What's the most important issue that needs to be fixed?

[Hilltopper]

Offense vs. Defense is always a good debate.The bottom line is this. It really doesn't matter if the Zips have not had enough losing. At some point, everyone on the field has to say "enough is enough" and go out and execute and win games. The talent is there and it has been for years. A losing attitude is killing this team and has been killing this program for many years now. Our problem is not talent and not coaching, it is the losers mentality.

It's the coaching staffs job to turn around a "Losers mentality". When a player comes here he doesn't bring it with him, most who make it to this level have been "Winners".

[GP1]

Offense vs. Defense is always a good debate.The bottom line is this. It really doesn't matter if the Zips have not had enough losing. At some point, everyone on the field has to say "enough is enough" and go out and execute and win games. The talent is there and it has been for years. A losing attitude is killing this team and has been killing this program for many years now. Our problem is not talent and not coaching, it is the losers mentality.

It's the coaching staffs job to turn around a "Losers mentality". When a player comes here he doesn't bring it with him, most who make it to this level have been "Winners".

We have had three different coaches in the past 20 years. None have been able to turn it around. At what point is it no longer the coaches fault and the fault of the players?Coaches show players how to play and they call the plays. Each player on this team individually needs to play better at critical times in games. Coaches get the blame, and that is part of the job, but the real blame falls on the shoulders of the players. Players get coaches fired. There is too much talent on this team to continue to lose. "Enough is enough!" In fact, teams love year slogans, "enough is enough" should be the slogan this year.

[Class of 82]

The bottom line for me is this: At the end of the game, if we're looking for CJacq to make a play to give us a chance to win, I know for a fact that he has the ability to make it happen. Will he? I don't know, but at least I do know that he can. He's shown that ability, even if he's also shown the ability to make bad decisions. And we have had good reason to expect the O-line to give him a chance to make a play. And we have had good reason to expect that receivers will more often than not make a catch if CJacq can get them the ball. Heck, man. Akron's offense put up some pretty darned good numbers last year.But what has our defense shown us? What have they done to inspire confidence that they can come up big when games are on the line? I'm sorry, but the answer is that with but a few exceptions, our defense was pretty much a sieve, as the numbers bear out conclusively.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Akron's offense put up some pretty darned good numbers last year.

Stats are for losers. Our offense shot 84% during the flow of a game, but in crunch time shot 45%.

But what has our defense shown us? What have they done to inspire confidence that they can come up big when games are on the line?

They showed just as much as the offense. How many goal line stops did they have vs. Cincinnati? At least two. They held a BCS bowl team to 17 points! Temple was a very good team last season when Dimechele was at QB. The Zips D made a bunch of big plays in that game, until the inevitable late-game turnover avalanche roared down the hill.

I'm sorry, but the answer is that with but a few exceptions, our defense was pretty much a sieve, as the numbers bear out conclusively.

Again, stats are for losers. MAC programs, 1 - 10, have a very small degree of separation. They all get the same level of player. The teams that win have a Dante Love and Nate Davis. A Drew Willy. A Leftwich or Rothlisberger. Guys that can close-out a close game if you put the ball in their hands. When the Zips offense had the chance, in close games in 2008, to close the deal, they fumbled, bumbled, penaltied and INT'd their way to a loss.The only stat that matters is 5-7. And the offense was just as much at fault as the defense for that 42% winning percentage.

[UADavid]

Offense vs. Defense is always a good debate.The bottom line is this. It really doesn't matter if the Zips have not had enough losing. At some point, everyone on the field has to say "enough is enough" and go out and execute and win games. The talent is there and it has been for years. A losing attitude is killing this team and has been killing this program for many years now. Our problem is not talent and not coaching, it is the losers mentality.

It's the coaching staffs job to turn around a "Losers mentality". When a player comes here he doesn't bring it with him, most who make it to this level have been "Winners".

We have had three different coaches in the past 20 years. None have been able to turn it around. At what point is it no longer the coaches fault and the fault of the players?Coaches show players how to play and they call the plays. Each player on this team individually needs to play better at critical times in games. Coaches get the blame, and that is part of the job, but the real blame falls on the shoulders of the players. Players get coaches fired. There is too much talent on this team to continue to lose. "Enough is enough!" In fact, teams love year slogans, "enough is enough" should be the slogan this year.

While I won't disagree about coaches getting blamed, CJ takes a pretty good beating on ZN. It's hard to point to a JD team that made good adjustmens at halftime to maintain or secure a win. I don't know what goes on at halftime, but the results are abysmal. Maybe the coaching staff doesn't exude a winning attitude.

[Hilltopper]

Offense vs. Defense is always a good debate.The bottom line is this. It really doesn't matter if the Zips have not had enough losing. At some point, everyone on the field has to say "enough is enough" and go out and execute and win games. The talent is there and it has been for years. A losing attitude is killing this team and has been killing this program for many years now. Our problem is not talent and not coaching, it is the losers mentality.

It's the coaching staffs job to turn around a "Losers mentality". When a player comes here he doesn't bring it with him, most who make it to this level have been "Winners".

We have had three different coaches in the past 20 years. None have been able to turn it around. At what point is it no longer the coaches fault and the fault of the players?Coaches show players how to play and they call the plays. Each player on this team individually needs to play better at critical times in games. Coaches get the blame, and that is part of the job, but the real blame falls on the shoulders of the players. Players get coaches fired. There is too much talent on this team to continue to lose. "Enough is enough!" In fact, teams love year slogans, "enough is enough" should be the slogan this year.

OK, it must be something in the water then.

[Class of 82]

Akron's offense put up some pretty darned good numbers last year.

Stats are for losers. Our offense shot 84% during the flow of a game, but in crunch time shot 45%.

But what has our defense shown us? What have they done to inspire confidence that they can come up big when games are on the line?

They showed just as much as the offense. How many goal line stops did they have vs. Cincinnati? At least two. They held a BCS bowl team to 17 points! Temple was a very good team last season when Dimechele was at QB. The Zips D made a bunch of big plays in that game, until the inevitable late-game turnover avalanche roared down the hill.

I thought stats were for losers? ;)Playing three or four decent games in a 12-game season just isn't going to cut it. And I don't agree that that is showing as much as the offense did last year. Not even close.They let Buffalo convert on five out of five fourth downs. If they stop them twice, maybe even once, we win that game.They-- and the special teams-- let BG off the hook when we should have had them down 21-7 at halftime.They couldn't stop Ohio or Ball State at all. They couldn't stop Eastern Michigan.So they played well against Army, Cincy and Temple. They were marginally okay against Syracuse. And they pretty much stunk in the other eight games.

I'm sorry, but the answer is that with but a few exceptions, our defense was pretty much a sieve, as the numbers bear out conclusively.

Again, stats are for losers. MAC programs, 1 - 10, have a very small degree of separation. They all get the same level of player. The teams that win have a Dante Love and Nate Davis. A Drew Willy. A Leftwich or Rothlisberger. Guys that can close-out a close game if you put the ball in their hands. When the Zips offense had the chance, in close games in 2008, to close the deal, they fumbled, bumbled, penaltied and INT'd their way to a loss.The only stat that matters is 5-7. And the offense was just as much at fault as the defense for that 42% winning percentage.

I understand what you're saying. It just seems that our greatest room for improvement is on the defense. Fortunately, I think we're gonna be a lot better this year.I know both of us hope Jacquemain will be better.Anyways, peace, brudda!And GO ZIPS!