Joe Dunn talks about friction between Bob Huggins & Gerry Faust

[ColemanCrawfordsMustache]

On BTSTODAY Joe Dunn talked about the friction between Bob Huggins & Gerry Faust as detailed one Huggins book. 

 

Did the Akron Zips football team really practice in cleats on the basketball court? 

 

Listen to the segment at the 20:20 mark here 
https://soundcloud.com/igimeportsadio/louisville-leopard-hc-andrea-arney-2019-championship-memories-472020

[Spin]

I don’t know why but I always pictured the coaches all getting along.

 

My days as a high school football player should have clued me in LOL.

[ZippyRulz]

I found and bought Huggins' book "Pressed for Success" at a Goodwill the other day. It's an interesting read for Zips fans.

 

 

[kreed5120]

1 hour ago, ZippyRulz said:

I found and bought Huggins' book "Pressed for Success" at a Goodwill the other day. It's an interesting read for Zips fans.

 

 

 

Any tidbits worth sharing for those of us unlikely to ever read it?

[GP1]

On 4/7/2020 at 7:50 PM, ColemanCrawfordsMustache said:

Did the Akron Zips football team really practice in cleats on the basketball court? 

No. They were more the astroturf shoes worn on what used to be called astroturf. The shoes with tons of those little black dots on the soles. They left black streaks on the court. 

 

Spring practice was very physical back then. We had full speed blocking and tackling in the court when it was too snowy to practice at the Rubber Bowl. 

[ZippyRulz]

19 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Any tidbits worth sharing for those of us unlikely to ever read it?

 

yeah, I'll update this when I get a chance.

 

Quick trivia: Where did Huggins coach for one season after Walsh and before Akron and in what role?

 

Edited October 10 by ZippyRulz

[Z.I.P.]

Central Florida.  UCF (D2 are that time).

[bobbyake]

On 10/9/2025 at 6:02 PM, GP1 said:

No. They were more the astroturf shoes worn on what used to be called astroturf. The shoes with tons of those little black dots on the soles. They left black streaks on the court. 

 

Spring practice was very physical back then. We had full speed blocking and tackling in the court when it was too snowy to practice at the Rubber Bowl. 

Why would the JAR be used over Memorial Hall in these situations? 

[GP1]

1 hour ago, bobbyake said:

Why would the JAR be used over Memorial Hall in these situations? 

I don't know. We used the JAR for winter conditioning also. 

[ZippyRulz]

On 10/11/2025 at 2:12 AM, Z.I.P. said:

Central Florida.  UCF (D2 are that time).

 

Yes, as an assistant to Chuck Machock. He did not particularly like living and coaching in Florida (football state).

 

Akron interviewed 4-5 candidates in addition to Huggins. His backup options included Edinboro and Gannon. D. Guzzetta was UA president at the time and also sat on the Board of Trustees at Walsh so he knew Bob which helped. BH also previously assisted Eldon Miller at Tosu who put in a good word for him.

 

The Zips had 7 consecutive losing seasons prior to BH and the entire 83-84 team was back except for Joe Jakubick (national scoring leader, 30.1 ppg). The Zips were under NCAA investigation (for giving some clothing and gear to some guys), given probation, and limited to 3 scholarships for 84-85. Zips went 12-14 in 84-85.

 

Zips won the OVC in 85-86 and played Michigan in the tourney. They played a slow-down game and lost 70-64. Huggins didn't make the NCAA again at UA due to going independent due to the football move-up to Div. I-A. BH claims AD Dave Adams didn't know the OVC bylaws required membership in all sports (which would not be feasible for Akron if leaving I-AA football). He says he also doesn't know who pulled the string on the move to I-A (and he liked Bill Muse) but was very upset by the decision, both because of the removal of Dennison as coach and Zips sports from conference affiliation.

 

In 86-87, the last year in the OVC, the Zips went 21-9 and made the NIT where they lost to Illinois State 79-72. In 87-88 they went 21-7 and did not get any post-season invite. In 88-89 they won 21 games for the third straight year and went to the NIT again, losing at Tosu 81-70. BH had natl champ. aspirations which wasn't going to happen at Akron so he started shopping. He talked to Drake, Toledo and East Carolina but wanted a bigger step up. Then both Cinci and Dayton opened up. Faust told Bob he would block him from getting the Dayton job (GF's alma mater in his home town). He applied at Cincinnati, viewing it as a great city without "all the apathy Northeast Ohio had. Northeast Ohio has to be the capital of apathy."

 

 

 

 

Edited October 16 by ZippyRulz

[Z.I.P.]

Hugging was votedOVC Coach of the Year following that 12-14 season in 1984.  They were 8-19, 3/11 OVC the previous year under Bob Rupert.  The Akron Buchtelite broke the story about additional benefits offered to players, including alleged under-the-table cash payments.  Of course the Jerkin Beanal was unable to confirm the story.

On 10/1/2025 at 2:31 PM, Sergeant Zip said:

Robby Dambrot with Loudoun United FC

 

EDIT: Whoops, you had it