Postgame

[skip-zip]

Story of the Game:Take your Pick:1) Buffalo was 5 for 5 of 4th down. They had that much confidence in their offense. It was as if we were playing a team that was going to take 4 shots at a first down every time. That's hard to take.2) More dropped passes.3) More offensive mistakes at critical times (delay of game, illegal formation). 4) Although I am not normally picky about JDs play calling....I was surprised at the number of times we tried to run on 3th down with 3-5 yards to go. 5) We simply did not take advantage of enough scoring opportunities in the early parts of the game. Do you notice something? I'm not hanging this on the defense. We gave up only 3.9 yards per carry on the ground. That's not bad for us. We held a high-powered offense to 17 points through 3 quarters, and squandered every chance we had to take control of the game. We were fortunate just to get to overtime.

[tbozeglav]

#1 for sure. You simply cannot win a game when you allow an offense to have the confidence buffalo had on 4th down.

[TrueBlue]

Just dropped by to say good game, couldn't have asked for a more exciting battle for the top of the MAC East. You guys have a good team out there in Akron and I take back my prediction of "winning handily". Good luck with the rest of your seasonGo Bulls

[johnnyzip84]

How many times was the offense in the wrong formation, making adjustments right up until the very last drop of the play clock? That was driving me crazy all game. UB doesn't shoot itself in the foot. It's all about Drew Willy. That kid has icewater in his veins.I can't fault the Zips' effort. They played their hearts out just to get back in it. The one thing this game did was take away ANY nostalgia I had left for the Rubber Bowl. I've seen WAY too many endings like this over the years.

[johnnyzip84]

Just dropped by to say good game, couldn't have asked for a more exciting battle for the top of the MAC East. You guys have a good team out there in Akron and I take back my prediction of "winning handily". Good luck with the rest of your seasonGo Bulls

They don't get much more exciting than that, TrueBlue. It's very strange how much these teams mirror one another. Good luck from here on out.

[ZippyTuba11]

I still question the play calling in the clutch. Going for the pass on the 2pt conversion? Bring in the jumbo squad, let DK follow Tuzze in for a dive up a the middle. Game over.It always seems that whenever there is more than an inch to go for the big play they want to pass and when they have a lot of yards to make up, they want to run. I respect what Brookhart has been able to accomplish as the head coach here, but I wouldn't be all the sorry to see him gone next year. That said, the D had some big stops, but they also had some big blown plays. Same can be said for the offense. The dropped passes are infuriating. They need to run throwing/catching drills in practice until these guys catch 99.9% of every catchable ball. But then again I think they should do that with the basketball team and foul shots. What do I know?

[72 Roo]

Thanks True Blue. It was truly an exciting game to watch. There was no quit in either team. I respect the way both sides battled.Other posters have already offered some areas of concern so here are mine:1) Can we make any adjustments at halftime to shut down Sparks out of the backfiled and Roosevelt? That was their entire passing game. I'm no genius, but I can see who's killing us and rotate the defense to stop them. Let's make the other players beat us if we limit those two.2) How can Jacq miss easy throws in big games. There were at least five passes that he short-armed his throw and subsequently put it in the turf or no where near open receivers.3) Can we get any pressure on athletic QB's like Wiley? I have no confidence in our defensive scheme. Please see any previous rant by any nation poster re: 3-3-5.4) Dropped balls drive me nuts. I'm real basic regarding them i.e. you drop it, you lose playing time.All that being said I came away with greater respect for the players and a sense that JD will one day do the job. Unless the team really collapses in the last two games, I feel JD has earned more time at the helm. I hate to see the bowl go out this way, but tonight was memorable and the game was contested as hard as the team could. I love these kids heart. Now let's find a D coordinator who can coach and not blame his lack of players.Congrats to the Bulls. They are a fine team. I hope a rivalry, with crowds, grows. It would be good for both programs. But when you next visit us at Infocision the atmosphere is going to be completely different. And very hostile as it should be.Didn't like the outcome, yet I loved the hope this team gave us.

[Quickzips]

For the seemingly 18,000th time this year the defense gave up over 200 yards in rushing. You can talk all you want about only 3.9 YPC, but that still equals a first down every 3 plays. This defense is abysml. Buffalo's game is ball control, ball control, ball control and we played into that perfectly. Sure there were other things that didn't help, but at the end of the day Buffalo had the ball for nearly twice as long as we did (and no, I don't blame that on the offense, at a certain point the defense has to take it on themselves to get off the field, they couldn't do it from the opening snap to the end of the game). When you have the ball for that much longer than your opponent you absolutely should win the ballgame. It's actually rather surprising that it took 4 OT's for them to do it in.

[Dr Z]

Missing the 27 yard FG with no points on the board was inexcusable.You must make an easy FG like that in that kind of game. It's deflating to the O & the D.Cruz (I'm pretty sure) dropped a good throw in the end zone that hit him in the hands, the chest,the belly and dropped down his legs. Seemed like he had four chances to catch that ball.The false start that moved us out of FG range happened AFTER this drop. Should have never happenedif Cruz catches that ball. Killer.The two point conversion that could/should have won the game for us was a poorly designed play.How do I know this? Because 5 Buffalo defenders figured it out and had our WR covered.I really wish after our receiver figured out that he was covered that instead of running out of the back of the end zone he run across the goal line to give us any kind of chance of winning the game. Why did we not spreadit out and give our QB some options. Limiting him was a mistake.If I were a GM of an NFL team, I would not draft Bryan Williams. Please prove me wrong the next two games B Will.Buffalo's offensive play calling was very questionable to me. If I was the Buffalo offensive coordinator, that game would have been a 24-13 victory for me.I wish I felt like I watched a really good game, but I only feel like I lost.

[Hilltopper]

Same Old Same Old Good Bye Rubber Bowl

[ksu sucks]

Buffalo's offensive play calling was very questionable to me. If I was the Buffalo offensive coordinator, that game would have been a 24-13 victory for me.

It didn't matter what plays they called. The OC himself could've jumped out there and ran for a first down. Seriously though, that stretch play killed us all game long. we couldn't stop it. I'm sure had Buffalo been facing a defense that actually forced them to diversify their play calling then they would of.

[zipsbandman]

This team looks so frantic and unorganized at times when it comes to calling the plays. CJ's looking at the sidelines more than he's in the huddle. Then we see a delay of game on a field goal attempt? Are you kidding me? It's the same thing every single week. Turnovers, dropped passes, missed field goals, penalties. I can't take watching this team anymore. We're very much stuck in mediocracy. We can't and won't fire Brookhart if we finish 6-6 with 2 years to go on the contract, and it's going to be the same thing again next year. We've had a bye week and rest and the same problems are there. I'm really sick and tired of coming up short. We have and always have needed miracles to win football games.

[bigzipguy]

Zipsbandman:You pretty much nailed it. I could point to a couple of critical plays and playcalls,especially in the BG game, but that is past.Really feel bad for DK. Really keep thinking how explosive are offense could have been, despite the mistakes, if we would have had a healthy Alex Allen.Let's just hope the Zips finish up with two wins and maybe pull out a bowl game.

[skip-zip]

Dr. Z....although I don't like to focus on one play here or there costing a team a game, you bring up a couple of very critical situations.1) The short field goal that was missed early in the first quarter I think really took some steam out of our offense. We had a chance to score first, and blew it. And you need every point you can get.....both for points and for momentum....when you are likely to be at the beginning of a game where you expect a lot of scoring. I don't think we got in synch offensively until the end of the half because of that. Good point.2) The Cruz drop in the end zone, followed by the false start that took us out of field goal range, was maybe the most critical two-play blunder of the game. Looking back, it just seemed like our offense spent the entire night making a couple of good plays, followed by a bad play that took us a step back. It was very frustrating. But, to the poster who thought that time of possession was a factor. I don't agree. The time of possession looked the way it did mostly because our TD drives were normally very short. When we had our execution together, we ran all over these guys, and scored quickly. But unfortunately, it didn't happen often enough. I'll add another critical play....The pass interference call against us in overtime that gave BU the ball with first down near the goal line, when our DB was simply taking a straight path towards the football and happened to bump the receiver. If anyone looks at the replay of the game and sees this differently, please let us know. Remember, we don't get replays at the RB. Will we get them at Infocision?Bad luck play....Igor's long field goal that hit the cross bar. I guess maybe it just wasn't our night.Keep this in mind....We've now played in 5 games that went right down to the wire this year. We've won a couple of them. We could be anywhere from 3-7 right now, to 8-2, depending on whether all of the late game breaks had gone our way, or all of them had not. It's made for a very exciting season...a season where nobody expected us to do anything. I just hope we can get ourselves into a bowl for all of our efforts....or maybe maintain our outside chance of still winning the MAC East.And just to remove any doubt about coaching, JD talked in the Rubber Bowl Closing Ceremony about how he will be proud to be the man who will be leading our team into its new era of football in the new stadium. He's going to be our coach next year, whether you support him or not. In fact, had we won this game last night, I think he would have become the leading candidate for MAC coach of the year. A guy who has done what he's done to make this team a contender this year is not going to lose his job.

[skip-zip]

zipsbandman...just a couple of factual corrections. You mention how JAC spends more time looking at the sidelines than being in the huddle. It's because of the offensive scheme that we run. We don't huddle. In addition, you mention turnovers as a factor, and there was only one turnover in the entire game, which did not occur until the fumble in the 4th overtime.

[bigzipguy]

Skip-zip:1 correction for you. DK also fumbled about mid-way thru the 4th Qtr. This after ripping off about a 10-12 yard run.

[skip-zip]

bigzipguy and bandman...sorry, I forgot about the Kennedy fumble after the long gain. I do remember that now. I guess I am just rambling a little bit this morning. Yes, our big wins against Can't and EMU put us into position to possibly win the MAC East in improbably fashion, but regardless of how exciting that has made this season, I still wish we had pulled out another big one to finish the job.

[Big Zips Fan (220lb)]

I'll add another critical play....The pass interference call against us in overtime that gave BU the ball with first down near the goal line, when our DB was simply taking a straight path towards the football and happened to bump the receiver. If anyone looks at the replay of the game and sees this differently, please let us know. Remember, we don't get replays at the RB. Will we get them at Infocision?And just to remove any doubt about coaching, JD talked in the Rubber Bowl Closing Ceremony about how he will be proud to be the man who will be leading our team into its new era of football in the new stadium. He's going to be our coach next year, whether you support him or not. In fact, had we won this game last night, I think he would have become the leading candidate for MAC coach of the year. A guy who has done what he's done to make this team a contender this year is not going to lose his job.

The pass interference call was tough, but not necessarily a horrible call. There was a lot of contact. A defender can't run through a receiver to get to the ball, which is how it may have looked to the ref. He tried his best to go around/over but the ref threw the flag at the contact, which is what they are prone to do. I didn't agree with the call, but I have seen worse. MAC coach of the year? When Ball State is currently ranked 14th? I don't see it.As far as JD turning an otherwise bad team into a contender, which is I think your implication, leads to the question of why they were expected to be bad to begin with. This is JD's fifth year at Akron, if the team is not expected to do well, that itself is an indictment of the coach.I am not qualified to say if JD will or won't be back. JD's statement seems to imply that he knows. I also can't say if the Zips will be better next year than they are this year if JD stays. If they win the next 2 games, and against expectations go to a bowl game, it would be difficult to see JD out of a job. However, if this team loses the last 2 games I would think that his job security would be in serious Jeopardy. And if you don't think that it is possible for the Zips to lose the next two games, just remember what JD consistently says about MAC play: that everybody is about on par with everyone else, no one is significantly better.

[skip-zip]

I am basing the coach of the year possibility on the fact that he's doing much better than expected, and the fact that a couple of web sites have already listed him as one of the top 2 to 3 candidates most likely to get that honor this year. As far as the Ball State coach is concerned, being the best team in the league is never in any way an indication of their coach being named coach of the year.

[Lee Adams]

I am basing the coach of the year possibility on the fact that he's doing much better than expected, and the fact that a couple of web sites have already listed him as one of the top 2 to 3 candidates most likely to get that honor this year. As far as the Ball State coach is concerned, being the best team in the league is never in any way an indication of their coach being named coach of the year.

can you say BRADY HOKE...TURNER GILL..those are the coaches of the year...brookhart may end up 5-7...ya know can't COULD end up 5-7 also...

[Zipsrifle]

Honestly, I think last night's game was a very fitting end to the RB and basically summed up my experiences in the old girl. I heard things last night from the crowd that I haven't heard in years. Normally, I'm the one yelling trying to get everyone else into it. Last night, I heard the cheers spontaneously erupt from other parts of the stadium yet in the 4th OT, I heard the dead silence I am so accustomed to. My view at one point was blocked by other fans standing up and cheering as Kennedy broke away!...but in the 4th Q, I had my usual 4-5 clear rows directly in front of me. I saw lots of blown catches, blown passes, blown tackles, and busted running plays, yet the Zips, somehow, were fighting to the end. I felt extremely proud when the entire stadium gave a standing ovation to that soldier who went through hell and somehow made it out of Iraq. I also felt that all to familiar pit in my stomach as the ball squirted out in the 4th OT and a Buffalo player pounced on it. I was impressed as the crowd continued to file into the RB late into the 1st Q and I stood almost alone as Zippy rode out of the stadium on a motorcycle. An excellent closing ceremonies concept was botched up as the former players were walked all over the field before finally forming a simple U shape. The speeches given, with the exception of Dr. P seemed unrehearsed and frankly, Mack sounded Drunk! I guess this meshes well with Dennis Helsel's "Syracuse University" speech. I never did get to see a sold out game at the RB in my 15 years of attending games there....... I don't think I'll miss the RB. It served well and I have a lot of memories there, but I can't remember a game when I truly felt that Akron had arrived. We were never "Bigtime" in the RB. I'm hoping that ICS marks a turning point for Akron football and our first step into the "Bigtime".

[skip-zip]

Zipsrifle....Unfortunately you are probably too young to have been here in the 80's and 90's like I was. I even remember games where those end zone sections that are covered with tarps were full, or nearly full. Take my word for it, we seemed like a big-time college football program on those days. Yes, they tended to happen early in the season, and were usually part of the Acme Zip promotion....but it was great to see. Probably the closest thing you had to experiencing something like that would have been the Marshall game in 2004, if you happened to be there. That game was about 10,000 people short of some of the games that I experienced, but the atmosphere and electricity that night was very close to the same.

[uafan]

We've now played in 5 games that went right down to the wire this year. We've won a couple of them. We could be anywhere from 3-7 right now, to 8-2, depending on whether all of the late game breaks had gone our way, or all of them had not. It's made for a very exciting season...a season where nobody expected us to do anything. I just hope we can get ourselves into a bowl for all of our efforts....or maybe maintain our outside chance of still winning the MAC East.

Are you satisfied with these results? I'm not! I look at those close games as ones we should have won. And until we do start winning them, people will continue to look at us as losers, and we will never gain any national respect until we start winning them!

[uafan]

Story of the Game:Take your Pick:1) Buffalo was 5 for 5 of 4th down. They had that much confidence in their offense. It was as if we were playing a team that was going to take 4 shots at a first down every time. That's hard to take.2) More dropped passes.3) More offensive mistakes at critical times (delay of game, illegal formation). 4) Although I am not normally picky about JDs play calling....I was surprised at the number of times we tried to run on 3th down with 3-5 yards to go. 5) We simply did not take advantage of enough scoring opportunities in the early parts of the game. Do you notice something? I'm not hanging this on the defense. We gave up only 3.9 yards per carry on the ground. That's not bad for us. We held a high-powered offense to 17 points through 3 quarters, and squandered every chance we had to take control of the game. We were fortunate just to get to overtime.

The delay of game penalty looked to me like it was the coaches fault. They seemed to be arguing whether or not to kick the FG or punt, and the FG team was delayed getting on the field.

[Lee Adams]

I am basing the coach of the year possibility on the fact that he's doing much better than expected, and the fact that a couple of web sites have already listed him as one of the top 2 to 3 candidates most likely to get that honor this year. As far as the Ball State coach is concerned, being the best team in the league is never in any way an indication of their coach being named coach of the year.

except he recruited the players...where did nate davis come from anyway?