Game 2—Pittsburgh Panthers

[Dave in Green]

Last season the Zips started hot and finished cold. At this point I only hope it's a reversed season of starting cold and finishing hot.

[K92]

Wait. Akron had 110 yds of offense? WTF is that?

24 yards in the 2nd half.

[K92]

If you actually want to feel worse than you do right now, take a look at the numbers. . .

http://www.gozips.com/sports/fball/2015-16/files/Game2_Pitt_091215.pdf

[Jrship35]

Wow. ..... That's all I can come up with

Well there are a couple of other things .... But there is no way I will post them

#milweemustgo

[Jrship35]

But an excellent fireworks display !!!

[skip-zip]

I tried not to think about what we accomplished at Pitt last year, but I couldn't help it. It raised expectations for this game a bit, and it turned into a serious DUD.

I scoffed at the idea that 41 points was a possibility when it was predicted yesterday, but I never could have imagined only one score. And I don't think we ever even had a legitimate chance to score after that.

I don't even know what to say.

Then add the embarrassment of untimely STUPID penalties to seal the game in the end.

[zipsoutsider]

1. We stink at every game in the rain. We can play in the cold, not the rain. I don't get it. It rains for both teams.

Running the same play with the fake handoff and a Chapman run all of the time doesn't work.

Any word on KP16 re: concussion? I missed it but caught it onto he radio on the way home.

Agree with everyone that the D is playing fairly well but the offense needs to pitch in.

I have had it with undisciplined personal fouls.

The weather was the most miserable weather I have ever endured watching football. Give me snow, any day over this.

I think I am on the Milwee must go bandwagon. And, I think he needs to go now, not at the end of the season.

I am concerned that it will be closer than any of us want next week against Savannah State. I don't how we can drastically improve the offense, rapidly. Not opposed to trying Chapman at WR, but if KP16 did indeed suffer a concussion, we are in trouble. Either Chapman, who has struggled or Woodson, who has a history of turnovers. I am usually optimistic, but it is hard to be so, right now. I think Chapman has potential and at least we sawed him complete some passes, but he has struggled.

Why did we have ACC refs?

Hats off to the many fans who stuck it out in inclement weather.

How will we ever recruit a quality QB until we have a line that will protect him?

[Blue & Gold]

http://www.ohio.com/sports/zips/pitt-24-akron-7-shaky-quarterback-play-sends-zips-to-defeat-in-front-of-second-largest-crowd-ever-at-infocision-stadium-1.623860

“Kyle’s a little better thrower than he is a runner and Tra’Von is probably a little better runner than he is a thrower,” Bowden said. “We still want to do what we want to do. We still want to go where we’re going. There’s a big picture out there and I’m not going to lose sight of it. We’re going to focus on the big picture and where we’re going.”...

“We’ve got to look at it and evaluate,” Bowden said. “We’ll look at it and see if we’re doing the right things for [Chapman]. I’m not going to panic or waffle on it.”

[The Hip Zip]

Youngstown dropped 400+ yards on the Panthers D in week one . I have paid only casual attention to Zip football Dennison left but the OC needs to go NOW. The defense played well but when the inept offense can't stay on the field the D wears down.

Don't know who draws it up, who calls the plays, don't care. He or they must go

[gozips19]

Couple of observations from last night.

Great to see everyone in lot 9. Was so happy to see so many tailgaters...just a shame the weather had to take a dump on all of it.

This is one of the worst weather games I've ever been in. Others include: Akron vs Can't in the bowl, Akron vs Ball St in the bowl, and a few Browns games.

I'm as confused as everyone else with the formations the offense is running. Seems like there is no execution for what they'd like to do.

When a team is going to run this type of running attack based offense the line needs to dominate. So far the line has been dominated by two power 5 teams. The tackles got smoked multiple times and the center got no push at all. I really hope they get things in order against a lesser team next Saturday.

Depending on the level of concision is this the end for KP16? Watched him get creamed, then run the wrong way on the field. I couldn't tell if he threw up once the got on the sideline but it certainly looked like it.

Chapman looks lost still. Again, I hope he plays better next week with more of a running game and better holes. He really needs the running game to help him right now.

To give Chapman and KP16 some credit there were a ton of drops yesterday. Lane had 3 drops and 2 would have been catches for more than 30 yards. Davis had a big drop as did Hudley. What is the world has happened to Wolf, Pratt, and McNeil???

Someone mentioned Akron needs to throw in the middle of the field and I completely agree. I would also as to throw in more WR screens and RB screens.

Defense looked great but way too many dumb penalties at the end of the game. I'm willing to give them a pass as they had to have been pissed at the offense.

Really liked Broxen on the D Line. He's going to be a good one!

Wish we would have seen more of the frosh LB's get mixed in. As mentioned in another thread Akron graduated a lot on D. It's important to work these guys in.

It really seems like Bowden is treating the non conference games as preseason games. I was at the Akron vs UVA and thought there was no hope. That year it clicked mid season. I really hope that is the case here. I haven't lost faith in this team or in Bowden yet but I am worried.

[zipsoutsider]

Someone mentioned Akron needs to throw in the middle of the field and I completely agree. I would also as to throw in more WR screens and RB screens.

Agree with this, and use the TE (Newman Williams)! I also would like to see us run the FB, whether it be Grice or Williams, on plays other than 3rd and short, once in a while. VT had some success with this and I think we could, too.

It really seems like Bowden is treating the non conference games as preseason games. I was at the Akron vs UVA and thought there was no hope. That year it clicked mid season. I really hope that is the case here. I haven't lost faith in this team or in Bowden yet but I am worried.

I tend to agree. Non-conference wins are moral wins, but the goals are still to compete for the MAC title and to get a bowl birth. Both still attainable if we can work out the offense. Chapman was clearly improved. He has talent, he needs experience.

Couple of observations from last night.

Depending on the level of concision is this the end for KP16? Watched him get creamed, then run the wrong way on the field. I couldn't tell if he threw up once the got on the sideline but it certainly looked like it.

This is a serious concern. If we put all our eggs in the KP16 basket, and truly, nothing against him, we could be in trouble. Is this perhaps, why he has been more limited in non-conference play, against bigger defenses?

[K92]

I am not a fan of Elton, but he sums it up nicely here.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2015/09/akron_zips_33.html

[Dave in Green]

...Depending on the level of concision is this the end for KP16? Watched him get creamed, then run the wrong way on the field. I couldn't tell if he threw up once the got on the sideline but it certainly looked like it. ....

Haven't heard any official word so not sure if it was a concussion or not. But he bravely took a heck of a hit trying to turn a 9-yard run into a 10-yard run and a first down. Could have been a blow to the gut that caused him to double over. But I saw what you described and thought the same thing you did. I do worry about KP16 being injury-prone due to his style of play and apparent lack of ability to make the kind of moves that take the edge off of big hits.

[ewbrooman1]

Then we get inside the stadium after the game started, and the scoreboard is all jacked up. Part of it wasn't working right, part wasn't working at all, and the video kept stuttering. Did they wait until 30 minutes before the game to turn it on for the first time since November??

This is beyond disappointing to hear. With our poor attendance you would assume the game experience for people who do come would be Great.

Not to mention the fact that with a majority of the crowd huddling under cover 5-deep or more at the edges of the lower deck and standing in the concourse to stay dry, the televisions near the concession stands were not even on allowing the fans to see any of the game. I mentioned it twice to the kids in Guest Services and they were totally unaware. Another technical glitch? Good grief.

[ZippyRulz]

Looking at all of the people there tonight, and all of the people from Pitt, and the excitement, I thought THIS was the kind of game we built this stadium for. And I was almost convinced that we really do need to get into a better conference.

Then I got in line for tickets, and it went 3/4 the way across the north end of the stadium. And it moved sloooooooooooooooooooooow. If you want to sell 20,000 tickets, you might want to make it possible to sell 20,000 stinkin' tickets. Part of the problem was the away will call at gate 3 was swamped and people were complaining. But again, they expected 20,000, and were ill prepared for 10,000.

Then we get inside the stadium after the game started, and the scoreboard is all jacked up. Part of it wasn't working right, part wasn't working at all, and the video kept stuttering. Did they wait until 30 minutes before the game to turn it on for the first time since November??

Then we have all these fans here, something we always wished for, and the concession stand didn't have any cups for coffee. What the hell????? One Pitt fan joked they were all in the soccer stadium. It's like he knew the pecking order in the Athletic Dept.

I'm embarrassed.

Think small, be small.

Wow. Not a good start by the new AD.

[UA1987]

I watched Paul make a couple of kicks like he didn't care what happened. Pohl's lackluster body language after being put in late in the second half was commented on by the ESPN3 TV guy right before he got slammed by that linebacker. Marcus showed his frustration at the end. These could be tip of the iceberg observations. Savannah St. comes in at a critical time. This football squad could be about ready to implode unless someone gets to the wheel and steers us to some victories.

[LZIp]

I agree with the general consensus. I'm done with the AJ Milwee experiment. I wouldn't be opposed to him being fired now and Terry running the O for the rest of the season.

Savannah St next week regardless. Should no doubt be a win. Need to get the ship sailing in the right direction.

[Hilltopper]

Wow. Not a good start by the new AD.

Do you really think that he has been here long enough to have any impact on something like that? As of Saturday he had been on the job for a total of 12 days.

[KentZip]

This is beyond disappointing to hear. With our poor attendance you would assume the game experience for people who do come would be Great.

I'll add a couple more. Ticket scanners at the gate not working. TV's near the concession stands underneath all dark. No radio underneath the stands broadcasting Frenchie. Mr. Williams, are you listening?

[Spin]

I'll add a couple more. Ticket scanners at the gate not working. TV's near the concession stands underneath all dark. No radio underneath the stands broadcasting Frenchie. Mr. Williams, are you listening?

Agreed, I forgot those.

This is all stuff that worked before. It would be understandable if this was the first football game ever, but come on. This place has been open for FIVE YEARS and didn't have these problems. I mentioned coffee cups, and that may not seem like a big deal, unless you saw the people who were out in the seats, shivering, a hot cup of coffee would have made the miserable weather and even more miserable play almost acceptable. One Pitt fan quipped all the cups were in the soccer stadium. A Zips fan said "we cut the baseball program, you'dd think we could afford some *** **** coffee cups."

If it were only one or two things, that would have been almost understandable. But taken as a whole, completely unacceptable. Embarrassing. That was anything but an FBS experience and I am ashamed of what my university looked like to our guests.

[lance99]

I'll add a couple more. Ticket scanners at the gate not working. TV's near the concession stands underneath all dark. No radio underneath the stands broadcasting Frenchie. Mr. Williams, are you listening?

There was radio(in the east concourse), bit worked when it wanted to.

[Dave in Green]

Considering all the electrical gremlins in the rain at the stadium, maybe UA quietly farmed out operations to the New England Patriots organization.

[ZippyRulz]

Do you really think that he has been here long enough to have any impact on something like that? As of Saturday he had been on the job for a total of 12 days.

Lol...smh....yes. In 12 days he should have been aware of who was responsible to have the facilities ready (for a P5 opponent no less) and asked for a report/confirmation that they were.

[pitside]

The University wasn't the only ones struggling with the number of people attending the game. .we tried eating at an eatery across from gate 1....after after waiting 40 mins for our food we asked about our order and were told 10 more mins...15 mins later we asked again and were told at least and hour they hadn't started our order yet...needless to say we didn't stay..alot of Pitt fans were also disappointed with the service or lack of. ..another thing was the TVs there were 6...2 were shut off. .one had cops or something on and the 3 above the bar all had Tosu game on...I won't go back..

[zippy5]

wanna mention which place you were at?