ZipsBBjunkie Posted March 6 Report Share Posted March 6 How the Kent faithful are feeling after the schedule drop 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted March 6 Report Share Posted March 6 There is a Kent fan on Twitter than has a wall full of these Ride to Hell posters. Starting to question whether or not Hell is referencing the difficult schedule, or simply being a Kent fan. The answer is probably both. Kent has a chance to break their 21(?) game losing streak week 1 before starting a new losing streak. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZipsBBjunkie Posted March 6 Author Report Share Posted March 6 Since this weather is crap and in the spirit of my buddy GP1 I'm feeling extra snarky today, I thought I'd keep going on my horsey and share some thoughts on the current state of the Zips rivalry with Kent. I saw online its been more than 720 days since Kent beat Akron in football or men's basketball. The programs, for the moment, seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum with the Zips riding high, but oh how quickly that can change with something as 'basic' as a program's approach to scheduling. Scheduling, particularly in football and basketball, is a huge uphill battle for mid-major FBS and one-bid conference schools, ADs and head coaches. This is not some bullet point on an AD job description. It is a challenge to create reasonable schedules without major money games when school administration (boards, presidents, provosts and the like battling enrollment challenges and budget deficits who aren’t able to get creative outside of taking a quick payday for a football game) get used to the big fat paychecks coming in at the expense of coaches, players, and fans who care about winning. You need not look further than just down the road… The Chucklers who knock Guthrie on this forum, have been so busy scathing their own, that they seem to have completely ignored a Kent-specific jewel right in front of us. Sure, Kenny is gambling his life away. Pinky is dejected and the brightest shade of pink. Come on Zips Nation! Dig deeper! Step up your game! It’s disappointing how surface level you’ve become with your insults and quips. How easily you can dismiss that successful scheduling is critical to ongoing success and argue that it’s base level AD 101 – if that was true schedule drops wouldn’t pull in so much attention. All simply because you dislike a guy. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this group gush over the above ‘marketing’ of Kent's money grab, blood bath football schedule, and chide UA’s marketing for not doing better. Riddle me this timeline and the results - I remember having many emotions as a Zips fan in the spring of 2021 when Randel Richmond, Kent’s current AD was hired to replace long time Kent AD Joel Nielson. Richmond was hired just after Williams announced his departure from Akron. First and foremost for me, relief to see Larry go as my heart was broken numerous times throughout his tenure but also immediate fear that Kent would continue to trend upwards and we may never recover post-Williams, post-Covid. When Richmond was hired, Kent was on a roll with a Sean Lewis-led football team, we faced the sting of the 2017 heartbreaker in basketball, and I personally had deep wounds when it came to the different paths for Kent vs. Akron baseball. What would Miller do with his first and turns out only AD hire while at the helm at UA. When you consider it now, in hindsight, it was a real crossroads for the Zips and became a real turning point, particularly in the UA Kent rivalry as it stands today. Looking back at the dates, Guthrie was brought in just three months later than Richmond. Since those moves in 2021, other than the Kent NCAA tourney appearance in 23 when they had POY Sincere Carry, it's clear Akron has thrived, while Kent has struggled mightily under Richmond's leadership, coaching hires etc. Richmond and Kent’s totally inept, uninterested president, have been unable and/or unwilling to do what Miller and Guthrie were willing to do while at Akron, prioritize athletics. All these beat downs of Kent - all these wagon wheels the past two seasons across sports-was the outright vision of the guys or guy some of this board seem to loathe. Cornerstone in the strategy for Miller and Guthrie was dominating Kent. There’s quotes from them both over the tenure saying as much. Moorhead has followed suit in his own messaging and approach to the rivalry. Can the same be said for Kent’s president and AD? As we find ourselves in the position to joyously crap talk PCCC and hoist the Wagon Wheel high above our collective heads all year long, and as we assume the announcement of our next AD nears, I think back to where we were before Miller was named president, on the heels of Covid, and prior to Guthrie. I sure hope Nemer and the incoming AD keeps this momentum going because after writing this post and realizing how bad KENT SUCKS I'm feeling much better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 (edited) And now they'll face it without Kenni! https://footballscoop.com/2025/03/27/kent-state-kenni-burns-administrative-leave Edited March 27 by clarkwgriswold 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Sounds like Josh Cribbs might be the frontrunner for their HC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZipsBBjunkie Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 5 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: Sounds like Josh Cribbs might be the frontrunner for their HC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted Friday at 03:08 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 03:08 PM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted Friday at 03:18 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 03:18 PM 9 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: Good thing they didn't fool around and did this quickly! April is prime time for something like this. LOL. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted Friday at 05:47 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 05:47 PM 2 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said: Good thing they didn't fool around and did this quickly! April is prime time for something like this. LOL. I would love to know how many teeth the fine-tooth comb has that they used to go through that contract and find everything little thing they could to fire him. Punting on the 2025 season with the interim coach is questionable considering Cribbs' interest. Not sure how great of a coach he is but he'd at least drum up some donor interest I presume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted Friday at 06:14 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 06:14 PM 21 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: I would love to know how many teeth the fine-tooth comb has that they used to go through that contract and find everything little thing they could to fire him. Punting on the 2025 season with the interim coach is questionable considering Cribbs' interest. Not sure how great of a coach he is but he'd at least drum up some donor interest I presume. The 2025 season was a lost cause already. The talent level is that of a bad FCS roster. The ramifications of not having a coach in place more impacts the 2026 and beyond. It's going to be challenging for Kent to recruit for the future without a coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipsrule Posted Friday at 06:15 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 06:15 PM On ESPN.com... https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/44630474/kent-state-fires-coach-kenni-burns-0-12-season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MangoZip Posted Friday at 07:03 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 07:03 PM “his meritless termination” 😂 you had me at 1-23 record! Ahhhh lawyers! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted Friday at 07:20 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 07:20 PM (edited) 2 hours ago, MangoZip said: “his meritless termination” 😂 you had me at 1-23 record! Ahhhh lawyers! His record was 4.3478% merit! He should have used that lawyer in his Portage County credit card case. He should go quietly into the night, say it just didn't work out and use his connections and pre-PCCC reputation to get an assistant job someplace. Instead, he'll draw attention by raising a stink and cost himself jobs. Schools and ADs pay attention to this type of stuff. Edited Friday at 09:37 PM by clarkwgriswold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted Friday at 10:00 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 10:00 PM 2 hours ago, MangoZip said: “his meritless termination” 😂 you had me at 1-23 record! Ahhhh lawyers! Kent extended him after 1-11. "Merit" isn't in the Kent dictionary (although to be fair, that dictionary is probably very small and basic). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted Friday at 10:51 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 10:51 PM 3 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said: His record was 4.3478% merit! He should have used that lawyer in his Portage County credit card case. He should go quietly into the night, say it just didn't work out and use his connections and pre-PCCC reputation to get an assistant job someplace. Instead, he'll draw attention by raising a stink and cost himself jobs. Schools and ADs pay attention to this type of stuff. He can't afford to simply walk away from the buy out. He has creditors that he already couldn't afford to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted Friday at 10:56 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 10:56 PM (edited) 6 minutes ago, kreed5120 said: He can't afford to simply walk away from the buy out. He has creditors that he already couldn't afford to pay. Nope, but he purportedly said no to a negotiated buyout deal. I meant he should take their offer and move on. Edited Friday at 10:59 PM by clarkwgriswold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted Friday at 10:58 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 10:58 PM Just now, clarkwgriswold said: Nope, but he apparently said no to a buyout deal. I meant he should take their offer and move on. It's because what Kent offered him was less than what his contract stated. He's wanting all the money guaranteed to him, not a partial total. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted Friday at 11:01 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 11:01 PM Just now, kreed5120 said: It's because what Kent offered him was less than what his contract stated. He's wanting all the money guaranteed to him, not a partial total. Yes, and they're arguing they could give him nothing if they could prove cause. That's why they didn't just write a check for the full amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted Friday at 11:25 PM Report Share Posted Friday at 11:25 PM 19 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: Yes, and they're arguing they could give him nothing if they could prove cause. That's why they didn't just write a check for the full amount. He probably can't afford to settle for less and if it was a lock and shut case Kent would have offered nothing. I don't really know the details of his contract or the infraction so it's impossible to know if it's a wise decision or not. Time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted 20 hours ago Report Share Posted 20 hours ago Hope this isn't firewalled. It is the Beacon article on the info they learned through a public records request about Burns firing. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/kent-state/2025/04/14/kent-state-football-coach-kenni-burns-termination-letter-why-fired/83087102007/?tbref=hp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted 17 hours ago Report Share Posted 17 hours ago 3 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said: Hope this isn't firewalled. It is the Beacon article on the info they learned through a public records request about Burns firing. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/kent-state/2025/04/14/kent-state-football-coach-kenni-burns-termination-letter-why-fired/83087102007/?tbref=hp Amanda Garrett got paid to type a lot of words that ultimately provided zero details. The 30 seconds I spent skimming that article are lost forever. Bummer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted 5 hours ago Report Share Posted 5 hours ago 11 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: Amanda Garrett got paid to type a lot of words that ultimately provided zero details. The 30 seconds I spent skimming that article are lost forever. Bummer. Yep, not exactly enlightening, but what do you expect from the Beacon. The best comment from the PCCC forum on Burns- "You mean you can't use the university credit card to set up your DraftKings account?" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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