CMU Game

[GP1]

“We need win games. It's as simple as that” Ianello said. “We'll continue to work on things we haven’t done well and improve on that. But we're focused on one thing -- winning football games. We owe that to our fans. Field goals are akin to a turnover in my book. A failure. Our goal is 7-points each offensive drive.”

I'm glad to see a quote about winning. Maybe I don't read every presser, but I don't remember reading much discussion about winning. I'm perplexed though. He talks about fieldgoals being a turnover or a failure, yet he is down by something like 20 in the fourth last week and kicks a fieldgoal to become down 17. It doesn't make sense to me. It's one thing to tell the fans and players winning is important, but I'd like to think actions would follow.

[MDZip]

“We need win games. It's as simple as that” Ianello said. “We'll continue to work on things we haven’t done well and improve on that. But we're focused on one thing -- winning football games. We owe that to our fans. Field goals are akin to a turnover in my book. A failure. Our goal is 7-points each offensive drive.”

I'm glad to see a quote about winning. Maybe I don't read every presser, but I don't remember reading much discussion about winning. I'm perplexed though. He talks about fieldgoals being a turnover or a failure, yet he is down by something like 20 in the fourth last week and kicks a fieldgoal to become down 17. It doesn't make sense to me. It's one thing to tell the fans and players winning is important, but I'd like to think actions would follow.

That was apparently a very good spoof by CK.

[Hilltopper]

Akron is 3-19 in its past 22 Mid-American Conference games.Second-year coach Rob Ianello is still focused on improvement with the Zips.“We need win games. It's as simple as that” Ianello said. “We'll continue to work on things we haven’t done well and improve on that. But we're focused on one thing -- winning football games. We owe that to our fans. Field goals are akin to a turnover in my book. A failure. Our goal is 7-points each offensive drive.”Improvement is hard to see as the Zips rank second-to-last in scoring offense and defense in the MAC. For the Chippewas, they’re looking at Akron similar to their past two games, which they lost.“They’re pretty terrible as far as coverage-wise and defensively,” said CMU quarterback Ryan Radcliff. “It’s kind of like playing one of those K.e.n.t. teams from the early 90's.”Radcliff has thrown for 787 yards the past two games and Akron is last in the MAC for passing defense, and he expects to go for 400+ against the soft Zips cornerbacks. The Zips have allowed only 264 yards per game through the air, because it's so easy to run on their D-line. Why put the ball in the air if you can run for 6 yards at a crack?One problem Ianello has been particularly working on is getting his defense off the field on third downs. The Zips have allowed the opposing team to pick up first downs 43 percent of the time when in a third down situation.“It’s apparent to everyone that we absolutely B-L-O-W on third down,” Ianello said. “3rd and 22 is as simple as 3rd and 1 for our opponents. It is profoundly embarrassing.”With a 1-6 record, CMU head coach Dan Enos is astounded with the Zips ineptitude. Especially considering their facilities - widely viewed as the best in the MAC.“I’m impressed with their running back,” Enos said. “(Jawon Chisholm) runs well and has good size. And that Wagner kid on defense. He's good. After that, good grief.”Chisholm, a redshirt freshman, averages 4.6 yards per carry for 623 yards and three touchdowns.“They have good size,” said CMU linebacker Justin Cherocci. “But size doesn't mean squat. Like my dad always used to say -- Don't tell me how fast the horse is, tell me who he's beaten. The guys can't beat anyone.”Akron has a much better turnover margin than CMU’s.The Zips defense has 16 take-aways while the offense has turned it over 22 times. CMU has lost 11 more turnovers than it has because of 18 interceptions.“Takeaways are a only important if you do something with them,” Ianello said. “When our defense gets a turnover, it essentially gives them a 4-play breather until we punt, and they're back on the field. I hope CMU commits a ton of penalties on Saturday. To-date, that's been key to our offense. Our staff banks on it."

I heard they were hiring freelance writers over at the Onion.

[GP1]

“We need win games. It's as simple as that” Ianello said. “We'll continue to work on things we haven’t done well and improve on that. But we're focused on one thing -- winning football games. We owe that to our fans. Field goals are akin to a turnover in my book. A failure. Our goal is 7-points each offensive drive.”

I'm glad to see a quote about winning. Maybe I don't read every presser, but I don't remember reading much discussion about winning. I'm perplexed though. He talks about fieldgoals being a turnover or a failure, yet he is down by something like 20 in the fourth last week and kicks a fieldgoal to become down 17. It doesn't make sense to me. It's one thing to tell the fans and players winning is important, but I'd like to think actions would follow.

That was apparently a very good spoof by CK.

Now I get it. It was so stupid, I thought it might just be the thing to happen in the MAC...I'm serious.....

[bobbyake]

Anyone want to guess the attendance for this game? I'm thinking they'll announce a number higher than 14,000

[akronad]

There were more fans at the Firestone/Buchtel game last night.

[Zipmeister]

This is my first chance this season to catch the Zips on the tube. My congrats to the TV crew for the variety of camera angles they have used that avoid showing what sounds like lots of empty seats. Wearing your helmet so that the front covers your eyebrows seems to work pretty well if you are playing linebacker; not so much if your position is quarterback. Go Zips. Go icoach (far, far away soon).

[Dave in Green]

the offense is going to have to control the ball ,and keep are defense off the field.

Our offense can't control the ball to save it's life. I can't recall one long drive this season that wasn't aided by some inane penalty or mistake by the opponent.The Zips are the Get Well Card for the MAC's downtrodden. Look for a bad CMU team to be the latest in a looooong list of D1 opponents to thoroughly drub Rob Ianallo's team on it's home field.The MAC has figured it out - stop Chisholm and the Zips are done.

Its gawd awful that the Zips coaching staff has not figured this out.

Chisolm has really been stopped exactly one game in a row, averaging only 2.3 yards per rush against OU. The only way the coaching staff could have figured this out in advance would have been to have ESP prior to the OU game. How about giving them a chance to see how they adjust in the next game. If they get that wrong, then we can start thinking of it as a trend, i.e. more than one game in a row.

Chisel gained 130 yards on 19 carries today against CMU for a 6.8-yard average.