2023 Season

[MangoZip]

I am a big believer in Coach Joe but in my opinion this team absolutely has to make some significant progress in year two. With the portal these rebuilds can, and should, happen so much faster these days. I really think that a 6 win season and bowl game is very possible and should be the goal. I think we all thought that they would have more than two wins last season - and in reality they should have, but...it didn't happen. Despite a two win season, I still feel like there is some good positive momentum for the program and it just has to translate into some wins in 2023.  Thoughts? 

[catdaddyp]

10 minutes ago, MangoZip said:

I am a big believer in Coach Joe but in my opinion this team absolutely has to make some significant progress in year two. With the portal these rebuilds can, and should, happen so much faster these days. I really think that a 6 win season and bowl game is very possible and should be the goal. I think we all thought that they would have more than two wins last season - and in reality they should have, but...it didn't happen. Despite a two win season, I still feel like there is some good positive momentum for the program and it just has to translate into some wins in 2023.  Thoughts? 

Agreed that a bowl game ought to be a goal and I think that should be the minimum from here on out. The talent level should be on par with everyone in the MAC and potentially better than a few teams. Coaching will set the 2023 team apart from others. I loved how physical the team was playing in the last few games of the regular season and if we start out that way in 2023, who knows what can happen.

[LZIp]

I'm a big believer of bowl or bust as well going forward, though any improvement in the W/L is welcomed after what we watched the past few seasons.

 

Breaking down position groups from last year to this year so far: 

 

QB - same or better - banking on Irons improvement

RB - better with the addition of Lingard. Lost no contributor.

WR - similar or a little worse, with the loss of Shocky (and Grimes). Though Golden, Dakota Thomas, and Gathings have a lot of potential I think. 

OL - thus far worse. No transfer portal players brought in yet and a couple depth guys transferred out. If not addressed, we're banking heavily on current starters improving and and/or a few redshirt freshman which is a little risky.

TE - same or better with all contributors returning.

 

DL - I would say worse with the loss of Morton, Jones, and Harper. We've brought in Jones and Rabash. Neither have played at this level and Rabash was D2. No real young guys had a chance to show much this year.

LB - same or better. Lost Boateng, but McCoy, Fish, and Griffin are exciting players who will continue to develop.

CB - same or better. Lost Hooks, added Hunter.

S - same or better. Lost nobody (not counting JKP as he was injured most of year). I like the trio of Woods, Thompson, and Martin.

 

I think our weaknesses going into the offseason season are still weaknesses. Need an OL or 2 unless the staff is really high on the young guys, probably 2 more DL to be safe, and 1 or 2 more CBs. Though players always step up and contribute who you don't expect. Examples would probably be Lewis, McCoy, and Landers (only because he was a true freshman) just last year. Luckily it seems the staff seems to be on the same page with who has moved on and who we're offering, so I think most will be addressed. If so, 2023 should be a bowl season. We should be 4 scholarship players under the limit right now, so there is room. I also think there are more players we could afford to lose.

[kreed5120]

You can look back at my post history. I had the Zips winning 2-3 games this past season. I feel many underestimated how decimated the roster was when Joe took over. No coach was going to come in and win 5-6 games year one.

 

That said, I do think 6 wins this year is achievable. It would likely require us going 5-3 during MAC play. I won't make any formal predictions until the official MAC schedule is released.

[zippy5]

Bowl is the goal - I'd settle with 4 or 5 wins as progress. Less than that is underachieving 

[catdaddyp]

On 1/17/2023 at 3:25 PM, LZIp said:

I'm a big believer of bowl or bust as well going forward, though any improvement in the W/L is welcomed after what we watched the past few seasons.

 

Breaking down position groups from last year to this year so far: 

 

QB - same or better - banking on Irons improvement

RB - better with the addition of Lingard. Lost no contributor.

WR - similar or a little worse, with the loss of Shocky (and Grimes). Though Golden, Dakota Thomas, and Gathings have a lot of potential I think. 

OL - thus far worse. No transfer portal players brought in yet and a couple depth guys transferred out. If not addressed, we're banking heavily on current starters improving and and/or a few redshirt freshman which is a little risky.

TE - same or better with all contributors returning.

 

DL - I would say worse with the loss of Morton, Jones, and Harper. We've brought in Jones and Rabash. Neither have played at this level and Rabash was D2. No real young guys had a chance to show much this year.

LB - same or better. Lost Boateng, but McCoy, Fish, and Griffin are exciting players who will continue to develop.

CB - same or better. Lost Hooks, added Hunter.

S - same or better. Lost nobody (not counting JKP as he was injured most of year). I like the trio of Woods, Thompson, and Martin.

 

I think our weaknesses going into the offseason season are still weaknesses. Need an OL or 2 unless the staff is really high on the young guys, probably 2 more DL to be safe, and 1 or 2 more CBs. Though players always step up and contribute who you don't expect. Examples would probably be Lewis, McCoy, and Landers (only because he was a true freshman) just last year. Luckily it seems the staff seems to be on the same page with who has moved on and who we're offering, so I think most will be addressed. If so, 2023 should be a bowl season. We should be 4 scholarship players under the limit right now, so there is room. I also think there are more players we could afford to lose.

Excellent breakdown. I’d add a few things:
 

OL - Agree we need to add another veteran or two but I’m mainly concerned about OT. Right now it’s a 3 man rotation of Landers, N.Williams, and Chambers. Outside of those three we dip into the unknown of inexperience and youth. I expect T.Williams and K.Davis to push for time by end of the season on the interior. Those guys are more talented than the veterans ahead of them, but need a strong offseason to get their bodies right and gain some experience somewhere along the way. For now, some type of combination between Banes, Georges, Robarge, Kilbane, and Lyons should be able to get the job done at the guards and center.

 

DL - I’d split this between DT and DE. DT should be an area of strength with a 100% healthy Holt, Thomas, Murphy, Robinson, and Jones. DE is still a concern. We are now counting on Johnson and Rabah to step up. Maybe the plan is to also play Richardson there full time? I agree that scenario may be worse than what we had last year. This position still needs some work. Not having a DL coach certainly isn’t helping. (Edit - forgot to mention Cheatom at DE.)
 

It’ll be interesting to see who else jumps in the portal tomorrow.

Edited January 19, 2023 by catdaddyp

[Zipmeister]

20 hours ago, MangoZip said:

I am a big believer in Coach Joe but in my opinion this team absolutely has to make some significant progress in year two. With the portal these rebuilds can, and should, happen so much faster these days. I really think that a 6 win season and bowl game is very possible and should be the goal. I think we all thought that they would have more than two wins last season - and in reality they should have, but...it didn't happen. Despite a two win season, I still feel like there is some good positive momentum for the program and it just has to translate into some wins in 2023.  Thoughts? 

 

The reason most Zip fans predict more wins than the Zips will achieve is because fans focus on the improvement made by the Zips and ignore the possibility (likelihood) that other teams have also improved.

[GP1]

On 1/17/2023 at 3:25 PM, LZIp said:

 

QB - same or better - banking on Irons improvement

You should shop around for another bank. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

10 hours ago, GP1 said:

You should shop around for another bank. 

 

I don't think Irons improving is out of the question. The OLine improved quite a bit by the end of the season, and unfortunately we never saw a healthy Irons behind an improved OLine. 

[Captain Kangaroo]

Saving a more detailed overview for some timethis summer, I'd say that 4-8 would be a pretty disappointing season. We were essentially 3.9-7.1 in 2022...improbable blunders at game's end cost us wins vs. Buffalo and CMU. 

 

2023 is essentially Joe's team. 80% of the Arth players are gone. We should be at least a 6-win team this season. 

[LoyalZIP]

25 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Saving a more detailed overview for some timethis summer, I'd say that 4-8 would be a pretty disappointing season. We were essentially 3.9-7.1 in 2022...improbable blunders at game's end cost us wins vs. Buffalo and CMU. 

 

2023 is essentially Joe's team. 80% of the Arth players are gone. We should be at least a 6-win team this season. 

 

This is where I am as well. There's no reason to point to any one thing before spring ball and predict how it will be come fall. However, there is no doubt that this program now has expectations. Maybe not expectations of a trip to Detroit or a road P5 win. Last year was a house $ year for Joe & Co. I think they did a pretty darn good job, all things considered. The last 3 Akron coaches before Joe combined to go 2-34 with equal if not better rosters, in a MAC that had a lot more bottom-feeders available despite the overall "meh" 2022 MAC lineup. Joe went 2-10, and averaged a 4-point loss in MAC play. Pretty unprecedented stuff in what I will call the "InfoCision Era" of Akron football.

 

When was the last time the program had expectations of "This team should make a bowl game" ? I'd say 2016 since I thought the 2017 & 2018 teams would be terrible (not here to argue that). I thought 2015 would be a stepping stone year to truly becoming the class of the MAC. BOY, was I wrong.

 

Anyway, Joe is in a weird situation. He's got a roster of pretty much all his guys, an All-MAC QB whether people like him or not, a good-to-great RB room, and a nice smattering of skill players to go along with a defense that should be better. With that said, there is ONE player on the roster that has ever been on an Akron team with more than 2 wins. Spring and Fall camp are more crucial than ever this year. Game 1 is more crucial than ever. The two P5 games are more crucial than ever. The more this team develops and wins before October, the more likely they are to succeed in November and December. It was hard to develop the team in-season last year when they opened with an FCS nail-biter and then played away from home for the next entire month, taking two horrendous beatings while overmatched, and putting together one of the better nonconference performances of the last decade. On paper, 5 MAC losses by one score should be plenty of growing pains to start winning out of the gate. Though I find it insane that we're surrendering what could be a 6th home game in one of the nicest football venues in America to play another on the road, those P5 games could potentially be within reach. And Temple, while probably a bit better, is on the same playing field as Akron right now. 

 

 

[GP1]

2 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

I don't think Irons improving is out of the question. The OLine improved quite a bit by the end of the season, and unfortunately we never saw a healthy Irons behind an improved OLine. 

I don't disagree he can improve. How much is the question.

 

He's going into his fourth off season and fifth year. The time to take a major step forward was two years ago and I'm not confident the jump to 6 wins is in any QB after that amount of time. 

[GP1]

1 hour ago, LoyalZIP said:

And Temple, while probably a bit better, is on the same playing field as Akron right now. 

Temple will be a key indicator of how the Zips season will go. They were terrible last year and winning there is in the world of reality and should be expected. If they lose, they start out, yet again, 1-3.....sigh.  1-3 means they would have to perform better than expected to win six. A 1-3 start can easily turn into a 1-4 start with the wheels coming off the bus. 

[catdaddyp]

40 minutes ago, GP1 said:

I don't disagree he can improve. How much is the question.

 

He's going into his fourth off season and fifth year. The time to take a major step forward was two years ago and I'm not confident the jump to 6 wins is in any QB after that amount of time. 

I’m actually on the other side of the fence and think 2023 is when DJI should show the most improvement. He’ll be in the same offense, have 2 of his top receivers returning, and ideally have a run game to supplement the pass. JoeMo said himself that DJI played as well as any first year QB in his system. DJI has every reason to lay it all out there. The clock is ticking on his eligibility and if he wants to play pro ball, this will be the year for him to give scouts something to consider.

 

If he struggles, we know there is at least a serviceable backup waiting in the wings.

[LZIp]

56 minutes ago, catdaddyp said:

I’m actually on the other side of the fence and think 2023 is when DJI should show the most improvement. He’ll be in the same offense, have 2 of his top receivers returning, and ideally have a run game to supplement the pass. JoeMo said himself that DJI played as well as any first year QB in his system. DJI has every reason to lay it all out there. The clock is ticking on his eligibility and if he wants to play pro ball, this will be the year for him to give scouts something to consider.

 

If he struggles, we know there is at least a serviceable backup waiting in the wings.

Not to mention, 2021 was his first year in the program. Prior to that he was in JUCO. Definitely the opportunity to correct the little things in 2023. He has the tools.

[GP1]

17 hours ago, LZIp said:

He has the tools.

No doubt, but he needs to take those tools and turn them into the most difficult part of the game.... winning. Improvement without winning is not enough.  

[Zipmeister]

22 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

 

This is where I am as well. There's no reason to point to any one thing before spring ball and predict how it will be come fall. However, there is no doubt that this program now has expectations. Maybe not expectations of a trip to Detroit or a road P5 win. Last year was a house $ year for Joe & Co. I think they did a pretty darn good job, all things considered. The last 3 Akron coaches before Joe combined to go 2-34 with equal if not better rosters, in a MAC that had a lot more bottom-feeders available despite the overall "meh" 2022 MAC lineup. Joe went 2-10, and averaged a 4-point loss in MAC play. Pretty unprecedented stuff in what I will call the "InfoCision Era" of Akron football.

 

There were only 2 people acting as head coach over the last 36 games before Morehead took over, not 3.

You really think the roster for any of those three years was equal to or better than the roster Morehead had in his first year?

[LoyalZIP]

26 minutes ago, Zipmeister said:

 

There were only 2 people acting as head coach over the last 36 games before Morehead took over, not 3.

You really think the roster for any of those three years was equal to or better than the roster Morehead had in his first year?

 

1. Ianello--Absolutely a better roster (1-11)

 

2. Bowden--roughly the same (1-11)

 

3. Arth--inherited the most wins (0-12)

 

Add them up: 2-34 in their first seasons.

[Hilltopper]

3 hours ago, GP1 said:

No doubt, but he needs to take those tools and turn them into the most difficult part of the game.... winning. Improvement without winning is not enough.  

You sound just like Guthrie.

[GP1]

3 hours ago, Hilltopper said:

You sound just like Guthrie.

Without winning, it is little more than experimentation.

[Zipmeister]

5 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

 

1. Ianello--Absolutely a better roster (1-11)

 

2. Bowden--roughly the same (1-11)

 

3. Arth--inherited the most wins (0-12)

 

Add them up: 2-34 in their first seasons.

 

AHA, I missed the invisible "first year" in your post.

How about the roster quality question?

[Captain Kangaroo]

5 hours ago, Zipmeister said:

 

AHA, I missed the invisible "first year" in your post.

How about the roster quality question?

Oscar Rodriguez was 0-3 in his first year.

[catdaddyp]

 

[LoyalZIP]

2023 Zips Day of Giving--Football

 

https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/ZipsAthDOG23/team/Football

 

 

[catdaddyp]