Final Notes from Wednesday Night @ OBC

[Captain Kangaroo]

Here are a few notes I jotted down from Wednesday -The Spring Game will be held Saturday April 4th.The 1-AA opponent for 2009 is looking to be South Dakota State.Keith Huebner (OL) has left the football team and will focus on track for Dennis Mitchell's squad.Henderson's high school weight was listed at 285. He's now 325. Apparently he is close to his expected playing weight. Kind of a "Jerry Ball" type nose guard.Other than Steiner, there were no "local" kids signed. I asked Coach Ferri is he expected to hear any grousing from local HS coaches regarding the Zips not recruiting in their own back yard. His response was - "I'm personally responsible for recruiting the Akron-Canton area, and we recruited every local D-1 caliber athlete very hard. If a local coach complained that the Zips didn't recruit one of their players, I'd immediately pick up the phone and give him a call." It seems like the local crop of now-HS Juniors is pretty good. I think we can expect a couple local kids in the 2010 class.There are no members of the 2009 class on-campus this spring with the exception of Fleming and Pechuta. Nicely could have graduated early, but he wanted to enjoy his senior year of high school. I can't blame him.Punter Josh Couch is a relative of Tim Couch. Cousin? Although a punter/kicker in HS, he's expected to only punt for the Zips.I asked if there was an "Infocision Effect" on recruiting. Coach Ferri stated definitively "YES." He specifically mentioned a key recruit that, after seeing the stadium, walked into the Stile Center and said "This is where I'm coming!" You could also see the effect the stadium had on the number of recruits that de-committed on signing day - Zero. That's the first time it's ever happened. Other schools tried to sway several recruits late in the game, but now wavered. Ferri also stated that the effect will be even bigger once the stadium is completed. They expect to go after a lot more high-caliber HS recruits in 2010, and also expect to get them.Although we have Bowser, Miller and Bruce as our top 3 WR's, LaFrace will definitely be in the mix for a starting position in 2009. He also talked about LaFrance being displaced by hurricane Katrina. He said to keep your eyes open over the next few years in the NFL because there's going to be a lot of kids from lower-division colleges, kids who were displaced from the hurricane and slipped through the recruiting cracks, who will be drafted. If you were from Louisiana and the hurricane hit during your Junior year...the year when most colleges review tapes and recruit the hardest...you probably ended up @ a non-BCS school or JUCO.Look for two new coaches to be hired this week. Brookhart doesn't want to go into spring drills without a QB coach on-staff.Ferri also told a story about when he was recruited by the Zips (he attended Army). He looked at UA in the mid-90's and got absolutely no feeling that the University was supporting the football program. Of the eight schools he considered, UA was probably last in line. He stated that's changed 180 degrees from then to today. He said "Proenza doesn't want to be last in ANYTHING." He stated that once the stadium is completed, there will be no other MAC school in the Zips league facility-wise. It won't even be close. It took the UA about 12 years, but the "Worst-to-First" story is almost complete!A million Thank You's again to Coach Ferri to take the time to speak to all of us!!! He promised he'd do it again next year. We'll give everyone more than 4-days notice next February, I swear!

[Zip_ME87]

Thanks CK!BTW - Do you (or does anyone) know how the Men's Soccer team is doing with NLI's? (I know it's the other "football", but some information, here or in the soccer forum would be appreciated.)

[tbozeglav]

not sure about NLIs, but in the soccer forum there are many links showing we already have the #1 soccer recruiting class this year.

[ZachTheZip]

SDSU coming here would be interesting. But I would rather have a Sunbelt team.

[Zip_ME87]

not sure about NLIs, but in the soccer forum there are many links showing we already have the #1 soccer recruiting class this year.

Thanks, but that's based on verbals. I'd like to know where the Zips are with official signings. I've seen a number of press releases from other universities, but none from UA concerning soccer letters of intent.

[Zipgrad01]

Here are a few notes I jotted down from Wednesday -The Spring Game will be held Saturday April 4th.The 1-AA opponent for 2009 is looking to be South Dakota State.Keith Huebner (OL) has left the football team and will focus on track for Dennis Mitchell's squad.Henderson's high school weight was listed at 285. He's now 325. Apparently he is close to his expected playing weight. Kind of a "Jerry Ball" type nose guard.Other than Steiner, there were no "local" kids signed. I asked Coach Ferri is he expected to hear any grousing from local HS coaches regarding the Zips not recruiting in their own back yard. His response was - "I'm personally responsible for recruiting the Akron-Canton area, and we recruited every local D-1 caliber athlete very hard. If a local coach complained that the Zips didn't recruit one of their players, I'd immediately pick up the phone and give him a call." It seems like the local crop of now-HS Juniors is pretty good. I think we can expect a couple local kids in the 2010 class.There are no members of the 2009 class on-campus this spring with the exception of Fleming and Pechuta. Nicely could have graduated early, but he wanted to enjoy his senior year of high school. I can't blame him.Punter Josh Couch is a relative of Tim Couch. Cousin? Although a punter/kicker in HS, he's expected to only punt for the Zips.I asked if there was an "Infocision Effect" on recruiting. Coach Ferri stated definitively "YES." He specifically mentioned a key recruit that, after seeing the stadium, walked into the Stile Center and said "This is where I'm coming!" You could also see the effect the stadium had on the number of recruits that de-committed on signing day - Zero. That's the first time it's ever happened. Other schools tried to sway several recruits late in the game, but now wavered. Ferri also stated that the effect will be even bigger once the stadium is completed. They expect to go after a lot more high-caliber HS recruits in 2010, and also expect to get them.Although we have Bowser, Miller and Bruce as our top 3 WR's, LaFrace will definitely be in the mix for a starting position in 2009. He also talked about LaFrance being displaced by hurricane Katrina. He said to keep your eyes open over the next few years in the NFL because there's going to be a lot of kids from lower-division colleges, kids who were displaced from the hurricane and slipped through the recruiting cracks, who will be drafted. If you were from Louisiana and the hurricane hit during your Junior year...the year when most colleges review tapes and recruit the hardest...you probably ended up @ a non-BCS school or JUCO.Look for two new coaches to be hired this week. Brookhart doesn't want to go into spring drills without a QB coach on-staff.Ferri also told a story about when he was recruited by the Zips (he attended Army). He looked at UA in the mid-90's and got absolutely no feeling that the University was supporting the football program. Of the eight schools he considered, UA was probably last in line. He stated that's changed 180 degrees from then to today. He said "Proenza doesn't want to be last in ANYTHING." He stated that once the stadium is completed, there will be no other MAC school in the Zips league facility-wise. It won't even be close. It took the UA about 12 years, but the "Worst-to-First" story is almost complete!A million Thank You's again to Coach Ferri to take the time to speak to all of us!!! He promised he'd do it again next year. We'll give everyone more than 4-days notice next February, I swear!

Yeah...South Dakota State. I can hardly wait to mark that game down on the calendar. What a joke.

[zippy5]

Here are a few notes I jotted down from Wednesday -The Spring Game will be held Saturday April 4th.The 1-AA opponent for 2009 is looking to be South Dakota State.Keith Huebner (OL) has left the football team and will focus on track for Dennis Mitchell's squad.Henderson's high school weight was listed at 285. He's now 325. Apparently he is close to his expected playing weight. Kind of a "Jerry Ball" type nose guard.Other than Steiner, there were no "local" kids signed. I asked Coach Ferri is he expected to hear any grousing from local HS coaches regarding the Zips not recruiting in their own back yard. His response was - "I'm personally responsible for recruiting the Akron-Canton area, and we recruited every local D-1 caliber athlete very hard. If a local coach complained that the Zips didn't recruit one of their players, I'd immediately pick up the phone and give him a call." It seems like the local crop of now-HS Juniors is pretty good. I think we can expect a couple local kids in the 2010 class.There are no members of the 2009 class on-campus this spring with the exception of Fleming and Pechuta. Nicely could have graduated early, but he wanted to enjoy his senior year of high school. I can't blame him.Punter Josh Couch is a relative of Tim Couch. Cousin? Although a punter/kicker in HS, he's expected to only punt for the Zips.I asked if there was an "Infocision Effect" on recruiting. Coach Ferri stated definitively "YES." He specifically mentioned a key recruit that, after seeing the stadium, walked into the Stile Center and said "This is where I'm coming!" You could also see the effect the stadium had on the number of recruits that de-committed on signing day - Zero. That's the first time it's ever happened. Other schools tried to sway several recruits late in the game, but now wavered. Ferri also stated that the effect will be even bigger once the stadium is completed. They expect to go after a lot more high-caliber HS recruits in 2010, and also expect to get them.Although we have Bowser, Miller and Bruce as our top 3 WR's, LaFrace will definitely be in the mix for a starting position in 2009. He also talked about LaFrance being displaced by hurricane Katrina. He said to keep your eyes open over the next few years in the NFL because there's going to be a lot of kids from lower-division colleges, kids who were displaced from the hurricane and slipped through the recruiting cracks, who will be drafted. If you were from Louisiana and the hurricane hit during your Junior year...the year when most colleges review tapes and recruit the hardest...you probably ended up @ a non-BCS school or JUCO.Look for two new coaches to be hired this week. Brookhart doesn't want to go into spring drills without a QB coach on-staff.Ferri also told a story about when he was recruited by the Zips (he attended Army). He looked at UA in the mid-90's and got absolutely no feeling that the University was supporting the football program. Of the eight schools he considered, UA was probably last in line. He stated that's changed 180 degrees from then to today. He said "Proenza doesn't want to be last in ANYTHING." He stated that once the stadium is completed, there will be no other MAC school in the Zips league facility-wise. It won't even be close. It took the UA about 12 years, but the "Worst-to-First" story is almost complete!A million Thank You's again to Coach Ferri to take the time to speak to all of us!!! He promised he'd do it again next year. We'll give everyone more than 4-days notice next February, I swear!

Yeah...South Dakota State. I can hardly wait to mark that game down on the calendar. What a joke.

remember that when we finish 7-5

[johnnyzip84]

Here are a few notes I jotted down from Wednesday -The Spring Game will be held Saturday April 4th.The 1-AA opponent for 2009 is looking to be South Dakota State.Keith Huebner (OL) has left the football team and will focus on track for Dennis Mitchell's squad.Henderson's high school weight was listed at 285. He's now 325. Apparently he is close to his expected playing weight. Kind of a "Jerry Ball" type nose guard.Other than Steiner, there were no "local" kids signed. I asked Coach Ferri is he expected to hear any grousing from local HS coaches regarding the Zips not recruiting in their own back yard. His response was - "I'm personally responsible for recruiting the Akron-Canton area, and we recruited every local D-1 caliber athlete very hard. If a local coach complained that the Zips didn't recruit one of their players, I'd immediately pick up the phone and give him a call." It seems like the local crop of now-HS Juniors is pretty good. I think we can expect a couple local kids in the 2010 class.There are no members of the 2009 class on-campus this spring with the exception of Fleming and Pechuta. Nicely could have graduated early, but he wanted to enjoy his senior year of high school. I can't blame him.Punter Josh Couch is a relative of Tim Couch. Cousin? Although a punter/kicker in HS, he's expected to only punt for the Zips.I asked if there was an "Infocision Effect" on recruiting. Coach Ferri stated definitively "YES." He specifically mentioned a key recruit that, after seeing the stadium, walked into the Stile Center and said "This is where I'm coming!" You could also see the effect the stadium had on the number of recruits that de-committed on signing day - Zero. That's the first time it's ever happened. Other schools tried to sway several recruits late in the game, but now wavered. Ferri also stated that the effect will be even bigger once the stadium is completed. They expect to go after a lot more high-caliber HS recruits in 2010, and also expect to get them.Although we have Bowser, Miller and Bruce as our top 3 WR's, LaFrace will definitely be in the mix for a starting position in 2009. He also talked about LaFrance being displaced by hurricane Katrina. He said to keep your eyes open over the next few years in the NFL because there's going to be a lot of kids from lower-division colleges, kids who were displaced from the hurricane and slipped through the recruiting cracks, who will be drafted. If you were from Louisiana and the hurricane hit during your Junior year...the year when most colleges review tapes and recruit the hardest...you probably ended up @ a non-BCS school or JUCO.Look for two new coaches to be hired this week. Brookhart doesn't want to go into spring drills without a QB coach on-staff.Ferri also told a story about when he was recruited by the Zips (he attended Army). He looked at UA in the mid-90's and got absolutely no feeling that the University was supporting the football program. Of the eight schools he considered, UA was probably last in line. He stated that's changed 180 degrees from then to today. He said "Proenza doesn't want to be last in ANYTHING." He stated that once the stadium is completed, there will be no other MAC school in the Zips league facility-wise. It won't even be close. It took the UA about 12 years, but the "Worst-to-First" story is almost complete!A million Thank You's again to Coach Ferri to take the time to speak to all of us!!! He promised he'd do it again next year. We'll give everyone more than 4-days notice next February, I swear!

Yeah...South Dakota State. I can hardly wait to mark that game down on the calendar. What a joke.

remember that when we finish 7-5

I'll be the 1st one to say it. NO WAY this team loses more than 4 games in 2009. Mark it down.

[zippy5]

ha I agree...Should've said "if"

[Buckzip]

Yeah...South Dakota State. I can hardly wait to mark that game down on the calendar. What a joke.

They are probably saying the same thing about Akron.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Yeah...South Dakota State. I can hardly wait to mark that game down on the calendar. What a joke.

They are probably saying the same thing about Akron.

I doubt it.

[tbozeglav]

cant seem to find anything on their boards that indicates they even know they're scheduled to play us, let alone any talk about "what a joke" the game is.

[ZachTheZip]

SDSU's not saying much of anything about anything. The one forum I found could barely be qualified as active.

[tbozeglav]

Cap'n... you sure its gonna be SDSU? Im looking at their 09-10 schedule and I dont see us on it: http://www.gojacks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2009 (looks oddly familiar to the old gozips site, btw)

[Captain Kangaroo]

Cap'n... you sure its gonna be SDSU? Im looking at their 09-10 schedule and I dont see us on it: http://www.gojacks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2009 (looks oddly familiar to the old gozips site, btw)

It is not etched in stone, but SDSU was the odds-on favorite as of late last week.

[infofan]

Cap'n... you sure its gonna be SDSU? Im looking at their 09-10 schedule and I dont see us on it: http://www.gojacks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2009 (looks oddly familiar to the old gozips site, btw)

It is not etched in stone, but SDSU was the odds-on favorite as of late last week.

Contracts probably the holdup for that game, but word came from Coach Ferri so its very credible. Just wondered- whats everyone elses opinion on playing YSU?? Yes theyre 1AA but they would bring fans, name recognition, and we do have a history with them. Lets not forget we payed a reported $300,000.00 tp bring in N TX a couple years ago to fill the schedule, and they brought maybe 6 fans with them and "0" local interest. Sorry to hear about the loss of the Steiner family ( our newest local recruit)

[ZachTheZip]

Cap'n... you sure its gonna be SDSU? Im looking at their 09-10 schedule and I dont see us on it: http://www.gojacks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2009 (looks oddly familiar to the old gozips site, btw)

It is not etched in stone, but SDSU was the odds-on favorite as of late last week.

Contracts probably the holdup for that game, but word came from Coach Ferri so its very credible. Just wondered- whats everyone elses opinion on playing YSU?? Yes theyre 1AA but they would bring fans, name recognition, and we do have a history with them. Lets not forget we payed a reported $300,000.00 tp bring in N TX a couple years ago to fill the schedule, and they brought maybe 6 fans with them and "0" local interest. Sorry to hear about the loss of the Steiner family ( our newest local recruit)

YSU's AD won't schedule us with out a return game. We're not going to play there due to MAC conference rules, so they won't play here. I would gladly thump them in front of several thousand of their own fans at the Info, but it won't get scheduled.

[Blue & Gold]

Cap'n... you sure its gonna be SDSU? Im looking at their 09-10 schedule and I dont see us on it: http://www.gojacks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2009 (looks oddly familiar to the old gozips site, btw)

It is not etched in stone, but SDSU was the odds-on favorite as of late last week.

Contracts probably the holdup for that game, but word came from Coach Ferri so its very credible. Just wondered- whats everyone elses opinion on playing YSU?? Yes theyre 1AA but they would bring fans, name recognition, and we do have a history with them. Lets not forget we payed a reported $300,000.00 tp bring in N TX a couple years ago to fill the schedule, and they brought maybe 6 fans with them and "0" local interest. Sorry to hear about the loss of the Steiner family ( our newest local recruit)

YSU's AD won't schedule us with out a return game. We're not going to play there due to MAC conference rules, so they won't play here. I would gladly thump them in front of several thousand of their own fans at the Info, but it won't get scheduled.

That's a shame because you can count me as one who would like to see this game played. Who do they think they are? They're D-1AA, they're not allowed to demand a return game! So I guess I agree with not scheduling them; there's no way a D-1 school should play on the road at a D-1AA. That's a one-way street.

[infofan]

I agree- no return game in Youngsburgh, unless they pay us 200k in a 3 for 1 deal.As a fan I would enjoy the easy commute to Ytown for a road game. But in this economy dont discount the fact that Akron would be a cheap transport for YSU. Their AD may not WANT to play us but faced with a budget it may be better to taken a small guarentee from Mack Rhodes to play here than travel to Eastern Illinois or Ga Southern for nothing.

[johnnyzip84]

Yeah...South Dakota State. I can hardly wait to mark that game down on the calendar. What a joke.

They are probably saying the same thing about Akron.

Looking a little into past Jackrabbit schedules and results (see link), they have only played ONE FBS team in their history (Iowa St. last year). So I highly doubt they wouldn't be somewhat stoked about playing another FCS team, particularly in a brand new stadium.Also, they appear to be a pretty decent FCS program, even though they're only somewhat recently removed from D-2. They crushed the YSU Penguins last year and they've played even up with North Dakota St. recently, a program that has given Minnesota fits (beat 'em once and should have beaten them another time). I know there are many constrants, but if I were hand-picking an FCS team to fill out the 2009 schedule, I'm not sure I'd go in this direction. I'd prefer something the Zip hoops team has been feasting on of late --> Why not play someone like Robert Morris or Duquesne, both nearby and somewhat familiar (in other sports)? I know they're both non-scholly FCS, but who cares? If the objective is to schedule a "next to sure win", I say you don't take any chances.Link

[Captain Kangaroo]

Robert Morris or Duquesne, both nearby and somewhat familiar (in other sports)? I know they're both non-scholly FCS, but who cares? If the objective is to schedule a "next to sure win", I say you don't take any chances.

Those teams would get crippled if they played a D-1 team. Physically crippled. If you thought the 65-0 beating of Hampton, w/65 scholarships, was a tragedy, wait til you saw Duquesne vs. Akron. 100 points might be achievable. By halftime.

[johnnyzip84]

Robert Morris or Duquesne, both nearby and somewhat familiar (in other sports)? I know they're both non-scholly FCS, but who cares? If the objective is to schedule a "next to sure win", I say you don't take any chances.

Those teams would get crippled if they played a D-1 team. Physically crippled. If you thought the 65-0 beating of Hampton, w/65 scholarships, was a tragedy, wait til you saw Duquesne vs. Akron. 100 points might be achievable. By halftime.

OK, so perhaps I went a little too far. Give me or give me death!!!! :DLooking into SDSU a little further, I notice that they will be breaking in a new QB this year, and he's replacing last year's 1st team ALL-MVC QB Berry. So that's definitely in our favor.BTW, CK, I know you like to remember it as Hampton for some reason. But it was HOWARD whom LO's Zips scored 65 on towards the end of his tenure (the Bison managed a late TD to spoil the shutout). For the record, I think some of the non-scholly FCS programs (Colgate, The Ivies, Lafayette, and even Duquesne/RMU in a good year) can most definitely beat the weaker MEAC and SWAC teams from time to time.

[Buckzip]

Robert Morris or Duquesne, both nearby and somewhat familiar (in other sports)? I know they're both non-scholly FCS, but who cares? If the objective is to schedule a "next to sure win", I say you don't take any chances.

Those teams would get crippled if they played a D-1 team. Physically crippled. If you thought the 65-0 beating of Hampton, w/65 scholarships, was a tragedy, wait til you saw Duquesne vs. Akron. 100 points might be achievable. By halftime.

True, but which team would have 100?

[Zipgrad01]

Robert Morris or Duquesne, both nearby and somewhat familiar (in other sports)? I know they're both non-scholly FCS, but who cares? If the objective is to schedule a "next to sure win", I say you don't take any chances.

Those teams would get crippled if they played a D-1 team. Physically crippled. If you thought the 65-0 beating of Hampton, w/65 scholarships, was a tragedy, wait til you saw Duquesne vs. Akron. 100 points might be achievable. By halftime.

I hate the idea of playing a 1-AA, but I would love to play Duquesne. My wife graduated from there and I remember all the idiots on their campus telling me their football team (we were in school from 96-01) would destroy Akron. I watched one of their games. They were actually decent, but I had to laugh at the idea of them even remotely being able to play with us.

[dreal1scout]

Robert Morris or Duquesne, both nearby and somewhat familiar (in other sports)? I know they're both non-scholly FCS, but who cares? If the objective is to schedule a "next to sure win", I say you don't take any chances.

Those teams would get crippled if they played a D-1 team. Physically crippled. If you thought the 65-0 beating of Hampton, w/65 scholarships, was a tragedy, wait til you saw Duquesne vs. Akron. 100 points might be achievable. By halftime.

I hate the idea of playing a 1-AA, but I would love to play Duquesne. My wife graduated from there and I remember all the idiots on their campus telling me their football team (we were in school from 96-01) would destroy Akron. I watched one of their games. They were actually decent, but I had to laugh at the idea of them even remotely being able to play with us.

I'd like to hear Coach Mauro Monz's thought about playing Duquesne. I think he played there.