GP1
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This article presents an interesting lesson on what a Division I program should look like at the coaching level. If you look at this guys resume, it is high school experience prior to coming to Akron. Owens had a staff loaded with guys like this, especially at the end. With the exception of Fickell and Peterson, I can't think of any assistants of his that really went onto big time programs, but that doesn't mean there aren't any either. Fickell going to OSU was a no brainer, but Peterson did not even leave Akron to go to a big time program. His next step was Miami, which says a lot about the direction Owens was taking the program. The lesson here is that if the capt. of the boat isn't quite certain which direction to pilot the ship, and the crew isn't certain as well, the boat goes in circles.
Faust on the other hand had great assistant coaches that went onto big time programs. The problem was that Faust was a high school coach. I think we have all learned our lesson about hiring coaches with mostly HS experience. I'm looking at a photo of the 1987 Zips, which was the first year of Division I. Bob Shaw was the defensive coordinator, and he went onto WVU to be the DC when they played Notre Dame for the national championship. Coach Shaw also coached at many big time programs such as Arizona prior to Akron. Andy Urbanic was the offensive coordinator and is now assistant AD at Florida State. Coach Urbanic coached at Pitt prior to Akron and was the head coach at Bethany College prior to that. Jim Corrigal (sp?) went onto be the head coach at Can't State. Jim was also a Hall of Fame player in the CFL. Gerald Carr was the QB coach and later went to North Carolina, Indiana and the Philadelphia Eagles and is now with Kentucky. Mike Woodford was the DB coach and continued to coach after winning $27 million in the Ohio Lottery. He was at the New Orleans Saints, recently with Florida until Zook flamed out and will coach against Akron in the fall because he is at MTSU. Hal Hunter was a great young OL coach at the time and went onto Vandy, LSU, was the offensive coordinator at Indiana and is now with North Carolina. Hunter beat Auburn the last game of the season as the head coach at LSU after the head coach got fired. Ivy Williams was the WR coach and came to Akron from the Detroit Lions. He was later made famous, or mabye infamous, by being the coach at Alabama who got the program into recruiting trouble. I don't think another big time program will take another shot at Ivy because of it and he is now at Sav. State in Georgia. Chris Ball was a grad assistant that year and he coached at several Div. II and I-AA schools out west. He is now DB coach at Alabama. Virgil Starks was another grad assistant and he served as Associate Dean at U of A for a number of years and is now Assistant AD at Auburn. Feel free to Google any of these coaches and you will see their complete resume. Every coach Faust had was a career professonal coach. What's the lesson here? No matter how good the crew is, if the capt. can't pilot the boat in a straight direction, the boat just goes in circles.
Nine years of Faust and nine years of Owens. I'm dizzy from going in circles for 18 years. I'm happy we now have a coach with professional and college experience only and a staff of college coaches. It appears as if we have the right capt. and crew to get the boat going straight. Time will tell if they have the right map or not. I think they do.
There is one more person in the 1987 photo who needs mentioned. You will not meet a better person. I wish I knew where he is keeping that Fountain of Youth so I could get a drink. Who is it? Kevin O'Connor, the Equipment Manager. This guy is still with Akron and after 18 years doesn't look a day older. He never forgets a face or a name. Here's to you Kevin.
Thanks to ITZ for once again giving everyone a platform to sound off. You always bring up an issue that can lead to good discussion.
Have a good day everyone.
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Did anyone see the JD/Frye interview with that woman on Ch. 23? Probably not since nobody watches that station, so I'll fill you all in.
JD and Frye did a nice job fielding questions from a complete moron. I'm not certain the interviewer knew what a football looks like and it was just an awkward mess to say the least. Both were gracious enough to answer the questions politely, but while they were being questioned, they had a look of complete confusion on their faces. If it was a cartoon, they would have had a thought bubble over their heads saying, "What the Hell am I doing here?".
I don't know if anyone saw it or not, but it was alarmingly douche chilling. In the future, Ch 23 should not waste the time of a player or coach if that is all the better they can do.
Oh well, it doesn't really matter. Nobody watches that station.
Have a good day everyone.
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My guess would be they're more interested in his long snapping abilities than playing him at linebacker.
If all he did was long snap, which is what they do in the NFL, I think he can get really good at it. He could have a really long career if he gets with a team that needs him. I don't know anything about the Giants so I don't know if there is a need.
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It really doesn't matter how great he recruits if the guys never play.
This was a common problem with the last staff too.
You guys must be too young to remember the Faust years. The 27% graduation rate and the constant parade of guys flunking out (not to mention the criminal activity) was something to see. Owens had too many suburban kids on the team to give the Faust recruits any competition in the flunking out game.
If JD is going to turn things around, he is going to have to sign some marginal players. Marshall did it for years and still continues to do it. BUGS and Toledo have also experienced success in recent years doing the same thing. We may see more and more of this in the next few years.
I'm glad to see that the OL is going to be more physical this year. JD really wants to run the ball and needs a line like that. Biggs took some big hits last year on the line and he is our best hope this year. He needs to take less punishment from much bigger guys. After all, there isn't much of him.......
I'm more interested in the defense and who is going to be the #2 running back.
I'll say it again. I think this upcoming team is going to be better than many expect them to be.
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Come on now, read a website or two, and publish it--that's too low on the agenda-- they are too busy pushing tax increases!!!
They are aiming high. Believe it or not, Ohio has the fifth highest tax burden in the US when all taxes are combined. They won't stop until we're #1.
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http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/spor...es/11964038.htm
This is like the second time in a week that the ABJ has been two weeks late printing a U of A related story. This is a story that could have been easily discovered and published by just reading this web site and downloading an Arkansas press release. Very strange.
I hear next week they are going to print a story about a possible war in Iraq.
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Yeah, no way a rookie QB from the MAC could fill in for an
injured veteran starter and lead his team to the AFC championship
game his first year, that would be CRAZY.
What I should have said was he will not start out of training camp next year. There is a good chance for him to play as a back up, but I don't see Frye being awarded the starting position out of training camp. Not because he isn't as good as Dilfer, but because it appears as if the Browns plan is to bring him along slowly and not start him next year. I don't think Limpwich, Chad P. or Ben R. were awarded the starting positions out of traing camp. I don't see it happening in this case either.
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I'm glad to see GP1 is back posting positive comments about Frye and the Zips.
Gee, now he mentions not winning a big game, yet again, and blames him--not the team--for losing to Can't State, EMU, OU and CFU.
Over the years, I've had the unfortunate experience of getting to hear this crap over and over. In no particular order.......he was made fun of when he made a harmless announcement he was coning back for a 5th year, was emphatically told that since Frye was an Owens guy, he would become a cancer in locker room and sabatoge Brookhart and the team and should be kicked-off the team, was told he would be selling copiers this coming year, has belittled every accomplishment and record Frye set in his four years, gets blamed for the teams' sub .500 record, discounted the greatest win in Zip history with a superman-like performance over Marshall, yet says Marshall wasn't that good so it doesn't count--his Redhawks couldn't beat 'em--and probably a dozen more comments I've conveniently forgotten. Yet he fashions himself as a Zip fan...I would hate to see what he has to say about those not good enough to be the highest drafted Zip in school history. And BTW, if Zip fans can't be grossly partial and "homers" on their own message board, then where can they be? I can hardly wait for next year... if the team goes 7-4, it will be because Frye is gone and if they go 4-7, well, Charlie will be blamed for that, too.
Again, we all realize that you have nothing positive (unless it's condesending)to say about his college career and we all know that you do not project him to be a good NFL player....no offense on the latter........many of scouts have said the same. But it becomes clearer and clearer with every post that not only are you not projecting him as a good NFL player, you are openly hoping that he fails miserably. We finally have someone who will represent himself and his school very well-and it's on the local level--and you hope he becomes a copier saleman. Thanks for nothing.........
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Don't take it so hard Zips Win! It's all in good fun. Good blast at me though!
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I'm glad Johnson got signed. It'll lite a fire under Superman's fanny and add a level of competence between the guys "learning" and the guys charged with moving the offense.
nm
now blow up................(can't wait for GP-1 neg rant and I told you so's
)I'm not exactly sure who Superman is, but I'll assume you are writing about Frye.
Personally, I could care less what the Browns do, but signing Johnson is a good move for all of the reasons you said. I'll add one more. Every veteran QB needs someone to talk to at his level. Having a guy with experience backing up Dilfer gives the Browns someone who can give Dilfer advice at a level other than a coach. Being a rookie, Frye can't really offer any veteran advice to Dilfer and neither can Harris.
At this point in Frye's career, I really don't see this move impacting his career. He wasn't going to start next year anyhow. Johnson also gives Frye and Harris someone who they can turn to for advice during the season when Dilfer may be too busy to tutor young players. If Johnson is still around after this year (I wonder if he will even make it past two-a-days), all of you homers really need to start worrying.
The worst thing for Frye would be for Johnson to come in and play well after Dilfer gets killed behind that offensive line. If that happens, the idiot fans in Cleveland will demand a ten year contract for Johnson. Dilfer vs Johnson could be the new Tim C. vs KH debate.
See............... In my magnanimous way, I have managed to write a post about Frye without mentioning his sub 45% winning record. It's a good thing I'm in a good mood today or I could have gone on about his never winning a big game, not being able to get a first down in the final six minutes against Can't in 2003 or even the disastrous losses to teams like Eastern Michigan, OU and CFU. But I won't because I'm in a good mood.
Have a nice day everyone, I have a lot of driving ahead of me today.
Here is something we can all agree about.
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I'm pretty excited about the game being played on Thanksgiving. First of all, my wife and I are not from NE Ohio and we always wanted to stay home on a holiday and we never have been able to do so. Finally, a holiday that doesn't involve driving a minimum four hours.
Secondly, I've always wanted to go to a game on Thanksgiving. I think this could be the beginning of a great tradition. They should play the Akron vs. Can't game, when played in Akron, on Thanksgiving every year. Play early in the season when playing in Can't. Notre Dame and USC do a similar scheduling twist with their games. I think it would work out real well.
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This link has Akron playing Can't at 10:00 AM on Thanksgiving day. Is this true?
http://www.miamihawktalk.com/discussion/vi...pic.php?t=22523
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Try a couple of things.
First, call the local ABC station in Cleveland and ask for the sports director and tell him your story. ABC owns ESPN and the guy may be able to help.
Second, you could send an e-mail to Greg Brenda at WKNR. He works for ESPN on the weekends and may be able to help you get a copy.
Lastly, call U of A Media Department and ask them.
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Capt.,
This position has been vacant for several months and this guy is just filling the position.
The school still has a lot of work to do buying property around the primary location by the fieldhouse. I don't think money is the issue as much as the property owners are not willing to let go of the houses.
There will be a new softball stadium across from the new fieldhouse where the empty tennis courts are before a new football stadium is built. I hope I'm wrong.
Take care everyone.
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That "tough love" aspect is the grabber--I'm quite sure the players in "hogland" will learn to hate him just as they dis in "Zipland". Personally I wish him nothing but losses.
Though I was glad to see him get fired, I hope he has learned from his experience and does well.
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Buddenburg was also drafted by the Browns,
He also made the team. The U of A press guide has him playing for the Browns in 1987. It also has John listed as one of the Capts. for the Zips in 1988. Hummmmmm. It's no wonder we couldn't move the ball in 87 or 88, one of our linemen was playing for two teams at once.
John and I know each other from college and I ran into him and his wife Friday and we had a few beers together. He actually played for the Browns in 89 and 90, the Steelers in 91 and the Falcons 92-94. He also played for Sacramento in the World League when they still had American teams and he was all league and they won the championship when he was there. I wish U of A would correct their press guide for him.
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I cheated and looked it up. Here is what I found.
1967 Draft
16. Williams, Don (WR) Akron;
Nice work. Williams was drafted but didn't make the team (if the U of A press guide is correct). The press guide doesn't even have him listed as a letter winner. Are you sure that is correct?
Who was the first drafted by the Browns and made the team?
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I'd like to see who gets this right. The Beacon didn't a couple of weeks ago. The U of Akron press guide even has this guy's professional information wrong.
Question: Who is the first Zip ever drafted by the Cleveland Browns?
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The big dealio however, was that by Charlies 2nd year, the entire offense shifted to throw first then rush...........this also hits Biggs...........but he really doesn't have a quality partner to share time with.
I think that you would be absolutely correct in saying Biggs didn't have a good back up last year. This year could be another story with the Kennedy kid from Florida. He showed pretty good in the spring game. I think Ringer won't see the field next year.
I would like to take a second to stand up for the o-line a little bit because IMHO they take a little bit too much abuse. Were the rushing problems early last season a result of a bad o-line, or was it a result of personnel problems? Early in the season Ringer starts and all we see is lack of production and fumbles. Biggs (the MVP of last season) replaces Ringer and the team begins to win and is much more productive. Same o-line, same receivers, same QB, different results. Hummmmm.......
It will be interesting to see what is said if we run this same topic next year at this time. My guess is that Clark will still be the best, but some short kid from Florida could move up the rating.
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No mention of Dennis Brumfield, or Doug Lewis is odd.
I feel Lewis was a great RB.
Doug Lewis is a great pick, but didn't a knee injury slow down his career the same as Payne? It all seems so long ago now......
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Wally B,
We have this new thing now called the "internet". You used it to post your message. You can use this new technology to buy merchandise and hve it sent to your house using this fancy new service called "UPS".
GP1.
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The first is easy.
1. Mike Clark. Not only is he the greatest running back ever, he is IMHO the best offensive player in Akron history. He could have played in any era in Akron history. When he played, the team was better for having him in the game. He looked a lot like Biggs, only slightly bigger. Look at the stats. In three years of starting, the least yards per carry was 4.3 his junior year. His senior year, when everyone with an IQ over 20 knew he was getting the ball, he averaged 7.3 yards per carry. Most importantly, when he played, the team WON. It is a crying ass shame the University has not retired his number. If they have, please correct me.
2. A healthy Brandon Payne. When he as healthy, he was explosive with not only quickness, but good speed as well.
3. James Black. Second all time in school history in total yards. He averaged 98.5 yards per game. Once ran the ball 52 times in a single game, can you say give me an ice pack.
Two people could be third, but they don't have the records. First is Bobby Hendry who was a very solid player for three years. Second is Ty Nelson. Ty was fast and mean as a snake. Faust just didn't know what to do with him.
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A football championship would be something that would generate increased interest for a new stadium. I overheard a couple of people talking at the Varsity A raffle about the stadium and I don't think we are as close to having a new one as we may hope. The property around the primary location is not as easy to get as we on this site may hope. I think we all were hoping to have a new stadium in three years and I really don't see that happening. We'll be lucky to get one in five years unless something drastic happens. The MAC Championship could increase the sense of urgency for a new stadium.
The championship would be something not only the University could benefit from, but it would give northeast Ohio something to really hang it's hat on and generate future support (ticket sales and Foundation donations) for the school. Just look at the crowd for the Miami game last season. There was a great turn out for the game because the team actually had an important game late in the year.
More than anyone else, I think Mike Thomas would benefit from the MAC Championship. He is a good man who has worked hard for the University and I believe has made some good decisions in hiring JD AND KD. A championship would solidify his position as Akron's best AD ever and move him on to bigger things which he will have earned. If we do win the MAC, he will be too expensive to keep around. When that new stadium is finally built, something in it should be named after him.
I also think winning the football championship is more difficult than winning the basketball championship. In order to win football, you have to have a great season that gets you to Detroit where you play another team that had a great season. In basketball, you can have an average to above average season, get to Cleveland, and go on a run. Once in the basketball finals, you may end up playing a team that has gone on a nice run also and the Championship game is a #4 vs. #5 (if that is possible) in the finals whick makes it a much easier game to win. Anything worth having is difficult to achieve and I think football would be much more difficult to win making it much more valuable.
Finally, a football championship would give the school national coverage for the MAC Championship and bowl game. While there is national coverage for basketball for the MAC Championship game, most March Madness games are only on television in local markets. The national coverage is much more important.
By the way, did I mention bowl game. I went to a bowl game with my wife to see her school, Miami, play last December against ISU. Win or lose, the bowl games are a great experience for fans and for the schools themselves. I can still taste the red snapper with crab Creole sauce over it at Earnest's Orleans in Shreveport. Did I mention the crab claws with dipping sauce..... Anyhow, it's getting close to dinner time and I'm feeling kind of hungry.
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How fucking pathetic is it that the OSU thread has more posts that the TWO which were dedicated to the Akron baseball team winning and advancing in it's first MAC Tournament in over a decade... FUCK THE BUCKS!
Agreed!!!! Everyone stop posting. In fact, the people who run the site can take off my topic. I was worried that would happen when I posted it.
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"I think the truth of the matter is that OSU fans really don't care what the kids do off of the field as long as they are winning."
You are 110% wrong about that.
Most OSU fans are pissed off about all of the problems OSU is having off the field.
Most, like me, are tired of the people that defend Tressel.
Just as I am a huge UA fan, I am also a huge OSU fan. Go to an OSU fan site, and you will see how pissed off alot of people are.
If all you watch is the BS agenda that ESPN has then I assume you believe everything.
I was at a Reds game Monday night and I ran into a couple of OSU fans who had nothing but excuse after excuse for OSU. Everything from "Everyone does it" to the old reliable "At least they don't have guns". Soon, OSU fans will be as good as Notre Dame fans in making excuses for their team.
As far as fan boards being an indication of overall opinion, I don't think that is a good measure. Look at this board. We all really care about Akron and 95% of the ALUMNI could care less.
OSU is poised to go on another national championship run this year. Last week I was in Las Vegas and placed a $5 bet on them to win it all. The odds were only 12-1 which tells me everyone else thinks they are going on a run. We will see how these "pissed off" fans react to the off season problems if they hoist the Sears Trophy (or whatever they call it) again. My guess is that there will be a lot of people in Columbus with short memories.
Greg Gillum going to columbus state
in Akron Zips Football
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No problem. Maybe someday when I'm on vacation and have a couple of hours, I'll go through the coaches Faust had on his staff and not just in 1987. I think if some of you knew who was on the staff and where they are now, you wouldn't believe the team didn't win under Faust. Coach Faust was such a nice man though, I hate to print anything that will make him come off in a poor light.