What did Meyers turn BG around so Quick?

[Zipsrifle]

Now adays, whenever the MAC elite are mentioned, they talk about BG. From the time I started school to when Meyer took over, BG wasn't an elite. How did Meyer turn them around so quick? They went 2-9 in 2000 and the next year they were 8-3! I'm guessing that Meyer took over a team that wasn't in better shape than the Zips currently are. Is there any similarities between JD and Meyer? I sure hope the JD can do the same!

[Captain Kangaroo]

I ain't an authority on BG football, but I'll offer the following overview:

BG was the "flagship" MAC program in the early 90's. Played OSU 17-6 in the era before it was fashionable for MAC teams to do so. Participated in the Las Vegas/California Bowls in an era when only MAC champs got a bowl bid.

I have no clue why Blackney went into the crapper...but...he (& BG) did. The second-to-the-last-time we met Blackney's BG team we killed them something like 56-21. The following year we needed 3 straight stops by Rich Reliford on late in the 4th quarter to eek out a narrow victory. In that season BG played everyone a lot tougher than they did the previous season, even if their record wasn't all that great. The ship seemed to be on it's way to being "righted" when Blackney was dismissed.

I don't think there's a "parallel" to our situation here.

I'm in Big Zips camp as far as expectations go for the 2004 Zips. I look forward to watching Frye light it up. I look forward to watching the OL "roll" opponents because the offensive shemes will be more complex than "Frye in the shotgun" for passes and "Draw play out of the shotgun" for our runs. I look forward to watching Hixson blossom at WR...I watched him track down some phenomenal athletes that had Zipped through our pourous defense the oast 2 seasons while he played safety...Hixson will be awesome. Goodwin, Montgomery and Arthur are fine, as is Ellington. If a Fr. like Johnny Long steps up, people will soon cease bemoaning the Big 4 we lost last year. I look forward to Ringer getting 15+ carries every game...not 15 one game...then we don't see him for a month. And don't give me any hooey about Ringer not being able to block...if the blocking schemes are better his blocking won't be relied upon so heavily (like Hendry last season). Our DB's will be improved. Vital and Elie are solid safeties, and Agyeman, Corner and Henry are, combined, the best/deepest 3 CB's we've ever had. I look forward to watching our LB's...seriously deep with Rohr, Yeow, Smith, Earl, Fuller + all the newcomers. The DL scares me...Chase is solid...LeFall is allegedly motivated...after that, who knows.

I expect a winning season...whether that's 6 wins or 8 wins...I have no clue. But, with the talent we have...if JD is a solid coach...and we stay injury-free...6 is very reasonable to expect.

[Guest Guest_Z.I.P.]

Aloha all! Just let me say I can definitely see the parallel between Meyer's arrival and Brookhart's. Both teams had been underachievers, but were just starting to improve when the firings happened (and both were good admin decision, because neither fired coach had what it took to take their program 'over the top').

Akron, perhaps more than any MAC team is narrowly balanced between becoming a contender, and falling back to mediocrity at best. They could win anywhere between 4-8 games, I would say 5 or 6 wins is the most likely.

But, the season, and the ability to attract interest outside our hardcore of Rooslugs lies in the Big Four games of the season, two road non-conference games versus BCS conference teams, and two home conference games versus title favorites Marshall and Miami. For the season to be a success, the Zips aboslutely MUST win at least one of these games. If they could win two it would almost certainly mean a winning season, and more likely at least a 7-win year.

I'm not sure now which would be the easiest of these to knock off, but even if we are 0-3 going into the Miami game, I expect the kids to play like that's their bowl game. Miami tends to close soft -- remember the loss @Cant State 2 years ago. I'd sure like to see a victory on national TV vs Marshall though. Send 'em out squealing.

Bye-Bye Bison.

[Guest Mastodon]

Take a closer look Guest_Z.I.P. It appears to me that the Green guy is kicking the Gold guy! I wouldn't have it any other way!

I wonder what you guys would do without me. Don't worry, I'll probably be around all football season.