What's the worst that can happen?

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Parameters that form the basis for the questions below:

1) The team loses the rest of the way by large margins each week.

2) We see no growth in any units on the team.

3) We see no emerging players (stars) as the season marches on.

4) Attendance continues to dwindle as it gets cold.

There is no reason to assume that all four of the above will not come to pass this year.

Assuming, for the sake of conversation, that they all do:

Is this rock bottom for a D-1 team?

What happens to a program that hits rock bottom?

How do you find players to come to a rock-bottom program?

How do you keep the players who are here?

Do you care if those players stay?

How do you sell tickets, when you already can't sell tickets?

How do you keep a coaching staff that allows a program to fall from barely mediocre to completely broken in one year?

I hate to admit that I can't see a way out of this hole for this program. I don't understand how you build something good out of this, given that the entire college football system is stacked against the little guys. Does anyone at UA have a plan for this program? It surely looks like the answer is Hell No.

[GoZips]

I hate to admit that I can't see a way out of this hole for this program. I don't understand how you build something good out of this, given that the entire college football system is stacked against the little guys. Does anyone at UA have a plan for this program? It surely looks like the answer is Hell No.

Actually, several of us had a solid, workable plan for Zips football ... hire coach Martin away from

Grand Valley State. Oooops, to do that we would have needed a REAL Athletic Director in place

who gives a damn about the University of Akron.

Build your damned, Ill-conceived basketball arena and get the hell out of town.

[UA Fan]

You go recruit some good JC and HS players. Find the next Charlie Frye and Jabari Arthur and Domenik Hixon. We've done it before & we'll do it again. Watch this a few times:

[ditchrider1]

You go recruit some good JC and HS players. Find the next Charlie Frye and Jabari Arthur and Domenik Hixon. We've done it before & we'll do it again. Watch this a few times:

Resort to taking matters into your own hands via NCAA Football 11 for the xbox 360. You can recruit who you like, play whatever defense/offense you like, create your stadium and uniforms and actually win.

I am done with reality because it sucks.

[dreal1scout]

You go recruit some good JC and HS players. Find the next Charlie Frye and Jabari Arthur and Domenik Hixon. We've done it before & we'll do it again. Watch this a few times:

What an inspirational song.

I agree. Our day will come and all this disaster will give way to a re-birth to ZIPS excellence. I know many will think this a joke, or at best wishful thinking, but believe me, I Do believe it will come, and sooner than later. I sure hope no FB players read this forum (i hope they don't have time to) as i think it would only add to the shitty way they must already feel. Becasue of this I don't like to post negative comments, plus I'm just waiting to have the opportunity to post mega-positve comments about the Zips soon (and very soon). I'm telling everyone right now. My next post topic will be titled: "I TOLD U SO"

[GP1]

I hate to admit that I can't see a way out of this hole for this program. I don't understand how you build something good out of this, given that the entire college football system is stacked against the little guys. Does anyone at UA have a plan for this program? It surely looks like the answer is Hell No.

Generally a very good post with thought provoking questions.

With the current leadership, nothing will be built. Unless there are drastic changes at the end of this season, we are in for years of trouble.

Does anyone have a plan for the program? Good question. The answer to that is yes. The plan was and is to build a new stadium and we would be good. Unfortunately, that plan appears to ill conceived because nobody has yet to figure out that stadiums and fieldhouses don't tackle anyone. I also think the plan was to hire a good coach by using our new facilities to attract a great candidate, so we make ours....I believe.....the third or fourth lowest paid coach (someone please check this, I could be wildly off) in the MAC. There was a plan, just not a good one.

This is a name that never comes up, but it should. Dr. Proenza...he got us into this mess and he needs to get us out of it or he can go also. I'll give him this one mistake, but he needs to act quickly. There is an old business saying, "Fire quickly and hire slowly". I think it is a good fit for where we are right now. It isn't always a fit, but now it is. Anyone who has ever hired people makes a mistake hiring now and then...you just can't do it very often or you look like a bad manager.

[goodthts]

"What happens to a program that hits rock bottom? "

You turn into Eastern Michigan of the East.

Guys, this team sucks worse than most teams I've watched in the last 15 years. I have little to no hope for this year.

However, I do not think Proenza and Coach-I are epic failures who will never succeed in NCAA Football.

We have witnessed epically terrible games; but only a few. Let's see where we are this time next year. And until then, tailgate until everything is blurry...then it doesnt matter what happens on the field.