Zips Are Just Too Good

They are good for sure but I will wait till the the tournament to heap those praises.We have all seen teams like this in the past.If anything it certainly looks like its wide open this year to the championship.

 

If my calculations are correct, they have outscored their opponents 41-3

 

There's no doubt the zips are a very very talented team but with their schedule, save south florida, indiana, and penn state they don't have much competition and should go undefeated. Put them in the ACC and it would make for some very interesting games. It's hard not to argue that Wake Forest, UNC, or Maryland wouldn't put up the same numbers if they were in the same conference as the zips. Then again the only thing that matters is the post season. Best of luck to them but they don't have my vote for the national champion just yet. They're just too good like Wake Forest was just too good last year and we all know how that turned out.

 

For perspetive, here was the first RPI ratings for Akron's schedule.

1-0 vs. Southern Methodist - 91
1-0 @Tulsa - 16
4-1 vs. High Point - 59
3-0 @Cincinnati - 58
1-0 Indiana - 17
4-0 Saint Louis - 43
6-0 Bowling Green* - 185
3-0 Ohio State - 26
3-0 @Florida Atlantic* - 129
3-1 @Illinois Chicago - 77
4-0 @Western Michigan* - 166
2-0 @Virginia Tech - 126
1-0 Northern Illinois* - 29
5-1 @Michigan - 54

REMAINING REG. SEASON GAMES
@Buffalo* - 165
Penn State - 33
Michigan State - 70
Hartwick* - 39

* Conference games
vs. means neutral site

It should be noted that these are in flux and several will be higher and some lower as the season progresses. But for now, it's all we have to work with.

In fairness to the Zips, several of the programs usually are better than they are this year so their RPIs usually aren't this low. I mean, SMU, Saint Louis, UIC, Indiana and Va. Tech are usually higher and it's not Akron's fault those teams aren't as good as usual.

At the same time, there aren't any games against teams you'd say are, at least this year, among the nation's elite. Their best win, RPI wise, is over Tulsa and I don't think many are projecting them to be in Cary in mid-December. (Though it could happen.)

So, while Akron has clearly taken care of business and been damned impressive in doing it, they haven't faced the toughest slate this year.

 

Sandon...are you really saying Akron's schedule in RPI terms means "Zip"

 

With all respect to the Zips, I think what Wake had going last year was still a little bit more impressive....althought o lose Zakuani and still be thsi potent offensivley is impressive

 

I would bet that Wake's 2008 RPI rating was very tough and probably more impressive (I'm sure someone has those midseason comparison numbers)...but it really doesn't matter....it was all lost in Wake's 2008 final four semi final. Bottom line what happens now is all foreplay (interesting but not quite fullfilling) compared to the final four show. I'm excited to see how it all plays out

 

On an individual note, I'm curious to see if Bunbury can match the 20 goals Zakuani put up a year ago.

Zakuani had 20 goals in 23 games last year. Bunbury has 11 in 14 games.

He has 4 regular season games left plus (presumably) 2 conference tournament games and at least one NCAA Tournament game.

If Akron has a run to the College Cup, I can see Bunbury hitting 20.

I'm also curious if Bunbury goes pro after this year. Surely his dad has plenty of contacts in Europe plus I'm sure MLS would love him, especially since he wouldn't count as a foreigner in either Canada or the US.

 

Their frosh keeper Meves leads the nation in GAA and he has only made 13-14 saves all year. I think that it just goes to show just how good Akrons mids and back line are, they make it next to impossible to get a shot off. Maybe if they played without a keeper they would only have given up 13-14 goals. I think the way to beat a team like Akron is to physically beat the snot out of them.......make them earn every ball they get by being as disruptive as possible. Their game is predicated on precise passing, speed and controlling possession.

 

I think the way to beat them is to kidnap their first team, cut Caleb Porter's tongue out, and burn the university to the ground.
Think whatever you want, and beat everybody to death with stats, but this team is damn good; and it's going to take a lot more than talk to beat them.
I haven't seen a team like this for years, Arena's best Virginia teams, IU's team with Alavanja, Porter, Klien, and Korol, the 70's SLU teams, maybe Tommy F's (God Bless him) 2002 UCLA team.
They're the real deal, like it or not. Saying that they would be severely tested in the ACC is great; I'm sure those teams can't wait to get in the same draw as Akron is.
Is the way to beat them running into them every chance you get?, I guess, but that's exactly the way the Big Ten plays..........Akron is 3-0 against them, and again, I bet Michigan State and Penn State are just licking their chops waiting for their chance to get physical with them.

 

It's a damn shame we can't see these guys on TV.

 

I could probably get you a DVD of a past game.
I just hope you don't have an address of like 101 Asswipe Avenue, that would be too weird.
Seriously, I got The New Yorker sent to my college dorm room under the alias of Jack Meoff my freshman year; that guy still hasn't paid the bill.

 

All remaining home games for Akron will all be streamed, so for a small fee one can see these games. You will have to remember to "unregister" to avoid ongoing charges though.

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47176&SPID=4334&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=204815069

 

For those who care the average RPI of Akron's opponents in the regular season at the moment is 77 compared to 44 for Wake Forest. Wake Forest also plays 4 of the top 10 whereas Akron doesn't play any. Just a statistical comparison.

 

Comparing apples to apples; Akron's out-of-conference average RPI opponent is just about 56 (including team not played). I don't know what Wake's is; and I would defer to your figures to tell us that fact.
The fact that they play in a crap conference isn't, for the most part, their fault, I'd just be interested in finding out what that comparison might be with Wake; who happen to play in a conference that is .....well, we all know the answer to that.

 

Didn't Akron play at Wake last spring? Anyone know the score to that game?

 

It was something like 3-0 to Akron which was probably a kind result for Wake.

Pretty sure Wake hung their undefeated regular season banner at that game.

 

Summary of Wake Forest - Akron game in Spring of 2009
http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47176&SPID=4334&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=3707125

 

A spring game against a deflated Wake team. Give me a break.

Akron is not winning the title this year. When it comes to crunch time they won't be able to hang with the big boys. Wake was more impressive at this time last year, and they still lost to a fellow ACC team (UNC, ahem) in the final 4.

Akron is going to be in for a shock playing back to back to back high caliber teams come tourney time.

 

Agreed that a spring result isn't anything close to the same. But - it wasn't like that was a full strength Akron team as compared to this year, just the same for Wake.

Akron's schedule, which like all schedules, is done 2 years out basically. Can't fault Coach Porter at all for his schedule. Two years ago a schedule away to SMU (basically), away to VA Tech, away to Michigan, away to Tulsa, away to UIC and home to SLU, IU, Mich State, Penn State, NIU (a good rpi actually), Hartwick (another good - not great - rpi), away to Big East Cincinnati, home to OSU plus the normal throws in from conference would be considered a good schedule. After that it is unfortunate that these teams haven't played as well. But all Akron can do is play the games and pretty much pick apart these teams.

If you ask around to many coaches who have played Akron they will tell you it is one of the best teams in college soccer in years, just like Wake was last year, and for this time of the year it is all that can be talked about.

Carolina92 - picking Akron to not win is easy, there are 200 other schools you are saying will win. Anyone can do that. I'm an Akron fan and I would take money on the field versus Akron. But, they won't be shocked playing tough games. They play tough games now. And if they lose to a Maryland, UNC, Wake, UCSB, UCLA, IU, UConn - it won't be because their schedule was poor. It will be because those are good teams and good teams play good teams in the postseason and one has to lose.

 

It will all depend on the draw come tourney time. I thought Akron had the quality to be in the final 4 last year, but got screwed out of a home game by the ncaa...and paid the price for it.

 

Spoken by someone who, I would bet money, has not seen Akron play this season. No one who has (myself included) would be singing this tune.

 

The Zips have as much individual talent as any school in the ACC/Big East/Big 10. I don't think any of these players will have a hard time playing challenging games back to back.

For me, the biggest concern for Akron is a question of the conference season preparing them for what they could see in the tournament. I think that Akron could be nipped early on just because of going a long time without very many challenging games due to the bloody awful conference they are in. Should they get out of the first two rounds, look out.

 

Yes, how many top 10 RPI teams have you seen them play against this season?

I'm sure they look excellent, but it's all relative you see.

I'm not doubting they are a good team, I'm just saying I don't think at the end of the season they will be the best.

Dating back to 1981, teams from the big conferences have taken the title every year. Is it a coincidence that these champions have come from the strongest conferences? I think not.

UConn (2)
Indiana (7)
Clemson (2)
UCLA (4)
Duke (1)
Santa Clara (1)
Virginia (5)
Wisconsin (1)
St. Johns (1)
UNC (1)
Maryland (2)
UCSB (1)
Wake Forest (1)