FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[jamtod]

Another interesting note, Brandon Lee, WR from Florida has transferred to Akron. He was a freshmen last year and seemed to be in line for serious playing time. Arth is quoted as really looking this guy. I know they'll be fine at receiver, it's just odd to see.
https://www.ohio.com/sports/20190404/university-of-akron-football-walk-on-brandon-lee-catching-eye-of-zips-staff

"I was at the University of Mount Union and I decided that I could do better," he said.



Ok...

I believe that he will have to sit out a year also right? Transferring "up" from D3 to D1.

Akron is "better" than Mount Union. That is very much up for debate. Status wise, no comparison. Obviously, D1 status and all, but Akron has yet to prove that it is even serious about football.  Perhaps Arth can change that, however, I would rather watch paint dry  than go see the Zips.  So would most of the Akron student body if you check out their attendance.  You could throw a bomb into the stands and not hurt a soul.

When's the last time Mount had a game in front of 19k people?

One of the league's bright spots was Akron, which had the FBS' second-biggest per-game attendance jump at 9,232. The Zips, who were 7-7 and advanced to their second bowl game in three years, had their gate norm increase 89.3% to 19,569 per contest.

That's based on 2017 attendance. Not sure how 2018 was and wasn't able to easily find that.

[MUC57]

Jamto

When's the last time Akron won a national championship? If he's only interested in playing before a big crowd, try Ohio State - 100,000 +.   

[wally_wabash]

Another interesting note, Brandon Lee, WR from Florida has transferred to Akron. He was a freshmen last year and seemed to be in line for serious playing time. Arth is quoted as really looking this guy. I know they'll be fine at receiver, it's just odd to see.
https://www.ohio.com/sports/20190404/university-of-akron-football-walk-on-brandon-lee-catching-eye-of-zips-staff

"I was at the University of Mount Union and I decided that I could do better," he said.

Ok...

Interesting flex for a guy that *checks notes* caught three passes for 14 yards and lost a fumble.  Can't really ever fault somebody for taking the opportunity to play FBS ball (and get at least some significant chunk of college paid for), but that's kind of a weird thing to say. 

[WRMUalum13]

Another interesting note, Brandon Lee, WR from Florida has transferred to Akron. He was a freshmen last year and seemed to be in line for serious playing time. Arth is quoted as really looking this guy. I know they'll be fine at receiver, it's just odd to see.
https://www.ohio.com/sports/20190404/university-of-akron-football-walk-on-brandon-lee-catching-eye-of-zips-staff

"I was at the University of Mount Union and I decided that I could do better," he said.

Ok...

Interesting flex for a guy that *checks notes* caught three passes for 14 yards and lost a fumble.  Can't really ever fault somebody for taking the opportunity to play FBS ball (and get at least some significant chunk of college paid for), but that's kind of a weird thing to say.

Yeah I thought it was a weird flex as well. My problem with it is if he's really interested in getting paid to play FCS or D2 seems like much better options. FBS teams are required to only offer full scholarships, they can't do partials like the other divisions I mentioned. So it's kind of an audacious bet on his part I think.

I also understand the allure of the glamour of d1 but I mean Akron?

[wally_wabash]

Another interesting note, Brandon Lee, WR from Florida has transferred to Akron. He was a freshmen last year and seemed to be in line for serious playing time. Arth is quoted as really looking this guy. I know they'll be fine at receiver, it's just odd to see.
https://www.ohio.com/sports/20190404/university-of-akron-football-walk-on-brandon-lee-catching-eye-of-zips-staff

"I was at the University of Mount Union and I decided that I could do better," he said.

Ok...

Interesting flex for a guy that *checks notes* caught three passes for 14 yards and lost a fumble.  Can't really ever fault somebody for taking the opportunity to play FBS ball (and get at least some significant chunk of college paid for), but that's kind of a weird thing to say.

Yeah I thought it was a weird flex as well. My problem with it is if he's really interested in getting paid to play FCS or D2 seems like much better options. FBS teams are required to only offer full scholarships, they can't do partials like the other divisions I mentioned. So it's kind of an audacious bet on his part I think.

I also understand the allure of the glamour of d1 but I mean Akron?

But certainly more realistic than thinking he was going to show up at an open tryout in Gainesville and make the club Willie Mays Hayes style. 

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Another interesting note, Brandon Lee, WR from Florida has transferred to Akron. He was a freshmen last year and seemed to be in line for serious playing time. Arth is quoted as really looking this guy. I know they'll be fine at receiver, it's just odd to see.
https://www.ohio.com/sports/20190404/university-of-akron-football-walk-on-brandon-lee-catching-eye-of-zips-staff

"I was at the University of Mount Union and I decided that I could do better," he said.

Ok...

Interesting flex for a guy that *checks notes* caught three passes for 14 yards and lost a fumble.  Can't really ever fault somebody for taking the opportunity to play FBS ball (and get at least some significant chunk of college paid for), but that's kind of a weird thing to say.

Yeah I thought it was a weird flex as well. My problem with it is if he's really interested in getting paid to play FCS or D2 seems like much better options. FBS teams are required to only offer full scholarships, they can't do partials like the other divisions I mentioned. So it's kind of an audacious bet on his part I think.

I also understand the allure of the glamour of d1 but I mean Akron?

But certainly more realistic than thinking he was going to show up at an open tryout in Gainesville and make the club Willie Mays Hayes style.

In the article he said he was going to try to walk on at FIU, not UF.

[wally_wabash]

Another interesting note, Brandon Lee, WR from Florida has transferred to Akron. He was a freshmen last year and seemed to be in line for serious playing time. Arth is quoted as really looking this guy. I know they'll be fine at receiver, it's just odd to see.
https://www.ohio.com/sports/20190404/university-of-akron-football-walk-on-brandon-lee-catching-eye-of-zips-staff

"I was at the University of Mount Union and I decided that I could do better," he said.

Ok...

Interesting flex for a guy that *checks notes* caught three passes for 14 yards and lost a fumble.  Can't really ever fault somebody for taking the opportunity to play FBS ball (and get at least some significant chunk of college paid for), but that's kind of a weird thing to say.

Yeah I thought it was a weird flex as well. My problem with it is if he's really interested in getting paid to play FCS or D2 seems like much better options. FBS teams are required to only offer full scholarships, they can't do partials like the other divisions I mentioned. So it's kind of an audacious bet on his part I think.

I also understand the allure of the glamour of d1 but I mean Akron?

But certainly more realistic than thinking he was going to show up at an open tryout in Gainesville and make the club Willie Mays Hayes style.

In the article he said he was going to try to walk on at FIU, not UF.

It does.  I stand by my Major League reference though.     

[raiderpa]

Doesn't the NCAA require a minimum attendance average to stay D1?  I thought I heard that, because someone was selling blocks of tickets to local businesses to keep up sales to meet the minimum.  So the question is, is the Akron 19,000 ticket sales or butts in the seats?  I drove by an Akron night game last season, only could see the west stands but it appeared not more that a few hundred there.
That being said, I believe that Arth will get people out and hope he wins to keep them out.  They have a beautiful facility,  have not seen locker rooms etc...but the stadium is attractive....and big.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Doesn't the NCAA require a minimum attendance average to stay D1? I thought I heard that, because someone was selling blocks of tickets to local businesses to keep up sales to meet the minimum.  So the question is, is the Akron 19,000 ticket sales or butts in the seats?  I drove by an Akron night game last season, only could see the west stands but it appeared not more that a few hundred there.
That being said, I believe that Arth will get people out and hope he wins to keep them out.  They have a beautiful facility,  have not seen locker rooms etc...but the stadium is attractive....and big.

Yes, but it doesn't seem to be enforced.  EMU (also MAC, like Akron) was under the minimum for years, then was caught cheating (lying flat-out about attendance) to rise above the minimum, and nothing happened.  Kinda like the NBA travelling rules: some rules become dead-letter laws.

[formerd3db]

According to the NCAA Manual, FBS football attendance requirement is that a school must have an average of 15,000 in actual OR paid attendance at home games for the season, while the FCS teams do not have to meet that requirement. I thought also that the minimum attendance requirement allowed that to be at least 15,000 average in home attendance once every three years, however, it appears that has to be yearly now. Several years ago, there was also a requirement that each DI school had to have a football stadium that had a seating capacity of 30,000, although that had been discontinued.

Also, both FBS and FCS schools can offer partial scholarships, although it is rarely done in FBS according to the NCAA Manual; it was done more frequently in DI several years ago. Also, according to the Manual, FBS can offer up to a full scholarship, while FCS can have the 85 players on scholarship just like FBS, although FCS total scholarship monies cannot be more than 63 full scholarships.

Anyway, Mr. Yipsi's former school he taught at (EMU), had not had the attendance problem at least the last 2-3 years since CC became the coach.

[rscl70]

Doesn't the NCAA require a minimum attendance average to stay D1?  I thought I heard that, because someone was selling blocks of tickets to local businesses to keep up sales to meet the minimum.  So the question is, is the Akron 19,000 ticket sales or butts in the seats?  I drove by an Akron night game last season, only could see the west stands but it appeared not more that a few hundred there.
That being said, I believe that Arth will get people out and hope he wins to keep them out.  They have a beautiful facility,  have not seen locker rooms etc...but the stadium is attractive....and big.

That "beautiful facility" has serious problems.
  https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/univ-of-akron-suing-over-catastrophic-failure-at-stadium

[Jonny Utah]

Doesn't the NCAA require a minimum attendance average to stay D1?  I thought I heard that, because someone was selling blocks of tickets to local businesses to keep up sales to meet the minimum.  So the question is, is the Akron 19,000 ticket sales or butts in the seats?  I drove by an Akron night game last season, only could see the west stands but it appeared not more that a few hundred there.
That being said, I believe that Arth will get people out and hope he wins to keep them out.  They have a beautiful facility,  have not seen locker rooms etc...but the stadium is attractive....and big.

That "beautiful facility" has serious problems.
  https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/univ-of-akron-suing-over-catastrophic-failure-at-stadium

Is the Rubber Bowl still there?

[WRMUalum13]

According to the NCAA Manual, FBS football attendance requirement is that a school must have an average of 15,000 in actual OR paid attendance at home games for the season, while the FCS teams do not have to meet that requirement. I thought also that the minimum attendance requirement allowed that to be at least 15,000 average in home attendance once every three years, however, it appears that has to be yearly now. Several years ago, there was also a requirement that each DI school had to have a football stadium that had a seating capacity of 30,000, although that had been discontinued.

Also, both FBS and FCS schools can offer partial scholarships, although it is rarely done in FBS according to the NCAA Manual; it was done more frequently in DI several years ago. Also, according to the Manual, FBS can offer up to a full scholarship, while FCS can have the 85 players on scholarship just like FBS, although FCS total scholarship monies cannot be more than 63 full scholarships.

Anyway, Mr. Yipsi's former school he taught at (EMU), had not had the attendance problem at least the last 2-3 years since CC became the coach.

I stand corrected, good research!

Also if he walked on at FIU he'd at the very least get in state tuition! Another reason Akron is a weird choice.

[formerd3db]

According to the NCAA Manual, FBS football attendance requirement is that a school must have an average of 15,000 in actual OR paid attendance at home games for the season, while the FCS teams do not have to meet that requirement. I thought also that the minimum attendance requirement allowed that to be at least 15,000 average in home attendance once every three years, however, it appears that has to be yearly now. Several years ago, there was also a requirement that each DI school had to have a football stadium that had a seating capacity of 30,000, although that had been discontinued.

Also, both FBS and FCS schools can offer partial scholarships, although it is rarely done in FBS according to the NCAA Manual; it was done more frequently in DI several years ago. Also, according to the Manual, FBS can offer up to a full scholarship, while FCS can have the 85 players on scholarship just like FBS, although FCS total scholarship monies cannot be more than 63 full scholarships.

Anyway, Mr. Yipsi's former school he taught at (EMU), had not had the attendance problem at least the last 2-3 years since CC became the coach.

I stand corrected, good research!

Also if he walked on at FIU he'd at the very least get in state tuition! Another reason Akron is a weird choice.

Thanks, these rules can be confusing and the NCAA Manual is, IMO, written very poorly in some sections-too much verbage and needs to get to the point (although I can be guilty of that sometimes myself! )  BTW, I just saw an article today that the NCAA made some decisions on transfer rules yesterday for some football issues, mainly regarding grad transfers and walk-ons.

Anyway, you make a good point yourself i.e. perhaps a better choice if he had chosen FIU, at least regarding the tuition. Hopefully, people here on the board can keep us updated on his progress.  While we all are biased regarding DIII and that it seems perhaps a bit puzzling why he would leave Mount, again, we can't blame someone for want to try and achieve a dream/opportunity at one of the upper level football schools (DI or DII). Everyone has to make their own decisions and live with the consequences in either way it turns out.

[formerd3db]

Doesn't the NCAA require a minimum attendance average to stay D1?  I thought I heard that, because someone was selling blocks of tickets to local businesses to keep up sales to meet the minimum.  So the question is, is the Akron 19,000 ticket sales or butts in the seats?  I drove by an Akron night game last season, only could see the west stands but it appeared not more that a few hundred there.
That being said, I believe that Arth will get people out and hope he wins to keep them out.  They have a beautiful facility,  have not seen locker rooms etc...but the stadium is attractive....and big.

That "beautiful facility" has serious problems.
  https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/univ-of-akron-suing-over-catastrophic-failure-at-stadium

Is the Rubber Bowl still there?

JU:

If you Google "The Rubber Bowl," the stadium history is given and it was demolished last year in 2018.  Given what many on the OAC board here have shared in the past about Akron football and the current problems with the new stadium, perhaps it would have been best if Akron would have renovated the old Rubber Bowl stadium similar to what Toledo decided to do with its Glass Bowl several years ago (it probably would have been less costly I would think.) Anyway, hopefully Coach Arth will be able to improve the program there, although it will be a challenge, seeing how things went during Terry Bowden's tenure.