TennZip

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/soccer/2022/11/21/deandre-yedlin-usmnt-roster-world-cup-usa-soccer-akron-zips-caleb-porter-jared-embick/69661177007/

Creighton finished 6th in the big East during the regular season. The zips are joining a very good league. Congratulations to the Creighton Blue Jays for a huge upset of number 2 overall seed. Also, congratulations to Western Michigan. They have now won 2 matches on the road. At Louisville and a 1-0 win today at number 9 seed Lipscomb. Next week, they will travel to Oregon to face 8 seed Oregon State or Portland.

Continued Good recovery wishes for Gyuwon Chong. The young man did show an excellent ability to hold on to the ball in the midfield and make good passes into the box. I agree that the zips depended too much on crosses from the wings. However, I also feel that the zips did not have enough players in the box when the crosses were made. Everyone in the stadium would know that Malik was going to make a cross into the box and yet, Shooky or King would be the only zip in the box. That being said, Terence Okoeguale and Ashton Kamdem worked well together today on give and go's. I think that Terence Okoeguale is going to have a big year for the zips in his 2nd year. This team only loses Ryan Kingsford and Renato Kauzlaric. Ryan Kingsford broke his foot late in the summer. Most zips fans do not appreciate how Kingsford battled all year while not 100% healthy. Thank you, Ryan Kingsford for being a warrior all year. The future is very bright. They currently have the 3rd or 4th highest recruiting class for next year. Athletic director Guthrie indicated that the change to the Big East might generate a few more recruits. Caleb Borneo currently is the highest rated midfielder (by Top Drawer soccer) that has committed to a college next year. Mitchell Budler had a very good year first year as the goal keeper. Mitch is only going to get better.

Please explain how you determined failure of culture

twitter post by a soccer coach for ambassadors

DeA is the answer man https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2022/11/19/deandre-yedlin-world-cup-experience-usmnt/10725795002/

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/college-coaches-reflect-on-world-cup-alums_aid51542 My comment- this article fails to mention that Akron's Richie Laryea will start for Canada from the article about DeA For college scouts, it was pretty clear that DeAndre Yedlin was in the wrong position. The Seattle product was a center midfielder throughout his youth career. And although his talent was clear to see, a central role didn’t maximize his athletic gifts. Embick was an assistant coach for Akron at the time when a US youth national team scout told him that Yedlin had a high ceiling if he switched to right back. As a senior in high school, Yedlin dabbled in that position. When Akron brought him in, it did so on the premise that he would play off the right. And it worked. The coaching staff designed a system in which Yedlin could scamper forward with defensive cover. He tallied 12 assists across two seasons before signing with the Sounders as the club’s first ever homegrown player. Though he is in the US squad mostly to provide cover, the right back is the only senior US player to have appeared at a World Cup before. That experience could be invaluable. “He’s a tremendous personality,” Embick said. “ He worked really hard. And picked up things quickly.”

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/article-richie-laryea-canada-fifa-world-cup/ Despite being thousands of miles away from his loved ones, last Sunday’s selection to the Canadian men’s World Cup squad was still very much a family affair for Richie Laryea. While the fullback was in camp in Qatar when the final 26-man roster was announced, his father was outside Toronto’s BMO Field, underneath a billboard announcing his son’s selection, for a TSN interview. Meanwhile his wife Melanie and son were busy filming a TikTok reaction video to commemorate the moment, with three-year-old Elijah – wearing an Alphonso Davies jersey – screaming “Daddddeeeee” as TSN host Lindsay Hamilton announced his father’s name.

Thank you, Blue & Gold....nice to see photos of the recruits from FC Cincinnati.

Columbus Crew forward Josh Bartels will attend Akron in fall 2023 https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/article/?categoryId=26&articleId=51535&articleTitle=commitments:-a-crew-forward-chooses “I decided to commit to Akron because of the environment surrounding the great style of play, from the way the team bonded, to the quality of play on the field,” Bartels told TopDrawersoccer. “It felt like somewhere I wanted to truly be.” “I specifically liked the traditions that the team held, the goals they set for themselves, the pre-game talks,” he said. “It was all for the better of the group rather than the individual.”

ACC did not have a good day North Carolina lost at home to High Point Louisville lost at home to Western Michigan Wake Forest was at home and they got mauled by Ohio State

at Pitt now 2-0 at 80 minute mark Pitt leads 15-3 in shots and 7-1 in shots on goal

Great article from Miami paper on DeA https://amp.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/inter-miami/article268818952.html

DeA and Tim Ream speak to the media for 14 minutes

https://deadspin.com/deandre-yedlin-is-usmnt-s-only-bridge-to-last-world-cup-1849792586/amp

Excellent article from the Beacon good quotes from Jared and Charles Guthrie https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2022/11/16/big-east-conference-welcomes-akron-zips-mens-soccer-team-ncaa-tournament-midwest-division/69651420007/ Ultimately the change could help in another area — recruiting, Guthrie said. Guthrie said the program has what's viewed as a top-10 recruiting class for next year. “Just talking to coach, the recruits that were on our fence are actually more intrigued now," he said. "So, I think this is actually going to ratchet up our recruiting, even though we've always done well in the recruiting scene on the men's soccer side.”

Weather forecast for Sunday afternoon (hint....bundle up !!!) Saturday night: A chance of snow showers after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. Sunday: A chance of snow showers before 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 29.

article about the Seattle billboards https://www.kiro7.com/sports/mls/seattle-sounders/ted-lasso-writes-personal-messages-us-mens-national-team-hometown-billboards-2-seattle/2A43456O35GYZPAW3NU2HACVUE/

Ted Lasson wote letters to all 26 players DeAndre billboard is the 2nd one shown below

Congratulations to West Pittsburgh area 3A player of the year.....zip recruit Ryan Kopay https://tribhssn.triblive.com/boys-all-wpial-soccer-teams-players-coaches-of-year-announced/

Like everyone on this board, I am very apprehensive....that the Zips will have to play probably Pittsburgh...without 2 very good players...Jason Shokalook and Dyson Clapier. Well, I am going to look at things in a very positive perspective. As I mentioned in a previous post, the zips went to Pittsburgh and played the Panthers to a 3-3 tie. Most zips fans at the game thought that the final should have been 4-2 zips. The zips had a very questionable offsides call against them. If not called, the Zips score 4 goals in that game. Most Zips fans at the game felt that Pitt was clearly offside on one of their 3 goals. Looking at the video on both calls, the Zips got "homered" on the road. I have attached a box score from the game . If you look at the box score, one important name will not jump out at you. Jason Shokalook did not play in the regular season game against Pittsburgh as Jason had received a red card against Ohio State. I would argue very strongly that the zips are much better now in both the midfield and on the defensive backline....than they were when they played Pitt early in the season. Why do I say that? Again. Look at the box score. Will Jackson was injured and only played 3 minutes in that game. I believe that Sam Tojaga's first game back from Injury was against Pitt. Sam Tojage only played 7 minutes. The zips have been a much better team with Captain Sam Tojaga in the midfield. With Sam Tojage hopefully playing 90 minutes on Sunday, the Zips will be much better in the midfield. If you look at the box score, Malik and Ashton were the outside backs. Joel Sangwa and William Portman were the center backs. Will Jackson has done a great job after moving to center back. Will Jackson and Joel Sangwa are a very strong center back duo. Ashton has continued to improve during his freshman season. Ashton is better now than he was in October. Ryan Kingsford is a warrior. He will run thru walls for the Zips. In Shooky's absence against Pitt, "King" stepped up and had a huge game. "King" and Stefean Dobrijevic will both rise to the challenge on Sunday. Dyson is a great player and he will be missed on Sunday. However, if you look at the box score, Terence Okoeguale only played 14 minutes against Pitt. As I mentioned in a previous post, Terence Okoeguale may be the most improved player over the course of the season. It won't be easy.......but the zips battled Pitt very well in October....essentially without Will Jackson and without Sam Tojaga....and almost without Terence Okoegaule. The zips need a full house in the stands. When you look at their last matchup, this zips team is deep....and talented...and they can and will battle either Pitt or Cleveland State. https://gozips.com/sports/mens-soccer/stats/2022/-3-pittsburgh/boxscore/8525

Penn defeated 14 seed Cornell during the season. Cornell went on the road and defeated Syracuse Cornell was 10 in RPI and beat RPI number 1 Syracuse on the road Cornell went 4-2–1 in a pretty tough Ivy League. Cornell’s only non league loss was to Vermont. In addition to defeating Cornell, Vermont played Syracuse to a 1-1 tie. From my perspective, Cornell, Vermont and Penn look pretty strong. The Ivy League deserved better treatment by the committee. Dropping Penn from 13 to 30 is awful.

I am pleasantly surprised that the Zips got a top 16 seed. The committee looks like they mostly followed......the RPI 2 exceptions in the top 16 seeding.... Indiana was 20 in RPI......they got a 13 seed. Tulsa was 17 in RPI......they got a 15 seed. If I was the Penn coach, I would be furious.... Penn was 13 in RPI....the seeding committee.....put them in the draw as the #30th ranked team Penn has to host big Ten champ Rutgers on Thursday If they win, they will go on the road to play #3 overall seed Syracuse brutal draw for #13 RPI team.... Vermont was just barely ahead of Akron in RPI...at #15 the committee put Vermont in the draw....as the #22 team other differences in seeding Syracuse....is #1 in RPI....they got 3 seed Kentucky is #3 in RPI....they got #1 seed Stanford was #8 in RPI....they got a 5 seed Clemson at 5 RPI...got #6 seed Lipscomb...was 7 in RPI..got a 9 seed Oregon State at 9 RPI....got a 8 seed Committee liked FIU...12 in RPI...got a 10 seed no respect for IVY League...Penn got hosed Cornell was 10 in RPI...they got a 14 seed SMU was 14 in RPI...they got bumped up to an 11 seed Marco Milanese and his UNC-Greensbor teammeates were 11 in RPI....they got a 12 seed As we all know, the Zips have played both Pitt and Cleveland State this year Alas, the zips had Shooky and Dyson Clapier available when they played each team The zips led Cleveland State 4-0 at halftime and played their backups for most of the 2nd half..(4-0 win) The zips played at Pittsburgh and battled to a 3-3 tie. Most zip fans at that game said that the zips were "homered" by several poor calls by the referees. Let's hope that Cleveland State plays their best game of the year....and battles Pitt for 90 minutes and 2 overtimes. Go, Zips !!!!

I certainly hope that they are not on future schedules. If they move to the Big East, they will have 11 league games. There is going to be a ton of travel if they move to the big east so Northern Illinois should never be on the schedule. 11 league matches means that they will only have 6 non league games. I would prefer to see the zips maintain their rivalries against Big Ten Teams. I would keep Cleveland State on the schedule as long as zip Alum Sinisa is coaching there. My preference would be Ohio State, Michigan State, Cleveland State, Wright State, Duquesne and Indiana. The zips need a few fairly certain wins in non-league but they also need to have strong RPI matches. If you want to toughen up the schedule, drop either Wright State or Duquesne...and add a Pitt or West Virginia. I know that the zips have a long history with Penn State but that is another tough travel destination. my two cents

Congratulations to zip recruit Jackson Herbert for being named first team All Ohio in Division 1. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/high-school/soccer/2022/11/14/emma-stransky-copely-ohio-ms-soccer-olivia-sipsock-medina-division-i-player-year/69637918007/ Wadsworth's Jackson Herbert, Copley's Colin Link and Hudson's Tyler Travis were first-team All-Ohio in Division I.