Football preview on SBNation

[zipproud]

^{They are making it difficult to get to all of the home games but WINNING makes it worth a tough Wednesday work day!!!!}

^{I think they are trying to prepare us for our BOWL GAME that is going to be on a weeknight!!!!}

^{BOWL BOUND BABY (BBB)!!!!}

^{GO ZIPS!!!!!}

[K92]

you guys have to be shitting me complaining about the scheduling.

Playing on TV is great if you weren't planning on attending the game. Travel distance is usually the killer for me, but any game that I can attend, I want to attend and I want them all to be on Saturdays at 4 P.M. or later.

I am totally selfish.

[Balsy]

Im with Keener on this. I like the national exposure...but I DON'T like the national exposure of ours stadium being empty. I'd rather have more fans in the stadium to build the fan base and THEN get national exposure....over getting national exposure without building the fan base.

Students won't likely attend Tuesday night games that late in the season either.

[zippy5]

There are more students on campus during the week than the weekend, sadly.

[LZIp]

Playing on TV is great if you weren't planning on attending the game. Travel distance is usually the killer for me, but any game that I can attend, I want to attend and I want them all to be on Saturdays at 4 P.M. or later.

I am totally selfish.

Im with Keener on this. I like the national exposure...but I DON'T like the national exposure of ours stadium being empty. I'd rather have more fans in the stadium to build the fan base and THEN get national exposure....over getting national exposure without building the fan base.

Students won't likely attend Tuesday night games that late in the season either.

I definitely see where you guys are coming from. I even *meant* to point that out in my initial post, but somehow said "win" instead of "attend". I guess you know what's on my mind.

Here are some of my thoughts:

Students:The vast majority of students are looking for every and any reason to drink/skip class. I mean we do only have like a 30% graduation rate. IMO, these games will have better student attendence than Saturday noon games for the obvious reason that the students are too hungover to get up and moving that early.

Joe Akron: I don't see any reason Joe Akron cannot make it out to the game if he really wants to. The games will be over around 11ish depending on start time. I usually go to bed 11:30-12 and wake up at 6:30, so that doesn't really affect me at all if I want to go. And if it did, I think "Joe Akron" could suck it up for a night if he thought there was a team being fielded that is worth his time and money to watch.

Comparison: I looked up a few #MACtion games from past season. OU @ Buffalo had an attendence of 23k on a Tuesday night in November. Can't St @ OU, a game with very little interest for OU fans to attend drew an attendence of 17k. Buffalo @ Toledo drew an attendence of 15k. I didnt even mention any of NIU's games because they are the prince of the conference. Would have been much better #'s if I did. BG did only draw 8.5k against OU for whatever reason, but that appears to be an outlier. Maybe there was some adverse weather conditions? Regardless, they are MAC champs and everyone seen them BCS bust NIU on national television. Doubt they care.

Bottom line:

We were given a guaranteed national primetime home game against the reigning MAC champs. If we are putting the team on the field that we all think we will, the attendence will be just fine. That's really what it comes down to. Any rumblings of the MAC "punishing" us is a complete and utter joke (not calling either of you out).

[Balsy]

Students:The vast majority of students are looking for every and any reason to drink/skip class. I mean we do only have like a 30% graduation rate. IMO, these games will have better student attendence than Saturday noon games for the obvious reason that the students are too hungover to get up and moving that early.

Comparison: I looked up a few #MACtion games from past season. OU @ Buffalo had an attendence of 23k on a Tuesday night in November. Can't St @ OU, a game with very little interest for OU fans to attend drew an attendence of 17k. Buffalo @ Toledo drew an attendence of 15k. I didnt even mention any of NIU's games because they are the prince of the conference. Would have been much better #'s if I did. BG did only draw 8.5k against OU for whatever reason, but that appears to be an outlier. Maybe there was some adverse weather conditions? Regardless, they are MAC champs and everyone seen them BCS bust NIU on national television. Doubt they care.

At least your mind is in the "right" place! Who knew we'd ever be substituting "WIN" for any other word when talking about Akron Football?

Students: I guess my perception of student attendance has been marred by football going a collective 11-49 while I was at school (granted the last year was the miraculous turnaround). Student attendance was always a problem (save the early year evening games). Hopefully it will be better especially since we appear to be getting better...however there is always that nagging voice in the back of my mind...

[Zips Win!]

This schedule is like the MAC commish. They both blow!

I would rather play 12 Saturday afternoon/early evening games not televised than any amount televised by ESPN played on a weeknight. All they do is talk about the upcoming BCS games during the telecast so who really cares there is a game going on in the background.

Good luck to the guys in the ticket office!!! I cannot wait for those evening games in November on a Tuesday. Heck, we can probably move the game to the field house...

[zippy_ua_00]

Maybe they scheduled it in hopes there would be a bigger crowd, considering the team down south wont be playing, thus allowing more eyes and bodies to be put in the info

[GP1]

This schedule is like the MAC commish. They both blow!

I would rather play 12 Saturday afternoon/early evening games not televised than any amount televised by ESPN played on a weeknight. All they do is talk about the upcoming BCS games during the telecast so who really cares there is a game going on in the background.

Good luck to the guys in the ticket office!!! I cannot wait for those evening games in November on a Tuesday. Heck, we can probably move the game to the field house...

Agreed. On the day of a college football game, one shouldn't have the stress of thinking about getting work done before leaving work early. One shouldn't be thinking during the game about how tired they are going to be the next day. A college football game should be an event of complete freedom.

The MAC is a shockingly stupid league. Just shocking.

[ZachTheZip]

Bottom line: weeknight games suck. There is no way to spin it.

[johnnyzip84]

I think it's important to separate the issue of whether you think the MAC should be playing weekday games for ESPN at all and whether you think, given the current agreement between the league and the network, it's a good thing or a bad thing that the Zips are selected to participate in these games. These are really two different issues.

It seems like the majority here wish the MAC would end the agreement with ESPN, and I am in agreement with them (but it might make for a good poll, so I will also start one just to see how members feel - although the results might be skewed a little since the schedule uproar is so fresh). However, given the current agreement, I don't think it's bad thing that the Zips are scheduled to play in these games in 2014.

[K92]

As much as we want to bitch about MACtion weekday games, you can at least see the intention there which is to get exposure on TV. Can anyone explain to me the rationale behind playing Howard on a Thursday? To my knowledge, it will not be televised at all so what is the point? Terrible decision in my book.

[GJGood]

One could argue more casual fans and even potential recruits and their families will watch the Zips on a Tuesday night on ESPN2 than ever would on a saturday afternoon on ESPN3 with BCS schools playing at the same time. I think it is a good thing as far as the development of the program on the field is concerned. It is also good for the out of town fans and alumni since they will be able to watch much easier than when we are on ESPN3.

From the stadium-attending fan perspective I agree that it leaves quite a bit to be desired. I see it is as a pick your poison type of situation.

[GP1]

One could argue more casual fans and even potential recruits and their families will watch the Zips on a Tuesday night on ESPN2 than ever would on a saturday afternoon on ESPN3 with BCS schools playing at the same time.

This is absolutely true. So my question is...What will they see when they tune in?

[Captain Kangaroo]

As much as we want to bitch about MACtion weekday games, you can at least see the intention there which is to get exposure on TV. Can anyone explain to me the rationale behind playing Howard on a Thursday? To my knowledge, it will not be televised at all so what is the point? Terrible decision in my book.

I like the idea of the Thursday night opener. The quicker football arrives, the better.

Summer night...take off the afternoon from work...the only drawback is Friday morning. I'll probably take an hour or two PTO for that one too.

[Buckzip]

When does spring ball start?

[GP1]

When does spring ball start?

Spring ball? If MAClike conferences had any sense, we would be kicking off our spring/summer season on April 11th. I like real football, not football practice.

[Zipmeister]

Spring ball? If MAClike conferences had any sense, we would be kicking off our spring/summer season on April 11th. I like real football, not football practice.

Keep your shirt on there buster. Can't you see you are almost 1/52 of the way towards getting your wish. All those Saturday games moved up to Tuesday. If this trend continues in another half century, boom goes the dynamite, you got your spring ball.

[GP1]

Keep your shirt on there buster. Can't you see you are almost 1/52 of the way towards getting your wish. All those Saturday games moved up to Tuesday. If this trend continues in another half century, boom goes the dynamite, you got your spring ball.

Actually, if the current trend continues in college athletics, MAClike conferences will exist to provide scout teams to the BCS schools.

[johnnyzip84]

When does spring ball start?

It starts March 17 with the spring game on April 19.

[GJGood]

I'm not sure what you mean...you hope we don't get 7 wins? So +/-??

Just that if we get 7 wins I am hoping there is a bowl game following our 12 game schedule. I would be extremely irritated if we finally get to the 7-5 mark and then still don't go to the postseason.

[Lee Adams]

The key to improvement this season is Pohl. Secondarily,the O-line needs to hold its own early. May be difficult with the losses there. Front 7 on D should actually be better. Back end of the D looks weak so Coach Chuck better be effective at dialing up blitzes. Maybe more off the corners and or safeties.

But,Pohl is still the key. Bowden had to somewhat throttle back the offense for him last season. Can't do that anymore. Pohl has to be aggressive and decisive throwing the ball. He has a go to in D'Orazio. He has an adequate running game. There are enough tools for Pohl to work with. He needs to take charge of the offense and use them.

[GP1]

Front 7 on D should actually be better. Back end of the D looks weak so Coach Chuck better be effective at dialing up blitzes. Maybe more off the corners and or safeties.

But,Pohl is still the key.

Effective?...I'd say yes, but with one addition. I think the timing of blitzes is very important. If the front seven is going to be better, the need for blitzing is reduced if the front can get pressure without blitzing. I like the saying, "Blitz early, cover late." Successful early blitzing causes the offense to keep potential receivers in to block. Since there are more blockers, there are less receivers and outnumbering the receivers is very important because it allows for combination zones (man-to-man in addition to zone) on plays. If an offense keeps a RB in to block or even a tight end while the defense rushes four, the count becomes seven guys guarding four. I like the defenses chances to get the most important thing in football, a turnover, in a 7 vs 4 scenario. I also like the elimination of big plays (30+ yard plays) in this scenario as well. The offense is going to complete some passes, just tackle when they do and having a lot of guys back there to tackle sure helps.

Unsuccessful blitzing early isn't the end of the world either. It allows a coordinator to know what his choices are for later in the game.

The best scenario of all is, no blitzing while getting pressure with four. If the Zips have an improved front line and can do this, it sets up a lot of opportunities for success for the team.