The MAC caught up to our offense

[Lee Adams]

It didn't take too long for the MAC to catch up w/TB's offense. We are seeing against the better MAC teams like BGSU,OU and NIU that Akron is just not going to be able to outscore anyone. Those teams are basically controlling the line with their front 4 and making Akron try to run more. When Williams is throwing he is seeing little separation by his receivers because they are running into 6-7 man secondaries. Thats not Williams' fault. Pohl wouldn't make any difference unless he is willing to run more than Williams. TB was trying to stack the backfield more to get the run going. But,this is a passing offense that needs a QB who can also be a running threat.

Some things I noticed at the game: Chisholm played little. Why TB suddenly decided Chisholm was a kick returner 8 games in is puzzling. The O line was pretty much over matched by the NIU D line. That was especially true of the right side of the Akron line. Williams was forcing more passes out of frustration. Whoever the DB was who got run over by the NIU QB when he was heading into the end zone should check for cleat marks on his chest. Too many NIU receivers running way to free. Zips can't handle a running QB...again. NIU is a VERY good MAC team and has been consistently for a number of years now. Why? Akron has 'run out of gas'. They need a week off but don't have one. Attendance has taken another hit for at least one more season unless they win early at home next year. Akron is still at least 2 years away from being consistently competetive w/the best teams in the MAC.

[Zipgrad01]

It didn't take too long for the MAC to catch up w/TB's offense. We are seeing against the better MAC teams like BGSU,OU and NIU that Akron is just not going to be able to outscore anyone. Those teams are basically controlling the line with their front 4 and making Akron try to run more. When Williams is throwing he is seeing little separation by his receivers because they are running into 6-7 man secondaries. Thats not Williams' fault. Pohl wouldn't make any difference unless he is willing to run more than Williams. TB was trying to stack the backfield more to get the run going. But,this is a passing offense that needs a QB who can also be a running threat.

Some things I noticed at the game: Chisholm played little. Why TB suddenly decided Chisholm was a kick returner 8 games in is puzzling. The O line was pretty much over matched by the NIU D line. That was especially true of the right side of the Akron line. Williams was forcing more passes out of frustration. Whoever the DB was who got run over by the NIU QB when he was heading into the end zone should check for cleat marks on his chest. Too many NIU receivers running way to free. Zips can't handle a running QB...again. NIU is a VERY good MAC team and has been consistently for a number of years now. Why? Akron has 'run out of gas'. They need a week off but don't have one. Attendance has taken another hit for at least one more season unless they win early at home next year. Akron is still at least 2 years away from being consistently competetive w/the best teams in the MAC.

I don't think anyone is blaming Williams, but you are right about one thing....receivers are not getting separation like they were earlier in the season. I also believe this is a reason to try Pohl. The tighter defenses have really shown how weak of an arm Williams has. He really struggles to make many of the throws, especially when he has to get the ball down field in to tight coverage.

Chisholm didn't play much because he was hurt. He hurt his left arm in the first half and was in street clothes before the game was over.

[Z.I.P.]

It didn't take too long for the MAC to catch up w/TB's offense. We are seeing against the better MAC teams like BGSU,OU and NIU that Akron is just not going to be able to outscore anyone. Those teams are basically controlling the line with their front 4 and making Akron try to run more. When Williams is throwing he is seeing little separation by his receivers because they are running into 6-7 man secondaries. Thats not Williams' fault. Pohl wouldn't make any difference unless he is willing to run more than Williams. TB was trying to stack the backfield more to get the run going. But,this is a passing offense that needs a QB who can also be a running threat.

Some things I noticed at the game: Chisholm played little. Why TB suddenly decided Chisholm was a kick returner 8 games in is puzzling. The O line was pretty much over matched by the NIU D line. That was especially true of the right side of the Akron line. Williams was forcing more passes out of frustration. Whoever the DB was who got run over by the NIU QB when he was heading into the end zone should check for cleat marks on his chest. Too many NIU receivers running way to free. Zips can't handle a running QB...again. NIU is a VERY good MAC team and has been consistently for a number of years now. Why? Akron has 'run out of gas'. They need a week off but don't have one. Attendance has taken another hit for at least one more season unless they win early at home next year. Akron is still at least 2 years away from being consistently competetive w/the best teams in the MAC.

Yeah -- so what's new? Did anyone really think this team would be competiitive this year...or next? But in all truthfullness, they are one of the most improved teams in the MAC. This NIU team would have scored 50 in the first half against Ianello's team.

[Lee Adams]

I don't think anyone is blaming Williams, but you are right about one thing....receivers are not getting separation like they were earlier in the season. I also believe this is a reason to try Pohl. The tighter defenses have really shown how weak of an arm Williams has. He really struggles to make many of the throws, especially when he has to get the ball down field in to tight coverage.

Chisholm didn't play much because he was hurt. He hurt his left arm in the first half and was in street clothes before the game was over.

Think its a shame. TB made what seemed like a desparate decision 8 games in. We were commenting before the kickoff about why now? It wasn't just the returners on special teams. Return teams front to back have not been very good again this year.

You are right about William's arm. But TB knew that going in. On the pick on the post pattern,you could watch the offside safety laying off until the ball was in the air. Williams threw it into the teeth of a 2 deep zone.

If nothing else rotate QB's during the game. Don't like it but, Pohl gets nothing from playing in garbage time.

With all the other losses on both sides of the ball after this season,don't go into next season with a QB with no playing time.

[GP1]

But,this is a passing offense that needs a QB who can also be a running threat.

Agreed.

I've been saying for how long now a spread offense needs the threat of running on the part of the QB and the QB has to be half decent at running? Defenses have changed from multiple zone blitz schemes to four man rushing and making QBs throw into incredibly small windows with complicated coverages. If the defensive line breaks down even a little, huge lanes open up for a QB to run (see what Miami's QB did to the Zips).

I know this isn't TB's philosophy, but if it means we run 75 plays a game with a QB threatening to run in lieu of 80 plays with no threat of run, I'll take the 75 plays. More plays doesn't make a team better. More points makes a team better.

Williams was sacked four times for a total of -28 yards. He had a total of six carries (sacks are considered a carry in college football and the negative yards count against rushing totals). He rushed a another two times for an average loss on those two carries of -8 yards. In 2012, this can't happen. A QB has to be able to pick up positive yardage in order to have success. BTW, below was NIU's QB's rushing totals...He was their leading rusher. He is in the Top 5 rushers in the country at any position.

Rushing ATT YDS AVG LG TD

LYNCH, Jordan 20 131 6.6 35 2

We would be better off is we had a QB who could produce 35% of what Lynch does on the ground.

[LZIp]

Agreed.

I've been saying for how long now a spread offense needs the threat of running on the part of the QB and the QB has to be half decent at running? Defenses have changed from multiple zone blitz schemes to four man rushing and making QBs throw into incredibly small windows with complicated coverages. If the defensive line breaks down even a little, huge lanes open up for a QB to run (see what Miami's QB did to the Zips).

I know this isn't TB's philosophy, but if it means we run 75 plays a game with a QB threatening to run in lieu of 80 plays with no threat of run, I'll take the 75 plays. More plays doesn't make a team better. More points makes a team better.

Williams was sacked four times for a total of -28 yards. He had a total of six carries (sacks are considered a carry in college football and the negative yards count against rushing totals). He rushed a another two times for an average loss on those two carries of -8 yards. In 2012, this can't happen. A QB has to be able to pick up positive yardage in order to have success. BTW, below was NIU's QB's rushing totals...He was their leading rusher. He is in the Top 5 rushers in the country at any position.

Rushing ATT YDS AVG LG TD

LYNCH, Jordan 20 131 6.6 35 2

We would be better off is we had a QB who could produce 35% of what Lynch does on the ground.

Brandon Weeden played in the same exact system in college and he is hardly what I would call a running threat. The MAC hasn't "caught up" IMO. We are just playing better teams. The MAC is a quality conference now. Maybe the best mid major...

The only not very good MAC team we played was Miami. We had no trouble scoring on them.

[GP1]

Brandon Weeden played in the same exact system in college and he is hardly what I would call a running QB

That would be great if Weeden was playing for the Zips.

Am. The only one who notices maybe all of college football has caught up with the offense at about the same time? WVU, ok state,Zips all having trouble this year.

[Dr Z]

IMO we need to pass successfully to set up our run. The play calling Saturday looked the opposite. We run too many times on first down unsuccessfully to succeed on obvious passing downs.

[RACER]

if every defense is now stoping the spread. why do the majority in teams in college football run this.

they do because it works.osu gave osu almost 100 points in two games against nebraska,and indi.

wvu did score 70 points this year agianst baylor.there is no other offense we can run that would have kept us

in our games. one game against niu does not prove the spread offense is bad.i think they are probably

the best team we will played all year.im not so sure they could not be tenn on a neutral field.

[LZIp]

That would be great if Weeden was playing for the Zips.

Am. The only one who notices maybe all of college football has caught up with the offense at about the same time? WVU, ok state,Zips all having trouble this year.

Or maybe..just maybe Ok State is struggling because they are replacing their top 2 NFL WRs and a QB?

Maybe WVU is struggling because they are actually playing decent teams now? Texas and Baylor are NOT good teams.

Nobody is "catching up" The spread is very common in CFB. Its not like these 3 teams made up this offense this year.

Lets break it down a little bit for the Zips.

UCF- Good team. 14 points

FIU- Horrible team 38 points

Morgan State- Horrible team 66 points

Tennessee- take away the pick 6 and the long TD by Hines, the offense mustered 4 field goals

Miami- Horrible Defense- (111th ranked)- 49 points.

Bowling Green- 19th ranked defense- 10 points

OU- only undefeated team in the MAC and we score 28 points against them, and played bad.

NIU- probably the best team in the MAC and we score 7 points.

Breaking it down...we have scored points on the teams we should have scored points on, and have been pretty much shut down by the teams that should have shut us down.

I bet we score 35+ on CMU this week. So much for the MAC catching up.

[zippy5]

I'm in for getting Pohl some time. Not through any fault of Williams...but he's a senior on a 1-7 team. Nothing will help Pohl for the next 3 years more than seeing some real game time.

edit: that would be a really stupid idea, burning his redshirt with 4 games left.

[Hilltopper]

I'm in for getting Pohl some time. Not through any fault of Williams...but he's a senior on a 1-7 team. Nothing will help Pohl for the next 3 years more than seeing some real game time.

edit: that would be a really stupid idea, burning his redshirt with 4 games left.

He already red-shirted last season.

[zippy5]

He already red-shirted last season.

Well then ignore my edit. Play Pohl. Gozips.com just said FR, without the (RS), unless I was looking in the wrong place.

[Lee Adams]

Or maybe..just maybe Ok State is struggling because they are replacing their top 2 NFL WRs and a QB?

Maybe WVU is struggling because they are actually playing decent teams now? Texas and Baylor are NOT good teams.

Nobody is "catching up" The spread is very common in CFB. Its not like these 3 teams made up this offense this year.

Lets break it down a little bit for the Zips.

UCF- Good team. 14 points

FIU- Horrible team 38 points

Morgan State- Horrible team 66 points

Tennessee- take away the pick 6 and the long TD by Hines, the offense mustered 4 field goals

Miami- Horrible Defense- (111th ranked)- 49 points.

Bowling Green- 19th ranked defense- 10 points

OU- only undefeated team in the MAC and we score 28 points against them, and played bad.

NIU- probably the best team in the MAC and we score 7 points.

Breaking it down...we have scored points on the teams we should have scored points on, and have been pretty much shut down by the teams that should have shut us down.

I bet we score 35+ on CMU this week. So much for the MAC catching up.

Well,we just aren't good enough to compete with anybody in the MAC who has any modicum of talent at this point.

If you listened to the broadcast on Saturday and to TB,it was about being able to handle press coverage on the outside and find receivers running through multiple layers of defenders. Call it what U want.

[LZIp]

The MAC is rated the 5th best conference by CBS this week.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/b...oves-into-top-5

[MDZip]

The top half of the MAC is pretty impressive, but the bottom half is woeful.

[Dr Z]

The MAC is rated the 5th best conference by CBS this week.

Looking forward to seeing Akron's name being mentioned in a positive article about the conference. Still can't get over kEn+.

[Wally B]

Well.... even a blind black squirrel will find the occasional nut.... even if it takes 36 years.

[LZIp]

The top half of the MAC is pretty impressive, but the bottom half is woeful.

Eh, the same could be said about most conferences, except that the MAC has more "impressive" teams than other conferences this year.

6 bowl eligible teams is the second most in the FBS. The thing with the MAC is they arent a "big 6" conference and have the luxury of scheduling down 3 out of their 4 OOC games.

[Captain Kangaroo]

The top half of the MAC is pretty impressive, but the bottom half is woeful.

The bottom 3 are woeful. Given the Zips present situation, I'd give my left nut to be anywhere above that level.

[Zipmeister]

The bottom 3 are woeful. Given the Zips present situation, I'd give my left nut to be anywhere above that level.

To the uninformed this statement sounds pretty dramatic. They don't realize you have three.

[johnnyzip84]

To the uninformed this statement sounds pretty dramatic. They don't realize you have three.

Do you mean three left nuts, or three nuts total? Please clarify.

[Dr Z]

We have got to learn to stretch a defense. Too many plays happen within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage.

TB's play calling yesterday left a lot to be desired by Zip fans. What a waste to a beautiful tail gaiting day.

PS The one time we did try a long pass, the defensive back made an awesome play and intercepted it. Unlucky.