Game 5--Ohio U

[dre22era]

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

Newsflash:  no one on here made the decision to hire the pretty boy with the blue blood Catholic pedigree.

There's nothing wrong with fans holding out hope that things will get better when that's basically all we have.  We can't call Arth into our office and fire him.

The program was tanking under Bowden and Larry Williams and his cracker jack search committee made it much, much worse.

So do us all a favor and lay off the "i told you so" stuff.

Nope I won't lay off on folks who basically hoped for crap to turn to sugar 

Nope I wont forget about folks who called me out for basically easily predicting the end result of a crap hire 

I TOLD YOU SO 

[dre22era]

1 hour ago, a-zip said:

GET ARTH OUT OF HERE NOW!!!  

 

We just got pounded by the former worst team https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-rankings-colorado-washington-state-join-the-bottom-25-as-ohio-takes-over-no-1-spot/

 

A couple of years ago we had Jim Tressell, Terry Bowden, Jim Dennison and Chuck Amato on campus.  A school having financial challenges lets them all leave and BUYS OUT Bowden for THIS!!!  The incompetence of the board is UNF@#ingbelievable!!

Preach!!!!

[clarkwgriswold]

If they could get someone to donate a dollar for every "ya know" in that presser it would be enough to buy him out.

[clarkwgriswold]

7 minutes ago, dre22era said:

Nope I won't lay off on folks who basically hoped for crap to turn to sugar 

Nope I wont forget about folks who called me out for basically easily predicting the end result of a crap hire 

I TOLD YOU SO 

Dre, I don't remember anybody banging the drum for Arth.  I remember people hoping to hell it would work out.  Do I not recall you also telling us Groce was a crap hire?

 

I'm going to call every hire henceforth a crap hire and be right 50% of the time.  That will give me license to come back in 3 years and tell everyone how right I was.

 

I will give you credit for admitting you were wrong on Groce.  Not everyone mans up and does that.  

[Spin]

16 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

 

What in the hell is he smiling about?

[dre22era]

2 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

Dre, I don't remember anybody banging the drum for Arth.  I remember people hoping to hell it would work out.  Do I not recall you also telling us Groce was a crap hire?

 

I'm going to call every hire henceforth a crap hire and be right 50% of the time.  That will give me license to come back in 3 years and tell everyone how right I was.

 

I will give you credit for admitting you were wrong on Groce.  Not everyone mans up and does that.  

I bang the drum when im right and man up when im wrong 

Today i am banging the drum 

[LZIp]

Pretty defeated to be honest. Can't force myself to go to another game this year. Completely unacceptable how we couldn't stop the QB who couldn't throw the ball. They ran the same 2 plays over and over and over and we couldn't stop it. We may be stuck with Arth, but I want Feeney gone. I noticed on third and short he seems to take big guys out and put smaller ones it. Doesn't make much sense to me. We have a few players, but by and large, the entire unit is quite likely the worst in the nation.

 

I was watching gameday this morning and they were discussing Clemson's offense and how they're starting two freshman on the line as part of the excuse for offensive struggles. Trotting out 5 freshman OL (including a walk on in Robarge) to protect Irons might be borderline negligence. The shake up in the interior doesn't appear to be working. Can't believe we are down to a walk on freshman RB. Reminds me of year 1.

 

Side note: when walking up to buy tickets, I saw Dollard and I believe McCall wearing "Free #7" and "Free #99" shirts. Surprised (and maybe somewhat hopeful for the future?) they appear to be on campus still, even though they're clearly clowns for the shirts.

 

I was listening to the radio on the way home and they were talking about BG and mentioned how them bringing in 7 transfers on D is really helping them this year. The new NCAA rule will force Arth's hand whether he planned on it or not this year. In addition to the annual 25 counter, you can bring in an additional 7 from the transfer portal for each player of yours who entered the portal. So far we've lost Gavin Blunt and Bryce Peterson. Shouldn't be too hard to upgrade those schollies. Getting a lot older next year and the chance to bring in more P5 talent is the only thing that gives me a glimmer of hope for the future, as "Jimmy's and Joe's" is largely the issue in my eyes.

Edited October 3, 2021 by LZIp

[zippypitt]

18 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

 

I had to stop after 90 seconds.  To have a "presser," one must have a press.  GT's non- question question was middle school newspaper club worthy material.  Arth is smiling at the quality of the dumpster fire we have here in Akron.  Unreal...

[UAZipster0305]

1 hour ago, a-zip said:

GET ARTH OUT OF HERE NOW!!!  

 

We just got pounded by the former worst team https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-rankings-colorado-washington-state-join-the-bottom-25-as-ohio-takes-over-no-1-spot/

 

A couple of years ago we had Jim Tressell, Terry Bowden, Jim Dennison and Chuck Amato on campus.  A school having financial challenges lets them all leave and BUYS OUT Bowden for THIS!!!  The incompetence of the board is UNF@#ingbelievable!!

 

I never had a problem with Bowden not being renewed, but as you point out, a cash strapped university cutting academic programs like crazy while BUYING OUT Bowden was the appalling part. All so we could hire iCoach 2.0. It really makes me wonder what UA could be post-Proenza with perfectly average hires in place of iCoach, Arth, Larry Williams, and Scarborough.

 

Given UA's financial circumstances, Arth shouldn't be bought out either. Tell him he won't be renewed and hope he gets another job knowing what's coming. State it publicly if necessary; shame him into leaving. That gets us out of buying out his contract or having him hang around. That's the best outcome we can hope for.

[dre22era]

I couldn't resist

[dre22era]

How he should be looking after that loss

[TheZipCat]

38 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

Dre, I don't remember anybody banging the drum for Arth.  I remember people hoping to hell it would work out.  Do I not recall you also telling us Groce was a crap hire?

 

I'm going to call every hire henceforth a crap hire and be right 50% of the time.  That will give me license to come back in 3 years and tell everyone how right I was.

 

I will give you credit for admitting you were wrong on Groce.  Not everyone mans up and does that.  

I remember vividly people being run off this forum for not only stating it was a bad move to fire Bowden with 2-years on his contract, and buying out Arth from the remainder of his contract, for a coach who was 9-13...there are people GONE from this forum because people ridiculed them for stating the obvious. "Hope" doesn't improve football programs.. Smart and strategic long-term planning does. Firing Bowden for Tom Arth (a not even high-upside risk) was hitting the reset button twice over.

[clarkwgriswold]

The Zips haven't had a head coach with a winning percentage over .500 since Dennison.  This is a long term institutional problem not a problem only manifested through the Arth and Bowden fiascos.  Most schools in UA's position have had coaches do well enough to move on to a bigger program.  All of ours have sucked so bad they've been moved along.

[clarkwgriswold]

GT's insights-

 

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2021/10/02/armani-rogers-demontre-tuggle-help-ohio-bobcats-run-over-akron-zips-in-mac-football-opener/5837859001/

[Spin]

I have to admit I was wrong about being patient with Son of iCoach, "his recruits are still underclassmen", blah blah blah.

 

He's finishing the job AJ Milwee started.

[scottditzen]

I used to think the Rubber Bowl was built on an Indian burial ground.

 

Now I'm sure Infocision was built on ten Indian burial grounds.

 

My complete scientific assessment is that we are cursed. 

[NWAkron]

Agree with Clark.  During the last 24 years I've followed Zips football, I can count on one hand, the highlights, and even those weren't that big of a deal:

 

1.  MAC championship

2.  Potato Bowl

3.  A few wins over Ravenna State, including the Snow Bowl.

 

In between, we've had Ianello, a bunch of bad years (and a few decent moments) with Bowden and now Arth.   

I sympathize with Miller and Guthrie.  It's got to be brutal trying to figure out how to escape this toxic miasma hanging over the university's athletic's program.  Fortunately, the bad football earned the university $3.6 million.  Who are the pay to play teams next year?  Is Tennessee the third?  If they are, that may be the Arth buyout $$.

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by NWAkron

[LZIp]

1 minute ago, NWAkron said:

Who are the pay to play teams next year?  Is Tennessee the third?  If they are, that may be the Arth buyout $$.

 

Now that I think about it, I believe you're right as I vaguely recall Liberty paying MAC teams to go there. Still, when we rescheduled the last week with South Carolina the year we canned Bowden, that was tabbed as "the buyout" money or whatever and people still bitched about it.

[NWAkron]

3 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Now that I think about it, I believe you're right as I vaguely recall Liberty paying MAC teams to go there. Still, when we rescheduled the last week with South Carolina the year we canned Bowden, that was tabbed as "the buyout" money or whatever and people still bitched about it.

I thought that was a make up for some of the lost Nebraska $$ but it also took care of the buyout

[Hilltopper]

They need to take the big payday from the Tennessee game and pay this bum off. Do it now. Name an interim coach. Anybody they name couldn't do a worse job than Arf. Then start a real search for a real HC. 

[LoyalZIP]

There’s really not a ton to say about that game today. All I could do as the game was so obviously slipping away was laugh and say to me friends “do you have any idea how bad the team they’re about to lose to is?” 
 

Honestly, I don’t even care about Arth at this point. He very obviously wasn’t ready for this level and he just put his name in the bin and ended up getting paid. Good for you buddy. And good for all of your John Carroll buddies too. The football program is pathetic. Simple as that. 4-29 since beating Northwestern and nearly zero improvement in 3 seasons of this coaching staff. Every time this happens, the list of quality candidates diminishes more and more. Why would anyone worth a damn want to coach at Akron right now? Enrollment is plummeting, budget is plummeting, you’re starting at the very bottom with nothing to hang your hat on, it’s just pathetic. 
 

Meanwhile, Kent, which is a football graveyard in every sense of the term, is now 1-0 in MAC play as the preseason MAC East favorite after a win on homecoming day. That makes me want to pull my hair out. In the past, we could at least say they sucked too. They may not be the football gods they think they are, but they’re heads and shoulders better than Akron. And it’s a dump. That should pee everyone at Akron off. 
 

There are so many discussions to be had about this disaster. As used to bad football as I’ve become, it just keeps getting worse and worse as the time passes. I think a lot of us saw this coming but hoped like hell it wouldn’t and denied that it would. But here we are. 7 MAC games left, all against much better teams than that. Shameful. Disgraceful. 
 

Basketball can’t come soon enough. I love you, Coach Groce. Thank you giving us all hope in Akron and something to be excited  about. 

[NWAkron]

23 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

There’s really not a ton to say about that game today. All I could do as the game was so obviously slipping away was laugh and say to me friends “do you have any idea how bad the team they’re about to lose to is?” 
 

Honestly, I don’t even care about Arth at this point. He very obviously wasn’t ready for this level and he just put his name in the bin and ended up getting paid. Good for you buddy. And good for all of your John Carroll buddies too. The football program is pathetic. Simple as that. 4-29 since beating Northwestern and nearly zero improvement in 3 seasons of this coaching staff. Every time this happens, the list of quality candidates diminishes more and more. Why would anyone worth a damn want to coach at Akron right now? Enrollment is plummeting, budget is plummeting, you’re starting at the very bottom with nothing to hang your hat on, it’s just pathetic. 
 

Meanwhile, Kent, which is a football graveyard in every sense of the term, is now 1-0 in MAC play as the preseason MAC East favorite after a win on homecoming day. That makes me want to pull my hair out. In the past, we could at least say they sucked too. They may not be the football gods they think they are, but they’re heads and shoulders better than Akron. And it’s a dump. That should pee everyone at Akron off. 
 

There are so many discussions to be had about this disaster. As used to bad football as I’ve become, it just keeps getting worse and worse as the time passes. I think a lot of us saw this coming but hoped like hell it wouldn’t and denied that it would. But here we are. 7 MAC games left, all against much better teams than that. Shameful. Disgraceful. 
 

Basketball can’t come soon enough. I love you, Coach Groce. Thank you giving us all hope in Akron and something to be excited  about. 

I think the university is stabilizing other areas, but a big, bold decision by Guthrie here would do wonders for the fan base.  I'm with Hilltopper.  Pay off this bum.  It's a bad relationship and I hate just looking at Arth.  And I want the names of the search committee who chose Arth.  There needs to be a wall of infamy where their mug shots can be hung.  Maybe in the weight room.

Edited October 3, 2021 by NWAkron

[72 Roo]

 Today we were the better team and still found a way to lose. The future of football is in Guthrie's hands and I believe he has made his decision. Arth will be gone before the end of the season so a search can be commenced at the earliest opportunity. The guarantee for the Tennessee game allows Guthrie the freedom to act and he knows he has a coach and staff that is prepared only to lose and cannot grow into competence. We will lose a year of recruiting, but that is a given whenever you change HC's. On the other hand a new coach will be smart enough to mine the transfer portal for talent. Guthrie and Miller know they can not wait another year for 1-11 to repeat itself. Arth may be a good man and I wish him well wherever he goes, but he must not remain our HC.

[LZIp]

Outside of win/loss and lack of talent, anyone willing to go into detail on why Arth needs to go? Like X’s and O’s type stuff. I believe he can coach.

 

Obviously win/loss is all that matters at the end of the day, but anybody with any sense knows we weren’t set up to win in any year yet with the talent and experience he’s had. Obviously he has a lot of responsibility in that, but it’s clear he’s taken the long game approach. The number of underclassman playing is probably more than anyone in the nation.

 

I’m wrestling with giving it another year as the youth and inexperience excuse is no longer valid next year, IMO. Then it would be bowl game or bust. I think whoever is coaching (including Arth) - assuming they aren’t a whiff - can have success next year assuming they don’t blow it up a la Arth as long as they fill the right holes from the portal, and that’s a credit to him with all the investment we’ve put in on the young guys. There’s an all-MAC QB,an above average WR tandem, and various other pieces moving forward in place. If you bring a new guy in, you have to 1) make sure they can coach and 2) hope they don’t blow it up or we’re going only going to reset the misery and likely end up in the same cyclical hell we have always been in.

 

Not stanning for Arth, Bowden, or anyone. All I care about is the long term success of this program. Something I’ve never seen as a fan unfortunately.

Edited October 3, 2021 by LZIp

[ZIPFAN21]

This team is a train wreck.  The coaching is worse.  Example: Before the half 1:15 on your own 30.  Up 10-3.  How do you allow Ohio to get the ball back??  Once the negative play happens on 1st down it's over.  Get to half.  But no, we allow Ohio to get the ball and score with 9 secs left. That is coaching.   This offense is NOT going to score with this QB run 1st mentality.   Yes DJ is dynamic, but it's not sustainable.   Defensively, NOT one noticeable adjustment.   Stop the frigging run, make 18 throw.  They didn't have to because we were in base defense the entire 2nd half.   Terrible coaching.  Seen 3 years of the same script.  Something has to change.