Couldn't tell it by the score . . .

[zippyfan34]

But I came away impressed tonight. I was expecting a much closer game score wise (maybe 21 points) but we can move the ball on offense and have enough playmakers. We had too many drops and too many turnovers that led to short fields. It could have been a different game without the turnovers and missed field goal early on. I also think Bowden went for it on fourth down more times in one game than Ianello did in 2 years. I also appreciate going for it instead of a 40+ yard field goal when you are down 21. Shows you are there too win the game. Only complaint was I would have liked to see Pohl put in a series or 2 earlier to get the game experience but I believe in Bowden. Rather than a 2-3 win season I think we will win 4-5 and will be competitive in most if not all MAC games. I can't believe I feel this good about a 42 point loss.

[akronzips71]

We moved the ball very well against a good team.

We stopped them a number of times.

We gained yards on offense.

We completed passes.

Every single play was NOT a run.

This team will be close to .500 and will be competitive in every MAC game. The score does not tell the story in this game. This is the first game together for many of the players, and the first game with this coach. UCF got at least 14 unearned points. We will get better, and we will not be the bottom of Div I this year.

[pattydark]

But I came away impressed tonight. I was expecting a much closer game score wise (maybe 21 points) but we can move the ball on offense and have enough playmakers. We had too many drops and too many turnovers that led to short fields. It could have been a different game without the turnovers and missed field goal early on. I also think Bowden went for it on fourth down more times in one game than Ianello did in 2 years. I also appreciate going for it instead of a 40+ yard field goal when you are down 21. Shows you are there too win the game. Only complaint was I would have liked to see Pohl put in a series or 2 earlier to get the game experience but I believe in Bowden. Rather than a 2-3 win season I think we will win 4-5 and will be competitive in most if not all MAC games. I can't believe I feel this good about a 42 point loss.

I agree. The loss seemed more due to isolated screwups than a systemic failure. I thought QB Wiliiams was pretty good. One interception? Couldn't believe there wasn't a penalty untill the second half. We used to get a flag walking on the field (with too many players) Hakeem?#10 looks like he's got some game. LT and Suel were solid. Felt bad for Sconiers--he's better than his play today And we did things on defense that we never saw in the last two years. The screwups were discouraging, but they looked like a team in a way we haven't seen before--at least for us newcomers. The only good thing I have to say about iCoach is that the players learned to play through adversity so let's hope find the many positives in this game and elimate the unneccesary self-destruction

[g-mann17]

I agree, it was a competent team turning the ball over to a superior team.

Been a long time since we could say we have a competent team. Have never walked away from thumping with more confidence.

[you am i]

But I came away impressed tonight. I was expecting a much closer game score wise (maybe 21 points) but we can move the ball on offense and have enough playmakers. We had too many drops and too many turnovers that led to short fields. It could have been a different game without the turnovers and missed field goal early on. I also think Bowden went for it on fourth down more times in one game than Ianello did in 2 years. I also appreciate going for it instead of a 40+ yard field goal when you are down 21. Shows you are there too win the game. Only complaint was I would have liked to see Pohl put in a series or 2 earlier to get the game experience but I believe in Bowden. Rather than a 2-3 win season I think we will win 4-5 and will be competitive in most if not all MAC games. I can't believe I feel this good about a 42 point loss.

I don't doubt your sincerity, but how bad have things gotten when a 42 point loss to Central Florida can make you feel good? That is a defeat of Ianello-esque proportions. I no longer live in NE Ohio, so I could not make this game, but the news accounts are describing Akron as "mistake prone."

No knock on Terry, though. He inherited a bad situation. This is going to take time.

[ZachTheZip]

Mistakes can be fixed easier than an entire system.

[Tanks Buddy]

Having seen no Akron games last year, I have nothing to compare it to. I did see spark all the way to the end, and it looked like the Zips were just physically overmatched.

The turnovers hurt, especially the two giving UCF short fields. I saw at least 4 drops early by WR's that could have stemmed the tide some. No penalties in the 1st half of the first game of the year shows some discipline.

I know that the coaches won't let them quit. They'll keep scrapping and fighting all the way.

That stadium looks fabulous. Can't wait to see it on 9/29.

[K92]

I am definitely not giddy about being shellacked 56-14, but...

The Zips showed competence on both sides of the ball. Silly penalties were minimized and the players looked to be on the same page with a good grasp of the fundamentals. Not once did the offense line up in an illegal formation! This was a small victory that I was happy about.

UCF's personnel was a lot better than Akron's. Period. The fumbles and missed field goal let the game get away from the Zips fast. We just didnt have the talent to play come from behind with these guys. Time will tell the story, but I think the Knights will win a lot of games this year.

I thought Dalton Williams looked good. He throws the 5 yard quick out with a lot of zip on the ball. The receivers definitely dropped a lot of catchable balls. QB play was very impressive, in my book.

Marquelo Suel had some real nice grabs.

The running game that looked good in practice, never found any rhythm at all and the passing game that struggled looked good. Probably says a lot about the strenghts and weaknesses of the Zips & the Knights defenses as much as it does about the offense.

The defense just looked overmatched to me. There were a few bright spots there too, though. The d-line got some pressure on UCF quarterbacks which was nice. Overall, I thought they looked really vulnerable to a power running game.

Critical mistakes & turnovers doomed the Zips. If they can correct that and start catching the ball, I think they are going to compete nicely in the MAC.

So, I guess I basically agree with the rest of you and saw the same things you did. It goes against common sense to feel cautiously optimistic after a beat down, but I do.

When the game was over and the players headed for the tunnel, the coaching staff turned them all back around for the alma mater. Small thing, but I liked that.

I also liked 81 offensive plays and 19 first downs.

I think it's headed in the right direction. At least I want to believe that.

[RUMPLEMINTZ]

The Zips score in no way reflects what went down last night. UCF was a good team. In 2004 the Blue and Gold lost to Penn State and then to Virginia to the score of like 49-0, but they stuck together and ended up 6-5. I think these guys are a tight bunch and those kids fought till the end with no quit. I can't wait to see them tear up the MAC! Special Teams really hurt them last night!

[GP1]

Good post Keener92. I feel the same way. UCF is a better team than us, but not 42 points better. The team played well enough for where they are right now. Some individual players need to change. When an individual breaks down, the team breaks down. What do I mean by that?

Well, for decades now, we have watched the Zips poop their pants in a number of creative ways. What was once creative has now become the norm.

Point one...Can we please have a routine 35 yard fieldgoad pass through without hitting the six inch wide post? When a team is down 14-0, they need to score any points to get some momentum and the Zips badly needed that score to start the season. Without it, its easy for the players accustomed to losing to say, "Here we go again". We have had kicker after kicker do this over the years. College goal posts are 18' 6" wide. Try to hit that area and not the 6" of the post. Full scholarship = making 35 yard FGs.

Point two....Fair catching. This is D-1A college football. When the ball is punted to you and you fair catch, catch the freaking ball already. Ive seen enough of this over the past 25 years already. Just catch the damn ball. Full scholarship = catching the ball.

Point three....Killing the clock. When killing the clock, dont fumble. Dont try to "make a play". Use some freaking common sense and the player carrying the ball needs to keep two things in mind....1. Dont run the wrong way..... 2. Dont fumble. Seeing things like this maddens me. It shouldnt be, because Ive seen it over and over again the past 25 years, but it is (maybe because Ive seen it so much). The Zips had found their legs a little and this was just a killer and completely avoidable. Full scholarship = no fumbling running out the clock.

Cal Ripken Jr. once said that a player must make 100% of the routine plays and 50% of the great plays. 35 yard FGs, fair catches and basic running plays are the routine. We cant have these type of mistakes and expect to win more than 2 games this season. The rest of the players arent good enough to make up for these mistakes.

My wife told me an old Italian saying last night. It is a beautiful saying in Italian and doesnt translate well, but here it goes. "If you are happy with the way things are going and you want them to change, keep doing what you are doing." People who do well are open to change. I like this saying because the opposite is true for the Zips and the opposite almost always applies to this team. There are certain players who need to be especially unhappy with their individual performance last night and need to do something different. Make the routine plays. I know this sounds harsh, but this is D1A football and guys are on full scholarship. ALL of them need to play like it.

[33Akrondad7]

Man, so many mistakes...... Zips QB had a nice ball and presence in the pocket. He had tons of time. Im a RBs guy and I was impressed by Hakeem Lawrence.. kid does have skills. Score didn't reflect the play.. How can a recruit not go into that atmosphere and not wanna be a ZIP?

[mivid12]

Man, so many mistakes...... Zips QB had a nice ball and presence in the pocket. He had tons of time. Im a RBs guy and I was impressed by Hakeem Lawrence.. kid does have skills. Score didn't reflect the play.. How can a recruit not go into that atmosphere and not wanna be a ZIP?

biggest issue i see is lack of size on DL....gotta have a few 300lbs there even if they are merely space eaters

[skip-zip]

I was at least somewhat encouraged by the fact that the total yardage was not completely lopsided, even if we still got dominated on the scoreboard. Although, CFUs total yardage was certainly diminished by the fact that a few of their drives were short becaue they followed turnovers.

The Bowden passing game showed some signs of future success, but plenty of opportunities were missed. Lets hope they keep working on the timing, but I'll take 250 yards as a good sign, even if it did take 50 attempts to do it.

I think my biggest concern will continue to be that we lack the ability to tackle up front. Almost 5 yards per carry by an opponent who was obviously running alot just to burn clock for a good part of the game isn't a good sign. I think this problem may take the longest time to correct, because it likely can't be improved much with just coaching.

[GP1]

I think my biggest concern will continue to be that we lack the ability to tackle up front. Almost 5 yards per carry by an opponent who was obviously running alot just to burn clock for a good part of the game isn't a good sign. I think this problem may take the longest time to correct, because it likely can't be improved much with just coaching.

Good post.

Ive been saying it for years. Regardless of what our wives and girlfriends tell us, size matters. Size just isnt a minor detail and it cant be coached. It is a big part of the game, especially on the line. Everyone is well coached and pretty athletic for what they are. The difference is really in size. Its why 5' 10" offensive linemen arent recruited in D1. Regardless of how well they are coached and how hard they work, they are always behind because of size.

Im going to reserve my judgement for how well this team will do until I see them play a mac school. I think they have the big picture right at this moment. We will see how the details come together in terms of the players getting all the little things right.

There are some games to be won this year. I feel better about that statement than I did last season. Until I see different, I will remainoptimistic.

[johnnyzip84]

Excellent points made by all so far. When I went to summarize my thoughts, I first had a listen to Coach Bowden's post-game interview. He reiterates what many of you have already stated. There's not much left for me to add except it's one thing to face a team that is much bigger than you. It's exponentially more difficult when that team is also much faster than you. Go Zips!!

ps. Although it occured well after the game was decided, I liked the little I saw of Horner and Jamel Turner on defense.

[Spin]

I don't doubt your sincerity, but how bad have things gotten when a 42 point loss to Central Florida can make you feel good? That is a defeat of Ianello-esque proportions. I no longer live in NE Ohio, so I could not make this game, but the news accounts are describing Akron as "mistake prone."

No knock on Terry, though. He inherited a bad situation. This is going to take time.

If you have ESPN3, you can watch it for the next week.

This game is sad because of the simple fact we use to own them. Now, just a few years later they're ranked and headed to a BCS conference and we're thankful we have a FCS school in the MAC East.

Having said that, I didn't see the stupid ICoach mistakes (penalties for lining up wrong) and shudder to think what one of his squads would have looked like against a Top 25 team. When we clean up some of those mistakes we'll be competitive in the MAC again.

And besides, they didn't make the Not Top Ten list like a certain Portage County school did...

[Lee Adams]

The good,the bad the ugly. Actually saw some really good stuff last night on the offensive side.

The 'firedrill' offense is great tow watch. It looks like DW can run it competently. He was throwing those long out patterns decisively. Doesn't have a huge arm. But,he can get the ball far enough down filed to keep defenses honest. He missed a couple of wide open receivers. But,that might be a matter of patterns run incorrectly also.

TB is auditioning at RB and WR. Too many drops. Noticed Chisholm didn't play too much if at all the second half. They were yelling at him on the sideline. Assume about not cutting upfield or hitting holes quick enough. I think TB is 'culling the herd' now so he can have who he wants in place for the MAC.

O-line was helped by the quick rythmn passing game. Run blocking is a work in progress. They will need to run a bit more.

The D was,well porous against the run. UCF kept running to its left successfully in the first half. Too many guys trying to catch the ball carrier as opposed to meeting the ball carrier. The D-line got a little pressure on the QB at times.

Amato may have to 'trick' up the D a little more this year. Until they get a higher level of talent on that side of the ball it will be tough to play a lot of straight up D even in the MAC.

There were point in the game where if someone catches a pass,makes a cut on a run or makes a tackle at the point of attack,the game gets a lot more interesting.

If they can get through the next three games relatively healthy and find the 'right' people,they could be at least competetive in the MAC.

[johnnyzip84]

OK, I forgot to mention a few other things that come to mind:

1) I believe Frenchy said on the post-game show, in discussing March's INT, that the 2011 Zips didn't have an INT until the EIGHTH GAME OF THE SEASON.

2) We haven't seen this kind of competency at the QB position since Luke Getsy. And DW13 did this against what is expected to be a very good defense. I like his chances of posting some mind-boggling stats against a few MAC schools.

3) Since the staff has openly discussed allowing Zach Paul to possibly attempt long FGs, I hope they consider letting him kickoff as well. While I think Stein will settle into a fairly accurate PK before long, he simply can't get the ball deep enough on kickoffs.

4) From this point on when we're faced with 3rd or 4th and short, I suspect we'll be throwing the ball at least 50% of the time and I can't say I would disagree with that strategy given our current roster.

5) We all knew a 1-3 record was about a 95% probabilty after the 1st four games. If we cut down the mistakes over the next 3 weeks, we can still have a little fun in the MAC and spring a few surprises there.

[Mr_Knightman]

I wanted to swing by this board to say that Akron is nothing but class. Despite the Akron loss, I saw a lot of bright spots on your team. Bowden showed nothing but class and high-regard in the post-game. Akron is sitting on something special with great facilities and now a good coach. The program will turn around and I envision this team being a power in the MAC. The Zips will win games this year, maybe go bowling? It was the first game, and many of the good things exhibited will only get better. I admit, I was a little nervous considering the outcomes of some games last year. It quite was realistic for some of you to think this game was winnable. If it wasn't for mistakes, based on the drives that were put together...it would have been a lot closer. I'm pulling for you guys in the MAC.

See ya'll again soon, dadgummit!

[g-mann17]

Don't count this team out against FIU. We lost to them by 10 last year, with an offense that couldn't move the ball. And FIU is a much better benchmark on how we will play in the MAC. Carroll and Hilton are both gone, those are huge roles to fill.

[Mr_Knightman]

Don't count this team out against FIU. We lost to them by 10 last year, with an offense that couldn't move the ball. And FIU is a much better benchmark on how we will play in the MAC. Carroll and Hilton are both gone, those are huge roles to fill.

FIU is REALLY good. They beat us last year, took great advantage of turnovers and they return their entire secondary which can play on any team. They beat us and Louisville last year if that gives any indication. Carroll being gone may be a plus...but the RB core is pretty good. I'm sure Bowden can get a game-plan on them though. Cristobal does have tricks up his sleeve, he's an aggressive coach.

[johnnyzip84]

FIU is REALLY good. They beat us last year, took great advantage of turnovers and they return their entire secondary which can play on any team. They beat us and Louisville last year if that gives any indication. Carroll being gone may be a plus...but the RB core is pretty good. I'm sure Bowden can get a game-plan on them though. Cristobal does have tricks up his sleeve, he's an aggressive coach.

I agree with the honorable Mr_Knightman in his assessment of FIU. The Crystal Ball didn't turn down Rutgers without a very good reason. They're loaded in 2012.

BTW, Mr_Knightman thanks for visiting and best of luck to UCF the rest of the year. Hope to see you in Orlando in 2013

[Mr_Knightman]

I agree with the honorable Mr_Knightman in his assessment of FIU. The Crystal Ball didn't turn down Rutgers without a very good reason. They're loaded in 2012.

BTW, Mr_Knightman thanks for visiting and best of luck to UCF the rest of the year. Hope to see you in Orlando in 2013

Yes, 2013...you'll get to see how our stadium, although convenient and LOUD (Loudest under 50,000), PALES in comparison in aesthetics compared to yours. It was a quick fix to get us out of the Toilet Bowl (Citrus Bowl). It's done wonders for recruiting, and when full the atmosphere is as good as anyplace else...it is completely void of any real character. Additions are coming, but over time. Most of the fan-base is on the fence also because year-to-year no-one can accurately predict the team's success.

FIU will be a tough match...although smaller on the line than us, that secondary will give the Zips a headache. Not sure how their Offense will be...but I know that RB is good. Also, it's all mostly Miami talent. If you guys win, and I hope you guys do for your sake, you guys will do really well in the MAC.

[NewZipsFan]

Yes, 2013...you'll get to see how our stadium, although convenient and LOUD (Loudest under 50,000), PALES in comparison in aesthetics compared to yours. It was a quick fix to get us out of the Toilet Bowl (Citrus Bowl). It's done wonders for recruiting, and when full the atmosphere is as good as anyplace else...it is completely void of any real character. Additions are coming, but over time. Most of the fan-base is on the fence also because year-to-year no-one can accurately predict the team's success.

FIU will be a tough match...although smaller on the line than us, that secondary will give the Zips a headache. Not sure how their Offense will be...but I know that RB is good. Also, it's all mostly Miami talent. If you guys win, and I hope you guys do for your sake, you guys will do really well in the MAC.

Thanks very much Knightman for your very kind comments about our team and facilities. Having lived in Florida - we both know that we wouldn't expect such comments from Gator fans Your UCF team is VERY talented. Your QB looks NFL caliber - period. You've got some big bodies on the line... and man oh man.. do you guys have some serious speed! I hope you kick some serious Buckeye Butt next week..

[NewZipsFan]

My quick "50 cents" about last night...

First of all -- I, of course, still BELIEVE.

For my first Zips game, I will admit, that I was very pleased with the fans' excitement and support of the team. Many people left early (to be expected - a Thursday night, no chance of winning by mid-3rd quarter) - but many stayed until the end. I had hoped for a larger crowd, but I understand that it will take time.

Most of all -- I was so proud of the entire team. From all of the things I've heard about the past couple of years, those players could have easily given up in the first quarter. I saw every single kid who got onto the field play at FULL SPEED, in every single play. They showed great poise, great attitude, great effort, and great potential. I've heard Coach Bowden say this before -- but now I think I saw/understand what he meant -- these players have very high "football IQs". Thus - very few penalties, and smart playing, etc.

Yes - the turnovers KILLED us -- and any momentum we had gotten going. Those things are correctable. It was also obvious that we are significantly smaller on the front lines than UCF - and thus - many other teams. I believe that once we get into our conference schedule, the playing field will be a lot more even.

I saw great flashes of the things to come -- the offense is going to be something very fun and exciting to watch. Dalton proved that he not only can stand in front of a crowd and "speak QB" as well as anyone I've ever heard -- but he delivered on the field. No INT's, and he managed the offense very, very well. We've got some playmakers. They will continue to develop and step up. We had a TON of freshmen on the field last night. That is also very encouraging. Imani Davis, Conor Hundley, Hakeem Lawrence - just to mention a few - are going to be fantastic players for us.

The defense struggled - but I know that Coach Amato and staff will make whatever adjustments they can to put us in a better position for next week. Also saw flashes of great things to come -- I believe our secondary will continue to get better and better - and we will see a lot more INTs. It sure looked like we were going to block that punt (the UCF punter had to drop back to the goal line I think) -- we had three guys right in his face -- but it looked like they pulled up a bit.. maybe worried about missing the ball and roughing the kicker... T-Buck will continue to teach them the intricacies of kick blocking - we'll get a few this year, I'm sure.

So - yes, I am disappointed - but also glad to get this one over with - we now see how we actually stack up against a very good team. The game looked a WHOLE LOT BETTER on paper (the stats) than it did on the scoreboard.

I'm very glad we've got 9 days to adjust/prepare for FIU -- and I know that our guys will continue to play their hearts out. We will get our share of wins this year - and I BELIEVE that we are definitely moving in the right direction. I am confident that the players do too.

Go Zips! Beat FIU!!!