72 Roo

Unfortunately I don't share your optimism, altho limited, for the 2017 season. I see our O-line as good pass blockers and poor run blockers. They did not have one team in 2016 that they could knock back off the line. When we needed short yardage we could never get it by running. I agree as to the QB situation: I see TW as riding the pines behind Cato or Nick Johns. Our receivers will be very good. Our running backs need Ball back and a speedster to emerge. Too many questions there so I regard that area as fair-average. Any offense led by Milwee is too easy to stop. He is incompetent at our level. This year proved it. On D our DL needs too much help to be an area of strength next year. They will be below MAC standards, even with transfers. LB needs better talent. We can not count on transfers, who sat this season, to match Gilbert's standard. I see the DB's actually getting better than this year. The kicking game will also be better. All that said I see too many questions for us to expect to be dominant in the MAC. We may win a weak East, but the West will kick our butts.

Loved Ghoulardi! My age is showing but I don't care. He was so ahead of his time. Go ahead and "Pluck your magic twanger Froggy!"

"You and I and the other folks on this forum represent a very small minority that care about the University in any manner, nevermind athletics. It makes me very sad because I love the place and I wish everyone could feel the same warm feeling I have toward the institution." I believe that on ZNO there is no "very small minority" that love our university. I know that is not what you said but i want to point out that most of the people on this board are passionate about the university and its athletics. I know I am and have been for many decades. I'm grateful for these people and only wish that our passion was contagious and would grow like wildfire. To all of you who care I am thankful for your commitment. Merry Christmas. The best is yet to come. Keep the faith and keep demanding excellence.

I like the caution you have in your post. Freshmen rarely ever help, except possibly for depth. Moreover freshmen almost never make you better, at best they plug gaps. We don't have gaps on defense. We have canyons to fill. Kreed was right in reminding us this is the worst returning defense in the conference. If we can't get better there, thru transfers, redshirt freshmen and graduated senior transfers, we will have another disaster. This recruiting class is exciting to have but w/o a D that can stop people we are deluding ourselves in our passionate desire to see the Zips become a winner in football. I pray Terry is the guy to lead us to the promised land. I support him and his leadership except for one major area. We can sign all the hottest talent there is on offense but w/o an OC that knows how to use it those signings become a waste. I have zero confidence in Milwee. I believe history proves me right. Wish it wasn't so.

My biggest concern also. You have got to protect the basketball and play a lot safer when it comes to passing and decision making.

Well someone has to complain. After all this is ZNO! So here goes. We have way too many turnovers. We do not protect the ball. Passing especially under pressure was not acceptable. The whole team needs to improve here. Big Dog played like he had somewhere else to go. He seemed bothered to play D as he repeatedly left his man who then ended up on the end of 2 points. (End of rant) Qwan played a well balanced game. He was in my doghouse last year because he wouldn't rebound, but this year he has turned that around. Noah was outstanding and Ivy showed continued flashes of brilliance. I'm still waiting to see him play a total game, but I love his potential. Also love Hughes intensity. He will be a key player soon. Wish the fans would support this team. With Dayton getting over 10,000 during break and 12,000 when school is in session i don't understand why we are getting 2,000 for a fun game against the Herd. BTW, wish they were back in the MAC.

You echo what I have felt for a long time about twp of our counted on D linemen, Pittman and hamilton. Neither were what we wanted and certainly not what we needed. They have so much talent it is ridiculous, but they have no desire and it showed. Is it any wonder OSU and Miami gladly let them go. Put their talent and physical gifts with a humble, hungry athlete and we would have had a very successful season. What a shame to waste such talent.

I agree with LZip on this one. This young man did his best when called upon and it didn't work out. Let's get off his back and focus the discussion more on what the coaching staff is doing to strengthen a potential weakness. We have no reason to get complacent in the QB area. This year was a very bitter pill to swallow based on all the great things we thought this team had going for it as the season began.

Sorry, I meant Kreed.

Reed .... Thanks for bringing a good dose of reality into any thought of a new arena. Your research is appreciated and is top shelf work!

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.