MAC Media Day

[ZachTheZip]

Media Day is this Tuesday. Ianello will be bringing along Zac Kasparek and Brian Wagner.Akron's session will be from 9:00-9:10 AM and should stream on the MAC website.Official coverage on Twitter will be marked with the #MACMD hashtag.

[Buckzip]

Media Day is this Tuesday. Ianello will be bringing along Zac Kasparek and Brian Wagner.Akron's session will be from 9:00-9:10 AM and should stream on the MAC website.Official coverage on Twitter will be marked with the #MACMD hashtag.

Isn't it normal to bring your starting QB?Perhaps this is proof there is no planned starter yet.

[ZachTheZip]

Isn't it normal to bring your starting QB?

Out of the 13 MAC teams, only Miami, EMU, and NIU are bringing their QBs.It's traditional in the MAC to bring the two players that have the best chance at going pro or winning a national award.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------For anyone who wants to watch player and coach interviews on Tuesday, here is the link and a schedule of who is going to be there: http://prod-mac.xosdigital.com/News/tabid/...a-Day-Live.aspx MAC Live Streaming Schedule (Tuesday, July 26th) 9:00-9:10 am - AKRON Akron Head Coach Rob Ianello; Student-Athletes: OL Zac Kasparek; LB Brian Wagner 9:10-9:20 am – BOWLING GREEN Bowling Green Head Coach Dave Clawson; Student-Athletes: DT Chris Jones; LB Dwayne Woods 9:20-9:30 am - BUFFALO Buffalo Head Coach Jeff Quinn; Student-Athletes: WR Terrell Jackson; DT Richie Smith 9:30-9:40 am – Can't STATE Can't State Head Coach Darrell Hazell; Student-Athletes: C Chris Anzevino; DT Roosevelt Nix 9:40-9:50 am - MIAMI Miami Head Coach Don Treadwell; Student-Athletes: QB Zac Dysert; DT Austin Brown 9:50-10:00 am - OHIO Ohio Head Coach Frank "Captain Morgan" Solich; Student-Athletes: LB Noah Keller; OL Joe Flading 10:00-10:10 am - TEMPLE Temple Head Coach Steve Addazio; Student-Athletes: DE Adrian Robinson; C John Palumbo 10:10 – 10:25 am MAC Bowl Partners Ken Hoffman-Little Caesars Pizza Bowl; Kevin McDonald-uDrove Humanitarian Bowl; Jerry Silverstein-GoDaddy.com Bowl 10:25-10:30 am - UMASS University of Massachusetts, Director of Athletics, John McCutcheon 10:30-10:40 am – BALL STATE Ball State Head Coach Pete Lembo; Student-Athletes: S Sean Baker; WR Briggs Orsbon 10:40-10:50 am – CENTRAL MICHIGAN Central Michigan Head Coach Dan Enos; Student-Athletes: LB Armond Staten; WR Cody Wilson 10:50-11:00 am – EASTERN MICHIGAN Eastern Michigan Head Coach Ron English; Student-Athletes: QB Alex Gillett; DL Andy Malumba 11:00-11:10 am – NORTHERN ILLINOIS Northern Illinois Head Coach Dave Doeren; Student-Athletes: QB Chandler Harnish; DE Sean Progar 11:10-11:20 am - TOLEDO Toledo Head Coach Tim Beckman; Student-Athletes: WR Eric Page; DB Desmond Marrow 11:20-11:30 am – WESTERN MICHIGAN Western Michigan Head Coach Bill Cubit; Student-Athletes: WR Jordan White; LB Mitch Zajac 11:25-11:30 am - MAC Commissoner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher

[K92]

Took a double take when reading down the list.

[ZachTheZip]

CMU @ Akron on Oct 29th has been announced as a MAC game of the week. It will be broadcast on ESPN Regional at 12:00 Noon.

MAC Media Day is about to begin.

[ZachTheZip]

You can watch the stream at Mac-sports.com

At the top, there is a link that says Watch. When you mouse over it, there's an option for Live Streaming. Nothing up yet. I remember last year they didn't get the feed up until well after Akron's portion was over. Let's hope their new website is better.

[ZachTheZip]

Games on STO under the MAC umbrella:

• Saturday, Oct. 22 Ohio @ Akron, 3:30 pm ET

• Saturday, Nov. 12 Can't State @ Akron, 2:00 pm ET

[ZachTheZip]

Ianello:

"Our priority is to be a better football team."

"We're a team based on fundamentals."

"Going into the second year in the same system will help (the offense)."

"Last year was about what to do, this year is about how to do it."

"The QB position has to improve." "Nicely showed toughness last year and will go into camp as the starter."

"We could have played Marquelo Suel last season, but it wouldn't have been fair to him or the growth of the program"

"Wagner is a leader on Defense".

"ShelDon Miller moved to LB from Safety"

[ZachTheZip]

Akron picked to finish last in the MAC in the media poll. In line with pretty much every preview.

Those are all the notes I have for now.

[johnnyzip84]

Akron picked to finish last in the MAC in the media poll. In line with pretty much every preview.

Those are all the notes I have for now.

All voting results are listed below:

2011 Mid-American Conference Preseason Poll

Team (First Place Votes) Points

MAC East Division

1. Miami (4) 97

2. Ohio (8) 96

3. Temple (4) 88

4. Can't State 57

5. Bowling Green 48

6. Buffalo 37

7. Akron 25

MAC West Division

1. Toledo (8) 83

2. Northern Illinois (5) 81

3. Western Michigan (2) 76

4. Central Michigan (1) 55

5. Ball State 27

6. Eastern Michigan 24

2011 Marathon MAC Championship Game Winner:

Toledo 5, Northern Illinois 3, Miami 3, Ohio 1, Western Michigan 1 (several voters did not select a winner for the MAC Championship)

[Dave in Green]

So anything other than last place exceeds expectations. Time to start earning some respect.

[Big Zip]

Last year was about what to do, this year about how to do it....will next year be about when to do it?

God I hope I'm wrong about this guy, but he isn't give me much to work with.

[johnnyzip84]

So anything other than last place exceeds expectations. Time to start earning some respect.

Exactly. If this staff has any motivational skills, this poll should serve as a big reason to show everyone just how wrong the prognosticators were when they voted.

[K92]

Last year was about what to do, this year about how to do it....will next year be about when to do it?

God I hope I'm wrong about this guy, but he isn't give me much to work with.

I'm with ya, Big Zip. More blah, blah, blah coach speak. But that kind of answer is kinda par for the course at these type deals. Most coaches do not answer questions at pressers like Steve Spurrier does (shame). I try not to read too much into the rhetoric. Rob will hopefully be better at showing us than telling us this year..

[ZachTheZip]

One last Ianello quote:

"We need to take care of the ball better on offense. On defense, we need to eliminate the big plays. If we can stop the big play and run the ball better on offense, we will be much better."

Again his focus is only on the "big plays" for our defense. Guess what coach, big plays are going to happen. You can limit their effect by doing better on all the "small" plays.

[ZachTheZip]

Last year was about what to do, this year about how to do it....will next year be about when to do it?

God I hope I'm wrong about this guy, but he isn't give me much to work with.

I keep getting the vibe that he's intentionally throwing games for the sake of "building". The problem with that is that you develop a loser's attitude because you're constantly losing, and then when it comes time to put all that "building" into practice, it doesn't work because your team culture is all wrong since you just spent the last two or three years telling all your players that winning isn't as important as practicing so they can justify not doing the things on the field that it takes to win because they're having great practices and that's what counts.

Rob the Builder.

[Dr Z]

Quoting Akron Head Coach Rob Ianello

Regarding the preseason media poll:

"Media polls are based on predictions focused on how you finished the year before. Based upon that, that is where they see us."

Regarding the most important improvements the Zips need to make:

"We need to take care of the ball better on offense. On defense, we need to eliminate the big plays. If we can stop the big play and run the ball better on offense, we will be much better."

Regarding entering his second season as head coach:

"Year one was spent thinking about and adapting to the transition. Year two is going to be about how do we change and improve. Our players and staff are more comfortable going into our second year."

Regarding his coaching staff:

"We had no transition on the offensive position staff, so that will help us on offense. On defense, we had a couple of transitions that have been very positive. (Defensive coordinator) Kevin Cosgrove is a tremendous football coach and a tremendous leader. He handles the players and the staff well and has really added to our staff. We are very fortunate to have a BCS coordinator on offense and a BCS coordinator on defense."

Regarding the MAC East Division:

"The MAC East is a really competitive division. As you look at it from last year, we had two teams in bowl games. From top to bottom, the division is very strong. Miami (Ohio) showed last season that you have to show up and play every Saturday."

Regarding the West Division and the league as a whole:

"The entire league is strong, the West Division is also competitive. We will have three crossover games against three very strong opponents (Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan). This league has very good players in it, it has very good coaches in it and you have to be ready to play every week."

Regarding the format for preseason camp:

"During the first three days, we are going to split up the team so we can maximize our reps. We will have the first and third teams together and the second and fourth teams together. We will separate the players based on our two-deep."

Regarding the program's philosophy:

"Our program is about improvement, about fundamentals, about the process of how you improve and the work that goes into that process."

Regarding adapting to new coaches in the MAC:

"When a new coach comes in the league, you are fortunate to play them later in the season. It gives you a chance to get a feel for their identity as you prepare for and coach against them. It is a unique situation for the conference and we have to do a good job of preparing for them."

Quoting Akron Junior LB Brian Wagner

Regarding the team's hard work in the offseason:

"We have worked through a very long, tough schedule (in the weight room) to get everyone stronger. I think everyone has improved on their core exercises and we have become stronger as a whole. (Strength) Coach (Craig) Sowers has brought a new attitude to the weight room."

Regarding the perception of the Zips by the media in the preseason:

"Preseason polls are all based on last year. We have been working hard and have been in the locker room every day getting better. The media is just making a prediction before we have even played a game. The poll does not really mean much to us."

Quoting Akron Senior OL Zac Kasparek

Regarding the mindset of the players entering the season:

"We want to continue to improve on the things we worked on last year. The past is gone and we are ready to get after it this season. We want to come together as a team after going through a lot of adversity last year and stay focused on this season."

Regarding the offensive line:

"The injuries last season allowed for a lot of players to play. We have three returning starters – myself, Jake Anderson and Mitch Straight – and we have Patrick McCloskey who got a lot of playing time last year. We have to continue to improve and come together while staying focused."

Source

[ZachTheZip]

[K92]

Ianello seems more relaxed talking to Frenchie and gives better answers.