Training Camp

[johnnyzip84]

Rasor comes through with some information on freshmen who are impressing. The interviews with Wagner and Nicely are interesting as well. I've said before that Wagner will probably take a step back this year in terms of numbers, but that the overall defense should benefit. You have to like PN7's opinion that there's too much talent on the team this year for the Zips to not make some noise. It seem to me that even Rasor, a noted Rodgers supporter in the past, thinks the job is Patrick's.

Link

Camp notebook – August 13

by MRASOR on AUGUST 13, 2010

in FOOTBALL,MEN'S SOCCER,WOMEN'S SOCCER

Football

I attended practice today — or at least the last 15 minutes of it. (I fell asleep watching the PGA Tournament. As big of a golfer as I am, I acknowledge that TV golf's best attribute is a cure for insomnia.) Watching practice wasn't why I showed up, though. I wanted to talk with a couple of important young players.

Brian Wagner

Wagner intrigues me as a guy who isn't really a physical specimen. As the featured defender in Jim Fleming's defense, he stepped in and provided stats unseen since John Mackey — as a freshman. "Going in, I really never had a plan," Wagner explained. "I tried to show the older guys I can play."

And he did. He earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team and logged the second-most tackles in the conference, averaging 11 per game. "I just tried to hustle and have a nose for the ball," Wagner said.

An optimist, and perhaps a realist, sees Wagner as a sure-fire stud for the next three years. A pessimist would point to Kevin Grant, another linebacker who starred under Fleming as a freshman and who earned a spot on the Freshman All-American team. Grant had a good career at Akron, but he did not continue to accelerate after his first year, like fans hoped he would.

Coach Rob Ianello probably falls into the latter camp of thinking. He recognizes that Wagner is a great asset, but he is looking to make Wagner into an even better player. After watching tape of Wagner's first season, Ianello saw a player who could improve in pass defense and who needed to add some weight.

Wagner will start at middle linebacker, flanked by Mike Thomas and Troy Gilmer. After position changes by Sean Fobbs (DE) and Will Fleming (TE), Akron's once-ironclad linebacking corps can use a little better depth.

Ianello will call on two young players for some depth. Matt Little, a sophomore, is one. True freshman Jamar Williams also has impressed coaches and players with his great attitude and work ethic. He has made a lot of plays during camp, Wagner said. Ianello listed Williams as one of the true freshmen who is most likely to play.

Wagner, like all the Zips, is hoping for a revival season. Last year was a rollercoaster of great highs (i.e., beating Can't State, which Wagner said was "awesome") and deep lows. Wagner says he doesn't have personal goals for this year.

"We just need to win," he said. "I want to give Akron a team to be proud of."

Patrick Nicely

If there is one constant in the MAC, it's that you have to pass well to win.

Akron has been inconsistent in that department since Luke Getsy graduated. Nicely showed off a strong arm and poise beyond his true freshman status in 2010.

If you're buying stock in players, it's time to empty the account into shares of Nicely. He is getting married this summer. It's a perfect love story. The groom: A 6-foot-4 smart kid with a rocket arm. The bride: The pro-style offense. The two had never consummated their relationship.

For years, people have told Nicely that he would fit best in a pro-style offense. In high school, he ran the spread. As a freshman, he operated J.D. Brookhart's "multiple" look offense that was basically a spread offense, as well.

Now that Ianello has come with the same offense that led Tom Brady and Brady Quinn to success, Nicely should be able to fully exploit his physical gifts.

But there have been growing pains. In the spring, it was excruciating to watch Nicely biff snaps from under center. Before the spring, Nicely had never taken a snap from under center. After months of fine-tuning, Nicely thinks he has nixed his problem.

Nicely is self-aware. He knew he had other attributes to strengthen, too. He worked on his footwork and timing with the receivers. Mechanically, he improved his balance when throwing, which he believes will reduce the balls that sail over their intended targets.

The Zips offense also must overcome the loss of Andre Jones and Deryn Bowser — two top-tier receivers. Jeremy LaFrance showed his ability to be a No. 1 or 2 receiver last season. Jalil Carter is one player whom Nicely believes can surprise the conference.

Carter "is just plain and simple a freak athlete," Nicely said. "Once he gets his ball skills down . . . You're going to know his number by the end of the year."

Junior Gary Pride will likely play a role at receiver, along with sophomore Anthony Meriwether. If Akron needs depth or perhaps a spark at receiver, Ianello will not be reluctant to call upon true freshmen Keith Sconiers or Antoine Russell. Ianello mentioned Sconiers, Russell and Williams (the linebacker) when I asked him which of the true freshmen were likely to play.

There might be a question as to whether Nicely himself will start in 2010. Ianello said he has assessed both Nicely and fellow competitor Matt Rodgers, but the coach declined to say much more.

Nicely desires to get Akron back to a bowl game in 2010. Cognizant that a winning MAC team needs a sturdy quarterback, Nicely personally desires to earn at least Honorable Mention All-MAC honors.

Predicting the Zips to finish last in the division, the media doesn't share Nicely's confidence.

"They're basing their stuff off last year," Nicely said. "They're not in camp. They don't see how hard we're working. If we don't get to a bowl game with this kind of talent . . ."

Other notes

– Today was Akron's eleventh practice out of 30. The team focused on red zone offense today. "Although the offense made some plays, there were too many turnover situations," Ianello said. The coach has been very positive about the team's work ethic during these hot evening practices.

– There is no question camp has a different feel this season than the prior four that I have covered. But (and this is a big "but") the question is whether this positive motivation can persist through a losing streak or through a string of injuries. New coaches always bring new energy. As I wrote a few months ago, the question is whether Ianello can maintain this level of focus and energy.

– If you're champing at the bit to see Akron football, your opportunity will come next Saturday (the 21st). The Zips will open up InfoCision Stadium for a scrimmage from 10 a.m. to noon. The ZipsFest inflatables (etc.) will be there. Afterward, there will be a "meet and greet" and autograph session. Kudos to "Coach I" for another positive step in connecting with fans.

[Zipmeister]

Matt Rodgers, comeback player of the year? If he does happen to win back the starting job, I would be in favor of redshirting Nicely if possible to get an extra year out of him and give him an extra year to really get the new offense down.

Before we do that let's count up the number of fairly serious injury free seasons Rogers has had here.

[xu9697]

Personally..like the videos. Like that he had his daughter with him for one, love the "Go Zips!".

Nice work by gozips.com in getting this done daily!

[Captain Kangaroo]

Matt Rodgers, comeback player of the year? If he does happen to win back the starting job, I would be in favor of redshirting Nicely if possible to get an extra year out of him and give him an extra year to really get the new offense down.

Before we do that let's count up the number of fairly serious injury free seasons Rogers has had here.

To paraphrase Steve French -- Matt Rodgers has as much chance of winning the "QB Competition" as my big toe.

[GP1]

I would be in favor of redshirting Nicely if possible to get an extra year out of him and give him an extra year to really get the new offense down.

Redshirt = scout team

He won't learn one more thing on scout team at the end of the year that he doesn't know right now.

Not starting Nicely this year would be like not running your fastest, healthy horse in the Kentucky Derby because you want to breeze him some more so he knows how to run around the track in a circle.

No offense Zach, but offering the idea to redshirt potentially one of the best QBs in the league is an example of how comfortable UofA fans have become with losing and the "building process". The Zips have 12 games THIS YEAR, not next year. Fans have bought tickets for this year, not next year. Fans want to see winning this year. It's time to start winning. 20+ years of losing and "building" is enough for me. I can't take it anymore.

[ZachTheZip]

I would be in favor of redshirting Nicely if possible to get an extra year out of him and give him an extra year to really get the new offense down.

Redshirt = scout team

He won't learn one more thing on scout team at the end of the year that he doesn't know right now.

Not starting Nicely this year would be like not running your fastest, healthy horse in the Kentucky Derby because you want to breeze him some more so he knows how to run around the track in a circle.

No offense Zach, but offering the idea to redshirt potentially one of the best QBs in the league is an example of how comfortable UofA fans have become with losing and the "building process". The Zips have 12 games THIS YEAR, not next year. Fans have bought tickets for this year, not next year. Fans want to see winning this year. It's time to start winning. 20+ years of losing and "building" is enough for me. I can't take it anymore.

I'm not saying that's what we should do unless Nicely will sit anyway. I'm saying that if Rodgers wins the job, we shouldn't let Nicely waste a year on the bench if there's the option to redshirt. As for him not learning anything that he doesn't already know, you're telling me that he has a 100% knowledge of a brand new, fundamentally different offensive scheme that he's never played before after just a month or two of practice? He's perfectly comfortable taking snaps under center after spending his entire life in the shotgun spread?

[Captain Kangaroo]

I would be in favor of redshirting Nicely if possible to get an extra year out of him and give him an extra year to really get the new offense down.

Redshirt = scout team

He won't learn one more thing on scout team at the end of the year that he doesn't know right now.

Not starting Nicely this year would be like not running your fastest, healthy horse in the Kentucky Derby because you want to breeze him some more so he knows how to run around the track in a circle.

No offense Zach, but offering the idea to redshirt potentially one of the best QBs in the league is an example of how comfortable UofA fans have become with losing and the "building process". The Zips have 12 games THIS YEAR, not next year. Fans have bought tickets for this year, not next year. Fans want to see winning this year. It's time to start winning. 20+ years of losing and "building" is enough for me. I can't take it anymore.

I'm not saying that's what we should do unless Nicely will sit anyway. I'm saying that if Rodgers wins the job, we shouldn't let Nicely waste a year on the bench if there's the option to redshirt. As for him not learning anything that he doesn't already know, you're telling me that he has a 100% knowledge of a brand new, fundamentally different offensive scheme that he's never played before after just a month or two of practice? He's perfectly comfortable taking snaps under center after spending his entire life in the shotgun spread?

How could anyone even fathom Matt as our QB for 12 games this year?

I've said it a million times before -- Matt is a super, super kid. Awesome. But he is the #2 QB on this team. It is a stone-cold lock.

[GP1]

As for him not learning anything that he doesn't already know, you're telling me that he has a 100% knowledge of a brand new, fundamentally different offensive scheme that he's never played before after just a month or two of practice? He's perfectly comfortable taking snaps under center after spending his entire life in the shotgun spread?

This is another example of the insanity of the building process. We all have to wait until things are 100% in order before we can act or expect anything good to happen. Are we 100% certain the horse will be able to run around in a circle in the Kentucky Derby?....of course not. Nothing is certain. Nobody knows 100% of anything.

I am 99.999999% certain of this. In a couple of weeks, there is going to be a football game. PN is going to be on the field with his hands under a sweaty man's ass. He had better be ready to go, because in a split second a football is going to be in his hands and he is going to have to do something with it.

[zippy5]

People are blowing this under the center thing wayyy out of proportion. If I could take snaps without fumbling them in pee-wee football (RE: 7-10 years old), Nicely will pick it up, I am sure of it.

[skip-zip]

I would be in favor of redshirting Nicely if possible to get an extra year out of him and give him an extra year to really get the new offense down.

Redshirt = scout team

He won't learn one more thing on scout team at the end of the year that he doesn't know right now.

Not starting Nicely this year would be like not running your fastest, healthy horse in the Kentucky Derby because you want to breeze him some more so he knows how to run around the track in a circle.

No offense Zach, but offering the idea to redshirt potentially one of the best QBs in the league is an example of how comfortable UofA fans have become with losing and the "building process". The Zips have 12 games THIS YEAR, not next year. Fans have bought tickets for this year, not next year. Fans want to see winning this year. It's time to start winning. 20+ years of losing and "building" is enough for me. I can't take it anymore.

I'm not saying that's what we should do unless Nicely will sit anyway. I'm saying that if Rodgers wins the job, we shouldn't let Nicely waste a year on the bench if there's the option to redshirt. As for him not learning anything that he doesn't already know, you're telling me that he has a 100% knowledge of a brand new, fundamentally different offensive scheme that he's never played before after just a month or two of practice? He's perfectly comfortable taking snaps under center after spending his entire life in the shotgun spread?

I would agree with everything you are saying here, except that with Matt's injury, and knowing that he will run the football from time to time, we can't be left in a situation where we'd have to turn to a backup with no experience.

[Buckzip]

I guess it's better than good ole Brown Street, where they used to stick us, but there's certainly much better options on campus nowadays.

Brown Street is where we all used to live. At one time, it was considered modern living on campus. Christ do I feel old. I wonder what landfill they put Brown Street in?

Did you play in the era when jock dorms were still legal?

Yes. Some of you might be shocked to know what went on in that place.

Please share.....

[GP1]

I guess it's better than good ole Brown Street, where they used to stick us, but there's certainly much better options on campus nowadays.

Brown Street is where we all used to live. At one time, it was considered modern living on campus. Christ do I feel old. I wonder what landfill they put Brown Street in?

Did you play in the era when jock dorms were still legal?

Yes. Some of you might be shocked to know what went on in that place.

Please share.....

I'm in Myrtle Beach and going to dinner. Not much time. I'll just say this. A lot of college is/was about sex, drugs and rock & roll. Take all of that in extreme forms and you will understand.

[dreal1scout]

I guess it's better than good ole Brown Street, where they used to stick us, but there's certainly much better options on campus nowadays.

Brown Street is where we all used to live. At one time, it was considered modern living on campus. Christ do I feel old. I wonder what landfill they put Brown Street in?

Did you play in the era when jock dorms were still legal?

Yes. Some of you might be shocked to know what went on in that place.

Please share.....

I'm in Myrtle Beach and going to dinner. Not much time. I'll just say this. A lot of college is/was about sex, drugs and rock & roll. Take all of that in extreme forms and you will understand.

Wow - sounds like hella good times!! But something certainly lacking in my college days. Not sure what decade you speak of. I did not get to partake of those type of festive distractions. As a doctorate candidate at USC (Trojans, - but my heart is all/pure ZIPS), much of my time was spent earning my PHd in "The College Football Athlete". My thesis (which i still have a copy of) was entitled "Courting Skilled Tackling Techniques (bka "The Killer Instinct") in Defensive Linemen".

No bullsh.., USC really offered that degree.

GO ZIPS!!! CRUSH the Orange.

[Buckzip]

I guess it's better than good ole Brown Street, where they used to stick us, but there's certainly much better options on campus nowadays.

Brown Street is where we all used to live. At one time, it was considered modern living on campus. Christ do I feel old. I wonder what landfill they put Brown Street in?

Did you play in the era when jock dorms were still legal?

Yes. Some of you might be shocked to know what went on in that place.

Please share.....

I'm in Myrtle Beach and going to dinner. Not much time. I'll just say this. A lot of college is/was about sex, drugs and rock & roll. Take all of that in extreme forms and you will understand.

We can wait for more details.

[Zipmeister]

I guess it's better than good ole Brown Street, where they used to stick us, but there's certainly much better options on campus nowadays.

Brown Street is where we all used to live. At one time, it was considered modern living on campus. Christ do I feel old. I wonder what landfill they put Brown Street in?

Did you play in the era when jock dorms were still legal?

Yes. Some of you might be shocked to know what went on in that place.

Please share.....

I'm in Myrtle Beach and going to dinner. Not much time. I'll just say this. A lot of college is/was about sex, drugs and rock & roll. Take all of that in extreme forms and you will understand.

Actually, consumption of the pleasures you listed is more highly correlated with being young and stupid rather than being enrolled in college. Odds are that you did not partake in any of these activities to a greater extent than any of your non-college enrolled compatriots that pursued each with a vigor equal to yours.

[johnnyzip84]

Rasor was in camp again today. That's a nice way for PN7 to end the practice!

Camp notebook – August 17

by MRASOR on AUGUST 17, 2010

in FOOTBALL

Football

I came out to watch practice today. I spoke with Manley Waller and Alex Allen.

Manley Waller

Waller has always been though of as a natural athlete. His mother, Gwen Torrence, was a world-class track star. His father, Manley Waller Sr., was an All-American track athlete at the University of Georgia.

The junior cornerback learned this summer that that perception might be holding him back. Defensive coordinator Curt Mallory told Waller that his athleticism will only take him so far. He must focus on the fundamentals, such as exerting the proper body motions in going from a backpedal to coverage.

Waller brings these new skills to camp, hoping to earn All-MAC honors and the status of a shut-down cornerback.

"If I can take away a team's primary threat, it makes it a lot easier for the coaches to call plays," he said.

Waller claims he has never been in better physical shape. He believes the entire team is in its best shape ever. Rather than spending the summer in their hometowns like usual, Waller says "everybody" was in Akron working.

Pass protection will be critical for Akron's defense. If the secondary holds up, Akron's talented front seven can be more aggressive.

Coach Rob Ianello has already solidified three of the four starting positions. Waller and fellow junior Diamond Weaver will play cornerback. Sophomore Josh Richmond will start at safety, along with either junior Doug Richardson or sophomore Jared Province.

I asked Ianello if he felt comfortable with his secondary. He paused before saying "yes." But he added a caveat: "They've got to get better. They've given up some big plays."

Ianello also mentioned two true freshman who could see time at safety — Anthony Holmes and ShelDon Miller. Holmes "has a good nose for the ball," said Waller, who also played as a true freshman. Holmes made a quick impact by pulling down three interceptions in the first two days of camp. Miller, meanwhile, has shown strong fundamentals and a good attitude.

Overall, it's a relatively young unit. As I spoke with Waller, I got the sense he will be a great leader for the group.

"We just have to keep getting 2 percent better every day. That's our motto," Waller said. "Pretty soon, we will be 100 percent."

Alex Allen

Alex Allen has an undeniable resume for team captain.

He has been in the program for five (going on six) years. He is the starter in a featured position. He works hard and can speak up when the time is appropriate.

Oh, and he's a college graduate.

Allen graduated after this summer session with a degree in business organizational communications. His sixth year of eligibility will allow him to delve into a master's program in exercise science.

Endurance has been a hurdle to Allen's career. He has suffered two major injuries. A running back with brittle bones or bad knees is like a boxer with a glass jaw. The question is: Has Allen been the victim of horrendous luck, or does his body not hold up to big hits like other running backs?

The NCAA awarded Allen a sixth year of eligibility. The way Allen spent his time waiting for the decision is a great illustration of Allen's character. He kept working.

"I was just out practicing every day, and they never told me to go home," Allen said.

Allen will share carries with a former high school rival. Nate Burney attended Cardinal Mooney High School, which pitted him against Allen's Ursuline High School annually. Burney was a junior when Allen was a senior.

"We didn't like each other in high school," Allen said. "Now we're like best friends."

Burney brings a different running style to the offense. At 5-foot-6 and 170 pounds, Burney is six inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter than Allen.

"I think he's a great back," Allen said of Burney. "He's shifty. He's hard to find in the hole."

Regardless, most fans understand that the offense will rely heavily on Allen returning to the form he showed in 2008, when Allen trampled Syracuse for 103 yards. Allen's leadership is also a big plus.

After his graduation ceremony, Ianello allowed Allen a chance to address his teammates. The running back pulled out his Bible and quoted Ecclesiastes 9:11, which reads:

The race is not to the swift

or the battle to the strong,

nor does food come to the wise

or wealth to the brilliant

or favor to the learned;

but time and chance happen to them all

Allen provided that scripture in order to preach endurance to his teammates. "It's going to be a long season," he said. "You're not going to win the MAC Championship — which is our goal — in the first game."

Choosing that passage shows wisdom. There are dozens of motivational quotes in the Bible. No doubt Allen has those memorized, too. But he has been around for a long time. He knows that every team leaves camp energized. He recognizes that every team experiences hardship.

Only the team that endures that plays in December.

Other notes

Ianello ended tonight's practice early. It concluded immediately after Patrick Nicely beat the defense deep with a perfect strike to Jeremy LaFrance for a touchdown. The coach was happy with today's "good productive work."

As camp winds up, Ianello wants to do more 11-on-11 practicing. The team ran 85 plays yesterday. Fans will get a chance to see a scrimmage on Saturday at 10 a.m. at InfoCision Stadium.

A Temple blogger interviewed me on my thoughts of the upcoming season. Scroll down a little to see my answers.

I plan to attend another practice on Thursday. After Saturday, the team will begin preparing for Syracuse.

[Z.I.P.]

Did you play in the era when jock dorms were still legal? The NCAA had done away with the practice by the time I played, mandating that you couldn't seclude the athletes in their own dorms, so the coaching staff just made sure all the freshman were stuck together in Brown were they could keep an eye on us and then as sophomore year approached it was a race to see who could secure the best party house across exchange (in those oh so lovely neighborhoods where I had the best years of my life). Everyone did still get their Brown experience again when camp rolled around though. Saw some crazy stuff in that dorm, can't believe the Info sits on top of those hallowed grounds now.

You might have gone to the wrong school, ITZ. Hawaii still operates their coed all-jocks dorm, Hale Anuenue (Home of the Rainbow). Maybe the NCAA enforces this rule the same way as football attendance standards.

[johnnyzip84]

Razor's take on today's practice and the state of the team as it approaches tomorrow's scrimmage. It's a bit concerning that the O-line seems to be battling injuries.

Link

BTW, I saw Nicely and a few other players as I stopped to pick up soccer tickets today. PN7 sure is a pretty imposing figure. He's got the size of the prototypical QB for certain. I guess I've been aware of that from his numbers, but this was the 1st time I've seen him up close. I think he's going to have a big year.

[johnnyzip84]

Here is Gaffney's preview of today's scrimmage. Deni Odefin and Larry Dawson are no longer with the team. Deni should be proud of how far he came back from the car accident. I wish him the best.

The injuries at center are concerning. We'll have to watch the exchanges today.

Link

[ZachTheZip]

So I missed the scrimmage. Anything interesting? Gaffney's article makes it sound like Rodgers and nicely are neck and neck and that this scrimmage would go a long way towards deciding.

[johnnyzip84]

So I missed the scrimmage. Anything interesting? Gaffney's article makes it sound like Rodgers and nicely are neck and neck and that this scrimmage would go a long way towards deciding.

Here's my quick take on the scrimmage.

1) While Nicely didn't do a whole lot to put an indelible stamp on the #1 spot, I think iCoach had made up his mind on the starter prior to today regardless of the Gaffney article. If not, why was Nicely always with the #1 offense going against the #1 defense and Rodgers always with the #2 offense against the #2 defense? PN7 did make a few nice throws in the last few series, the obvious one being the TD to Jalil.

2) The injury concerns on the offensive line are legitimate. It's hard to tell how much that played into neither offense looking particularly effective.

3) The #1 defense was the best unit on the field. The front seen looked to be strong. Lemon, Hazime, Marceux, and Sewell started on the line and played well. Harvey, Tonga, and Rash all made plays. Once again though, how much of this is due to the O-Line's injuries?

4) Georgio Bowers looks like a possible 3rd back, behind AA and Burney. Dale Martin played but was not very impressive. Bowers looks like a pretty good player, but I would have liked to see him catch a swing pass or two to check out this part of his game.

5) There are EIGHT, count 'em, EIGHT TE's on the roster!!! Shane Shead and true FR Richard Hall both played some TE. Kiel Fleming was banged up a little and didn't see the field. Jon Root made a nice catch.

6) Morefield and true FR Austin Bailey played FB when there was one out there. For some reason, we saw a lot of one back and shotgun sets. Maybe it has to do with the injuries at center. Bice started here, and JC transfer McCloskey played some too. The latter looked as though he hadn't had much time with the standard snap (was taking them on the field before he took the position). I thought Mike Ward had been moved to center in the spring, but he was back at guard today.

7) Marchese missed the only FG attempt. Kickoffs were still somewhat short. The PK job still looks up for grabs. Burney and Carter both had long returns, aided probably by less than full go tacklers (by design). Zach Campbell absolutely BOOMED a 65-yard or so punt. If he gets consistent, watch out. And I have faith in Coach Okruch getting him there.

8) Oh the other true FR, Sconiers, Holmes, and SheDon Miller all made plays.

9) AA looked very good, and Burney was a nice change of pace. Alex will have to stay healthy for the Zips to pull off some surprises.

10) All-in-all, we honestly won't know much until Sept 4. Yes, the defense LOOKS much better. But until they stop a true opponent, there will be questions. I didn't see any significant injuries occur today. That's always a plus. I can't wait for Sept 4 when the true tests begin. Go Zips!!

[GoZips]

Looked to me that the defense is miles ahead of the offense. That's pretty much normal this

time of the year. The number one defense was particularly tough.

Most offensive plays were passes. Necessary to develop timing. A lot of misses, but enough

solid connections to see real potential.

I, for one, am particularly pleased to see in your face, smash mouth football back in Akron.

Kicking game was spotty with a couple of excellent plays. The punting so-so at best.

Nice to see actually PATs and kick offs being executed. Nice improvement over a program

that recently had its first kick off attempt at the first game kick off.

While still extremely wary, I am warming up to coach I a little. His staff has solid credentials

[RowdyZip]

Things I noticed at the scrimmage. I tried to post these on my phone as a sort of "notes" way, but it was way too hard to see the screen in the hazy bright sky. I sat in my seats on the 40 yd line on the north end of the upper deck.

1) Jalil Carter is a solid #2 option for Nicely. And yes, Patrick Nicely is your starter. Showed good hands on a couple catches and great field vision in a couple special teams returns.

2) Zack Campbell: HOLY COW! Yes, it was one of about 4 of his punts, but it's not often you get a football audience to collectively gasp at a punt. The team was lined up at the 40, he landed the ball at about the 2 yard line (it would've been a touchback as it bounced into the endzone), but that thing went a solid 70 yards IN THE AIR from where he took the long snap. Text book punt. Won't miss that goofy rugby style bs.

3)PK was not that horrible. Marchese missed the one FG in the scrimmage portion of the practice. Igor has the leg, let's hope this new staff gets his head in the right place because he has the talent to be a top kicker in the conference.

4)Fundamentally, everything looked more crisp than I saw in the Brookhart era. A few too many penalties on both sides of the ball for my liking, but route running, ball protection from the TBs, and even the transfer from C to QB looked good. Rodgers and Potts each lost one snap, I believe. PN 7 looks like he has the drive to make sure he's the guy. Hopefully we're set at QB for 3 years.

5) Nothing was changed in the stadium. No noticeable upgrades, at least to my eyes. I'd love to see the ribbon board extended around the stadium covering those eyesore rivets that are silver in color up against the blue steel. I wanted a pepsi, there was one stand with no line and I paid $4. Free cookies were a nice touch. They did run out of refrigerator magnets, which is kind of silly seeing as there were maybe 1000-1200 people there.

I'd be curious to see how season tickets are comparing to last year. It was nice that the U did have some reps out at least discussing with fans. A couple guys sitting behind me committed to reserved seats a few rows back. Oh, and rosters were nowhere to be found until about 30 minutes in when again, an employee popped out of the tunnel and offered me one. Nice touch, but would've been better to have it in my hand going to my seat.

Two weeks away, can't wait to be back in that parking lot and back on that bench. Go Zips! Beat Syracuse!

[Zipsrifle]

Rowdy, I think we sat in front of you for a few minutes before the actual scrimmage started. I was the one with the kids. Anyway, I don't think Rogers is 100% at this point, he was still limping a bit at times. I know he was against the 2nd team D, but Rogers seemed more comfortable to me this year when passing and he seemed to have more pop in his throws compared to last year. Nicely looked good, and he would go through his progressions, but he missed wide open receivers over the middle a couple of times. I think we don't go over the middle enough. Our cornerbacks have some speed and did a good job covering, but height might be a problem. Still, I was glad to see some solid coverage. If AA can stay healthy, he's going to be awesome. He looks very good and sometimes I wish he would just bowl over the defender, which he did when he scored the TD. Cambell crushed a couple of those punts!

I don't know if it was because it was a scrimmage or what, but there were times when I didn't see the effort I would have liked. Blocking by the WR is still pretty bad, which drives me crazy. At one point, the QB scrambled to buy some time, threw a ball that was a little off and the receiver just gave up on it. Had he dived he may have been able to get it but didn't even try. Only a few good hits which may be a result of not trying to get people hurt.

I have to say that I don't really know what to expect this year until we play a game. Today went just about as I expected it. I'm no football expert, just a fan but I didn't come away feeling any different than going in. UA did a good job with the whole event. My kids had an awesome time and my estimate of the turnout (which had some method to it) was between 1000 and 1300 people. Not bad.

[johnnyzip84]

And now for a slightly different take on the QB competition, courtesy of Tom Gaffney.

Link

Not so fast, Zips Nation.

''He does not have the job,'' coach Rob Ianello said afterward. ''I haven't made a decision yet.''

Why do I feel like we've been reprimanded? :lol: