Did anyone else see what Nicely did on the end zone fumble?

[akronzips71]

I was watching on channelsurfing, and they did some re-plays.

He actually recoverec the fumble, was down with it in his possession, and he attempted to shove it across the goal line!

This was one of the bonehead moves of all time, and if they had challenges he would have been ruled down. Stupid stupid play for a Div 1 quarterback, and a blown call by the officials.

[ZZZips]

Saw the same thing. Just holding the ball would have given us at least a chance to come back.

[skip-zip]

Saw the same thing. Just holding the ball would have given us at least a chance to come back.

Totally boneheaded. We are only down 6 if we take the safety. Even if he gets it out of the end zone, Ken+ would have had first and goal at the 1 or 2 yard line. Take the safety!! And I don't know why Coach I didn't challenge that Nicely recovered the fumble and was down. If it's challengable, we would have still had a remote chance to win.

[GoZips88]

Saw the same thing. Just holding the ball would have given us at least a chance to come back.

Totally boneheaded. We are only down 6 if we take the safety. Even if he gets it out of the end zone, Ken+ would have had first and goal at the 1 or 2 yard line. Take the safety!! And I don't know why Coach I didn't challenge that Nicely recovered the fumble and was down. If it's challengable, we would have still had a remote chance to win.

Coach I ?!? How about "coach-in-training." File this one away with "We elect to kick-off."

[ZachTheZip]

Saw the same thing. Just holding the ball would have given us at least a chance to come back.

Totally boneheaded. We are only down 6 if we take the safety. Even if he gets it out of the end zone, Ken+ would have had first and goal at the 1 or 2 yard line. Take the safety!! And I don't know why Coach I didn't challenge that Nicely recovered the fumble and was down. If it's challengable, we would have still had a remote chance to win.

Coach I ?!? How about "coach-in-training." File this one away with "We elect to kick-off."

You can't blame Coach I for this one. It falls completely on Nicely's shoulders. he had 5 turnovers, directly resulting in 14 Can't points. The playcalling was enough to win it if not for Nicely. The defensive effort was enough to win it if not for Nicely. The running game was enough to win it if not for Nicely.

[cornbread]

Coach I ?!? How about "coach-in-training." File this one away with "We elect to kick-off."

Total mis-classification

Let me fix that for you.

To be filed under Bad Quarterback Play

[ditchrider1]

Speaking of boneheaded. We were up 7-0, stuck deep in our own territory and Nicely drops back to pass gets great blocking, has literally 8-10 seconds to pass and throws a pick-6. So i see about 4 replays and there was not one single Zips receiver anywhere close to where he threw the ball...what the hell was he looking at? No one was in that area by at least 10 yards in any direction.

Not a Div I QB at all. Constantly overthrowing receivers, throwing behind the receiver 5 yards away and even when he does complete a pass he waits a little bit too long and doesn't hit them in stride.

No reason to bench him because we have no one else but Coach I better be hitting the trails hard for a QB or we are going to have the same crap next year.

[GoZips88]

Coach I ?!? How about "coach-in-training." File this one away with "We elect to kick-off."

Total mis-classification

Let me fix that for you.

To be filed under Bad Quarterback Play

On the coin toss earlier this year where we elected to "kick" instead of defer, I'd be curious to know just how much the coaching staff emphasized "If we win the toss, DEFER to the second half."

On being deep in our own end of the field, I wonder how strongly the coaches emphasized to Nicely that taking a safety if he had to still kept us within a touchdown ... that turning it over deep in our own end was far worse.

Not sure our coaches (in-training) are doing a very good job at all preparing/coaching the players. Quite a few unnecessary penalties as well (illegal formations come to mind). We look 'green' and our record and play in general sure seems to back that up. My vote all along was to bring in an experienced coach AND staff similar to what NIU did when Novak left.

[zippy5]

Coach I ?!? How about "coach-in-training." File this one away with "We elect to kick-off."

Total mis-classification

Let me fix that for you.

To be filed under Bad Quarterback Play

On the coin toss earlier this year where we elected to "kick" instead of defer, I'd be curious to know just how much the coaching staff emphasized "If we win the toss, DEFER to the second half."

On being deep in our own end of the field, I wonder how strongly the coaches emphasized to Nicely that taking a safety if he had to still kept us within a touchdown ... that turning it over deep in our own end was far worse.

Not sure our coaches (in-training) are doing a very good job at all preparing/coaching the players. Quite a few unnecessary penalties as well (illegal formations come to mind). We look 'green' and our record and play in general sure seems to back that up. My vote all along was to bring in an experienced coach AND staff similar to what NIU did when Novak left.

A lot of people are just looking for ways to jump on the coaching staff, sometimes wayy too quickly. they have made some mistakes, but come on, you can't blame that fumble on them! Coach doesn't need to emphasize anything there. If Nicely doesn't realize the safety kept us within a TD, he shouldn't be playing college football.

[cornbread]

A lot of people are just looking for ways to jump on the coaching staff, sometimes wayy too quickly. they have made some mistakes, but come on, you can't blame that fumble on them! Coach doesn't need to emphasize anything there. If Nicely doesn't realize the safety kept us within a TD, he shouldn't be playing college football.

Defense played great and the coaches seem to at least have our troubles down to moving targets. I look forward to QB play not being an issue next week and I hope the defense stays where it is at.

Just think about it. When the game was close in the 3rd, our defense held Can't State to 67 yards. And when we needed them, stopped them on 4th down and kept them to only 39 yards in the 4th quarter. Coaching has something to do with that.

Now, as long as Nicely isn't texting Rasor and sending him pictures of his junk, I think we need to realize that games this bad, well they happen to QBs. You can't teach tall and rocket arm. He still has those. He needs to get back on track and play more like the QB who was getting rid of the ball too quickly in the Syracuse game. He can be taught to throw to other receivers and the hit the TE once in a while up the seam.

Nicely has got to get better. It is hard to not lay this one at his feet.

[zippy5]

A lot of people are just looking for ways to jump on the coaching staff, sometimes wayy too quickly. they have made some mistakes, but come on, you can't blame that fumble on them! Coach doesn't need to emphasize anything there. If Nicely doesn't realize the safety kept us within a TD, he shouldn't be playing college football.

Defense played great and the coaches seem to at least have our troubles down to moving targets. I look forward to QB play not being an issue next week and I hope the defense stays where it is at.

Just think about it. When the game was close in the 3rd, our defense held Can't State to 67 yards. And when we needed them, stopped them on 4th down and kept them to only 39 yards in the 4th quarter. Coaching has something to do with that.

Now, as long as Nicely isn't texting Rasor and sending him pictures of his junk, I think we need to realize that games this bad, well they happen to QBs. You can't teach tall and rocket arm. He still has those. He needs to get back on track and play more like the QB who was getting rid of the ball too quickly in the Syracuse game. He can be taught to throw to other receivers and the hit the TE once in a while up the seam.

Nicely has got to get better. It is hard to not lay this one at his feet.

I'm confused as to why you quoted me. Your post has nothing to do with mine.

[GP1]

I really don't know what Nicely does when he is not playing football and I really don't care because what someone does in his personal life is his business.

The following concerns me.

Less than 200 yards in a game in 2010 is unacceptable.

Less than 50% completion percentage is unacceptable.

Not knowing a game situation when being sacked in the endzone is unacceptable.

Three ints is unacceptable.

Statistics aside, can anyone tell me what his win/loss record is as a starting QB? That's all you need to know. I realize it isn't all on the QB, but it is the most important position in football and the job isn't getting done.

InTheZone is right....at the end of this season, they need to find a replacement for him.

[skip-zip]

Here's where the QB situation get so tough if we just keep waiting for Nicely's "development", which hasn't happened in the season and a half that he's been playing.....

Rodgers only has 18 games left in his Akron career. If he is going to be the best solution, he needs to get in there NOW, or you're simply running out of time to get him going as an option for next year.

If that doesn't happen, I'm afraid the other two solutions are going to take a lot longer to materialize:

1) Get one of the other bench QBs in there, and start the process of developing someone young all over again. Not really what I want to hear.

2) We better have a really good JUCO or HS Senior option that we're working on right now.

Something needs to happen at this point. Our QBs play is beyond unacceptable, and it might even be regressing. Even with everything I was told about him coming out of HS, I still didn't expect this disaster.

[UA Fan]

We...

Need...

to look...

JUCO

http://jcfootball.scout.com/

[johnnyzip84]

I really don't know what Nicely does when he is not playing football and I really don't care because what someone does in his personal life is his business.

The following concerns me.

Less than 200 yards in a game in 2010 is unacceptable.

Less than 50% completion percentage is unacceptable.

Not knowing a game situation when being sacked in the endzone is unacceptable.

Three ints is unacceptable.

Statistics aside, can anyone tell me what his win/loss record is as a starting QB? That's all you need to know. I realize it isn't all on the QB, but it is the most important position in football and the job isn't getting done.

InTheZone is right....at the end of this season, they need to find a replacement for him.

There is NO doubt that, at the very least, iCoach needs to be looking at a "Plan B" at QB for 2011. And the JUCO route would seem to make the most sense. Here's the problem I see. How many JUCO (or HS) QB's out there are playing in a Pro-Style offense? I'll bet it's not many. You don't have to watch a whole lot of college (or high school) football to realise that the Spread is the dominant offense.

And, while I'm not defending PN7's play, why in the world was he continuously under center during certain pass situations yesterday? The feeble play action fakes in those instances are a complete waist as well. The K.E.N.T. defense is certainly good enough, but tactics like this must have had them salivating before each critical snap.

[ZachTheZip]

We have a QB verballed to us for 2011 and I think we're going after another as well.

[cornbread]

I'm confused as to why you quoted me. Your post has nothing to do with mine.

I apologize. How do you want people to agree with you in the future?

[GP1]

There is NO doubt that, at the very least, iCoach needs to be looking at a "Plan B" at QB for 2011. And the JUCO route would seem to make the most sense. Here's the problem I see. How many JUCO (or HS) QB's out there are playing in a Pro-Style offense? I'll bet it's not many. You don't have to watch a whole lot of college (or high school) football to realise that the Spread is the dominant offense.

And, while I'm not defending PN7's play, why in the world was he continuously under center during certain pass situations yesterday? The feeble play action fakes in those instances are a complete waist as well. The K.E.N.T. defense is certainly good enough, but tactics like this must have had them salivating before each critical snap.

Good post as usual.

Are you saying that the 1.8 yards per carry rushing game we have isn't going to fool anyone in play action passes?

In terms of finding a pro style QB, you are correct as well. They are going to have to look west to find a pro style QB. Mike Johnson was that QB years ago and he was the last one the school had. Getsy was a solid pro style QB, but we really didn't run a true pro style with JD.

I make fun of the fact that half of the NFL QBs starting on Sundays aren't any good. How could many of them? The current landscape of high school and college football is full of spread offenses and the players are not prepared for the NFL. It's neither right nor wrong, it just is. A lot of HS QBs are prepared for college because they are prepared in HS for college spread offenses. NFL GMs need to do a better job of finding talented college QBs who may not come from a pro style offense.

[you am i]

There is NO doubt that, at the very least, iCoach needs to be looking at a "Plan B" at QB for 2011. And the JUCO route would seem to make the most sense. Here's the problem I see. How many JUCO (or HS) QB's out there are playing in a Pro-Style offense? I'll bet it's not many. You don't have to watch a whole lot of college (or high school) football to realise that the Spread is the dominant offense.

And, while I'm not defending PN7's play, why in the world was he continuously under center during certain pass situations yesterday? The feeble play action fakes in those instances are a complete waist as well. The K.E.N.T. defense is certainly good enough, but tactics like this must have had them salivating before each critical snap.

Good post as usual.

Are you saying that the 1.8 yards per carry rushing game we have isn't going to fool anyone in play action passes?

In terms of finding a pro style QB, you are correct as well. They are going to have to look west to find a pro style QB. Mike Johnson was that QB years ago and he was the last one the school had. Getsy was a solid pro style QB, but we really didn't run a true pro style with JD.

I make fun of the fact that half of the NFL QBs starting on Sundays aren't any good. How could many of them? The current landscape of high school and college football is full of spread offenses and the players are not prepared for the NFL. It's neither right nor wrong, it just is. A lot of HS QBs are prepared for college because they are prepared in HS for college spread offenses. NFL GMs need to do a better job of finding talented college QBs who may not come from a pro style offense.

You really should contact the NFL and tell them about this.

[GP1]

There is NO doubt that, at the very least, iCoach needs to be looking at a "Plan B" at QB for 2011. And the JUCO route would seem to make the most sense. Here's the problem I see. How many JUCO (or HS) QB's out there are playing in a Pro-Style offense? I'll bet it's not many. You don't have to watch a whole lot of college (or high school) football to realise that the Spread is the dominant offense.

And, while I'm not defending PN7's play, why in the world was he continuously under center during certain pass situations yesterday? The feeble play action fakes in those instances are a complete waist as well. The K.E.N.T. defense is certainly good enough, but tactics like this must have had them salivating before each critical snap.

Good post as usual.

Are you saying that the 1.8 yards per carry rushing game we have isn't going to fool anyone in play action passes?

In terms of finding a pro style QB, you are correct as well. They are going to have to look west to find a pro style QB. Mike Johnson was that QB years ago and he was the last one the school had. Getsy was a solid pro style QB, but we really didn't run a true pro style with JD.

I make fun of the fact that half of the NFL QBs starting on Sundays aren't any good. How could many of them? The current landscape of high school and college football is full of spread offenses and the players are not prepared for the NFL. It's neither right nor wrong, it just is. A lot of HS QBs are prepared for college because they are prepared in HS for college spread offenses. NFL GMs need to do a better job of finding talented college QBs who may not come from a pro style offense.

You really should contact the NFL and tell them about this.

I think they already know and aren't certain what they can really do about it. Well, actually, there is something they can do. They should start a minor league system for the NFL and stop using college football as their minor league, but that will never happen.

[Dave in Green]

..... Now, as long as Nicely isn't texting Rasor and sending him pictures of his junk, I think we need to realize that games this bad, well they happen to QBs. You can't teach tall and rocket arm. He still has those. He needs to get back on track and play more like the QB who was getting rid of the ball too quickly in the Syracuse game. He can be taught to throw to other receivers and the hit the TE once in a while up the seam.

Nicely has got to get better. It is hard to not lay this one at his feet.

Last season when Rodgers didn't look so hot after being thrust into the starting QB role and many were crying for Nicely's redshirt to be burned, I suggested that Rodgers needed to be given adequate opportunity to prove whether or not he could improve from game to game. Rodgers' season-ending injuring ended the QB debate and put Nicely in charge, for better or worse.

Earlier this season I defended Nicely from those who wanted to focus the blame on him. QBs can't do it by themselves, and the rest of the players haven't shown much brilliance in executing the new offensive and defensive systems introduced by the new coaching staff. In short, there is a lot of blame to be shared by the players and coaches. I suggested that the Zips needed to stick with Nicely and give him a chance to grow in the new system.

But as each game goes by with no significant improvements, time is running out on Nicely's opportunity to prove himself. We know he doesn't have a great supporting cast. But after making allowances for that, fans can still fairly expect to see better than they've seen at the midpoint of this season. At some point the coaching staff has to start moving the pieces around on the board to see if they can improve the performance of the team as a whole. The QB is not exempt from this.

It may be after moving all the pieces around and giving others a chance to do better that the situation will be just as bad. It's hard to imagine it could be worse. But at some point when no significant progress has been shown from those getting all the PT, other players need to be given the opportunity to demonstrate whether or not they can do better under game conditions.

[K92]

After his performance in the Bowling Green game last year, I was optimistic about Patrick Nicely. My optimism has been proven to be erroneous.

For the first 5 games this year, I watched this guy stink up the field. I was a proponent of PN over MR from the get go and like Dave, I have tried my hardest to continue to give him the benefit of the doubt, although all proof pointed to this kid not having what it takes to compete at this level. I realize this offense is a whole new deal not only for him, but for the rest of the team as well. My patience reached its end yesterday.

I was there at Dick Stadium to watch us lose the Wagon Wheel. I watched a Zip team that was ready to play. They showed the fire I felt was lacking through the first 5 games. The effort and execution put out by our players and coaches should have been enough to win the game. The Wagon Wheel should still be ours. The reason it isn't is 100 percent Patrick Nicely's fault. Period.

Terrible throw out of the end zone for pick-six.

7 sacks. The majority of which were avoidable.

Horrible clock management, especially at the end of the first half.

Butterfinger fumble on the flea-flicker.

Awful, terrible, horrible, piss-poor mistake(s) on the end zone fumble at crunch time.

Aw, what the hell. Throw a couple of more picks at the end of the game.

These were just some of the highlights of his typical overthrow/underthrow/overlook open receiver performance.

If we don't have anyone else on the roster to play QB, we would be better off running the wildcat exclusively, only with PN on the sidelines instead of lined up at WR. This is pathetic, folks. I can see some progress being made in every aspect of the game but one. That includes coaching. Granted, the rest of the team is far from stellar, but the rest of the pieces were competent enough to win this game. It is the ultimate humiliation to lose to Can't. I stayed until the last snap of the game and watched them run over and grab that trophy.

X100

To top it all off, now we have to see JohnnyZip's new avatar for at least a whole year!

[johnnyzip84]

If we don't have anyone else on the roster to play QB, we would be better off running the wildcat exclusively, only with PN on the sidelines instead of lined up at WR. This is pathetic, folks. I can see some progress being made in every aspect of the game but one. That includes coaching. Granted, the rest of the team is far from stellar, but the rest of the pieces were competent enough to win this game. It is the ultimate humiliation to lose to Can't. I stayed until the last snap of the game and watched them run over and grab that trophy.

X100

To top it all off, now we have to see JohnnyZip's new avatar for at least a whole year!

How do you think Youtube Tom feels about it? I'll probably get bored and change it before too long, but I had to come up with something quickly!

[K92]

If we don't have anyone else on the roster to play QB, we would be better off running the wildcat exclusively, only with PN on the sidelines instead of lined up at WR. This is pathetic, folks. I can see some progress being made in every aspect of the game but one. That includes coaching. Granted, the rest of the team is far from stellar, but the rest of the pieces were competent enough to win this game. It is the ultimate humiliation to lose to Can't. I stayed until the last snap of the game and watched them run over and grab that trophy.

X100

To top it all off, now we have to see JohnnyZip's new avatar for at least a whole year!

How do you think Youtube Tom feels about it? I'll probably get bored and change it before too long, but I had to come up with something quickly!

I didn't even realize whose picture you doctored at first. Had to stare at it for a minute. It was like John Wayne Gacy as AD. Very disturbing, JZ!

[RACER]

the defense finally played awsome.they were playing on thier side of the field all game and shut Can't down.

the kicking game has finally turned around.i know most people won't agree with me.coach I should have kept walt

harris as qb coach.nothing against the current qb coach now.nicley was a true freshman,and i thought walt harris

did a good job with him.there is no way the current qb coach is as good as harris.every coach brings in ther own

guys,but the qb spot is the most important postion on the team.what would it have hurt to keep him for one year.

i have seen ohio state win with defense,kicking game,and a offense that does not turn the ball over.

akron had two out of three against Can't.it's sad that we wasted a great defensive effort.i thought

coach i called a good game.the problem is we lose our kicker for next year,and our best dl in 56.

coach I needs to hit the jc route for a qb,rb,wr,db. i am not saying we need alott of jc players.

we need to find at least one guy at those postions who can come in and play right away.

if not this team could be in big trouble.if the defense can give this effort every week,and the offense can stop

the turnovers we would win 2-3 games.i am not going to blame one guy.nicely either needs to throw the ball away

or take off running,and cover the ball up with two hands.whatever coach needs to do get that point across to the qb's

do it.