Akron Zips 2025 Preview and Predictions

(Photo Credit: AP Photo)

Akron Zips 2025 Preview and Predictions

Key Players Returning:

QB Ben Finley, OG Colin Lyons, TE Jake Newell, LB Gage Summers, CB Elijah Reed, and SS Justin Anderson.

Key Players Departing:

RB Jordon Simmons, WR/KR Bobby Golden, WR Adrian Norton, OC Tyhler Williams, OG Laurance Seymore, OT Josh Blanchard, OT Jayvin James, DE Bennet Adler, DE CJ Nunnally IV, DE Kabbash Richards, NT Nathan Kapongo, LB Antavious Fish, LB Bryan McCoy, CB Devonte Golden-Nelson, NB Darrian Lewis, BS Paul Lewis III, PK Garrson Smith, and PT Avery Book.

Top 10 Recruits:

3 Star Recruits:  ATH Tairan Davis (Youngstown, Ohio), WR Cameron Monteiro (Pittsburgh transfer), RB Chris Gee (Colgate transfer), RB Jordan Gant (Tennessee State transfer), LB Cam Hollobaugh (Walsh transfer), EDGE Cyrus Durham (Arizona transfer), OT Jon Gould (Maize, Kansas), OL Kenneth McManus IV (Washington, DC), OL Jaiden Brown-Demery (West Mifflin, Pennsylvania), and QB Michael Johnson Jr. (Syracuse transfer).

2024 Results:

G01  @ #2 Ohio State  L  6-52
G02  @ Rutgers  L  17-49
G03  COLGATE  W  31-20
G04  @ South Carolina  L  7-50
G05  @ Ohio  L  10-30
G06  BOWLING GREEN  L  20-27
G07  @ Western Michigan  L  24-34
G08  EASTERN MICHIGAN  W  25-21
G09  BUFFALO  L  30-41
G10  @ Northern Illinois  L  16-29
G11  @ Kent State  W  38-17
G12  TOLEDO  W/OT  21-14

Team Info:

2024 Overall:  4-8 (8^th in MAC)

Home:  3-2
Away:  1-6
Neutral  0-0
MAC:  3-5
Non-MAC:  1-3

Head Coach:  Joe Moorhead

Akron:  8-28
Bowls:  0-2
Career:  60-55

Returning Statistical Leaders:

Passing:  Ben Finley (212-387, 2604 yards, 54.8%, 6.7 avg., 16 TD, 9 INT)
Rushing:  None
Receiving:  Jake Newell (35 rec., 254 yards, 7.3 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored:  Jake Newell (2)
Sacks:  J. Anderson/B. Dall/D. Madden (1)
Tackles:  Justin Anderson (44)
Interceptions:  Daymon David/Elijah Reed (2)
Pass Deflections:  Elijah Reed (4)
Tackles For Loss:  Justin Anderson (3)
Forced Fumbles:  J. Anderson/A. Greenwood/M. Spriggs (1)
Kick Returns:  Melvin Spriggs (1 ret., 2 yards, 2.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns:  None
Kicking:  None
Punting:  None

Projected Offensive Starters:

QB:  10  Ben Finley  (RS SR/TR)
RB:  22  Jordan Gant  (RS JR/TR)
WR:  4  Tim Grear Jr.  (SR/TR)
WR:  5  Israel Polk  (RS SO/TR)
WR:  7  Alex Adams  (RS SR/TR)
TE:  88  Jake Newell  (RS JR/TR)
LT:  78  Darrell Johnson Jr.  (RS SR/TR)
LG:  56  Keylen Davis  (RS JR)
OC:  57  Delvin Morris  (RS SO)
RG:  55  Amarie Archer  (RS JR/TR)
RT:  50  Allen jones Jr.  (RS JR/TR)
KR:  16  Paul Davis  (RS SO)
PK:  99  Owen Wiley  (JR)

Projected Defensive Starters:

DE:  10  Cyrus Durham  (RS JR/TR)
NT:  54  Kiawan Murphy  (RSS JR)
DT:  90  Dimitri Madden  (RS SR/TR)
DE:  41 Bruno Dall  (RS SO)
LB:  7  Shammond Cooper  (RS SR/TR)
LB:  32  Gage Summers  (RS SR/TR)
NB:  26  Aman Greenwood  (RS SR/TR)
CB:  14  Ben Kamara  (RS JR/TR)
CB:  11  Elijah Reed  (RS JR/TR)
FS:  00  Mehki Flowers  (RS JR/TR)
BS:  4  Justin Anderson  (RS SR/TR)
PR:  16  Paul Davis  (RS SO)
PT:  95  Joseph Castle  (JR)

Team Grades:

Offense:

Quarterbacks:  B
Running Backs:  C
Wide Receivers:  C
Offensive Line:  C

Defense

Defensive Line:  C
Linebackers:  C
Secondary:  C

Special Teams:

Kick Returners:  C
Punt Returners:  C
Kickers:  C
Punters:  C

Schedule:

08/28  WYOMING COWBOYS  |  First meeting.

09/06  @ Nebraska Cornhuskers  |  Akron lost (14-59) the only prior meeting in 1997.

09/13  @ UAB Blazers  |  Akron lost (20-31) the only prior meeting in 2019.

09/20  DUQUESNE DUKES  |  First meeting.

09/27  @ Toledo Rockets  |  Akron trails the series 10-13.  The Zips are 1-4 since 2016, and their last series loss (14-49) was in 2021.

10/04  CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS  |  Akron trails the series 10-19-1.  The Zips are 1-4 since 2015, and they lost (10-17) the last meeting in 2023.

10/11  Miami (OH) RedHawks  |  Akron trails the series 9-23-1.  The Zips are 2-7 since 2015, and they lost (0-19) the last meeting between schools in 2023.

10/18  @ Ball State Cardinals  |  The series is tied 12-12-1.  The Zips lost (25-31) the last meeting in 2021, and they won (31-3) the prior meeting in 2017.

10/25  @ Buffalo Bulls  |  Akron trails the series 11-13.  The Zips are 2-8 since 2015, and their last series win (21-20) was in 2017.

11/04  Massachusetts Minutemen  |  Akron leads the series 3-2.  The Zips are 1-1 since 2015, and they lost (29-37) the last meeting in 2019.

11/11  KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES  |  Akron leads the series 37-28-2.  The Zips are 6-4 since 2015, and their last series loss (27-33) was in 2022.

11/18  @ Bowling Green Falcons  |  Akron trails the series 10-21.  The Zips are 3-7 since 2015, and their last series win (35-20) was in 2021.

Predictions:

Home:  3-3
Away:  0-6
Neutral:  0-0
MAC:  1-7
Non-MAC:  2-2

Overall:  3-9 (12th in MAC)