not lost, but we did take a step backward this season and it will take 2-3 seasons to erase the bad taste of this season. 10) Silly me. I thought we had a shot at 8-4. Zip fans dream. 11) I believe in my heart of hearts that we should be at the top of the MAC. We lost an opportunity to get there this year.

I don't especially like the new uni's. First, we are blue and gold not white and grayish-blue. Second the university seal on the shorts cannot be recognized because it is too small. It looks like a blotch on the side. I would rather have had our Z in it's place. Can we please get back to a gold uni. I do like the Zippy head on the other side of the shorts. That's cool. It's unique. It's us.

Play calling plays a big factor I'd say. Chapman's strengths aren't the same as Woodson's yet Akron OC is stubborn in not wanting to alter his game plan to fit the strengths of his QB. With Chapman in they should do more QB draws, bubble screens, and higher percentage passes over the middle of the field. Instead they still try to dial up the long ball even though that's not his strength. That brings me to another point. Am I the only one that thinks Milwee needs to go? Milwee is out of his depth and should be replaced. My concern is that Bowden is so loyal to him that he will not make the tough call to reassign or fire him. Milwee is too predictable. He has forgotten the TE. He also has a passion for the deep ball rather than taking what the defense gives. I believe that replacing the OC is the single biggest improvement the Zips can make for next year.

Skip... Agreed. Next year our offense may even be better. The line may even learn to run block. But the OC position needs serious re-evealuation. i hope Bowden has the courage to look for more help. I know he likes Millwee, but that relationship should not stop him from improving the offensive coaching. I'm not sure Amato is the problem on D but the talent sure as hell is. A drastic upgrade is needed to get that side of the ball to just be average. I hope there is help in the transfer area or JC's. I don't see any freshmen talent that would come to Akron being able to improve this pathetic unit. BTW, let's stop this insane talk of canning Bowden. He can turn this around and is doing so. I am as frustrated as any ZN member, and Buffalo was inexcusable, but TW needs the time. Our situation is bad and it will take time to turn around. That is done in little steps. TW is making them.

Pathetic. Nothing short of pathetic. Bowden needs give critical review of both his coordinators. On O Buffalo knew what we were going to do each play, whereas our D was kept guessing all game long by what Buffalo would do. where the hell is any creativity on O and resolve on D.

If ever there was a case for cruel and unusual punishment this picture is it. I urge the mods to immediately launch an investigation as to why the Captain, a mod himself, would bring this photo to the board. He obviously is a sadist. Meanwhile I am now off to therapy. Hopefully photos of TB and Gorden Larsen can bring me back from the brink of despair. Oh the inhumanity of it all!

Blue and Gold, where did you go to watch the replay of the game. I did not see it on Saturday and would love to watch it even if it is over.

LA Zip, You make some good points. I like Matt, but it may have been better for he and the university if the search was longer and more thorough. I believe he would have emerged as the top candidate BTW. The immediate goals and strategy of UA should be spelled out clearly. That didn't happen and I believe it was because this board of trustees does not have the expertise to turn our situation around. Our last chairman was horrible and his recent removal points that out. The rest of the board are primarily political appointments with no love or passion for UA and/or greater Akron. The exception is the recent appointment of Bill Scala, the president of Kenmore Construction and unabashed Akron supporter. He is a great future chairman. Our politicians should get together and decide to get a strong board together. They can get Kasich to appoint who they want. The next appointment should be Bill Considine, the CEO of Akron Children's, former student body president and deep lover of UA. But he called out the board for not firing Scar and some of the trustees now dislike that he noted their incompetence. Without a strong board to support him Matt will have to rise above them and be as strong a leader as Proenza was. The board then will follow, but they, as currently constituted, are not capable of leading. That's all on Matt's shoulders. And all the risk will be his too.

Nice analysis. I disagree when reviewing the play of Pittman and hamilton. I feel they are both underachievers. They take plays off and don't muster any passion when they are out there. Thier talent is top of the MAC, but their effort is bottom of the MAC. Our D has to find a way to get better. I agree the LB's are not a factor in the game. That being said, I'd give more time to the younger guys like Lako if the vets aren't getting it done. In the end I can't see us competing with Toledo or WMU (again) with what we have. The are better teams.

There is indeed something wrong with the team. Jared is a good coach but he has to fix it now. the team has incredible talent. they are capable of winning it all if they stick together and play as they should. There's something wrong, but that is internal to the team and not for us to know. they know hat it is and they have to fix it. I'm talking p[layers and coaches. This team can still be great!

That third pine tree will get you every time. Happened me in shop class. I'm surprised P.J. and the boys took offense. We were only trying to get some extra credit work in before the game by making a present for Terry for use during his fishing trips.

Balsey I couldn't agree more. The culture is changing. Not fast enough for me, but it is changing. Sometimes we are so close to the situation that we can't see it and we, me included, get very frustrated. But change is coming and we have to stick with it, support Zip sports and hold people accountable. We are going to get there. We have good people guiding us. But for now let's beat Western. What a beautiful thing to happen. Go Zips.

Damn right! At the end of the day we need to do it regardless of what stands in our way. Well said! C'mon Zips, this progrum is moving up.