Balsy

At least our glorious opponent Penn State beats us on the embarrassing scale!

The offense needs to take care of the ball. Don't turn it over. If we have to punt, pin them deep in their own territory, don't give up good field position. Defense, shake Hack early and often.

Perhaps this conversation should be redirected from criticism/blame/attack/defense to something more productive. Some Zips fans have expressed frustration that the Akron Zips are not being adequately covered in Akron publication. This frustration is amplified by the (seemingly) over-reporting of Browns, OSU, Cavs (etc) in lieu of the Zips. George has expressed that, despite the Zips fans frustration, the current reporting situation is the result of several factors that no-one is necessarily responsible for. Traffic to websites, number of writers, weekly assignments outside of the control of the writer, access to the team etc... George has also added there are plans to add more content to the Zips Blog. Several Zips fans and George have both mentioned an apparent lack of support to the University from the community. This is the local community, the alumni community and (most importantly) the student body. This is perhaps where we should focus the conversation. Nothing productive is being gained by this back-and-forth attack/defense. Though I am one of the frustrated fans who feels the ABJ is not doing enough coverage of the Zips, and should prioritize the Zips (and frankly Can't State) higher than they do...I do believe there is a larger problem than just individual editorial decisions. I've always held the opinion that UA has lacked a sense of community. It has the numbers, it has everything anything else has, but for some reason it lacks that sense of itself. Perhaps that's where this conversation should be directed.

Oh hands down. I think as a complete roster, PSU absolutely has more athletic talent than Akron does. The only downside I can see for PSU in that is the players themselves believing that. Akron 23 PSU 21 Of course I've got to pick Akron. But I think tmrw's game will be less than 10 points either direction. It's PSU's game to lose though.

Looks like a solid commit. Seems to continue the theme of Bowden bringing in kids who will develop into solid players

Here's the thread for the commit list for future reference.

For an Akron based publication? No. 1. Perhaps No. 2 to what local HSs are doing. I like the sound of it, sounds like effort is being made...and I greatly appreciate it...but there is really no excuse as to why a newspaper in Pennsylvania is publishing a story about the Zips senior running back (who's been in Akron for 5-years) that has never been reported on before. Correct me if I'm wrong of course. LeBron coverage, completely agree with. Akron grown talent. Does not merit as much coverage as the Browns? Ridiculous. I'm a Browns fan and there's way too much coverage on the Browns. We are over saturated with Browns coverage. Between ESPN (free) ABJ (not free) The Plane Dealer (not free), TV news (kinda free...but not) and millions of other sources (just about ever paper, news and other source in NE Ohio)...If you go to one, you've been to them all. There's hardly anything original to ABJ Browns coverage that you can't find in every other source covering the Browns. Example: I was gone for a month over the summer. I asked a friend to collect my papers. By the time I came home, I was really interested to look at what was going on in NE Ohio sports. Almost every single above the fold story in the sports section was Browns...the narrative changing almost none from day-to-day. I was embarrassed as a Browns fan, and as a subscriber. I'm literally reading the same over-reported nonsense from day-to-day. The amount of OSU coverage on the other hand...ABJ is an NEO based newspaper. Why it's committing such valuable space, energy, time and resources to a team that isn't in the area, that is already overly saturated as well with reporting, is beyond me. If there's actual numbers and data to support those decisions that I am ignorant to, then please prove me wrong. Until then the downsizing of mainstream media outlets and newspapers, to me, is a red flag to me. I'm not trying to attack George, but I'm the consumer. I like the ABJ. I want to read the ABJ. I buy the ABJ. But I continue to get signals that I shouldn't be. If it's just going to be the same stuff I can read anywhere, why should I even bother. I'm saying that as a daily reader, not a Zips fan. I want to read about NEO things more than not NEO things. I want to read about Akron and surrounding communities, more than NEO in general things. I want something real, not the same non-sense. I can't speak for anyone else here, but my criticism largely comes from frustration. Frustrated that I am constantly bombarded with the same non-sense over, and over, and over again., Day after day after day, While not being able to get the information that I want. I know the standard caveat is "21st century technology" changing media...which is absolutely true...but it seems that media sources are far too busy trying to play catchup with the joneses (reporting about OSU, the Browns etc...having blogs...etc.) than really becoming an "only" or "exclusive" source of information on one thing. A jack-of-all-trades, yet a master of none.

Neither am I LZip, but what BIG teams are going to agree to play at the JAR? We're playing Penn State for the second time in three years. At Penn State. Even a horrible BIG-10 team is above coming to the JAR.

It appears that weather may be a factor in Saturday's game: 50% chance of rain. 77 degrees, 73% humidity.

How about we just sweep all the teams this year on this "easy" schedule and then schedule more easy teams next year and continue the process. We'll never attract good teams to the JAR, so just learn to live with sweeping nobodies.

Wow...just wow...way to go BGSU offensive line. Single handily destroying your season

I think the supporting cast of WR/TE will come in time, granted the OL can give Hack (I love that nickname!) enough time to scan the field. I'd agree that Pohl is a key to the game. I guess the general keys to the game is Defensive Play and QB play. Which QB will be more efficient (limiting turnovers, TDs and moving the ball) and which defense will put the QB out of sync. If all things were equal, I agree that PSU beats Akron by 10. If the Akron defense can put consistent pressure on Hack early, I can see a 4-point swing either way. If the Zips Win (not likely) it will be by 4-points or less. A PSU win would be by 4-10 pts I think. Of course now that I say that...watch me be off by 21 From what I read most people seem to be rather respectful. Unlike the trolling Maryland and Rutgers fans that come out of the woodwork.

Hey PSU_Lions_84 I joined the blackshoediaries.com so I could post...apparently not all SBNation accounts are transferable...so I have to wait a day to post. Anywho, I guess the main thing I wanted to convey with my comments about Hackenberg (and I think I'm one of the few on here who watched the whole game Saturday live) is that I'm very impressed. I think he has the potential to rip us alive. I also see the potential for Hackenberg to make bad decisions. He is a sophomore after all, it's expected to have some growing to do. And he made a handful of bad decisions, under very little pressure. He shouldn't have thrown the second interception, I have no idea what he was looking at. I don't think our defense is better than UCF's. But everyone is already assuming that. The Zips have had a knack for coming up defensively against better teams in games that we shouldn't stand a chance (Tennessee, Michigan, Louisiana, NIU, Toledo). The problem with the Zips is that they have been inconsistent throughout a season, and have lacked depth/experience. A lot of my enthusiasm comes from this being the first year where we really appear to have solid depth and talent at DL, DE, LB and DB. CB is a concern of mine. Kyle Pohl isn't going to shoot the lights out, But he is capable of moving the ball enough to make the game interesting. RUNNING GAME is my concern of our offense, though for a large part (like PSU) I don't think our's is gelling yet. UCF's offense was one-dimensional until QB Justin Holman was in the game. Had O'Leary gone with Holman from the start, I don't think PSU wins that game.

Embick is awful. Get rid of him ASAP. Get rid of Worthlesscill while we're at it.

After making the trip to the BIG game of the year three-years in a row...I cannot make it this year. Bring me home a win boys! AKRON 27-24

Alrighty, I knew I wrote down the list somewhere...so the thread is MIA but it was here (somewhere) at some point. Note this list ALSO includes transfers who will be eligible come 2015. Some of them are currently on the roster. TRS QB Tra'von Chapman **** TRS DL Jamal Marcus **** TRS DL Rodney Coe **** TRS CB Larry Hope *** TRS OL Tommy Brown *** (might be eligible this season?) TRS RB Donnel Alexander** *** WR Donterio Fowler DT Tyler Shipman ATH Jaquavis Dixon This is the list of known commits/known transfers who will be eligible next season. I'd imagine that the list is short because we're targeting higher level talent, who will commit late, and after Akron demonstrates it has turned the corner. I also believe we're stacking up on talent to make a SERIOUS run next year for Pohl's senior year.

He threw for 450 yards, with only 1TD and 2INT. He threw for 450 yards, and they still struggled to win. This is why I put Hackenburg as two of my keys to the game. Limit Hakenberg, force him to make mistakes, and PSU wills struggle.

We did have another thread with this, but I can't currently find it. Perhaps one of the moderators can post a link? There's also an ATH and a 3-star WR Donterio Fowler has committed to the Zips. There's also been a long list of transfers that will be eligible to play in in 2015.

Whoops...I thought they kicked off to us twice. That's even more pathetic.

Penn State vs UCF complete game (all plays). For your viewing pleasure.

I guess the sad thing is...we still lost that game.

I know this is OT, but can some explain the Kicking off to start both halves thing? I'm a young Zips fan...so I don't understand the reference.

Hackenberg has a lot of potential to have big day (statistically) but there's a HUGE downside to CH...he's and the Nittany Lion offense are not very efficient. Despite throwing for 400ish yards...and almost doubling the total offensive production of UCF, they struggled to win by 2. The front 7 is going to be crucial in this game. And K92, I'd love to see the back of tricks open early. I want this game very badly.

The Toledo game was "Technically" a weekend game...and it still looked like an icebox. Cold. Empty, devoid of fans. At least long term winning will justify not having a nationally televised game on Tuesday, because we'd at least have attendance at those Saturday games. NIU is the exception. It usually can fill it's stadium. Akron can't, regardless of the day of the week. Neither can Miami, EMU, or rather half the MAC for that matter. The only real solution is get better MAC leadership...MAC needs to perform better; or we need to leave the MAC. But right now, the REALITY is that we have 4 nationally televised games on a Tuesday. Make use of them. 12,505 is awful, but it's not really that much far from what our attendance is at weekend games.

Week #2 Folks. Zippy is 2-0. (the website standings say 2 Ws were awarded for last week for some reason). This week we're facing Big Red of Arkansas. Keep up the pressure, vote often and every day! As of this post, Zippy leading 66-33.