Still No Love from Pre-Season Rags

[johnnyzip84]

I found an interesting site that attempts to summarize the predictions of many of the leading pre-season magazines. It's only got predictions from 4 magazines thus far, but promises to add more as they hit the street. Regardless of how crazy the predictions may seem, AT LEAST it might save us all a little time and/or money (I guess that's redundant since they are one in the same) at the news stand.LinkNow I wasn't expecting the so-called pundits to heap praise on the 2008 UA squad, but this is getting to be one slap in the face after another. I see where Street & Smith's and The Sporting News have merged in the off-season. I'll be curious to see where THEY pick the Zips. I realize that this is all speculation (if you hit the back arrows on the site, you'll see that UA was the consensus to WIN the East in 2006 and finish 3rd in 2005) and it ends up being wrong most of the time, but it IS indicative of how the program is being perceived at the moment. Forget the final record, if the Zips actually DO somehow end up in last place in the MAC East I think JD will and should be let go. For the record, I don't think it will happen though. 5-7 and about a 4th place finish is most likely, with the final call on JD being a toss-up.

[Zipsrifle]

Please convince me that we WON'T finish Last.

[Lee Adams]

Please convince me that we WON'T finish Last.

can't at this point...the ZIPS are an unknown quantity...too much underachieving...too many IF'S..

[skip-zip]

Seriously...does anyone (after watching MAC football for decades, as I have) really believe that there is that much of a gap between the top and the bottom of the MAC that just about anything can happen on any given year?Does the Buffalo run last year prove anything?

[johnnyzip84]

Please convince me that we WON'T finish Last.

I'm not saying I will, but I'll give it a shot. Having a good defense keeps you in most games. I believe the 2008 defense WILL be good, and has a chance to be VERY good. The front 6 or 7 will be the best the Zips have ever had. The questions are in the secondary, and I think this is what will determne if the overall D will be very good or just good. I think the Zips can can win 4 or 5 games without even getting significant improvement in QB play. If the D comes through like I suspect (may the injury bug please stay away), the O can help by simply not turning the ball over as much. Remember, I wasn't asked to convince you they would win the division, just not finish in last place! :rofl:And to skip-zip's point, we'll see how the U at B holds up now that every MAC team on their schedule begins to take them seriously. With the topsy-turvy nature of the MAC, Turner Gill may have wished that he cashed his chips in after 2007 once 2008 is over.

[InTheZone]

I'm afraid they may be right. I'm not sure, with all the money that has been poured into this program and new facilities over the past few years, how we've become a cellar dweller in one of the worst conferences in the country, but that appears to be the reality. I don't think we finish last but I don't see the Zips being competitive until at least '09, maybe '10.

[Ryno aka Menace]

I am probably more optimistic about my zips than most but lets remember despite how bad or promising the QB play is we lost to the conference champ by 3 points. As someone mentioned earlier there isn't that much disparity between 1st and last place...and unfortunately that is why our conference is looked at as so bad. I mean our conference champ got their heads kicked in by the Big Tens 7th place team Our main concern should be winning our conference...period we do that we'll go to a bowl and get better recruits..it's a simple format but hard to obtain. I think JD realizes this and is putting "athletes" in positions to make plays. He knows this is his make or break season if he doesn't he doesn't deserve to be our coach. BUT...if we get rid of JD who would we get to replace him? Sure we have facilities that would attract a coach but look what our conference pay scale is. We are only gonna get another promising coach, or coach with potential, not a proven coach. Just my opinion. And I am tired of building for the future. I swear our building is taking longer than the construction on I-77!!

[Lee Adams]

I am probably more optimistic about my zips than most but lets remember despite how bad or promising the QB play is we lost to the conference champ by 3 points. As someone mentioned earlier there isn't that much disparity between 1st and last place...and unfortunately that is why our conference is looked at as so bad. I mean our conference champ got their heads kicked in by the Big Tens 7th place team Our main concern should be winning our conference...period we do that we'll go to a bowl and get better recruits..it's a simple format but hard to obtain. I think JD realizes this and is putting "athletes" in positions to make plays. He knows this is his make or break season if he doesn't he doesn't deserve to be our coach. BUT...if we get rid of JD who would we get to replace him? Sure we have facilities that would attract a coach but look what our conference pay scale is. We are only gonna get another promising coach, or coach with potential, not a proven coach. Just my opinion. And I am tired of building for the future. I swear our building is taking longer than the construction on I-77!!

lots of QUALITY coaches at I-AA and D-II who would jump at coming in here with the new digs...be pissed off at JD and the AD if things tank this year

[GP1]

Our main concern should be winning our conference

Good point. I'll do you one better. Our goal should be to win the division. As a lifelong Steelers fan, I understand the importance of winning the division. See below.The Steelers organization has figured out what almost every other team in the NFL can't figure out. Build a team to win your division, not the Super Bowl, and you stand a better shot at winning the Super Bowl than the teams building to win the Super Bowl. Lewis was brought to the Bengals to build a team to win the Super Bowl.....they have one playoff appearance which they lost. The Browns are building a team to win the Super Bowl......they have zero playoff appearances and had a chance to make the playoffs last year and couldn't beat a divisional team late in the season and it blew their chance to make the playoffs. In order to win the Super Bowl, you must first make the playoffs. The sure way to make the playoffs is to win your division. A good way to win your division is to go undefeated or lose only one game in divisional matchups. The Steelers do this a lot. This is not rocket science. The Steelers aren't flushy, but they have a team that competes well in the AFC North in bad weather. Once they make the playoffs, anything can happen including winning three road games in a row to make the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.Getting back to the Zips. Let's win the division and let the chips fall where they may. Going undefeated or losing only one game in the MAC East gives the Zips a good shot at Detroit. Once they get to Detroit, anything can happen like the year we beat NIU. Post season play should be the goal. We can have as few as 6 wins and make Detroit (see Miami last year).I could care less where the Zips are picked. I only care where they finish. Every year, someone other than the Steelers is picked to win the AFC North and more often than not, the Steelers win it. Last year, it was the Bengals. This year it is the Browns (Look for the Browns to have an injury filled year and only win six games). Usually, they sexy pick is Baltimore. Nobody remembers that the Steelers won 11 games last year and were a holding penalty away from beating J'Ville in a playoff game with a third string left tackle and a running back they had to pull off the street to play that week. The Zips will be fine if they can just stay focused on winning the MAC East. Tha magic number is six.

[g-mann17]

For what it's worth...Per NCAA Football 2009School Overall Offense Defense ConferenceBowling Green 74 73 80 EastAkron 72 75 73 EastCan't State 72 77 71 EastMiami University 72 75 73 EastTemple 69 73 69 EastBuffalo 67 77 62 EastOhio 67 66 73 East Western Michigan 79 77 85 WestNorthern Illinois 77 79 78 WestCentral Michigan 72 81 66 WestBall State 69 79 64 WestToledo 67 75 66 WestEastern Michigan 64 68 69 West

[Ryno aka Menace]

Our main concern should be winning our conference

Good point. I'll do you one better. Our goal should be to win the division. As a lifelong Steelers fan, I understand the importance of winning the division. See below.The Steelers organization has figured out what almost every other team in the NFL can't figure out. Build a team to win your division, not the Super Bowl, and you stand a better shot at winning the Super Bowl than the teams building to win the Super Bowl. Lewis was brought to the Bengals to build a team to win the Super Bowl.....they have one playoff appearance which they lost. The Browns are building a team to win the Super Bowl......they have zero playoff appearances and had a chance to make the playoffs last year and couldn't beat a divisional team late in the season and it blew their chance to make the playoffs. In order to win the Super Bowl, you must first make the playoffs. The sure way to make the playoffs is to win your division. A good way to win your division is to go undefeated or lose only one game in divisional matchups. The Steelers do this a lot. This is not rocket science. The Steelers aren't flushy, but they have a team that competes well in the AFC North in bad weather. Once they make the playoffs, anything can happen including winning three road games in a row to make the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.Getting back to the Zips. Let's win the division and let the chips fall where they may. Going undefeated or losing only one game in the MAC East gives the Zips a good shot at Detroit. Once they get to Detroit, anything can happen like the year we beat NIU. Post season play should be the goal. We can have as few as 6 wins and make Detroit (see Miami last year).

Exactly and to add a little I don't want to come across as a pessimist by setting a low goal when you look at the grand scheme of things. GP1 you stated what I was trying to say only alot better!