Game 5: Akron @ UMass – 3:30 pm

[footballzip]

Would we be this bad if Bowden was still here? I realize last years 4-8 wasn't great, but I'll take it now.

[1981 grad]

We are probably the worst football team in division one and it is costing Akron $370, 000 to Tennessee Chatanooga to buy our Arth's contract, $630, 000 to pay Bowden's salary over the next 2 years and $500,000 to pay Arth's salary.  Does anyone want to extend the contract of our Athletic director, Larry Williams? 

[Steve1981]

It was a pleasure to Mr and Mrs Captain Kangaroo. Did not know who would win going in. You guys can give us some payback on Dec 30th. We are young and found out Buggs is not a true pg but think the other positions are good. Will see and thanks for doing both Basketball and Football. Wish we could do the same with more MAC teams. Football wise we have a good number on the schedule. Hope things improve for you all, especially two years from now after the return game.. Will see if I can make the trip next year. Again if there is no pain, then there is no emotion. In that regard pain is good and things will eventually get better (Got to be optimistic as I've already made friends with the abyss after the SIU game.). You did replace the rubber bowl, just need some good luck.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Steve1981
thought luck and type like, ops

[ZachTheZip]

39 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

Does anyone want to extend the contract of our Athletic director, Larry Williams? 

Name one positive impact he's made on the athletics department.

[NWAkron]

3 hours ago, dre22era said:

Whats your point in defending mediocrity 

If you want this board to only consist of a bunch of oblivious "Yes men" ill be happy to leave 

Please do.

[Spin]

...so, how's that club hockey team coming along?

 

 

 

 

 

?

[RowdyZip]

I'd have to say if things don't improve drastically in the next few months, Larry Williams has to go. Football 0-5, Soccer 0-7, 2 years of mediocre basketball. And before you tell me about Track/Swimming/Rifle, these are the sports people pay attention to. Major sports is where an AD gangs his hat, and we are declining precipitously in all.

[Balsy]

13 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

No need to apologize for caring.  That's the mark of a real fan.  Your original post just had the sound of a kid telling  his mom that the kids at school were making fun of his clothes!  

 

Also,  don't lump me into that one Balsy.  They're only 4 games in and were hamstrung in recruiting by their late start.  If I don't see improvement this season, better recruiting in the offseason and a substantial improvement next season,  I'll be with you, but for now it is premature.

 

That's fair!  And yes...yes it did, lol.  I wasn't in the best of moods while typing that particular post.

[Balsy]

11 hours ago, footballzip said:

Would we be this bad if Bowden was still here? I realize last years 4-8 wasn't great, but I'll take it now.

 

That's what I was saying for years.  I'd take 5-7 with a chance at better, any day over 0-12.  Arth ain't no PJ Fleck.  Athletic Director has to go.  Every decision he has made has been atrocious, and while we're at it...get rid of those on the BOT that thought supporting this move was a good idea.

 

10 hours ago, 1981 grad said:

We are probably the worst football team in division one and it is costing Akron $370, 000 to Tennessee Chatanooga to buy our Arth's contract, $630, 000 to pay Bowden's salary over the next 2 years and $500,000 to pay Arth's salary.  Does anyone want to extend the contract of our Athletic director, Larry Williams? 

 

Probably?  We are.  Yesterday confirmed it as we lost to 0-4 UMass.  Here coms the first winless season in Akron History; and you can go ahead and add in addition to all those costs you just mentioned; we'll be having to pay what reamains of Arth's contract when he's jettisoned.

 

13 hours ago, NWAkron said:

seriously, what is the point of all this negativity you bring to this board?  No one here makes any hiring decisions.  You and a few others have made your points ad nauseam.

 

The point is because we give a damn.  We're tired of seeing our University as the punchline of a joke.  I refuse to sugarcoat anything. 

[Blue & Gold]

ABJ: Winless Zips fall 37-29 at UMass

 

UMass (1-4) was without nine starters on offense and defense combined, including its top two quarterbacks, one in concussion protocol and the other apparently suspended before the game.

 

[LZIp]

I cannot figure out the personnel decisions this staff makes. 

• Arth seems to be going with "his guys" and it doesn't seem to be paying off. Players like Sampson, Brimage, and Lloyd were all regular contributors in prior years but hardly get on the field on D, if at all.
• DBs - How don't we know who our starting DBs are yet? Tried multiple guys at FS the first few games and ultimately settled on Davis. Oddly enough, Zaire Jacobs, who we all would have thought would have been the natural replacement with Davis at CB, never seemed to get a real look and now he's gone. We've also seemingly had endless combinations of whose at corner. True fresh Cochran seems to be settled in on one side, but Riley or Hooks...who is better...please make a decision, and are neither of them really better than a true freshman?
• Linebackers - Started the season with Watts at ILB, then moved to Bubba, now Glover. Scott and Richardson seem to both take extended turns at OLB opposite of Ward. 
• Running backs - How does Floyd not get on the field at all? The player the staff seems the highest on (Lee) is the least effective to me. Too many negative plays for the usage he gets. Why bench your starting RB for the game after a fumble? Burton might be the highest I'm on of RBs that actually get on the field, but he's a 3rd string walk on oddly enough.
• QBs - It worked out I guess, but pulling Kelley as quick as they did for a true freshman seemed like and odd choice to me...but if the true freshman is better, why the heck wasn't he the back up to begin with?
• Oline - we sure like to experiment at every other position group, but not here for whatever reason and here is where we should be experimenting the most. I get there aren't much options, but at least try something.
• Recruits - all of these true freshman are getting playing time, except our two highest rated recruits in Thomas and Hayes-Patrick.What?

 

We just seem all over the place in who we are playing and I can't follow the logic. We need to play the best players and only put in subs when they need breaks. Screw this platooning bull crap. Has our staff really been that bad at evaluating performance over camp and practice that all this crap changes on a week to week basis? Are they making a conscious decision to sacrifice winning now to get young players more time in hopes that its pays off down the road? If so, proceed with caution. I sat through 1-15 and 0-16 Browns seasons and nobody came out of that with their jobs.

 

Playing your best players and coming up short is one thing. I can understand that, but from what I can see, we either don't know who our best players are or aren't trying to win at all costs this season and even fans as tolerant and optimistic as myself have to take issue with that.

Edited September 29, 2019 by LZIp

[feetg10]

48 minutes ago, LZIp said:

I cannot figure out the personnel decisions this staff makes. 

• Arth seems to be going with "his guys" and it doesn't seem to be paying off. Players like Sampson, Brimage, and Lloyd were all regular contributors in prior years but hardly get on the field on D, if at all.
• DBs - How don't we know who our starting DBs are yet? Tried multiple guys at FS the first few games and ultimately settled on Davis. Oddly enough, Zaire Jacobs, who we all would have thought would have been the natural replacement with Davis at CB, never seemed to get a real look and now he's gone. We've also seemingly had endless combinations of whose at corner. True fresh Cochran seems to be settled in on one side, but Riley or Hooks...who is better...please make a decision, and are neither of them really better than a true freshman?
• Linebackers - Started the season with Watts at ILB, then moved to Bubba, now Glover. Scott and Richardson seem to both take extended turns at OLB opposite of Ward. 
• Running backs - How does Floyd not get on the field at all? The player the staff seems the highest on (Lee) is the least effective to me. Too many negative plays for the usage he gets. Why bench your starting RB for the game after a fumble? Burton might be the highest I'm on of RBs that actually get on the field, but he's a 3rd string walk on oddly enough.
• QBs - It worked out I guess, but pulling Kelley as quick as they did for a true freshman seemed like and odd choice to me...but if the true freshman is better, why the heck wasn't he the back up to begin with?
• Oline - we sure like to experiment at every other position group, but not here for whatever reason and here is where we should be experimenting the most. I get there aren't much options, but at least try something.
• Recruits - all of these true freshman are getting playing time, except our two highest rated recruits in Thomas and Hayes-Patrick.What?

 

We just seem all over the place in who we are playing and I can't follow the logic. We need to play the best players and only put in subs when they need breaks. Screw this platooning bull crap. Has our staff really been that bad at evaluating performance over camp and practice that all this crap changes on a week to week basis? Are they making a conscious decision to sacrifice winning now to get young players more time in hopes that its pays off down the road? If so, proceed with caution. I sat through 1-15 and 0-16 Browns seasons and nobody came out of that with their jobs.

 

Playing your best players and coming up short is one thing. I can understand that, but from what I can see, we either don't know who our best players are or aren't trying to win at all costs this season and even fans as tolerant and optimistic as myself have to take issue with that.

You are exactly right.  It seems the coaching staff doesn't know how to evaluate D1 talent. Or they are losing on purpose. In their minds this season was always a throw away season. Arth even said in the press conference before the Troy game that the goal was to play to their potential, not to win. 

[NWAkron]

A new president begins on Tuesday.  He was in the locker room before the Troy game so he is definitely interested in what's happening with the sports teams.  This now all falls on his shoulders to stay the course or get rid of whatever is holding up the progress.

At this point, it's fruitless using logic on here because some of the reactions to logice are purely emotional.  

If I say, Groce needed a few years to rebuild the basketball team, the first reaction is "Williams ran Dambrot out."  Arth loses the first 5 games, and it's Terry Bowden (4-7 and an overall losing record) was the savior of Akron football and wasn't 'mediocre'.  And Embick was a soccer god until this fluke of a season and that's the A.D.s fault for some reason.  

 

And I will make the requisite Arth/ICoach comparison.  ICoach get a late TD against an awful CMU at home.  Down by 1.  He goes for 2 instead of sending it into overtime and of course they blow it.  Arth has Gibson in, and he is smoking it.  Momentum is on Zips side.  Instead of going for the onside kick and getting a quick TD with 5 minutes left, he trusts the awful defense to stop them.

Edited September 29, 2019 by NWAkron

[Steve1981]

Pretty favorable view of Gibson on hustlebelt.

 

Quote

It was a shame Akron was unable to get the ball back in the hands of Gibson and company for one final drive to see if the Zips could tie it up late after Gibson did so well in relief in the second half. Although it is only one game, that performance by Gibson might bode well for Akron’s future. Gibson finished 12-of-16 passing on the day for 173 yards and a passing touchdown with no turnovers, showing off great potential.

Akron is idle next week but returns Saturday, October 10th at 3:30 pm ET to defend the Wagon Wheel at home against rival Kent State Golden Flashes.

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/9/28/20889054/akron-zips-umass-minutemen-football-game-recap-stats-scores-sept-28-2019

[Captain Kangaroo]

15 minutes ago, Steve1981 said:

Pretty favorable view of Gibson on hustlebelt.

He's the only reason we have a shot against Kent. He played GREAT. The team rallied around him big-time. If we could have gotten a stop on UMass's last drive, I guarantee Gibson would have tied the game up.

[94zipgrad]

15 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

He's the only reason we have a shot against Kent. He played GREAT. The team rallied around him big-time. If we could have gotten a stop on UMass's last drive, I guarantee Gibson would have tied the game up.

They won’t burn redshirt 

 

 

 

[NWAkron]

14 minutes ago, 94zipgrad said:

They won’t burn redshirt 

 

 

 

I think he gets to play 4 games without burning the redshirt.  The ONLY thing that is keeping me sane at this moment about Akron football is Gibson's performance and that he was Arth's recruit.  I would like to see him out there against Kent.

[akronzips71]

How can the worst team in the NCAA worry about burning a redshirt?

The way this is going there is no future.

[John Ward]

1 hour ago, Steve1981 said:

Pretty favorable view of Gibson on hustlebelt.

 

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/9/28/20889054/akron-zips-umass-minutemen-football-game-recap-stats-scores-sept-28-2019

I read this hustle-belt review and don’t disagree that Gibson is the future. Will they or should they burn his redshirt? That remains to be seen. If you start Gibson now than the transfer portal will be lit up. Secondly, starting a true freshman doesn't bod well for recruiting.Next, as far as Burton is concerned, Im not sure what game hustle belt was watching but his blocking was nothing but average. I witnessed him turn himself sideways as not to take the blow . I have witnessed every position, thus far , have personnel changes each week  except the O line . IMO this is the biggest area of concern that needs to be addressed. No running game, a rushed passing game is a result of poor line play.Ranting and raving to fire this guy and that guy does nothing. Get behind the team and be supportive. If nothing changes in the next few years , than by all means start to rant and rave.

[you am i]

Just read an article on the UMass-Akron game that called it "the bottom 25 game of the century." 

 

You have to keep your sense of humor in this situation.

[Zipmeister]

On 9/25/2019 at 8:19 PM, LZIp said:

I think we are at 74 right now, but could be off by one. Were at 78. White, Jacobs, Swanson, and I believe Lavelle makes it 74. Lavelle was here in the summer/fall camp as far as I know, but is now at Garden City CC. He definitely was on the roster at some point. I believe he would have been counted in the 78 when that comment was originally made, but I'm unsure. Don't know who else on the attached would be on scholly, as the staff has publicized walk ons getting schollys. Maybe we gave Brandon Lee one. If not, I'd have to imagine he will be on it next year. The other candidate is Romenick, but it doesn't seem common to give shollys to back up ST players. When I did the math, we could afford to lose two players to transfer and be able to get back up to the max next season. As it stands today, we are going to be at least 1 or 2 under again. I agree with you..we can't afford to lose players, at least for a couple years. Would be nice if we could get to the point where the tables are turned and we recommend players go elsewhere for better opportunities to play.

Zips Football Scholarship Chart.xlsx 15.43 kB · 4 downloads

 

This should ease the transition into FCS.

[Zipmeister]

21 hours ago, dre22era said:

Yeh and Trump didn't cheat in the last election too 

 

I'm pretty sure both of them also eat puppies.

[ZipsVoice]

13 minutes ago, Zipmeister said:

 

I'm pretty sure both of them also eat puppies.

Ya know, one of the best devices that someone showed me on the board earlier this season was the "ignore user" area under "settings".  Ever since they talked about how to do it, I have not had to deal with dre's posts, and I am so much happier.  Unfortunately, some times I still glimpse one when one of us quotes him in a reply, but for the most part he and a few others have disappeared from my view, and I'm much calmer these days....   ?

[Balsy]

4 hours ago, ZipsVoice said:

Ya know, one of the best devices that someone showed me on the board earlier this season was the "ignore user" area under "settings".  Ever since they talked about how to do it, I have not had to deal with dre's posts, and I am so much happier.  Unfortunately, some times I still glimpse one when one of us quotes him in a reply, but for the most part he and a few others have disappeared from my view, and I'm much calmer these days....   ?

 

dre has some of the best posts here...better than the normal crap-show we have on this forum that's for sure.  Oh...I'm probably one of the "few others" so you probably won't see this.  

Edited September 30, 2019 by Balsy

[ZipsVoice]

54 minutes ago, Balsy said:

 

dre has some of the best posts here...better than the normal crap-show we have on this forum that's for sure.  Oh...I'm probably one of the "few others" so you probably won't see this.  

Serenity now, serenity now......