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COACHING STAFF COACHING COACHING STAFF TERRY BOWDEN Head Coach | Co-Offensive Coordinator Seventh Season at Akron 25th Season Overall West Virginia ‘78 The Dean of all Mid-American Conference coaches with 171 career wins, Ak- ron’s Terry Bowden enters his seventh season in 2018 at the helm of the UA program. He was named the Zips’ 27th all-time head coach on Dec. 22, 2011, but he is just the seventh person to hold the position since 1960. Owning a 171-106-2 record over a 24-year collegiate coaching career, Bowden ranks sixth nationally among active Division I head coaches in ca- reer wins (171). THE TERRY BOWDEN FILE Bowden has been responsible for miraculous turnarounds almost every- COLLEGIATE HEAD COACHING RECORD Year School Record • Notable where he has coached and has once again done it at The University of Akron. 1983 Salem 3-7 1984 Salem 8-3 • WVIAC Champions In 2017, the Zips (7-7 overall, 6-2 MAC) soared to first place in the MAC East 1983 Salem 8-3 • WVIAC Champions with huge victories over Ohio and Kent State to claim the division title and a Salem Totals (three seasons) 19-13-0 spot in the MAC Championship game for the second time in program history 1987 Samford 9-1 1988 Samford 5-6 • Transition to I-AA and first time since 2005. Akron also advanced to an FBS bowl for the second 1989 Samford 4-7 time in three years, another program first. After opening MAC play at 3-0 for 1990 Samford 6-4-1 the first time, UA went on to win five home games at InfoCision Stadium– 1991 Samford 12-2 • Division I-AA Playoffs-Semifinals 1992 Samford 9-3 • Division I-AA Playoffs-First Rd. Summa Field, the most in a single season since the stadium opened in 2009. Samford Totals (six seasons) 45-23-1 The Zips won their third consecutive Wagon Wheel (and fourth in last five 1993 Auburn 11-0 • National Champions (NCF) years) over rival Kent State. 1994 Auburn 9-1-1 • No. 9 AP Final Ranking • AKRON FOOTBALL 1995 Auburn 8-4 Outback Bowl Appearance In the final NCAA rankings, Akron was No. 7 in interceptions (19), No. 8 in 1996 Auburn 8-4 • Independence Bowl Win 1997 Auburn 10-3 • Peach Bowl Win defensive touchdowns (4), No. 19 in turnover margin (0.71), and No. 36 in 1998 Auburn 1-5 red zone defense (0.800). UA also ranked No. 2 nationally in attendance Auburn Totals (six seasons) 47-17-1 increase from 2016 to 2017. The Zips set records for most games in a season 2009 North Alabama 11-2 • Division II Playoffs-Quarterfinals (14), most home wins at InfoCision (5), and punts in a season (88). 2010 North Alabama 9-4 • Division II Playoffs-Second Rd. 2011 North Alabama 9-3 • Division II Playoffs-Second Rd. UNA Totals (three seasons) 29-9 Four Zips earned All-MAC recognition with junior linebacker Ulysees Gilbert 2012 Akron 1-11 • 0-8 in MAC play III capturing first-team honors for the second consecutive year. Sophomore 2013 Akron 5-7 • 4-4 in MAC play defensive back Alvin Davis, Jr., garnered second-team All-MAC honors. Red- 2014 Akron 5-7 • 3-5 in MAC play 2015 Akron 8-5 • 5-3 in MAC play • Potato Bowl Win shirt senior wide receiver Tra’Von Chapman and redshirt junior defensive end 2016 Akron 5-7 • 3-5 in MAC play Jamal Davis II were third-team All-MAC honorees. Six Akron upperclassmen 2017 Akron 7-7 • 6-2 in MAC play • Boca Raton Bowl earned Academic All-MAC honors, while senior running back Warren Ball Akron Totals (six seasons) 31-44 21-27 MAC (.413) Career Totals (24 seasons) 171-106-2 (.616) was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 5 football team. Six Zips earned their bachelor degrees COACHING HONORS prior to the start of the season, and 14 Zips graduated in December before 1993 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year appearing in the bowl game. Walter Camp Coach of the Year Scripps Howard Coach of the Year Football News Coach of the Year In 2016, Bowden led UA to a 5-7 overall record, finishing just one play away Toyota Coach of the Year from back-to-back bowl appearances. The Zips won their second consecutive Paul “Bear” Bryant Award (Football Writers Association) Wagon Wheel (and third in last four years) over rival Kent State. Akron led 2009 Gulf South Conference Co-Coach of the Year the MAC in punt returns (17.53) which also ranked third nationally. COLLEGIATE PLAYING CAREER 1977-78 Football (West Virginia) GoZips.com/ZipsFB 72 COACHING STAFF Sophomore linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III and redshirt senior punt returner In 2015, Bowden guided the Zips to an 8-5 overall record and a second-place JoJo Natson, Jr., earned first-team All-Mid-American Conference honors. finish in the MAC (5-3) East en route to the program’s first winning season Natson also garnered second-team All-MAC honors at wide receiver. Junior and bowl appearance since 2005. Ranked No. 2 nationally by Phil Steele as wide receiver Jerome Lane and redshirt sophomore placekicker Tom O’Leary the Most Improved Team, Akron captured its first-ever bowl victory in the were third-team All-MAC honorees. Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) era (since 1987) with a 23-21 win over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 22. UA won the 500th game For just the second time in program history (and first time since 1980), an in program history with a 35-14 victory at Louisiana on Sept. 26, 2015, while Akron Zip earned Academic All-America honors. Junior safety Zach Guiser closing out the season with five consecutive wins. The Zips shut out rival Kent was a first-team selection, while redshirt senior captain James Turner was a State, 20-0, in the home finale to regain possession of the coveted Wagon second-team honoree. The duo headlined nine Zips on the Academic All- Wheel. The eight wins on the season were the most in the FBS era. MAC team. Four Zips– Ulysees Gilbert, Guiser, Turner, and Daumantas Venck- us– were also awarded Distinguished Scholar-Athlete honors from the MAC. Senior linebacker Jatavis Brown was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection. Se- During the summer, four players from the 2016 team signed rookie free nior nose tackle Cody Grice was a second-team pick, while senior offensive agent contracts with NFL teams, including DB Larry Hope (Miami), WR Je- lineman Isaiah Williams, senior defensive lineman Rodney Coe, and junior rome Lane (New York Giants), DL Jamal Marcus (Cleveland), and WR JoJo defensive lineman Jamal Marcus were third-team All-MAC selections. Ten Natson (Indianapolis). Zips earned Academic All-MAC honors, including four-time recipient place- kicker Robert Stein and three-time honoree Kyle Pohl. Five of those 10 Zips were selected as MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes. TERRY BOWDEN’S POSTSEASON HISTORY (18) Bowl .......................................... Date ..............................................Result The Zips led the MAC in total defense (331.5) and rushing defense (92.9) NAIA 1st Round Playoffs .................1984 ............Saginaw Valley St. 30, Salem 7 which ranked third nationally. Senior linebacker Jatavis Brown competed in MEDIA GUIDE 2018 NAIA 1st Round Playoffs .................1985 ..........................Hillsdale, 47, Salem 3 the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl after setting records for TFL (20.0) DI-AA First Round .....................Nov. 30, 1991 .. Samford 29, New Hampshire 13 and sacks (12.) in a season and 41.5 TFL in his career. He became just the DI-AA Quarterfinal ....................Dec. 7, 1991 ....Samford 24, James Madison 21 16th Zip in program history (and first-ever linebacker) to be drafted into the DI-AA Semifinal........................Dec. 14, 1991 ......Youngstown St. 10, Samford 0 NFL. Brown was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round. DI-AA First Round .....................Nov. 28, 1992 ............. Delaware 56, Samford 21 Outback Bowl ...........................Jan. 1, 1996 ..............Penn State 43, Auburn 14 Independence Bowl ................Dec. 31, 1996 ......................Auburn 32, Army 29 In 2014, Bowden guided the Zips to a 5-7 overall for the second consecutive Peach Bowl ...............................Jan. 2, 1998 .................Auburn 21, Clemson 17 season. With 10 victories over the last two seasons, the Zips totaled more DII 2nd Round Playoffs ............Nov. 21, 2009 ....North Alabama 41, Ark. Tech 28 wins than the previous three seasons combined. DII Quarterfinal ........................Nov. 28, 2009 ..... Carson-Newman 24, N. Ala. 21 DII 1st Round ...........................Nov. 20, 2010 ........North Ala. 43, Valdosta St. 20 Four Akron players earned All-Mid-American Conference honors. Junior line- DII 2nd Round .........................Nov. 27, 2010 .........Delta State 47, North Ala. 24 DII 1st Round ...........................Nov. 19, 2011 ............North Ala. 43, West Ala. 27 backer Jatavis Brown and junior nose tackle Cody Grice were first-team hon- DII 2nd Round .........................Nov. 26, 2011 .........Delta State 42, North Ala. 14 orees on defense. Senior lineman Nordly Capi and junior punter Zach Paul Famous Idaho Potato Bowl .........Dec. 22, 2015 .................Akron 23, Utah State 21 earned second-team honors. Nine Zips earned Academic All-MAC honors MAC Championship .................Dec. 2, 2017 .......................Toledo 45, Akron 28 with four— Andrew Bohan, Zach Guiser, Kyle Pohl, and Robert Stein— earning Boca Raton Bowl ......................Dec. 19, 2017 ...........Florida Atlantic 50, Akron 3 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete status. During the summer, five players from the 2014 squad signed with NFL teams, including Nordly Capi (Jacksonville), Jawon Chisholm (Pittsburgh), Zach D’Orazio (New England), Justin March -Lillard (Kansas City), and Nme- soma Okafor (Cincinnati).