zipboy Posted June 28, 2009 Report Posted June 28, 2009 1. Who will be the kicker? Guaranteed that the kicking game will win or lose 1-2 games this year. Do we end up 9-3 as opposed to 7-5 or 6-6 as opposed to 8-4? Give me the guy who is automatic inside the 40 and can make extra points, and I can live with the rest. I felt better about Igor 2 years ago than I do today.2. 1:30 left in the game would you rather be down by 4 with the ball and have to go the length of the field or up by 4 and have the other team go the length of the field? Last year I would have thought both of those situations would have been trouble for us. Does it change this year? Jacq made tremendous progress from his soph year but he always disappeared for a quarter and a half here or there. The D, not many good things to say about last year.3. Speaking of the D, will the DL stay eligible (Henderson), injury free (Bain), and live up to the hype (Tonga, Henderson, Bain)? On paper, maybe the best DLine ever at Akron?4. Are the young LBs ready? JD spoke highly of them all last year, smart, athletic, can hit. These guys need to make plays. Will Shawn Lemon be turned loose at LB?5. Who steps up in the secondary, the biggest question mark on the D? Is Manley Waller ready to step into the bigtime corner role, Josh Richmond, a JUCO? Can the kid who was going to Louisville step up? Does Wil Fleming make an impact?6. How healthy is my favorite Zip, AA? Can he make it through the season healthy? Is it realistic to think Dale Martin may help before November? Is Torrence polished enough to carry the load if needed?7. I love our WRs. The JUCO kid should play right away. That said, did we lead the league in drops last year? Is Bowsher ready to be the next Zip drafted?8. How cohesive will the JD, Montgomery, Walt Harris play calling be? Please no unnecessary timeouts during a key part of the game to figure out what to call. 9. Will we be good enough to make the plays at the end?10. I am always hopeful in June but never more so than this year. The makings are there for a very good year which may be a great year. But I am sick of waiting for next year. I have faith in JD, at least for 1 more year. Go Zips! Quote
ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net Posted June 28, 2009 Report Posted June 28, 2009 11. Will the University be ready to open the doors to the Info in the right ways? Will there be a buzz in the community about the stadium, will it be a packed house in the first season, will we be lucky with weather, will the concessions be done right, will people walk away from games saying "wow, I'm going to come back. That was great!"?12. Will Tonga see the field and impress us to the point that fans buy rubber Halloween claw-hand gloves to wear in the stands, screaming MONSTER HANDS with every play the guy makes?13. Will the absolutely first-rate facilities and coaching staff, along with impressive recruiting, finally reach critical mass, making all of the fans proud of the program and this community? 13.5 Will new fans be generated? 13.75 Will UA students come to the games and have a blast?14. Will J.D. capitalize on this once-in-a-career chance to make something great happen for him and his program? With the time he's had, the chance to recruit his guys, his staff, the continuity that he's now got, the facilities, the support from UA, if he can't make it here, right now, this year, he never will. Is he up to the pressure?15. Is there any chance that Jacq will improve from last year? If he can't make it happen, who will?16. Who will be the surprise key names, the guys who will step up who are not named Jacq, Allen, Tonga, Henderson, Bain, Lemon, Sewell, Bowser? 16.5 Which ZN member will be the first to see and congratulate Jerry Faust, at a game at the Info, on getting this whole thing rolling all those years ago?Let's face it ZN. This is the Fall. If we find ourselves late in the season with a half-empty stadium, or if the tailgating/fan experience/concessions generate copious amounts of community pissing and moaning, if the team has a big let down and loses games it should win, momentum will be lost for what, a generation? If UA can't build a program with the alignment of resources that exists this year, it will probably never happen for us. GO ZIPS! GO MONSTER HANDS!STZ Quote
Buckzip Posted June 28, 2009 Report Posted June 28, 2009 2 straight posts in which I agree with everything said. Not only do we need to have a good record and hopefully make a bowl game, but we have to beat Indiana. They are a very beatable B10 team and it will do wonders for the program. Quote
PB1719 Posted June 28, 2009 Report Posted June 28, 2009 Win a bowl game, beat Can't, no negative publicity, and fill our new Stadium. That about sums it all up... Quote
Zipsrifle Posted July 1, 2009 Report Posted July 1, 2009 11. Will the University be ready to open the doors to the Info in the right ways? Will there be a buzz in the community about the stadium, will it be a packed house in the first season, will we be lucky with weather, will the concessions be done right, will people walk away from games saying "wow, I'm going to come back. That was great!"?12. Will Tonga see the field and impress us to the point that fans buy rubber Halloween claw-hand gloves to wear in the stands, screaming MONSTER HANDS with every play the guy makes?13. Will the absolutely first-rate facilities and coaching staff, along with impressive recruiting, finally reach critical mass, making all of the fans proud of the program and this community? 13.5 Will new fans be generated? 13.75 Will UA students come to the games and have a blast?14. Will J.D. capitalize on this once-in-a-career chance to make something great happen for him and his program? With the time he's had, the chance to recruit his guys, his staff, the continuity that he's now got, the facilities, the support from UA, if he can't make it here, right now, this year, he never will. Is he up to the pressure?15. Is there any chance that Jacq will improve from last year? If he can't make it happen, who will?16. Who will be the surprise key names, the guys who will step up who are not named Jacq, Allen, Tonga, Henderson, Bain, Lemon, Sewell, Bowser? 16.5 Which ZN member will be the first to see and congratulate Jerry Faust, at a game at the Info, on getting this whole thing rolling all those years ago?Let's face it ZN. This is the Fall. If we find ourselves late in the season with a half-empty stadium, or if the tailgating/fan experience/concessions generate copious amounts of community pissing and moaning, if the team has a big let down and loses games it should win, momentum will be lost for what, a generation? If UA can't build a program with the alignment of resources that exists this year, it will probably never happen for us. GO ZIPS! GO MONSTER HANDS!STZWell Said Quote
Dr Z Posted July 7, 2009 Report Posted July 7, 2009 Speaking of the D, will the DL stay eligible (Henderson), injury free (Bain), and live up to the hype (Tonga, Henderson, Bain)? On paper, maybe the best DLine ever at Akron?Nice post ZB. I have never been so anxious to see a defensive line play. I hope I'm not disappointed. I think this group is the one that can push us over the top. Quote
johnnyzip84 Posted July 7, 2009 Report Posted July 7, 2009 Speaking of the D, will the DL stay eligible (Henderson), injury free (Bain), and live up to the hype (Tonga, Henderson, Bain)? On paper, maybe the best DLine ever at Akron?Nice post ZB. I have never been so anxious to see a defensive line play. I hope I'm not disappointed. I think this group is the one that can push us over the top.I'll agree 100%. The possibilities for the DL are intriguing the heck out of me. While I remain hopeful that we'll see huge improvement here, I'm still haunted by predictions of Nate Robinson being MAC defensive player of the year. Maybe I'll get over that once the season starts and I witness some QB pressures/sacks right off the bat.As much as the talent is intriguing, I'm REALLY pumped to see the difference a coach like Vince Okruch can make. Let's say the DL at least plays substantially better, garnering the full attention of most OL's. Now can you imagine how effective a player like Shawn Lemon could be as a blitzing LB during passing situations? Lemon got decent pressure as an undersized DE many times last year. He might really blossom in this scenario. Quote
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