2020-2021 Zips Postmortem

[dre22era]

On 3/13/2021 at 7:50 PM, monrowe said:

Maybe the new AD can get Akron into a better conference? Also I think the power 5 transfers were thrown off by the MAC’s long bus rides.

 

I dream of this all the time 

Unfortunately our football team who can't win rules over all. 

 

[RowdyZip]

1) Please stop with the conference change.  There is zero point in discussing this until Akron consistently wins or contends for the championship in the two major sports.  We were there in basketball a few years back, and hopefully will be there again soon.

 

2) You have to look at this team through the lens of preseason expectations.  I thought the MAC preseason prediction was a little rosy with us having lost 4 key contributors.  Turns out, it was spot on. Below is the final standings (performance vs preseason poll).  Us and CMU  were the only two that were correct.

1. Toledo (+5)
2. Buffalo (+2)
3. Akron (-)
4. Ohio (-2)
5. Kent (+2)
6. BG (-5)
7. Miami (+2)
8. Ball State (-3)
9. WMU (+3)
10. EMU (-2)
11. CMU (-)
12. NIU (-2)

3)  I am once again not very optimistic for next year and certainly hope the staff surprises me again.  The one thing from last year that I overlooked/undervalued was the return of a MAC POTY that could create his own shot and facilitate for the rest of the team.  We will be sorely missing that next year.  Best hopes/guess is that we see another leap in development from Ali and rotation guys like Wynn and Dawson.  I'd love to see Nate Johnson come in and get buckets immediately as a freshman.  That will probably depend on how he picks up the defensive system in college, as he was a pretty hefty scorer in high school.  Will we have the offense next year to compete?  That's a big question when you're losing the guy that took almost 30% of your team's FG attempts and supplied ~50% of the assists.

[RoyalBlu]

10 minutes ago, RowdyZip said:

1) Please stop with the conference change.  There is zero point in discussing this until Akron consistently wins or contends for the championship in the two major sports.  We were there in basketball a few years back, and hopefully will be there again soon.

 

2) You have to look at this team through the lens of preseason expectations.  I thought the MAC preseason prediction was a little rosy with us having lost 4 key contributors.  Turns out, it was spot on. Below is the final standings (performance vs preseason poll).  Us and CMU  were the only two that were correct.

1. Toledo (+5)
2. Buffalo (+2)
3. Akron (-)
4. Ohio (-2)
5. Kent (+2)
6. BG (-5)
7. Miami (+2)
8. Ball State (-3)
9. WMU (+3)
10. EMU (-2)
11. CMU (-)
12. NIU (-2)

3)  I am once again not very optimistic for next year and certainly hope the staff surprises me again.  The one thing from last year that I overlooked/undervalued was the return of a MAC POTY that could create his own shot and facilitate for the rest of the team.  We will be sorely missing that next year.  Best hopes/guess is that we see another leap in development from Ali and rotation guys like Wynn and Dawson.  I'd love to see Nate Johnson come in and get buckets immediately as a freshman.  That will probably depend on how he picks up the defensive system in college, as he was a pretty hefty scorer in high school.  Will we have the offense next year to compete?  That's a big question when you're losing the guy that took almost 30% of your team's FG attempts and supplied ~50% of the assists.

 

Guys like Groce can reload pretty quick at the mid-major level. They know what works. If he needs a guard he'll find a guard or develop one. I think that shows around the MAC with all the veteran coaches. If they need something specific, they find it. The question is how well they fit in, or how long it takes to fit in. While the last two seasons of LCJ have been great, he was pretty pedestrian initially. Took a year. I think the missing element - which I think is key - will be not having that redshirt season to practice and learn w/o expectations. That was big for X and other transfers around the league as well. Also, look for guys like Marshall to make a big jump ... jucos often do their second year.

 

[monrowe]

3 hours ago, RowdyZip said:

1) Please stop with the conference change.  There is zero point in discussing this until Akron consistently wins or contends for the championship in the two major sports.  We were there in basketball a few years back, and hopefully will be there again soon.

 

2) You have to look at this team through the lens of preseason expectations.  I thought the MAC preseason prediction was a little rosy with us having lost 4 key contributors.  Turns out, it was spot on. Below is the final standings (performance vs preseason poll).  Us and CMU  were the only two that were correct.

1. Toledo (+5)
2. Buffalo (+2)
3. Akron (-)
4. Ohio (-2)
5. Kent (+2)
6. BG (-5)
7. Miami (+2)
8. Ball State (-3)
9. WMU (+3)
10. EMU (-2)
11. CMU (-)
12. NIU (-2)

3)  I am once again not very optimistic for next year and certainly hope the staff surprises me again.  The one thing from last year that I overlooked/undervalued was the return of a MAC POTY that could create his own shot and facilitate for the rest of the team.  We will be sorely missing that next year.  Best hopes/guess is that we see another leap in development from Ali and rotation guys like Wynn and Dawson.  I'd love to see Nate Johnson come in and get buckets immediately as a freshman.  That will probably depend on how he picks up the defensive system in college, as he was a pretty hefty scorer in high school.  Will we have the offense next year to compete?  That's a big question when you're losing the guy that took almost 30% of your team's FG attempts and supplied ~50% of the assists.

IDK,If Eastern Kentucky,Hampton ,and NC A&T, can move up and on to better conference’s then  Akron  should at least apply and see if they’ll be accepted.(Let the powers that be tell us no.)

 

Larry Williams couldn’t help Akron. So Akron is looking for someone who can.

[clarkwgriswold]

It could be worse.  Years back we had a well-intentioned diehard Zips fan on here that was convinced the Zips were on the verge of joining the ACC.

[monrowe]

4 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

It could be worse.  Years back we had a well-intentioned diehard Zips fan on here that was convinced the Zips were on the verge of joining the ACC.

Clark,I conducted autopsy and found the cause of death to be the MAC. What’s worse than death?

[zippy5]

1 hour ago, monrowe said:

Clark,I conducted autopsy and found the cause of death to be the MAC. What’s worse than death?

Kent

[Blue & Gold]

Is the Toledo NIT game on ESPN+?

[LZIp]

32 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Is the Toledo NIT game on ESPN+?

ESPN2. Looking good against the mighty A-10 so far.

[LZIp]

M Jackson doesn't even look like he wants to be there. 5 shots the whole game with under 3 mins left.

[zipsrule]

After a big lead in the first half, Toledo folds like a cheap chair and loses 76-66,

[Blue & Gold]

I’ve never seen Marreon Jackson play so poorly.

[monrowe]

1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

I’ve never seen Marreon Jackson play so poorly.

His Rockets burned out.

[RowdyZip]

It is remarkable how good Toledo is at choking.  Has to be frustrating as a fan.  They still haven't made the Dance in my lifetime.  I was born ~7 mos after their last appearance in 1980(!!!).

[ewbrooman1]

21 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

I’ve never seen Marreon Jackson play so poorly.

I missed most of the game, but 1 for 6. SIX shots from your best player and conference POY? 😳