Dr Z

Akron coach J.D. Brookhart had nothing but praise for sophomore quarterback Matt Rodgers, who started in place of suspended senior Chris Jacquemain, against Indiana last week.The Zips lost 38-21, but Brookhart said he saw a lot of promise in his young quarterback especially since he didn’t get first-team reps until Thursday.“He’s a real ‘want to’ guy,” Brookhart said. “You want that in a quarterback and he's got that so he's gonna be a good player. He did some good things and he's going to continue to progress. This is really, really important to him. He's got pretty good speed. His arm has gotten a lot better in the last year. You've really seen him physically mature.”The way Brookhart spoke about Rodgers on Monday gave a sense that Akron was ready to move on from Jacquemain, a senior who had one of the best quarterbacking seasons in Akron history a year ago. The school announced Jacquemain’s suspension on Friday, but didn’t specify a reason.Brookhart said Monday that there was timetable for Jacquemain to return.True freshman Patrick Nicely will come off the scout team to be the backup quarterback and redshirt freshman Jared Wackerly will be third string. Brookhart said he wasn’t sure how both players would be used.Rodgers completed 14-of-23 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw four interceptions.The Zips open Mid-American Conference play this week at Central Michigan.“He will continue to grow,” Brookhart said of Rodgers. “Matt will be a good quarterback. … Full time reps of a starter will certainly clean things up for him. He threw for a 60 percent clip. He had his interceptions, I understand that, and trying to do too much as young guys do, that’s where we’ve got to corral him in a little bit. He’ll be fine.”source

I thought so!!!! He couldn't throw a spiral in the second half to save his life and that took us right out of the game.Must have been bothering him in the spring game too.

Any of those people happen to be high school football fans who root for Ohio State? I used to have a lot of OSU fans tell me that Frye was no good, because if he was he would be at OSU. Then he got drafted by the Browns, then those same guys told me he was good, then those guys told me he was bad later. The same OSU fans told me Zwich (sp?) was going to be great. The same OSU fans told me they didn't want OSU to get Pryor, then when they got him, he was the greatest, now they aren't sure again. OSU fans are funny.

You do know you play in the "Big" Ten right? Make sure you stop back Sunday win or lose.OK. I'm here. What do you need?HOO HOO HOOSIERS!Congratulations, your team & program is more advanced than ours. Good luck in B10 play, your gunna need it! Now bow to your futbol gawdz!

It's too bad the Zips can't put it together this year, with the state of the Browns, if the Zips were playing well, they could attract more football fans to the Info later in the year. Probably more press too.

The great thing about ZN is that if you want to talk about future games, you can, if you want to talk about past games you can. If you don't want to read about a topic, don't click on the thread.

Is he switching back to offense?Mike makes that suggestion in last week's morning after blog I think it might be an appropriate move now with Rodgers starting. I would like to have more experience around Matt and I like AJ's RAC potential. I also like his potential to stretch the field to open the underneath stuff up.

I can only speak (type) for myself, my disappointment from my favorite college football team comes from missed opportunity. We have a brand new stadium on campus, beautiful day, FAVORED against a "Big" Ten team at HOME, and our 5th year senior QB gets booted from the team the night before the big game and we lose with our back up QB looking, to say the least...not too promising. I had HUGE expectations for the year, right now I have the kicked in the groin feeling when I think of the rest of the season. I have anticipated this season ever since the first day they put up a web cam for the building of the new stadium, losing our starter at the most important position on the team has damped my enthusiasm. Of course, as always, winning cures everything. A win next week, and yes we are right back on track. But I have typed that sentence too many times here on ZN. So am I down, yes. Such is the life of a Zips football fanatic.

I don't have to guess, I'll tell you exactly why I was not on. I cooked for a tailgate party Friday night, got up early Saturday morning and started heating up what I prepared the night before, drove down to the stadium at 10:30 am, tailgated for 3+ hours before the game, sat in the scorching sun watching the game for 3+ hours, tailgated after the game and discussed the loss in the parking lot with other fans, and then drove home. After a full day of pouring my heart into the Zips and watching the poor display on the field I really didn't feel like getting on ZN. I was pretty spent.

I start Rodgers, if he has no pocket presence like he did Saturday (I thought HE made our OL look bad at times by moving in the pocket when he shouldn't have) and he shows a weak arm over the middle (embarising), AND we have a chance to win the game, I bring in Nicely. Nicely should get a lot of practice snaps this week. Rodgers is a change of pace guy to me, not a starting QB, he will have to win me over with improved play. I can judge that at home against Indiana, because Indiana is no more than an upper MAC talent to me. I don't need to see Rodgers play in a MAC game. I don't buy this "he was not ready to play" He was going to play just like he did in the two previous games. The play calling needs adjusted to Matt's ability, and we need to cut the playbook in half for him to be more successful.

Not that we can know right now, but what if Nicely gives us a better chance to win the MAC than Rodgers does, why redshirt him? What are we waiting for? He is JD's recruit, doesn't JD NEED to win now? I do like having Walt Harris with us to help this evaluation.

Explain your vote please.

I'm not sure if I could come up with a post proving it, not that it is important, but I have NEVER liked this trick scheme. I was going to agree with QZ observation of "no halftime adjustments" and add the 3-3-5. I'm not sure I agree with the others listed as being JD's fault, but I will go with 1. Defensive scheme and 2. No halftime adjustments. I wonder if Indiana run off tackle left and off tackle right ALL GAME (no other plays), if our defense would ever be put in a position to stop it.

Do I win first ever proper predicted outcome of a game on ZN?

The current situation has finally made me press play on this years 'Big 33 Game' I like what I see from Ohio's starting QB!

It really doesn't matter to me. Missing class, practice, curfew, drinking, or worse he is still out, that won't change. "With great power comes great responsibility"--Stan Lee (corny, but true)

I feel like I got punched in the gut when I read this. Very selfish. Such a big game for the fans. Not fair to us. I don't want him back in there the rest of the year. I'll be rooting on the players that can follow the rules and have a team first attitude. Good Luck Matt, It's your turn to shine, let the cream rise to the top. Huge decision for JD if he is put in the position to burn Patrick's RS. I hope he does what is necessary to win. Go Zips!

Put me in the Nicely camp. I'm looking forward to seeing him in the spring game.If you get a chance watch him on the sidelines this week. He has "warmed up" Rodgers at PSU and last week just before he comes in.PS Something tells me Nicely won't need to run. Just a guess though.

Here is a quick CRUDE (I realize there are many people on this list that don't play for either team) comparison of the two teams set to do battle this weekend.I was curious as to what talent level Indiana was bringing Saturday and just thought I would share. Feel free to post your opinion.Here is 2009 Also:

You do know you play in the "Big" Ten right? Make sure you stop back Sunday win or lose.

Good one!

1-0

Most interesting part of the link (Zips fans who attended Virginia a few years ago will appreciate this)Shouldn't Martin's response be: "Jarvis has a big decision to make if he wants to play football again, it is now a matter of his health. We are behind him in whatever decision he makes" Then he should shut and go back to coaching that gawd awful team of his and carry on as if Jarvis has taken his last snap.

I like that article, and agree with it. That is why I feel that no rankings should be posted until week 6.