SCHEDULE

[RACER]

i wonder if the zips will keep the home game with cinnci next year.my feeling is if cinnci wants out of the game then make them pay up,and schedule a 1-aa team at home.if cinnci does not want to buy out then keep the game.at this point the zips need wins,and win against a 1-aa would count towards bowl eligibilty.i think right now we would be lucky go to 2-2 in occ.most likely 1-3.cuse is a winnable game,but i dont see them making the return trip to the new stadium.likewise for indiana.

[skip-zip]

I'm sure we'll fight to keep quality opponents.

[you am i]

Racer, if I'm reading your post right you want to drop Cincinnati for a 1AA team? No way. The only way this program can move forward is upgrading the schedule. Akron should be doing everything in its power to get teams like the Bearcats on the schedule. Why not try for a home-and-home with a team like Syracuse. They'll come for a decent guaranteed payday, and with the new stadium I'd expect a full house for a game like that. Why not Pitt? I bet the place would be packed. You get no respect nationally until you earn it. We were so close to getting that national respect after the MAC championship and the NC State win.

[RACER]

i understand your point,and normally i would agree with you.i just think if this team has another losing season jd is gone.i am not blaming him in fact i am blaming the au administration/ad dept for continually scheduling bcs teams on the road.i understand you want to get respect,but you have to beat them.we never do,and the losses pile up.i just think we need a winning season going into the new stadium get fans interested.if cinnci is willing to step up with some $ to buy out then i say do it.we need to start scheduling winnable home games.this year was a joke with the amount of home games we had.you can count one win over a 1-aa team towards a bowl so i say get either sun belt ot 1-aa team in here.there is always a chance you could lose, but we have almost not chance of beating a bcs team on the road.

[Lee Adams]

i wonder if the zips will keep the home game with cinnci next year.my feeling is if cinnci wants out of the game then make them pay up,and schedule a 1-aa team at home.if cinnci does not want to buy out then keep the game.at this point the zips need wins,and win against a 1-aa would count towards bowl eligibilty.i think right now we would be lucky go to 2-2 in occ.most likely 1-3.cuse is a winnable game,but i dont see them making the return trip to the new stadium.likewise for indiana.

agree...Cinci may beat them up physically but no brownie points for for 1-AA...this ain't OSU...otherwise get a mid level 1A like North Texas,Middle Tennessee,Marshall!!!??? we have played 'em all before...

[GP1]

Akron should downgrade it's schedule to low level mid-major programs. This year, 50% of Akron's OOC schedule finished in the Top 25 (UCONN and OSU). 25% of the schedule finished in the top half of a major conference (IU). 25% was junk (Army).If Akron changes their schedule, they go from a 4-8 team to a minumum 6-6 team. The only thing keeping Akron from being a good football team is a better QB and a more favorable schedule.On the other hand, the basketball team has done a good job of creating the illusion the team is really on the rise because of the schedule they play. I actually think it is a brilliant move on KD's part. Let them play 50% of their OOC schedule against Top 25 teams, 25% against teams like Purdue or Notre Dame or WVU and 25% against the junk they are currently scheduling (they have already lost two of those games). I'd like to see where they finish then. My guess is they would only win 20% of those games, come into the MAC schedule completely demoralized and be an underwhelming team. Remind anyone of the Zips football program?

[johnnyzip84]

I wouldn't be against dropping Cinci for a FCS team for the reasons Racer mentions. I think there is merit to that. I do think that we should be careful about who we schedule, though. A lot of people got a kick out of Appy St. beating Michigan this year. IMO, the biggest mistakes (blocked FG, etc) weren't made on the field that day. The biggest mistake was scheduling them in the first place. A top tier FCS team, I believe, is a more dangerous opponent than, for instance, a mid-level MAC program. The talent level and motivation (try to knock off the "big boy") are about thesame, but a top tier FCS team develops a winning mentality. This can't be underestimated, and I think it's not only a big reason why Appy St. pulled it off against Michigan but it's also a good argument for toning down the Zip schedule a little. I know we have to play "money" games. That's a given. But I think, especially with the new stadium coming, we should be able to compromise a little more.Please do NOT schedule an Appy St., North Dakota St., and it's a good idea to stay away from the Gateway (or Horizon...whatever), Yankee (or CAA...whatever) and Big Sky conferences in general. How 'bout we bring back our good old buddy Howard for a nice stat-stuffer? Anyone who was at that 1st game has to admit, the Howard band made halftime (and the gane in general) very entertaining. Or maybe a non-scholarship FCS team like Bobby Mo or Duquesne from the Pittsburgh area?

[Valpo Zip]

On the other hand, the basketball team has done a good job of creating the illusion the team is really on the rise because of the schedule they play. I actually think it is a brilliant move on KD's part.

WOW WOW WOW ! time out my friend. That's a cheap shot if i've ever seen one.KD's team has consistently defeated average midmajors like Duquesne, youngstown state and cleveland state... as well as defeating some good midmajors like Temple, wyoming, AP and oral roberts.With JD, not a single game is guaranteed. no consistency at all.Besides, comparing ooc schedules may be absurd. So let's compare the bball and the football teams against their foes in the MAC.The illusion team you're talking about has been undefeated at home in conference play last 2 years. Every single MAC team comes to Akron to get defeated. Can JD say that? Akron bball finshed 13-3 last year. equivalent to 6.5-1.5 in football conference play. Did our football team ever, EVER achieve that ? not even when they won the MAC. I do not usually compare JD and KD because they're both our guys, at least for now, and should both be supported but you opened this can of worms by taking an "uncalled for" shot at KD.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Anyone who was at that 1st game has to admit, the Howard band made halftime (and the game in general) very entertaining.

Bring their band, but keep their crappy football team at home. I felt so bad for those Howard kids. 65-0, and it wasn't even that close. Never forget LO putting starter Bobby Hendry back into the game to pound in that last TD. It was almost as classy a move as LO pulling the on-side kick against the other 1-AA team we played...Liberty...when we were up 41-14.

[johnnyzip84]

Anyone who was at that 1st game has to admit, the Howard band made halftime (and the game in general) very entertaining.

Bring their band, but keep their crappy football team at home. I felt so bad for those Howard kids. 65-0, and it wasn't even that close. Never forget LO putting starter Bobby Hendry back into the game to pound in that last TD. It was almost as classy a move as LO pulling the on-side kick against the other 1-AA team we played...Liberty...when we were up 41-14.

Granted, there was really no competition on the field (even at halftime.....I felt JUST as sorry for the "Pride of Ohio" for having to follow THAT performance). But if I recall, the crowd was pretty decent and why not schedule a cupcake every now and then? OK, maybe not every year, but plenty of 1-A schools play weak teams as a warm-up. I don't think it's such a bad idea, particularly for the 1st game of the year.

[you am i]

I'm really surprised at the sentiment for downgrading the OOC schedule, particularly for home games. I've read a lot of "we're too good for the MAC" posts on this board, and now people are talking about scheduling 1AA teams for home games? That's hard to reconcile. I'm a realist, but why not use Fresno St. or Boise St. as a model. Heck, Troy University had Arkanasa, Florida, Oklahoma State, and Georgia as their OOC schedule. They beat Oklahoma State, which was a home game for Troy, and played Georgia tough on the road. And they're competing in the heart of the SEC for recruits. I guess I see the point of padding the schedule to make the W/L look better, but I don't think anyone is fooled. Beating Cinci or even playing them tough would give Akron more credibility on this board and with football fans in general than putting a patsy in there where the win means nothing.Just my opinion.

[CPAZip]

Quote: JohnnyZIP84: Granted, there was really no competition on the field (even at halftime.....I felt JUST as sorry for the "Pride of Ohio" for having to follow THAT performance). I remember the Howard and Central State Bands. My 9 year old daughter, 24 year old nephew and I were totally blown away by how good those Bands played. I also remember my daughter asking to leave when U of A started playing a rousing tribute to "My Fair Lady" in an attempt to save face against those other 2 bands.I can also remember telling friends and family of how entertaining it was... I don't recall being all that excited about Zip football since the "miracle" season. And it truly was a miracle.

[Dr Z]

So we have a chance to play an in state, top talent team at HOME and some of you would rather see a crappy team with a good band? Oh boy.I would love to see Cincy come here and play!Are you guys the same ones that didn't want Akron to play VT at the Rubber Bowl too?Future Schedule for reference

[johnnyzip84]

So we have a chance to play an in state, top talent team at HOME and some of you would rather see a crappy team with a good band? Oh boy.I would love to see Cincy come here and play!Are you guys the same ones that didn't want Akron to play VT at the Rubber Bowl too?Future Schedule for reference

I was not being 100% serious when I first brought up Howard Howard-ever, I stand by the sentiments concerning overall entertainment value though. I think there are a few "other factors" that come into play here. If we could postpone the Cinci game until the new stadium is here, for instance, I believe we'd get more bang for the buck. I'm not sure what the guarantee is for this game, but I highly doubt that we'll be in the black for this tilt given typical Rubber Bowl attendance numbers. I suppose if we beat Cinci at home, then it would be well worth the money. I just don't think that is very likely at this point in time. If Kelly moves on after this year, then all bets are off. BTW, does anyone recall a Faust team totally controlling a Bearcat squad in what I believe was their last visist here, by a score of something like 35-0!

[skip-zip]

Dr. Z.....who am i......You are both hitting the nail on the head with how I feel about this. Upgrading scheduling makes you a better program in the long run, not downgrading your scheduling. For the naysayers, please find me a program that elevated themselves nationally by scheduling weaker teams and padding their win/loss totals. I'd be interested to see if anyone has ever made that philosophy work, in either basketball or football.

[RACER]

yea it has really helped the zips by upgrading the schedule.two losing seasons in a row,and playing in front of an empty rubber bowl.show me one mac team were it has helped.the mac is a mess with three winning teams in the whole conference this year.we have beat a total of one bcs team in ten years;so how has that made us stronger?our best year in a decade was a 7-5 season.we have done it that way since akron has been d-1,and this program along with the mac is a mess.winning makes winners not going 4-8,5-7.

[RowdyZip]

Dr. Z.....who am i......You are both hitting the nail on the head with how I feel about this. Upgrading scheduling makes you a better program in the long run, not downgrading your scheduling. For the naysayers, please find me a program that elevated themselves nationally by scheduling weaker teams and padding their win/loss totals. I'd be interested to see if anyone has ever made that philosophy work, in either basketball or football.

OSU Luckeyes. Oh wait, they didnt build it up that way, they just play that way now. Look what it nets?

[you am i]

I was wondering if someone would mention OSU. Its apples and oranges. This was an unusually soft OOC schedule for OSU. More often, they have at least one heavyweight to contend with. For instance, they have a home-and-home with USC coming up, and they just finished the same deal with Texas. Plus, you can afford to have a soft OOC schedule once in a while if the rest of your games are Big 10 opponents. Akron does not have that luxury. I live in NW Ohio so I read a lot about the Toledo Rockets football program. This year they had Liberty (1AA) on their home schedule. But they also had Iowa State and Purdue at home. They beat Iowa State and lost to Purdue. They also played Kansas on the road this year as the back-end of a home-and-home deal and got beat up bad, but Kansas had an outstanding team. When they played Kansas at Kansas last year they beat them! Toledo has a reputation for taking on the big guys. Since I've lived here, Toledo has beaten Pittsburgh at home when Pitt was ranked #9 in the country, and absolutley hammered Purdue and Minnesota in the Glass Bowl. They beat Penn State at Penn State. They beat Cincinnati in the Motor City Bowl. The only reason I mention this stuff is because I promise you that Toledo would love to get Cincinnati as a home game. And if anyone would suggest to Toledo that they get out of a Cincinnati home game because, well, a 1AA team should be brought in because it would help the W/L record, they'd be laughed out of town. Toledo fans are used to seeing these types of teams play the Rockets. It generates a buzz around the program. Akron can and should do the same thing. But again, just my opinion. I do undertand the other side, I just don't agree with it.

[ZachTheZip]

OSU has one team on their OOC schedule per year that is at their level, usually. They then play three easier teams. Why should we play three teams far beyond our level every year? One money game a year is enough, unless the budget problem in our athletic problem is far worse than anything we could imagine. Think of this: ONE money game against a BCS team we stand no chance against, but pays out very well. Two teams from the C-USA or MWC/WAC. One team like Army or from the Sun-Belt or a 1-AA team. That means on any given year we have a chance of going anywhere from 3-1 to 1-3, butat least we have a chance, unlike our current scheduling process. You want to be bowl eligible? Schedule more winnable games. It doesn't matter who you beat, as long as you have 7 wins. Why beat your team up against juggernauts you can't beat before conference play even starts, just for a paycheck, while destroying your teams bodies and confidence? It makes no sense. OSU would never schedule USC, Texas, and Florida all on the road in the same year. Their AD would be fired on the spot because it's not how you make a winning team.

[skip-zip]

First of all, let me get this out of the way right off the bat. My comments have nothing to do with playing against the HUGE programs for MONEY. Sure, that helps, but the exposure, and how it helps recruiting, are really the biggest reasons why you play these games in the long run. Rowdy...nice job exposing the Suckeyes for playing an easy schedule, but still getting to the national title game. But "you am i" is right. Although they played a soft OOC, their SOS in their own conference gives them enough clout (even though the big-11 is not what it used to be). Plus, this is about finding a way for a lower-level team to elevate towards the top. And you simply cannot do that just by playing anyone and winning games. The Suckeyes are what they are this year....a team that sat back, played easy games, and watched the others who play tougher teams, week in and week out, lose games. It is what it is. And this has happened before. uakronkid..your point is well taken. Yes, getting bowl eligible with 7 wins is nice. But in the long run, just playing in some obscure bowl game that nobody attends, and nobody is watching every 5 years or so is not really my idea of the long term growth of this program. I think that there is also another distinction to make here. Winning 7 games gets you to postseason play in football. But just "winning games" does NOT get you to post season play in basketball. In basketball, SOS is much more important. But, this does not take away from the fact that to gain ground nationally, you need the SOS in football too.

[RACER]

skip we have only been to one bowl.you make it sound like we go ever year.we are 5-7.4-8 over the last two year.how about making a schedule out where we actually have some home games.,and it would also be nice if we win them.i am not saying do this every year buy we need to drop cinnci and bring in a 1-aa team.cinnci might even be willing to come to the new stadium the year after.i dont see where playing 4 bcs teams on the road every year makes us stronger? if it did how come we are 5-7,4-8 over the last two years.

[Lee Adams]

First of all, let me get this out of the way right off the bat. My comments have nothing to do with playing against the HUGE programs for MONEY. Sure, that helps, but the exposure, and how it helps recruiting, are really the biggest reasons why you play these games in the long run. Rowdy...nice job exposing the Suckeyes for playing an easy schedule, but still getting to the national title game. But "you am i" is right. Although they played a soft OOC, their SOS in their own conference gives them enough clout (even though the big-11 is not what it used to be). Plus, this is about finding a way for a lower-level team to elevate towards the top. And you simply cannot do that just by playing anyone and winning games. The Suckeyes are what they are this year....a team that sat back, played easy games, and watched the others who play tougher teams, week in and week out, lose games. It is what it is. And this has happened before. uakronkid..your point is well taken. Yes, getting bowl eligible with 7 wins is nice. But in the long run, just playing in some obscure bowl game that nobody attends, and nobody is watching every 5 years or so is not really my idea of the long term growth of this program. I think that there is also another distinction to make here. Winning 7 games gets you to postseason play in football. But just "winning games" does NOT get you to post season play in basketball. In basketball, SOS is much more important. But, this does not take away from the fact that to gain ground nationally, you need the SOS in football too.

you don't have to go out and get beat up the first 3-4 weks of the season to have a successful season or make a bowl game...nothing wrong with playing 1 sacrifice game a year then playing a couple of out of conference competitive games...but the ZIPS have recently hurt themselves in conference games because of their scheduling OOC...