TennZip

good, legitimate question. Discussion is needed and welcome on this board. I am a passionate fan but I sure don't consider myself a "futbol expert." Your question is really hard to answer due to Covid restrictions. Normally, by this point....the local futbol experts on this board would have seen several practices. Several posters on this board would have seen both exhibition matches. That being said, I remember the 0-7 start from 2019. The zips open the season with #3 Pittsburgh, #9 Marshall and #12 Kentucky. Confidence and momentum are gained more easily by wins. Losing 2 exhibition games against teams not ranked in the top 25..... does not provide momentum. Pittsburgh and Kentucky both played matches in the fall. I would be lying if I said that I was not concerned about the possibility of another slow start to the season. Top drawer soccer has the zips rated as 6 in the country. College soccer news has the zips as a pre season number 26. I hope that the game at Pittsburgh is streamed so we can have "informed" discussion on the board. Coach Embick's comments in the Welker interview were very encouraging. I am a huge Diogo Pacheco fan. If he stays healthy, I think that he can do very good things. This team has 2 kids up front....(Jason Shokalook and Tonny Temple)....that were ranked in the top 50 by top drawer soccer. Neither was in the starting lineup for either exhibition and none of us know the minutes played for those 2 key upfront guys and the starter for both games (Will Jackson). Like Zip_ME87 said, we need to see improvement from 2019.....in controlling possession in the midfield and scoring goals. Dyson Clapier sounds like a great January addition. Wil Meyer held the zips scoreless in 110 minutes in the 2018 NCAA quarterfinal. Experienced goal keeper and 2 experienced talented center backs.....is a great backbone for this team. Not sure where Daniel Strachan will play...but he is a leader....and was arguably the 2019 MVP. There are many reasons for optimism .......but this team has many new pieces.... Pittsburgh will be a humongous test. Go, Zips

Jason Shokalook did not start but appears to have been on the field when Diogo Pacheco scored

a few different starters from last week

good interview with Coach Embick

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/freshmen-to-watch-in-mens-spring-season_aid49014 Jason recognized as a freshman to watch Jason Shokalook, Akron With David Egbo’s departure for a contract with Vancouver Whitecaps, Shokalook is one of a handful of players to pick up the slack. It’s not all going to fall on the shoulders of the former Internationals standout, with Tonny Temple and Will Jackson also likely to be in the mix. Shokalook scored goals for fun in the Development Academy, and his progress could be significant for a Zips team that has quality at the back and midfield.

thank you for the player update and thank you very much to the person updating the twitter account for the halftime score update. go, zips !!!

just saw this tweet with 4 photos

your starting 11........ Will Jackson, Ryan Combe, Colin Biros, Dyson Clapier and Pol Hernandez in the front row Wil Meyer, Sam Tojaga, Henrique Cruz, Carlo Ritaccio, ???? (going to need to help with 2nd from the right) and Diogo Pacheco Go, Zips

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/di-mens-championship-spring-contenders_aid48990 in this premium article (published before their top 25 was released), this is what they wrote about Akron(see writeup below in bold) My comments about their writeup...and some of my comments on where the zips will find production up top...are in non bold below top drawer soccer was very aware.....that David was in the pros. very poor writeup by TDS. They could have written that Jason Shokalook is an incoming freshman that they had ranked as one of the 50 recruits in the country. They also could have written that Akron transfer Tonny Temple (from NC State) was a 4 star Top drawer soccer recruit when he committed to NC State as fknbuflobo and Zip_ME87 have both commented, Akron has the players that can step up at the forward position. I have always been a huge fan of what Diogo Pacheco can do on a soccer field (when he is healthy) The coaches will find the best lineup.....but Diogo feeding passes in from the left side.....to a combination of Jason Shokalook and Tonny Temple.....sounds very promising to me.... I also think that Will Jackson .....will show a lot of improvement from his first year Good wishes to Egg-ie....in Vancouver.....but the cupboard is not bare in Akron AKRON Another side that should be talented and young, Akron is set to start the season without David Egbo, picked up by the Vancouver Whitecaps. Provided that the team can replace his quality up front – and there are options – players like Colin Biros, Daniel Strachan and Carlo Ritaccio give the team a solid spine that will be very competitive.

on instagram, someone asked if there would be streaming for this exhibition. they replied no for this exhibition...but they hoped to have streaming for the regular season matches go, zips !!!

Top Drawer soccer thinks highly of the Zips https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-national-rankings/men

JLew showed his great value last night https://www.burgundywave.com/2021/1/20/22237614/packed-2021-usmnt-calendar-gives-rapids-forward-jonathan-lewis-opportunities-to-flash-his-talents

Congratulations to former Zip Dillon Serna

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2021/01/28/columbus-crew-sc-sign-veteran-midfielder-perry-kitchen Bezbatchenko's quote from MLS article “Perry is a seasoned player whose addition to our roster will help bolster our midfield,” Crew president & GM Tim Bezbatchenko said in a club statement. “Along with bringing a decade of professional experience and leadership in MLS and abroad, Perry will provide another important veteran voice to our locker room. We believe that his qualities as a player on and off the field will allow him to fit right in at our club.”

https://gozips.com/news/2021/1/25/akron-announces-2021-spring-mens-soccer-schedule.aspx Due to current university COVID-19 protocols, family members and friends of the players and coaches, as well as fans, will not be permitted to attend on-campus events, including Akron men's soccer games until further notice. The University of Akron is following the Summit County Stay at Home Health Advisory issued by Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro and Summit County Health Commissioner Donna Skoda.

exciting day tomorrow....we get to see the schedule

David really comes across as humble and very nice in this interview

very nice quotes from Coach Embick

quotes from David Good wishes to David Egbo as he heads up to very cold Vancouver

Congratulations to David Egbo. David was a top 10 pick this afternoon in the MLS draft. He was selected as the 9th overall pick in the draft.... going to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

your last statement made me laugh out loud. Good ole GT sure loves his movies.

https://wmubroncos.com/news/2021/1/15/mens-soccer-announces-2020-21-schedule.aspx Western Michigan just released their schedule yesterday they explain the MAC format.....like this The Broncos will host five games, all during Mid-American Conference play. Due to the impacts of COVID-19 there will be no MAC Tournament this season. The automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament will be given to the regular season champion, with each team playing each other home and away throughout. WMU shows as playing at Akron......Monday March 22 at 4 pm Akron must have a basketball game scheduled on March 21 ????...as the MAC said that all soccer games would be on sunday and wednesday