Post of the year^^^^^. And I want to believe at least 70% on this board agree with everything you just said. Akron has very little this year and just wait until next year when all of these guys who are sitting out play for Groce. Meanwhile, we have 3 scholarship guys currently on roster who are questionable MAC talent at best. Plus, next year two of our 3 recruits look like they will struggle to see any significant minutes. Welcome to #SaulBall

^^^ So sad. And so true. Groce envy...

I don't know how a "loyal Bobcat" could even dream of yawning right now. The premier athletic program at the school, which gets the most funding in the conference, is in DEAD LAST PLACE. Apologists have plenty of explanations, but this team has one notable player out with injury and it is in last place in the MAC. Next year doesn't look much better. If you're yawning, you don't care enough.

Just got home from the game.

Kirk was a joy to watch in this game. He came to play defense and surely did in the second half. He takes the ball to the hoop against the giants and seems to jump right out of the gym. I liked Butler too and thought he should have been given the opportunity to give a couple of the guys a blow during the second half.

Late in the game the two main Zips scorers, Ivy and Duvivier had 4 fouls apiece. Dartis stole one and Duvivier picks up number 5 stopping Dartis on the breakaway. The replacement had played a bit but was no threat on offense and had a turnover or two. That left Ivy who had reeled off 7 straight unanswered points. It would have been nice to have a few plays were Ivy was forced via switches to guard Kirk and let Kirk take him to the hoop or post him up and see if Ivy backs off for easy shots or perhaps picks up foul 5. There would have been a huge drop off in productivity for Akron without Ivy at the end. Block misses a layup to cut it to one and we have a repeat of the game at Kent with the miss at the end.

Two bad plays by the Bobcats. They couldn't get a shot off at the half. They couldn't inbounds under their basket.

While there may have been a questionable call or three going both ways--I thought the refs played a good game!

The "Good Old Days" are said to be that of a bad memory". Looks like Groce will be a nemisis for years to come. This should be a good rivalry if Saul can recruit well into the future.

I thought the same thing. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO LOSE???????? Why are we not just going b**ls to the wall? Let Dartis shoot step back 3's (Duvierer hit a couple of those dagger ones in the first half). Let Kirk shoot more! We have no reason to not just go out and let our guys fly!

J/C

I sorta feel for Saul. The minute Groce was hired at Akron, my first thought was - oh man I hope he never beats us. The Groce vs. Phillips comparisons were going to come naturally (I literally just posted their records head-to-head in the "Last in the MAC" thread) - but it's one thing to hypothetically compare two guys. It's a whole different beast when you get to literally compare them against each other twice a year.

I don't doubt Saul is an AMAZING human being. I don't doubt he's a heck of a coach. I am beginning to wonder about his recruiting philosophy (and his strength/conditioning/nutrition philosophy - the amount of injuries isn't a fluke anymore)

Recall these gems:

"“What attracted me to the job, listen, I can use the same template that I used for success in Fargo, North Dakota here, and I’ve got more talent in the area than I had. North Dakota State was an unbelievable place for me for 10 years. I loved it there, but we were a long way from a lot of talent bases. We’ve got it here. Let’s go to work and get it."

and

"‘We should have gone to college here.’ Wow! This is college. I can sell this! This is great!’”

“I look around and I say this is what you want to be a part of - what’s there not to like. You talk college town and this is a postcard for a college town. We’ve got great academics. We’ve got beautiful scenery. We’ve got a community that loves the Bobcats. What don’t we have? Let’s sell it. Let’s go!”

http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/mbkb/spec-rel/040814aaa...

So, what happened to the ability to sell recruits on OU? Either it isn't as easy as he thought it would be. OR. The whole "I can use the same template as I used in Fargo" is exactly what he's doing - and it's not working. (I tend to believe it's the latter).

Really tough to see the state of our program and directly compare it to Groce's at Akron. Like Ted said, even projecting into the future, it doesn't look rosy.

Next year might be decent, but by two years from now if Saul keeps signing NAIA level scrubs, this is going to turn into a MAJOR rebuilding project for the next coach. Is there not one decent recruiting specialist on the staff? Let's cut to the chase: bringing in talent is the lifeblood of sports teams.

You're dead wrong. This has been a downward slide that is culminating in year four of the highest paid coach in the conference. Next year looks worse. Apparently it bears repeating: We're in LAST PLACE in the MAC. This isn't the ACC. Ohio has the biggest budget and now has the worst results. The injury excuse is spurious at best because we're talking about one player who averaged under 10 points as a freshman. Simmons transferring? That's on the coach, who should have planned better and should have known it was possible. Whatever you blame those issues on, they exposed a much bigger problem: There's not enough MAC-level talent on this roster. We're in last place because we belong there.

Just so I'm sure I understand this downward slide...

Year 1 under Saul, with a dysfunctional group: 10-20
Year 2: 23-12
Year 3, losing your returning MAC POY in season: 20-11

If you told me we were a healthy basketball team that trended downwards, you know what, I'd probably agree with you. But unlike you, I'm looking at more than just W-L totals. You simply can NOT lose the caliber of player to injury that this team has lost the last two seasons and expect no drop off. To do that is insane, in my opinion. I find it pretty darn miraculous that the team won 20 games last year with Tony going down. With him, there would have been several more wins.

Look, this season has stunk. There's not going to be anyone here that will be able to tell you they are happy with this season to this point. Ignoring the adversity the team has faced and objectively looking at W-L is really foolish, to me. Making claims of a "downward slide" when, in my eyes, it has been anything BUT that until this year. And if the team wasn't in shambles with injuries, I'd bet on the results this year being different, as well.

Back. Off. The. Ledge.

I'm looking beyond wins and losses too and the recruiting philosophy has me petrified. We legitimately have two guys next year in Springs and Mason who could redshirt. And who knows about the mystery kid from the JUCO school. We have 3 current Saul scholarship recruited players on this roster who I don't think could get meaningful minutes in the MEAC.

The days of getting commits from guys like Caris LeVert and Evan Bradds seem to be long, long gone. And yes...if Groce doesn't leave...we had them.

Xavier and Purdue have offered along with Ohio State. Have not seen or heard anything regarding Ohio, but I find it hard to believe they wouldn't be at least thinking about pursuing him.

Agree^^^^. Buffalo and Ball State already own us. Just wait until Groce has what he wants next year and the year after. And oh by the way...he just beat us with what will be his worst ever team during his tenure at Akron. Not sure where the disconnect is with Saul's recruiting, but you better be able to at least bring in MAC caliber players.