Game 10--@ Miami U

[K92]

What we have to pray for is a win versus the Canadians and an evisceration of Can't. The Zips finish with a 7-5 record & bowl bid but don't stop praying yet. They need a bowl match up miracle because as Z.I.P said earlier in another thread, there are a couple of potential bowl match ups that would prove as disastrous as the Akron/VCU draw.

Akron really needs to win out and see if it makes a positive impact in recruiting.

Edited November 14, 2015 by Keener'92

[Zipgrad01]

What we have to pray for is a win versus the Canadians and an evisceration of Can't. The Zips finish with a 7-5 record & bowl bid but don't stop praying yet. They need a bowl match up miracle because as Z.I.P said earlier in another thread, there are a couple of potential bowl match ups that would prove as disastrous as the Akron/VCU draw.

Akron really needs to win out and see if it makes a positive impact in recruiting.

I actually would like to get lucky and play a Boise State or Navy like team. Reason 1, is we would get more exposure. Reason 2 is we seem to play to our level of competition. Unless we play an extremely fast spread team, I am not really that scared of being embarrassed because our defense is pretty damn good.

Truth be told....Navy may be a great matchup for us.

Edited November 14, 2015 by Zipgrad01

[zipsoutsider]

How is recruiting improving? Please give specific details. Signing day is less than 3 months away and we have 2 commits.

We always have more commits than the media reports and the football team can't discuss them.

Do we have to really review the true underclassmen talent in this team one more time? Seriously?

[Lee Adams]

I actually would like to get lucky and play a Boise State or Navy like team. Reason 1, is we would get more exposure. Reason 2 is we seem to play to our level of competition. Unless we play an extremely fast spread team, I am not really that scared of being embarrassed because our defense is pretty damn good.

Truth be told....Navy may be a great matchup for us.

Please explain why Navy would be a "great" matchup for Akron!

[Zipgrad01]

Please explain why Navy would be a "great" matchup for Akron!

Because they arent a spread team. Our secondary is our weakness. Our front 7 is extremely good and as Amato preaches...one of the smartest he has ever coached.

[K92]

Although our defense has carried us this far, I don't think they could be described as disciplined and you have to be extremely disciplined against Navy's offense. I think it would be a match up nightmare.

[Zipgrad01]

We always have more commits than the media reports and the football team can't discuss them.

Do we have to really review the true underclassmen talent in this team one more time? Seriously?

Numbers doesnt = quality.

[LZIp]

Although our defense has carried us this far, I don't think they could be described as disciplined and you have to be extremely disciplined against Navy's offense. I think it would be a match up nightmare.

Agreed. Navy may very well be the best G5 team in the country. The triple option isn't easy for anyone to defend (although it really should be). I'd be more comfortable with a middling P5 team than Navy.

[K92]

Agreed. Navy may very well be the best G5 team in the country. The triple option isn't easy for anyone to defend (although it really should be). I'd be more comfortable with a middling P5 team than Navy.

As hot headed as our defense has been at times this year, can you imagine them getting cut blocked every play? We would have 32 unsportsmanlike conducts by the end of the first half.

[Zipgrad01]

As hot headed as our defense has been at times this year, can you imagine them getting cut blocked every play? We would have 32 unsportsmanlike conducts by the end of the first half.

lol...probably

I just think JB1 and Monroe are extremely disciplined and intelligent. Plus, I wouldnt have to worry about Dylan Evans in pass coverage. He is decent against the run.

[ZippyRulz]

Agreed. Navy may very well be the best G5 team in the country. The triple option isn't easy for anyone to defend (although it really should be). I'd be more comfortable with a middling P5 team than Navy.

We'd better not chance it. Throw the Buffalo and Can't games for the familiar comfort of 5-7.

[LZIp]

Some thoughts after having some time to relax:

Offense - I think they played pretty great. Maybe the best all year. I'm not too worried about Woodson's INTs as there's a little grey area as whose faults it was and they weren't horrible decisions/inaccurate throws. Conor ran tough as always. I hope Conor I liked the play calling with a few designed runs for Woodson. I do think the coaching staff played "not to lose" starting about mid-way through the 3rd which hurt us, but when it came down to it at the end, the offense came through with a nice drive to seal the game. Seemed the OL did a better job than they have in a while too.

Defense- Stepped up big when we needed them to. Created turnovers. Front 7 was awesome as usual. I think the secondary could have played better. I dont know what Cheek was doing on that long TD pass and we got lucky with a couple of drops by them. Something else I've noticed..it seems like the stupid penalties (especially the personal fouls) are starting to disappear. Its about time.

Special teams- Beyond horrible. We gave up big returns, blocked punts, missed FGs/XPs, kicks offs out of bounds, bad punts, and failed fakes. I will say though, as zipsoutsider pointed out, its good to get that fake out of the way so we know never to run it again. Its good that we had all of these mishaps against a team we were still able to beat in spite of it. I expect special teams to be a heavy focus in practice this week, as it could very well cost us against Buffalo. I'm happy Stein was able to hit the long FG to seal it. Hopefully it will give him some confidence. I hope Paul gets it turned around. He has been somewhat disappointing this season compared to the rest of his career. Very inconsistent.

Its good we are beating the teams we are supposed to beat consistently. As ZTZ pointed out, we are still in that win close/lose close stage of the rebuild. It isn't pretty, but a win is a win.

[Dr Z]

Zips Hold Off RedHawks by GT of the ABJ

Akron Wins on Stein 50 Yard FG by go zips dot com

Photos from go zips dot com

[skip-zip]

At this point, I'll take wins any way we can get them. Winning a road game against a "traditional" MAC power on the road, at any time, is good for us. Especially with a bowl game bid becoming more and more real every week.

But here's the one thing that really bothered me yesterday, besides the putrid special teams play.

Our secondary was exposed again. Giving up 316 yards in the air against that kind of talent is inexcusable. And the pass rush was doing their job, for the most part. That long pass TD by Miami should have never happened. The Safety was in the right spot, but stood there waiting for the pass to come down while the receiver cut right underneath him, caught the ball, and raced down the field. That kind of lack of focus let Miami back in the game. I hope it doesn't cost us a big win in the next two weeks, because Buffalo can put a much better QB on the field than any of those platooning youngsters we faced yesterday.

[lance99]

Coaching has cost us this lead more than anything. The coaches have been playing not to lose since about midway through the 3rd.

Here is what I cannot understand. Other than the Eastern game, once the Zips have their foot on their throats, they let up for some strange reason. I cannot stand that.

[Jrship35]

How is recruiting improving? Please give specific details. Signing day is less than 3 months away and we have 2 commits.

Recruiting is still stagnant.

I posted this a while back and got no responses:

• 
• Members
• 
• 519 posts
• 0 warning points

Posted 04 November 2015 - 06:52 PM

Zipgrad01, on 04 Nov 2015 - 12:13 PM, said:

The reason I do it is because I am scared shitless about the direct of the program. We aren't getting any better and the lack of talent is staggering for the upcoming classes.

I don't want to stoke the fire but I am interested to understand the statement of the staggering lack of talent in the upcoming classes ........... How do you gauge that ? Some names like Lane,Wolfe, Woodson, Williams, Ritz, Erickson, Van Edwards, Cooper on Offense ................... Pittman, Marcus, Boxen, Scott, Guiser, Gilbert. Bell, Rachel, Hope on defense. This year's Freshmen and RS freshmen names may not stick out too much other than a couple but I;m not sure how to qualify the statement

I'm could be wrong, but these guys seem to be pretty talented and have contributed this year. Obviously some big senior losses on the defensive side and the O-line, but do you really think that the above names are a staggering decline in talent ? Maybe young and not much experience, but I'm not sure on the lack of talent

How do you come to the statements that recruiting is stagnant and the lack of talent is "staggering" for the upcoming classes ?

Edited November 15, 2015 by Jrship35

[zipsoutsider]

I think part of the not being able to hold onto a lead is part of the improvement process. The progression generally goes from losing leads and lose the game to loosing leads but winning the game to keeping the lead.

[Lee Adams]

I think part of the not being able to hold onto a lead is part of the improvement process. The progression generally goes from losing leads and lose the game to loosing leads but winning the game to keeping the lead.

?

[LZIp]

?

? Makes sense to me. Not very good teams typically aren't very good at blowing people out/knowing how to play with leads.

[Lee Adams]

The numbers: Miami:Run: 68 yards net on 31 attempts. Pass: 20-42-2 pix but 316 yds, 3 TD's among 3 QB's. Their guy Williams had 7 grabs for 181. I am sure UB is looking closely.

Akron:Run: 193(net) on 45 attempts; Pass:13-28 for 221,2 pix(humm);9 penalties for 80 yds(Bowden has never been able to correct that), 2-12 on third down.

These numbers were against a bad Miami team. Miami I believe gave Akron 4 TO's? Better keep the ball close to the ground. The Zips better play far better on Saturday or that Can't game may become rather meaningless.

[LoyalZIP]

The numbers: Miami:Run: 68 yards net on 31 attempts. Pass: 20-42-2 pix but 316 yds, 3 TD's among 3 QB's. Their guy Williams had 7 grabs for 181. I am sure UB is looking closely.

Akron:Run: 193(net) on 45 attempts; Pass:13-28 for 221,2 pix(humm);9 penalties for 80 yds(Bowden has never been able to correct that), 2-12 on third down.

These numbers were against a bad Miami team. Miami I believe gave Akron 4 TO's? Better keep the ball close to the ground. The Zips better play far better on Saturday or that Can't game may become rather meaningless.

Meaningless? Going for win number 6 and a possible (I'd even call it likely) bowl bid on the line isn't meaningless.

[skip-zip]

I think what Lee is saying is that going into the Ken+ game at 5-6 may already put us in a "No Bowl" situation. Nobody really knows. It's all speculation. But, I sure remember what happened to the 2004 team that was "bowl eligible" at 6-6, and spent the bowl season at home as the only bowl eligible school not playing in a bowl.

Sorry. There may be more bowl games, but I don't trust anyone on these bowl committees who will always pick a "name team" over Akron.

[LZIp]

I think what Lee is saying is that going into the Ken+ game at 5-6 may already put us in a "No Bowl" situation. Nobody really knows. It's all speculation. But, I sure remember what happened to the 2004 team that was "bowl eligible" at 6-6, and spent the bowl season at home as the only bowl eligible school not playing in a bowl.

Sorry. There may be more bowl games, but I don't trust anyone on these bowl committees who will always pick a "name team" over Akron.

Nobody is expecting Akron to get selected over a name team. It's been discussed ad nauseam on here that it looks like there will be trouble filling all the bowl slots this year.

[zipsoutsider]

6-6 is better than 5-7, bowl or not.

Edited November 16, 2015 by zipsoutsider

[K92]

Jatavis Brown:

7 solo tackles, 4 assists, 2 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.

What a performance.

Defensive Player of the Week: Akron LB Jatavis Brown

Akron senior linebacker Jatavis Brown (Belle Glade, Fla.) led all defenders with 11 tackles, two sacks, a career-high 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one break-up, and the first interception of his career in a 37-28 win at Miami. With his two sacks, Brown set the school record for sacks in a season, the previous record was 10.0 held by Jason Taylor and Ken Williams. He now has 10.5 sacks. After 10 games, Brown has 88 tackles, a team-best 16.0 tackles for loss, and a team-best 10.5 sacks for a loss of 80 yards, three hurries, two forced fumbles, and an interception.

http://mac-sports.com/news/2015/11/16/FB_1116154924.aspx

Well deserved, Jatavis.