Draft eligible sr. update

[Guest fmr zipplayer #?]

What's going on. I'm here to give you an update since no one else in akron (beacon, buchtelite, gozips) will give y'all one. The graduating seniors have been up to a lot since the season has ended. There have been several pro days and several zips are looking to take their game to the next level. Suprisingly Bobby Hendry is not attempting to get to the next level. First off I would like to tell everyone that playing at Akron and attempting tomake it to the league is a VERY hard thing to do. A lot of it is tied to promotion and we didn't get ANY!!!! We also didn't recieve much help. We would attempt to run and we would have to leave the track by 1:00pm and we couldn't lift after 1:15. It was just really crazy trying to train in order to attempt our dream. Several of us had to work on in the ONAT (if you have never been there it is an experience unlike no other, 100 degree weather, rusty horrible weights, 1970's weight lifting equipment) Itwas so bad that I believe Matt Cherry went to Florida to work out for a couple of weeks and Marques Hayes got a personal trainer and worked out at Can't. For all of the players that I have spoken with it seems that Mike Brake, Nick Sparks, Matt CHerry and Marques Hayes all have a good chance at playing at the next level. Cherry and Sparks may actually be drafted and Marques and Mike should get a shot. At the most recent pro day Nick ran in the low 4.5 range and Matt ran in the mid 4.4's. On the March 15th pro day there were 3 teams present; Tampa Bay, San Diego and Cincinatti. On the March 30th pro day there were 5 teams present Carolina, Jacksonville, Green Bay, Indianapolis and Seattle. It's not at all glamorous trying to make it to the NFL coming from Akron. 8 Teams total showed up to see us workout. Our facilities are horrible. We had to have our pro day at Can't States indoor. I know they are building better facilities at Akron but we weren't able to use them so it doesn't matter to me. Matt had a visit with the Cincinatti Bengals on Wednesday april 14th and he meet with all the coaches and had to take a physical, he also had a private workout with the Chicago Bears on April 4th. Nick has recieved intrest from Cleveland and Seattle, and Marques has had intrest in him from Tampa, Jacksonville, INdianapolis and New England. I believe Matt has been in contact with almost every team since the end of the season seeing that he has the best opportunity to get drafted. I think last week he told me that he spoke with Seattle, St.Louis, New England, Ny. Giants, Miami and Green Bay and they all asked him for his draft day information. Be sure to watch the draft this weekend and hopefully we can put some more zips in the NFL. If you have any questions write me back and I'lltry to respond. I believe that Nick and Matt are having a draft party next week sometime in Akron, I'll respond back with the details. Some feedback is welcome.

[zff]

Thanks for the great post.

It is nice to get some info on the players looking to make it to the NFL. I can not believe there was no mentinon of the proday on gozips.com. Best of luck to Matt, Mike, Nick and Marques. I hope to see all of you playing on sundays in the future. It is a shame you did not get a chance to use the new building. Please stay in touch and keep us fans update with any info about you guys.

Thanks

ZFF

On a side note:

It was nice to see the senior class at the scrimmage last friday night. Even though they have not gotten much attention since the season ended, I would like to thank all of you for putting your hearts and souls in the Zips football program. It has been a pleasure watching you all play the last 4 or 5 years. I just wish more fans would have came out to see you play cause you were a special group. I have heard all of you will be getting your degree's and that is the best accomplishment of all. Best of luck in the future.

War Zips!!!!

[Captain Kangaroo]

Former Zip #"X," thanks for checking in! As you obviously know, it is difficult for supporters of the program to find Zips info anywhere else but here, or maybe gozips.com. We appreciate the insight.

To some extent I think everyone that's attended U of A over the past 2 decades can feel your pain regarding the facilities. In my era (insert Grampa Simpson's voice here) the Zips football players were blindsided by the replacement of Dennison with Faust. I draw the parallel here not for the coaching change itself:

Dennison was a very capable coach who was replaced by one who essentially brought Notre Dame to it's knees. Bad hire.

Coach Owens and staff, in my opinion, had brought the program as far as they were capable of doing and was replaced by HOPEFULLY a staff capable of coaching talent to the upper-MAC echelon. Good hire.

Back to my point...there was no "plan" to upgrade the Zips a 1-A team in the mid-80's. There was no natatorium weight room. I think they had a few universal machines in Memorial hall, and that was it! The guys had to then go out and compete with Oregon State, Auburn, Florida, etc. Bad things, man. Undersized players and bad coaching were a bad combination.

For a student that played nothing but intramural sports like myself, the facilites were a joke too. Memorial hall was under renovation for a couple YEARS...hardly any open gyms. When it was open...the baseball or volleyball teams usually occupied it. The JAR was open a couple hours a week to "ball," IF the lazy JAR MF'ers there got off their butts and set up the cross court hoops! The pool, racketball courts...what little is there now came after me. My buddies and I often drove to Can't State to play in their open gyms (6 full indoor courts) because there was no alternative at Akron. Appaling for a 24,000 student University.

For ANY graduating student now it must suck knowing next years Freshman class are going to have all those new rec facilities! But, what the hell can you do about it? In the long run, I went to school for the education, and it worked out great for me. I deal with engineers who graduated from every school imaginable on a daily basis, and I've never once felt like any of them was better schooled than me. From my desk at work I can hit about 12 U of A graduates with a half-sandwedge or less, so the U of A education is woking out well for a lot of others too!

Off "the rant-that-no-one-cares-about..." on to football stuff...

Like a lot of guys on this board, I felt bad for the way the 2003 seniors went out. Mounting the monster comeback vs, OU...winning season...scads of offensive records...only to have the HC you knew for 5-6 years get canned 10 minutes after the game finished. What a punch in the gut that must have been.

Despite how things played out on the "business end" (for lack of a better term) I assure you that the guys on the board have the utmost respect for what you guys did on the field and in the classroom. I know Matt and Nick a little bit, and they're fantastic guys on and off the field. My son and I will miss them (if anyone has suggestions on telling a 3 year old why #9 and #2 aren't Nick and Matt anymore, please let me know)!

Jessie Smith was a class kid. I wish he played a "tighter" corner..but I respect him for the effort he put forth, especially in returning from the injury.

Jud Cummins was a punishing run blocker. I loved watching him flatten the opposing LB's once he got beyond the line of scrimmage.

Mike Brake was so solid. I remember when he was a frosh and he killed Dwight Smith on a run-after-catch! A bit later, Dwight got some payback, but I loved the frosh putting the big-hurt on #15! The OU TD catch was a great way to go out!

Johnathan Gill stuck with the program for 5 years and earned a scholarship in 2003. At season's end, he was the #2 QB. Being #2 to Charlie Frye will be a nice thing to brag about in a bar in a few years, trust me!!

Bobby Hendry ran down hill so damn hard! My favorite moment with him was the Wisconsin game: The guy behind me said "Hey, what is it...1942? Don't you guys know running backs aren't 'white' anymore?" I told the guy "I guarantee he puts up 100+ on you." I think Bobby ran for about 120(?) against the Badgers...and I let the guy know it after the game. The way he blocked in the backfield was awesome. Ditto the had yards to grind out the win vs. Marshall.

I loved how Rickie McKenzie just got better every year. Had a great 2003!

I met Marques Hayes at Signing Day a few years ago alongside Brandon Payne. He's a great guy. I wish he had better coaching because I think, with his strength, he could have done some serious damage in the right situation. I wish him the best in the future. His heart really seemed to be with the program, and he was a great Zip.

Micah Fahler wasn't the best QB, but as a holder, he handled snaps with ease. It was nice not ever having to worry about bobbled holds on FG's.

Bryan Shaw's mom and dad were always at the home and away games. You could always see the #70 jerseys in the parking lot! Nice people. Bryan had somewhat of an up-and-down career, but I liked him.

Miquel Irvin probably thought when he transferred form Toledo that he'd be "THE MAN." How'd he know that guys like Nick and Matt were the players they were? Miquel accepted his role as the #2/#3 guy and really gave us a three-headed monster" at the WR position! "#20...YOU a BITCH"...a great quote from Miquel to a UCF player last season!

Kyle McDuffie transferred for just one season. He had a great game against Wisconsin. I think that game alone should merit his decision to try 1-A ball was a worthwhile gamble. He proved he belonged here!

If I forgot anyone, I apologize. I did this off the top of my head, and it's getting late. Time for bed! I just wanted to let any seniors know that, despite what you might think by your lack of media coverage...or the firing of your coach...or anthing else like that...that there were a lot of Zips supporters who really appreciated all your efforts, and who will remember your "era" in Zips football with a lot of pride.

Best of luck, 2003 guys! I hope to see some of you on Sundays this fall! And if you're in town for a Zips home game on a Saturday in 2004, look for the wooden Zippy on a Stick along the fence by the blimp hanger...I'll have a beer on ice for anyone that stops by!!