Out coached again....

[Dr Z]

Snoop Lion is a coach.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

What I don't understand is the lionization of TB when he has done nothing, yet, to earn that here. So far he's won ONE game. I also don't understand posters who post on a board, which has no reason to exist other than providing a forum for fans to opine, that posters, who after all, aren't coaches, should basically shut their mouths. Are you really so thankful to have a coach that anyone has heard of?

[Dave in Green]

@SeeTeeZip, the answer to your first question is that the definition of lionization is to treat someone as a celebrity. Coach Bowden was a celebrity before he came here, and he still is. So far what he's done at UA is to reduce the embarassing magnitude of the Zips losses into somewhat less embarassing losses. For that he deserves some credit. There's much more to be accomplished, and if Coach Bowden doesn't continue the upward trajectory, more Zips fans will start dumping on him as you've elected to do before his first season was even completed.

The answer to your second question is that fan forums are for fans to sound off, and for other fans to tell them their remarks are stupid and that they'd come across as more intelligent if they kept their traps shut. Most fans who've posted on sports forums have been on both sides of that equation at one time or another.

Any other questions?

[LZIp]

I believe we'll only lose one corner (Commack), as Malachi Freeman is listed as a junior.

We've got that Colorado State transfer waiting in the wings to fill Grigg's DE spot.

Then we've got James Price (6-0, 305) coming back from academic ineligibility to play DT next season.

I think we need ONE great JUCO DT for next season (to give us a rotation of 4), as both Grice & Caponi will be back.

We'll also be getting Jamar Williams back at LB. Add him to Justin March (stud), Jatavis Brown & Jamel Turner and we've got a GREAT LB crew (heck, maybe Rossi will have a breakout year?).

All things considered, IMHO we look to be in pretty good shape.

missed this, nice breakdown. I think my biggest concern next year will be the secondary, as it was the weakest link this year, IMO.

[Dr Z]

...secondary, as it was the weakest link this year, IMO.

Totally disagree.

[GP1]

Totally disagree.

Totally agree with you totally disagreeing. Need better run defense. Secondary will improve when opponent is one dimensional.

[LZIp]

Totally disagree.

Totally agree with you totally disagreeing. Need better run defense. Secondary will improve when opponent is one dimensional.

The run defense unit as whole wasnt good. Our D-line actually had our better players, though. Caponi, Grice, Presley, and Griggs.

LB corp was kind of meh. March will be solid I think, just kind of small this year. Mangum was slow but seemed to at least be able to tackle and plug the middle on sure run situations. Gilmer was just bad. I think we have some younger players at LB that will develop and we will be solid there.

Who do we have coming up in the secondary? Commack was by far our best. I like Ford as well, but I see him as more of a hitter than a coverage guy. I dont think Holmes is good at all, same with Freeman. It seemed if teams wanted to pass on us, they could have (cant get the Miami (OH) game out of my head. I could be wrong, but I remember 3 interceptions this year. The one by Commack against Tenn, 1 by our DE against UMASS, and the other by Mangum against Toledo.

[GP1]

The run defense unit as whole wasnt good. Our D-line actually had our better players, though. Caponi, Grice, Presley, and Griggs.

Defense is a product of line play. Better defenses can control the line and passing pocket with a minimum of four players. Until we can do that, we have problems on the line. Existing players need to improve or be replaced. Miami was a problem because we couldn't keep the QB from running at will.

[Hugo42]

Who do we have coming up in the secondary? Commack was by far our best. I like Ford as well, but I see him as more of a hitter than a coverage guy. I dont think Holmes is good at all, same with Freeman. It seemed if teams wanted to pass on us, they could have (cant get the Miami (OH) game out of my head. I could be wrong, but I remember 3 interceptions this year. The one by Commack against Tenn, 1 by our DE against UMASS, and the other by Mangum against Toledo.

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. GILMER just flat out bad. Commack being the best corner we have. Holmes and Freeman are not good at all. WOW. Im glad you are not a football coach. One of the worst post I have read. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but when you say stuff like this. Thats horrible, Gilmer played his heart out ever since he has been here. Troy Gilmer has played hurt that last two seasons. He might not make every play he needs to but if everbody played with the heart and passion he did Akron would not be 1-11 the last three years. Holmes is the best Safety on the team hands down with out a question. Freeman was consistently the best corner we had. Just an awful post by you. Ford needs to move to LB by the way. I cant believe this guy smh. Well Zips Nation I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

[LZIp]

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. GILMER just flat out bad. Commack being the best corner we have. Holmes and Freeman are not good at all. WOW. Im glad you are not a football coach. One of the worst post I have read. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but when you say stuff like this. Thats horrible, Gilmer played his heart out ever since he has been here. Troy Gilmer has played hurt that last two seasons. He might not make every play he needs to but if everbody played with the heart and passion he did Akron would not be 1-11 the last three years. Holmes is the best Safety on the team hands down with out a question. Freeman was consistently the best corner we had. Just an awful post by you. Ford needs to move to LB by the way. I cant believe this guy smh. Well Zips Nation I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately playing heart out =/= good. Im sure many of the practice squad players play their heart out, too. Freeman better than Commack? No way. Freeman probably had a dozen PI penalties called on him this year, along with many missed tackles. Holmes flat out is bad no matter what way you want to spin it. Pretty cocky for a guy who cant make a tackle consistently. Ford wont be moved to LB.

I can tell you have some connection to these guys by the emotion of your post. If you are going to post on a fan forum, you need to not be so biased.

[Hugo42]

Unfortunately playing heart out =/= good. Im sure many of the practice squad players play their heart out, too. Freeman better than Commack? No way. Freeman probably had a dozen PI penalties called on him this year, along with many missed tackles. Holmes flat out is bad no matter what way you want to spin it. Pretty cocky for a guy who cant make a tackle consistently. Ford wont be moved to LB.

I can tell you have some connection to these guys by the emotion of your post. If you are going to post on a fan forum, you need to not be so biased.

You are right I do have a connection with the players, Coaches as well. For you to say that Holmes and Freeman are not good you do not know FOOTBALL. And why wont Ford be moved to LB? please give me a detailed explanation on why he won't. Ford moving to LB was talked about last spring and being talked about now. BTW most practice squad players do not play their heart out cause they are tired of being thrown around all the time. There is a difference in being biased and knowing what I am talking. For you to attack players saying they are bad is not what a message board is about either.

[LZIp]

You are right I do have a connection with the players, Coaches as well. For you to say that Holmes and Freeman are not good you do not know FOOTBALL. And why wont Ford be moved to LB? please give me a detailed explanation on why he won't. Ford moving to LB was talked about last spring and being talked about now. BTW most practice squad players do not play their heart out cause they are tired of being thrown around all the time. There is a difference in being biased and knowing what I am talking. For you to attack players saying they are bad is not what a message board is about either.

Cant argue with somebody who I can point out is biased just from seeing one post. Defense ranks 108th in points given up per game. Its hard to argue anybody is any good.

How about Holmes blown coverage for a TD during the Toledo game? Or Freeman's 2 pass ints during the Toledo game where it resulted in a TD? He looked like Buster Skrine out there.

Opposing coaches know who to attack as well as our coaches know our own weaknesses. There is a reason Commack took the better WR most of the time.

[ZachTheZip]

Our poor run defense is a direct result of the lack of talent at the LB position.

[ZachTheZip]

I'd like to see Malachi Freeman converted to offense. He's fast. I don't know how many of you watched the Can't game, but he ran down Dri Archer from behind and tackled him before it became a TD.

Imagine having our own Dri Archer, but even faster.

[johnnyzip84]

And why wont Ford be moved to LB? please give me a detailed explanation on why he won't. Ford moving to LB was talked about last spring and being talked about now.

First, I agree with you about player assessment. Second, I'm really glad you brought up a potential move to LB for Bre' Ford, because I have been wondering about that for much of this year. I guess my main concern is whether he can get any bigger without any significant loss in speed. He'd be a little short, but there have been some great LBs over the years (Sam Mills comes to mind) who were well under 6'. So is this something we should expect to see in 2013?

[Hugo42]

First, I agree with you about player assessment. Second, I'm really glad you brought up a potential move to LB for Bre' Ford, because I have been wondering about that for much of this year. I guess my main concern is whether he can get any bigger without any significant loss in speed. He'd be a little short, but there have been some great LBs over the years (Sam Mills comes to mind) who were well under 6'. So is this something we should expect to see in 2013?

All depends on the developement of the other linebackers. I feel that it would be looked at during the spring.

[Lee Adams]

Akron hasn't had an adequate defense in years. And,when we talk about a player being the 'best' at his position on this team,we are saying little. I thought Griggs played decently but he is gone. Presley looked promising until he got hurt.

Amato et. al. get a mulligan for this season because of the general lack of talent/depth at the DL/ LB .As we saw this year,this team will not simply be able to outscore opponents. You don't have to have a K.S.U. or BGSU defense,but until you have playmakers at LB and in the secondary,this team will continue to 'chase points' as TB has said.