The Dustin Ford Era

[kreed5120]

Sure they would have most likely left. I like my job, but if someone offered to 2x-5x my salary I'd leave tomorrow, no two week notice. There is a reason Groce left for a program that has 3x the NIL of Akron despite on paper not looking like much of a promotion, money talks.

 

Ford's hire wasn't just about player retention. It's about keeping the system that has worked going. Sure, Akron could have reached out and maybe got someone like Hurley, but then you'd have to put up with his antics, which could push people away from the program. I certainly know I would have cancelled my season tickets and quit my contributions to FTC if he was the choice. I'm a small fish though. It's possible someone with his personality pushes someone like Bud or one of the other big donors away and money like it or not drives the sport.

[AkronAlumnus]

9 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Are the parents/family members who have also expressed excitement for Ford being forced, too? Who on the team voiced support for Ford and has left?

 

 

There were 12 players on the roster with remaining eligibility. 5 have entered the Portal, one is Connor Groce, and another was likely mutual (Brisco). So far, we've retained 70% of the players we've wanted to, barring any other Portal entries. In today's world, that's a highly successful retention rate. In addition, we actually WANT open scholarships to be able to bring in guys that might fit Ford's system better. After all, he is his own coach now. 

 

You're also completely undervaluing his coaching experience. He's been an assistant under one of the better coaches in the country for the better part of 2 decades. He is largely credited with the development of one of - if not the best player in Akron history in Freeman. Players love playing for him. Those are legitimate selling points. 

 

 

Any substantial level of negativity at this point is a choice rather than reality. 

He lost the players that really mattered.  I'd rather lose the other 9 if it means keeping, Eric, Sharron and Bowen - then just plug the holes with Juniors and Seniors like we did the past two seasons.  Sorry but that's just how I feel.  A team centered around Halligan, Oggie, Barre, MMK doesn't finish much higher than a directional.  Pretty rocky start IMHO, I still don't think anyone announced retuning yet.

 

Edit: I don't really know the Freshmen, this is based off returning production

Edited 19 hours ago by AkronAlumnus

[Let'sGoZips94]

11 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said:

He lost the players that really mattered.  I'd rather lose the other 9 if it means keeping, Eric, Sharron and Bowen - then just plug the holes with Juniors and Seniors like we did the past two seasons.  Sorry but that's just how I feel.  A team centered around Halligan, Oggie, Barre, MMK doesn't finish much higher than a directional.  Pretty rocky start IMHO, I still don't think anyone announced retuning yet.

 

Edit: I don't really know the Freshmen, this is based off returning production

 

All 3 players you're referring to averaged ~7 ppg each. I would love if they decided to return, but should they choose to ultimately commit elsewhere, none of them are irreplaceable. 

 

You act like plugging holes with guys like Tyler Cheese, LCJ, Xeryius Williams, Castaneda, etc. isn't a potential positive. 

 

Not even giving the man a chance to recruit talent is silly at this point. I promise you the behind the scenes are not as rocky as you believe. 

 

I also prefer quiet recommitment as opposed to what we experienced last year. That was embarrassing. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Let'sGoZips94

[tpsjugglerdude]

6 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said:

A team centered around Halligan, Oggie, Barre, MMK doesn't finish much higher than a directional.  Pretty rocky start IMHO, I still don't think anyone announced retuning yet.

 

Players improve year-over-year. Players especially improve when given greater opportunity. A great example is Jimmy Conyers. After 3 years of low production, given more minutes his senior year he was a double digit scorer and was All-MAC 1st team. Good thing we didn't give up on him.

[AkronAlumnus]

4 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

All 3 players you're referring to averaged ~7 ppg each. I would love if they decided to return, but should they choose to ultimately commit elsewhere, none of them are irreplaceable. 

 

You act like plugging holes with guys like Tyler Cheese, LCJ, Xeryius Williams, Castaneda, etc. isn't a potential positive. 

 

Not even giving the man a chance to recruit talent is silly at this point. I promise you the behind the scenes are not as rocky as you believe. 

I do see where you're coming from, believe me.  My thing is players like Cheese, LCJ, X, wouldn't want to play under a first year HC that's why retention was crucial if we went the Ford route.  Regardless of 18 years as a top assistant, I still think there's a pretty steep learning curve to becoming a D1 college HC. 

[kreed5120]

19 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

There were 12 players on the roster with remaining eligibility. 5 have entered the Portal, one is Connor Groce, and another was likely mutual (Brisco). So far, we've retained 70% of the players we've wanted to, barring any other Portal entries. In today's world, that's a highly successful retention rate. 

 

This is an excellent point. Outside of a few posters that attended practices and had in depth discussion with coaches nobody was really even talking about Eric at this time last year. Now some are trying to make it sound like his departure isn't something we can recover from. There are redshirts or incoming freshman who are on the roster now that will be contributors next season. Most of Akron's success has come from player development. We will likely need to go into the portal and find a few impact players, but it's not like we need to go out there and sign an entirely new 13 player roster. With a new coach that would have been likely.

[Let'sGoZips94]

5 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said:

I do see where you're coming from, believe me.  My thing is players like Cheese, LCJ, X, wouldn't want to play under a first year HC that's why retention was crucial if we went the Ford route.  Regardless of 18 years as a top assistant, I still think there's a pretty steep learning curve to becoming a D1 college HC. 

 

Cheese/LCJ/X chose to play for a coach coming off a failed P4 experience with a 14-18 record in his first year at Akron and 17-16 in his second year. Since then, Akron has rebuilt itself into a mid major powerhouse and household name with a track record of setting people up for financial success with a nice NIL program and lineage of guys playing pro ball. We elevated a key component to all that success - it's an easy sell to players. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Let'sGoZips94

[zippy5]

No one has officially left us yet. 

[kreed5120]

1 minute ago, zippy5 said:

No one has officially left us yet. 

 

I think there is a recruitment dead period until April 10th. I'm sure news will break about some players going some places before then, but I don't think anything official can happen until then anyway. 

[ZipForNow]

3 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

No one has officially left us yet. 

Is it at all significant that Bowen said nothing about wanting to leave the door open to a return to UA? I would imagine that in each case where it was or was not said in a portal post, this was merely a strategic decision. For example, if you say you would entertain returning to UA, you are signaling that the only offers you will entertain are those better than what you already have at UA. I was expecting to see that clause in Bowen's post. 

[zippy5]

7 minutes ago, ZipForNow said:

Is it at all significant that Bowen said nothing about wanting to leave the door open to a return to UA? I would imagine that in each case where it was or was not said in a portal post, this was merely a strategic decision. For example, if you say you would entertain returning to UA, you are signaling that the only offers you will entertain are those better than what you already have at UA. I was expecting to see that clause in Bowen's post. 

I am betting that means he's gone, while I remain hopeful for Sharron and Eric

[kreed5120]

12 minutes ago, ZipForNow said:

Is it at all significant that Bowen said nothing about wanting to leave the door open to a return to UA? I would imagine that in each case where it was or was not said in a portal post, this was merely a strategic decision. For example, if you say you would entertain returning to UA, you are signaling that the only offers you will entertain are those better than what you already have at UA. I was expecting to see that clause in Bowen's post. 

 

I'm sure he's already received Akron's best and final offer and his agent has already received better offers. If anything I appreciate the transparency and not providing false hope.

 

IMO I don't think it's a huge loss. Maybe a bit because he could be a locker room presence, but his only strength was his 3-pt shooting. He was a 1 dimensional scorer who didn't play great defense. I'd have him back, but it's not someone worth spending a significant amount of our NIL to keep. There will be plenty of 3-pt specialists who play spotty defense in the portal who we can likely sign cheaper. We might even have 1 on the roster already. Not sure about our redshirts or incoming freshman.

 

Edit: I view Eric and Young more as the losses. I could have seen either of them make the jump to being All-MAC caliber next year.

Edited 18 hours ago by kreed5120

[clarkwgriswold]

Ask yourself this people-

 

If you were able to put your resume out there to see if another employer would pay you more to do the same exact job, and it wouldn't impact your current position, would you do it?

 

That's what these kids are doing.

[Zippy87]

2 hours ago, AkronAlumnus said:

Glad we got all the “what are they saying” graphics about Dustin out of the way—BC player retention tells a different story: now 0/3, and arguably those were the three worth keeping.  So glad UA rushed him in!! 

 

Travis Steele was named the 2026 John McLendon National Coach of the Year and his best two players with eligibility remaining are in the portal. The Akron players who are in the portal were going to enter regardless of who the coach was. 

 

It is unsettling to see your best remaining guys go portaling, but we need to let this all play out. I never judge an offeseason until it's actually complete. 

[clarkwgriswold]

44 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

Travis Steele was named the 2026 John McLendon National Coach of the Year and his best two players with eligibility remaining are in the portal. The Akron players who are in the portal were going to enter regardless of who the coach was. 

 

It is unsettling to see your best remaining guys go portaling, but we need to let this all play out. I never judge an offeseason until it's actually complete. 

Exactly.  Some kids are just testing their value.

[NWAkron]

Just now, clarkwgriswold said:

Exactly.  Some kids are just testing their value.

The president of University of Akron formerly owned a sports management company.  If anyone could predict how this would develop it is he. 

[Zippy87]

I'm going to assume right now that Ladd, Christion, and Jones all redshirt next year, so that leaves six players currently penciled in for next year's roster:

 

Head

Barre

Halligan

MMK

Henderson

Perkins

 

That leaves six spots to fill, and a lot of talent needed to acquire. 

[roopride]

I think Young returns.  I just don't see an offer that we can't match

 

I think Maheffy returns for one year.  Maybe a better offer, but needs to develop his offence and he could do that at Akron.

 

Bowen -?

 

I get a pass of they go to Charleson

 

[kreed5120]

10 minutes ago, roopride said:

I think Young returns.  I just don't see an offer that we can't match

 

I think Maheffy returns for one year.  Maybe a better offer, but needs to develop his offence and he could do that at Akron.

 

Bowen -?

 

I get a pass of they go to Charleson

 

I think Young could return. Still more unlikely than likely. It just takes 1 A10, AAC, and P5 programs to make him an offer that prices us out.

 

I would be absolutely stunned if Eric returned. He has the size, athleticism, and well rounded game most teams would desire. He could make the 8-9 man rotation on most of the bottom half of P5 teams IMO.

Edited 16 hours ago by kreed5120

[clarkwgriswold]

I heard a story from an insider at the tip-off reception that in the pre-season opposing coaches inquired how UA was ever able to get Eric.  The same person conceded they'd be very lucky if they were able to keep him over the long term.

[kreed5120]

Article on new assistant Todd May. 

 

https://hoopdirt.com/official-may-departs-d2-concord-joins-akron-basketball-staff/

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 hour ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I heard a story from an insider at the tip-off reception that in the pre-season opposing coaches inquired how UA was ever able to get Eric.  The same person conceded they'd be very lucky if they were able to keep him over the long term.

 

He was just over 6' tall when he committed IIRC.

[LZIp]

2 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I heard a story from an insider at the tip-off reception that in the pre-season opposing coaches inquired how UA was ever able to get Eric.  The same person conceded they'd be very lucky if they were able to keep him over the long term.

Would be curious to know why opposing coaches who had the chance to recruit him in high school (and didn’t) and never saw him play prior to this year would think that.

[clarkwgriswold]

40 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Would be curious to know why opposing coaches who had the chance to recruit him in high school (and didn’t) and never saw him play prior to this year would think that.

He was 6'2"- 6'3" and really thin, around 160 pounds.  

[Hilltopper]

Eric can probably expect offers in the $750k range.