Transfer Portal 2025

[Let'sGoZips94]

The comments by Suckeyes fans on Twitter are that Evan has a high motor but is invisible on the offense. If we were to bring in Evan with one of the expansion scholarships, I'd be very happy with that. 

[Zip JD]

1 hour ago, Hilltopper said:

Greg Tribble couldn't make a 3 to save his life for his first 3 seasons.

I love Trib but he could barely make a 3 footer when he showed up (running floater excluded).  He worked as hard as any Zip we have had.

[kreed5120]

If he's good enough to get 20 minutes a night on a team that was in the bubble conversation, he's good enough to see the court at Akron. Someone with his size, athleticism, and motor will help on defending opposing wings. Suder probably doesn't torch us with a ~20 point half if we had Evan following him around the court.

 

This is mid-major basketball. We're not going to get guys who check every box. Some guys find their way onto an Akron roster because they're a little too short, were a late bloomer, or their game is unrefined. It's a matter of the staff looking through the list of potential recruits and finding the ones they think fits and they can develop to be a star in their role. If Evan was a more polished scorer, we wouldn't even be having this conversation about him potentially coming to Akron. He checks so many other boxes that P5 schools would be lining up for his services.

Edited Wednesday at 02:58 AM by kreed5120

[Zippy87]

I've been reading up on the changes to the scholarship limits and one thing I found is that the roster cap is 15, including walk-ons. So, while it's true that Akron is able to offer 15 total scholarships, they can not have both 15 scholarship players and walk-ons. 

 

Given that Halligan posted that he was returning, I believe that means we only have 2 roster spots available. 

 

1-N. Johnson

2-T. Johnson

3-Okonkwo

4-Lyles

5-Scott

6-Young

7-Hardman

8-MMK

9-Mahaffey

10-Brisco

11-Perkins

12-Henderson

13-Halligan

14-?

15-?

 

Source: https://www.2adays.com/blog/ncaa-scholarship-and-roster-limit-changes-for-2025-26-what-athletes-need-to-know/

[Illini Zip]

4 hours ago, Zippy87 said:

I've been reading up on the changes to the scholarship limits and one thing I found is that the roster cap is 15, including walk-ons. So, while it's true that Akron is able to offer 15 total scholarships, they can not have both 15 scholarship players and walk-ons. 

 

Given that Halligan posted that he was returning, I believe that means we only have 2 roster spots available. 

 

1-N. Johnson

2-T. Johnson

3-Okonkwo

4-Lyles

5-Scott

6-Young

7-Hardman

8-MMK

9-Mahaffey

10-Brisco

11-Perkins

12-Henderson

13-Halligan

14-?

15-?

 

Source: https://www.2adays.com/blog/ncaa-scholarship-and-roster-limit-changes-for-2025-26-what-athletes-need-to-know/

I did see this and you are probably right, but I was waiting for things to shake out.

[Zippy87]

5 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

I did see this and you are probably right, but I was waiting for things to shake out.

 

I've seen some discussion about current walkons getting grandfathered in, but can't confirm that anywhere. I've also seen some debate on if mid-major schools will even use the extra scholarships, as it will obviously incur extra cost and commitment. 

[kreed5120]

25 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

I've seen some discussion about current walkons getting grandfathered in, but can't confirm that anywhere. I've also seen some debate on if mid-major schools will even use the extra scholarships, as it will obviously incur extra cost and commitment. 

 

I could see how it might become burdensome for a sport like football as you have to add ~20 scholarships.

 

2 extra scholarships for basketball (4 if you add women's as well) shouldn't be much. Tuition + room/board costs are $28k/yr. That's the stated cost. The marginal cost of actually housing (in a dorm that is already built), feeding, and having them sit in a seat in a classroom that would have otherwise been vacant isn't much. Maybe 5k-13k/yr per scholarship.

Edited Wednesday at 02:42 PM by kreed5120

[Zippy87]

3 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

I could see how it might become burdensome for a sport like football as you have to add ~20 scholarships.

 

2 extra scholarships for basketball (4 if you add women's as well) shouldn't be much. Tuition + room/board costs are $28k/yr. That's the stated cost. The marginal cost of actually housing (in a dorm that is already built), feeding, and having them sit in a seat in a classroom that would have otherwise been vacant isn't much. Maybe 5k-13k/yr per scholarship.

 

I'm sure they can afford it, but the question may be if it's wiser to have extra scholarships or put that money into the other players. 

[kreed5120]

13 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

I'm sure they can afford it, but the question may be if it's wiser to have extra scholarships or put that money into the other players. 

 

If the only cost is a scholarship, it's not like it will cost us NIL $$$. I'd say just use those 2 scholarships on incoming freshman that you hope to develop into being future contributors. They can earn NIL in future years if they produce.

 

If nothing else by giving them a scholarship you're attracting a higher caliber player that you can use in practice compared to a walk-on.

 

Edit: Imagine if Dambrot had an extra scholarship to offer McCollum or Nance Jr.

Edited Wednesday at 06:12 PM by kreed5120

[Captain Kangaroo]

7 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

I'm sure they can afford it, but the question may be if it's wiser to have extra scholarships or put that money into the other players. 

Amen. The #14 guy on the Zips bench will never see meaningful minutes. 
 

Spots 13-15 should be reserved for walk-on’s. 

[kreed5120]

In the last day or 2 I've started seeing commits. I imagine things will pick up on that front in the next week or so. A BG alum posted that Austin Parks plans to visit there this weekend. I believe BG, Toledo, and us have all had reported interest.

[blueandgold]

56 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

In the last day or 2 I've started seeing commits. I imagine things will pick up on that front in the next week or so. A BG alum posted that Austin Parks plans to visit there this weekend. I believe BG, Toledo, and us have all had reported interest.

Maybe I'm biased, yes I'm definitely biased, but knowing that the main thing we are missing is height, you would think it would be an easy decision over other MAC schools to come to Akron and win if we in fact offer him.

Edited Thursday at 05:53 PM by blueandgold

[Let'sGoZips94]

56 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

In the last day or 2 I've started seeing commits. I imagine things will pick up on that front in the next week or so. A BG alum posted that Austin Parks plans to visit there this weekend. I believe BG, Toledo, and us have all had reported interest.

 

He has been my guess for the Big Ten Big Man rumor since I saw him in the Portal. 

 

3 minutes ago, blueandgold said:

Maybe I'm biased, yes I'm definitely biased, but knowing that the main thing we are missing is height, you would think it would be an easy decision over other MAC schools to come to Akron and win if we in fact offer him.

 

Not to mention he was teammates with Hardman and Eric Mahaffey's brother, Evan, for a year at Ohio State.

[Zippy87]

 

[zippy5]

Meh

[Spin]

Any truth to the rumor that Ohio State’s Guard/forward Evan Mahaffey is transferring to the Zips?

[Let'sGoZips94]

38 minutes ago, Spin said:

Any truth to the rumor that Ohio State’s Guard/forward Evan Mahaffey is transferring to the Zips?

 

Yes, he committed this morning.