InTheZone Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Just got some bad news on my semi-weekly trip back downtown to the bars. Talked to a current Zips player (won't name him because I don't know if the same season drinking policy applies to these players that applied to me!), but I started asking him about the situation with the suspended players (Crouch, Pace, Igor) and what the heck was going on when he brought up the fact that two reserve defensive lineman, Clarence McPherson and Brandon Butler, left the team during the off week. He said he really had no clue on the reasons or situation for either of them. With our defensive line already thin, this really hurts guys. I think Butler had only played sparingly in about half the games, but I believe McPherson was the Zips top backup player up front. With a d-line already thin on depth, I think this hurts. Those two were also two of the fastest guys we had up front, so so much for a revived pass rush this season . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickzips Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I'm sorry but the more and more I hear stuff like this the more I can't help but think that JD has lost control of this team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I'm sorry but the more and more I hear stuff like this the more I can't help but think that JD has lost control of this team.OU has had 17 player arrests in the past 9 months...and they just beat Illinois. Control is overrated, I guess?The few things that have popped up over the past few weeks are nothing in the big scheme of things. We suspended a kicker that never played, and may have lost 2 reserve DL's. Pace's absense is somewhat of a hit, but we won a championship without him last season. Crouch? I like Tim, but it doesn't bug me to see the staff giving someone else a chance on the left side.Beat Miami and Toledo and the world will again be rosy.If you think JD has lost control, whaddya think about Larry Coker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InTheZone Posted October 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Followed up on this a little bit today. Apparently McPherson has had a change of heart and has rejoined the team. He will not play Saturday however. Butler is still MIA. Pace is back with the team and expected to start.In other news:-The offices/meeting rooms are nearly complete on the second level of the field house. The offices will include football, softball, and track and field coaches offices as well as football meeting rooms and a players lounge. Haven't seen it myself but supposedly it's pretty first class, with windows overlooking the indoor field. Also heard the plan is to eventually extend a cross walk from the offices over into the new stadium across vine st whenever that gets completed which is going to make the whole facility pretty sweet.- The panic over a wasted season seen in this forum is not shared amongst the team and staff. Apparently there's a fair amount of confidence that this is no time to panic and things are going to end up pretty well.- Look for more rotation and backups on the field in the coming weeks. The staff wants to avoid the 4th quarter letdowns we've seen by getting some fresh faces on the field throughout the game and letting the starters go into the final period with some gas left in the tank.That's all for now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipboy Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Looking at players who quitHenry - senior who lost his starting jobPace/Crouch - 4th and 5th year guys who were going to lose playing time and came backButler - never really playedMcPherson - backup who was getting playing time, not sure what was going on with himI don't see that as losing control. I see that as guys frustrated with the lack of success of the team and themselves this year. Having 5 guys arrested would be losing control.Too often we focus on the negative. My 2nd best moment of the season (#1 being Kenndy's game winning TD) was watching Alex Allen on the sidelines on crutches during Walker's first carry and TD run against NTSU. Alex almost fell over hobbling down the sideline and chest bumping Andre after the TD. I thought at the time, man what a team guy. I have to think most of the guys on the team are like that or a Mark Groza who waited forever to play and is pretty solid. I look for a strong 2nd half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Zip Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 How many games does this team have to lose before those "glass if half full" guys to starting wondering what's going on. The blow out to Can't was enough for me to wonder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckzip Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 How many games does this team have to lose before those "glass if half full" guys to starting wondering what's going on. The blow out to Can't was enough for me to wonder. I think there are some problems too. However, I am not giving up on JD over this. He is still fairly new here, and needs to learn some more. I still feel he will be a very good coach here. I have been complaining about the amount of players that we lose for a while now. I won't keep mentioning it, because I got yelled at last time. However, it is an issue. Each team is allowed 85 scholarship players. I don't even know if we have 85 players on our roster, including walkons. I know for sure that we aren't even close to the 85 scholly limit. Being a fan of 2 different teams, gives me an opportunity to compare certain things. All teams have there share of transfers. However, Akron has many more guys than others that just plain quit. It is a little strange. However, I will always be an Akron fan. I will keep looking a tthe glass 1/2 full until it isn't. If we get blown out by Miami, I may think a little differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Zip Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I'm as blue and gold as they come, but I for one have been extremely disappointed with this season. I was expecting big things this year and the NC State game had me really pumped, but now I'm as far down as I was up after that game. I think a second MAC Championship is out of the question and I have serious doubts as to whether this team finishes above .500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akronzip Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 How many games does this team have to lose before those "glass if half full" guys to starting wondering what's going on. The blow out to Can't was enough for me to wonder.Agreed. There is no excuse for the way we played against Can't. To come that unprepared against your archrival and get smeared across the field tells me there are serious problems with this team. I don't care how good they were. We are the defending MAC champs and should be ready for big games. We'll be extremely lucky to finish .500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 There is no excuse for the way we played against Can't. I bet there are a lot of MAC forums saying the same thing this year and more will follow by the end of the year. Can't is a good team this year and deserves credit for being so. They will suck again next year.As far as guys leaving the team and coming back, Faust used to do this a lot because he was too nice to be the type of prick needed to give a guy the boot. Eventually, allowing guys to come back creates a negative culture on the team. Once a guy leaves, they should be gone for good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballingirl Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 How many games does this team have to lose before those "glass if half full" guys to starting wondering what's going on. The blow out to Can't was enough for me to wonder.Agreed. There is no excuse for the way we played against Can't. To come that unprepared against your archrival and get smeared across the field tells me there are serious problems with this team. I don't care how good they were. We are the defending MAC champs and should be ready for big games. We'll be extremely lucky to finish .500. You have to look at the facts here. We may look pretty bad right now, but there is a reason. It is hard playing 6 out of your first 7 games away from home. It is the lack of home field advantage and it is the exhaustion of traveling. For the Penn State game, the team got home past 1:00am, NC State, they hit the airport straight from the stadium, CMU, they arrived home after 1:00am again, and Cincinnati was well past midnight. Then to get up and have something to do with football from noon to at least 8pm every Sunday. After awhile, that takes a toll of these guys. Can't was a horrible mistake of expecting the same bad team they played last year. They simply were looking past that game. Knowing many of the boys on the team, they were exhausted and come gameday, they were lacking the energy they normally have. After a bye week and with 4 of the next 6 games being at home, that rested up, healed, energetic team will come back and show the home crowd that they havent lost their spark. The glass is half full, getting ready to be filled to the top! I agree that we don't have a shot at the MAC title again, but I will be heading to Toronto to watch the Zips battle in the first ever International Bowl on January 6, 2007 b/c the Zips are going to win out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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