(WR Alex Adams – USA Today Network)
Key Players Returning:
WR Alex Adams, OC Tyhler Williams, OT Josh Blanchard, DE Bennett Adler, DE CJ Munnally IV, LB Antavious Fish, LB Shammond Cooper, LB Bryan McCoy, CB Devonte Golden-Nelson, NB Darrian Lewis, KR Blake Hester, PR Bobby Golden, PK Noah Perez, PK Owen Wiley, and PT Dante Jackson.
Key Players Departing:
QB DJ Irons Jr., QB Jeff Undercuffler, RB Lorenzo Lingard, WR Jasaiah Gathings (UCONN transfer), WR Daniel George, OG Ben Frank, OG Nate Williams (San Diego State transfer), OT Ronan Chambers, DT Terray Jones, CB Tyson Durant (Washington State transfer), CB Judson Tallandier, NB Corey Thomas Jr. (Virginia transfer), and DS Kerry Martin Jr. (NC State transfer).
(WR Israel Polk – PITT Athletics)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: WR Israel Polk (PITT transfer), TE Max Whisner (Missouri transfer), DS Iesa Jarmon (Council Bluffs, Iowa), CB Justin Anderson (Los Altos, California), TE Khalil Witherspoon (Pleasantville, New Jersey), EDGE Tristen Graham (Middletown, Delaware), WR Jacobi Moore (Scooba, Mississippi), DS Daymon David (Oregon transfer), RB Marquese Williams (Minnesota transfer), and RB Sean Patrick (Chagrin Falls, Ohio).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Temple L 21-24
G02 MORGAN STATE W 24-21
G03 @ Kentucky L 3-35
G04 @ Indiana L (4OT) 27-29
G05 BUFFALO L (OT) 10-13
G06 NORTHERN ILLINOIS L 14-55
G07 @ Central Michigan L 10-17
G08 @ Bowling Green L 14-41
G09 KENT STATE W 31-27
G10 @ Miami (OH) L 0-19
G11 @ Eastern Michigan L (2OT) 27-30
G12 OHIO L 14-25
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 2-10 (5th in MAC East)
Home: 2-3
Away: 0-7
Neutral 0-0
MAC: 1-7
Non-MAC: 1-3
Head Coach: Joe Moorhead
Akron: 4-20
Career: 56-47
Bowls: 0-2
(DE CJ Nunnally – USA Today Network)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Tahj Bullock (32-66, 271 yards, 48.5%, 4.1 avg., 3 TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: Charles Kellom (4 car., 5 yards 1.3 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Alex Adams (22 rec., 188 yards, 8.5 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Alex Adams (2)
Sacks: CJ Nunnally IV (7)
Tackles: Antavious Fish (95)
Interceptions: Devonte Golden-Nelson (2)
Pass Deflections: Darrian Lewis (3)
Tackles For Loss: CJ Nunnally IV (15.5)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Blake Hester (31 ret., 580 yards, 18.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Bobby Golden (16 ret., 86 yards, 5.4 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Owen Wiley (4-6 fg/fga., 67%, 12-12 xp/xpa., 24 pts.)
Punting: Dante Jackson (64 punts, 2400 yards, 37.5 avg., 13 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 15 Ben Finley (RS JR/TR)
RB: 22 Charles Kellom (RS SO)
WR: 17 Justin Campbell (RS JR/TR)
WR: 81 Adrian Norton (SO)
WR: 7 Alex Adams (SR/TR)
TE: 88 Jake Newell (RS SO/TR)
LT: 77 Jayvin James (RS FR)
LG: 50 Laurance Seymore (RS JR/TR)
OC: 54 Tyhler Williams (RS SO)
RG: 72 Colin Lyons (RS JR)
RT: 55 Josh Blanchard (RS SR/TR)
KR: 25 Blake Hester (RS SR)
PK: 99 Owen Wiley (SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 93 Bennett Adler (SR)
NT: 99 Nathan Kapongo (RS SR/TR)
DT: 5 Lama Lavea (RS JR/TR)
DE: 91 CJ Nunnally IV (SR/TR)
LB: 10 Antavious Fish (SR/TR)
LB: 40 Bryan McCoy (JR)
NB: 24 Darrian Lewis (RS JR)
CB: 11 Devonte Golden-Nelson (RS JR/TR)
CB: 6 Joey Hunter (RS JR/TR)
FS: 26 Aman Greenwood (RS SR/TR)
BS: 9 Paul Lewis III (SR/TR)
PR: 4 Bobby Golden (JR)
PT: 36 Dante Jackson (RS SR/TR)
(WR Adrian Norton – University of Akron Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense:
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: C
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 @ Ohio State Buckeyes | Akron trails the series 1-8. The Zips lost (7-59) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/07 @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Akron lost (17-20) the only prior meeting between schools in 1990.
09/14 COLGATE RAIDERS | First meeting between schools.
09/21 @ South Carolina Gamecocks | Akron lost (3-28) the only prior meeting between schools in 2018.
09/28 @ Ohio Bobcats | Akron trails the series 13-26-1. The Zips are 1-9 since 2014, and their last series win (37-34) was in 2017.
10/05 BOWLING GREEN FALCONS | Akron trails the series 10-20. The Zips are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (35-20) was in 2021.
10/12 @ Western Michigan Broncos | Akron trails the series 5-16. The Zips lost (40-45) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/26 EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES | Akron leads the series 19-16. The Zips are 2-4 since 2014, and their last series win (47-21) was in 2015.
11/02 BUFFALO BULLS | Akron trails the series 11-12. The Zips are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (21-20) was in 2017.
11/13 @ Northern Illinois Huskies | Akron trails the series 6-12. The Zips lost (14-55) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (44-12) was at the prior meeting in 2022.
11/19 @ Kent State Golden Flashes | Akron leads the series 36-28-2. The Zips are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (27-33) was in 2022.
11/26 TOLEDO ROCKETS | Akron trials the series 9-13. The Zips lost (14-49) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 2-3
Away: 0-7
Neutral: 0-0
MAC: 1-7
Non-MAC: 1-3
Overall: 2-10 (12th in MAC)
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