2020 AKRON FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE ADIDAS.COM THIS IS AKRON FOOTBALL ZIPS RISE TOGETHER RISE ZIPS TABLE OF CONTENTS THIS IS AKRON FOOTBALL 2019 SEASON REVIEW Defense .........................................164-167 Quick Facts ................................................4 2019 Season Review ......................... 94-95 Year-by-Year Offensive Stats .................. 168 2020 Schedule ..........................................4 2019 Honors ...........................................96 Year-by-Year Defensive Stats ................. 169 Athletics Communications ........................5 2019 Team Statistics................................97 Year-by-Year Results .......................170-176 Directions to Campus ................................5 Individual Statistics ........................... 98-99 Miscellaneous Results Records ............ 177 Campus Map .............................................6 Defensive Statistics .............................. 100 All-Time Head Coach Records ............... 178 Media Policies and Services ......................7 MAC Games Only Statistics .................. 101 Local Media ...............................................8 Results .................................................. 102 POSTSEASON HISTORY Akron Sports Network................................8 Starting Lineups ................................... 102 Postseason Recaps ........................180-195 Team Community Service ..........................9 Player Participation .............................. 103 Bowl Records .................................196-200 Preseason Notes ................................ 10-11 Team Game-by-Game Comparison 104-105 2020 Rosters ..................................... 12-13 Red Zone Statistics ............................... 106 2020 OPPONENTS Roster Breakdown ...................................14 Game Superlatives ............................... 107 2020 Opponent Information ....... 202-203 Preseason Depth Chart ............................15 Last Time It Happened .......................... 108 All-Time Series Records .................204-206 Zips by State and Hometown ..................16 Game Recaps .................................109-114 Mid-American Conference ................... 207 Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge ...17 Mid-American Conference Schedule .... 208 Traditions ........................................... 18-21 HONORS & AWARDS The Rubber Bowl ............................... 22-23 All-Americans ....................................... 116 InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field ..........24 Conference Honors .......................117-120 Attendance Records .................................25 Team Awards .................................121-126 Varsity “A” Hall of Fame ..................... 25-27 All-Time Letterwinners ...................127-132 Where Does “Zips” Come From? .............28 Zips in the Pros ..............................133-140 CREDITS The 2020 University of Akron Football MEET THE ZIPS RECORDS Media Guide is a product of The University Returning Student-Athletes .............. 29-60 Game Records | Offense ....................... 142 of Akron Athletics Communications office. Newcomers ....................................... 61-70 Game Records | Defense ...................... 143 The publication was designed, written, and Team Records ................................144-145 edited by Cathy Bongiovi, with editorial COACHING STAFF Rushing Records ...........................146-148 assistance from Brian Dennison, Sean Palchick and Kelci Yeager. Cover design template by Head Coach Tom Arth ........................ 71-77 Passing Records.............................149-153 4th Floor Creative. Covers by Kirstin Weaver. Coaching Staff ................................... 78-89 Receiving Records .........................154-156 Interior design template by Cathy Bongiovi. Support Staff ..................................... 90-92 Total Offense..................................157-158 Photography by Jeff Harwell, David Dermer, Punt Return and Kick Return ............... 159 John Ashley, Cathy Bongiovi, Ernie Aranyosi, All-Purpose Yards .................................. 160 Phil Burling, Brian Drumm, Ron Elkman, David Kicking Records .................................... 161 Maxwell, NFL, Sean Palchick, Paul Spinelli Punting Records ................................... 162 (Chargers), and the UA football staff. Scoring Records .................................... 163 2020 AKRON FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE 3 THIS IS AKRON FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS Location: ..........................................Akron, Ohio 44325 HISTORY Starters Returning– 13 Population: .........................200,000 (5th largest in Ohio) First Year of Football: .............................................1891 (7 offense, 6 defense + 5 specialists) Founded: ................................ 1870 as Buchtel College All-Time Record: ....522-559-36 [entering 120th season] Starters Lost– 9 Enrollment: ....................................................... 19,218 First Year of Div. I Football: ............................1987* (4 offense, 5 defense + 0 specialist) Nickname: ...............................................................Zips Record in NCAA Div. I-A (FBS) ...143-238-2 (33 yrs.) Colors: ..................................... Blue (282) & Gold (871) All-Time MAC Record: ....................87-138 (28 yrs.) COACHING STAFF Conference: ..................... Mid-American (East Division) MAC Titles: ........................................................1 (2005) Head Coach: .........................Tom Arth (John Carroll ‘03) President: ............................................ Dr. Gary L. Miller MAC East Division Titles:..............3 (2000, 2005, 2017) Second season at Akron Director of Athletics: ................................Larry Williams NCAA D-I Bowl Games: 3 (2005 Motor City, 2015 Potato, Career Record: .............................. 49-33 (7 yrs.) Faculty Athletics Representative: .Dr. Matthew Juravich 2017 Boca Raton) Akron Record: ................................... 0-12 (1 yr.) Athletics Dept. Phone: ..........................(330) 972-7080 Postseason Appearances ..........................6 (4-6 record) MAC Record: ......................................... 0-8 (1 yr.) Ticket Office: .........................1-888-99-AKRON (-25766 2017 (0-2) ..L, 28-45 vs. Toledo in MAC Championship ...............L, 3-50 vs. Fla. Atlantic in Boca Raton Bowl Matt Feeney (John Carroll ‘14) 2015 (1-0) ............................................................ Def. Coordinator | Safeties: .......Second season at Akron ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS .W, 23-218 vs. Utah State in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Sean Palchick (Co-Football Contact) 2005 (1-1) ............................................................... Bryan Gasser (Ohio Northern ‘06) Associate Director for Communications .... W, 31-30 vs. Northern Illinois in MAC Championship Co-Off. Coordinator | Wide Receivers: Second season at Akron Office Phone: ..............................(330) 972-2677 ...............L, 31-38 vs. Memphis in Motor City Bowl Email: .............................. [email protected] 1985 (0-1) ............................................................... Tommy Zagorski (Case Western Reserve ‘07) .....L, 27-35 at Rhode Island in 1st round of I-AA Playoffs Co-Off. Coordinator | Off. Line: .....Second season at Akron Brian Dennison (Co-Football Contact) 1976 (2-1) ...... W, 27-6 vs. UNLV in NCAA II Playoff Assistant Director for Communications .W, 29-26 vs. Northern Michigan in Knute Rockne Bowl Brian Cochran (John Carroll ‘90) Office Phone: ..............................(330) 972-6292 ...........L, 13-24 vs. Montana State in Pioneer Bowl Defensive Line: ........................Second season at Akron Email: [email protected] 1968 (0-1) ............................................................... .........L, 13-33 vs. Louisiana Tech in Grantland Rice Bowl Chris Cook (UT Chattanooga ‘09) Office Fax ..............................................(330) 374-8844 Tight Ends | Off. Tackles: ...........Second season at Akron Website .......................................................GoZips.com * - Akron was the first school to move from I-AA to I-A. Jayden Everett ZIPS RISE TOGETHER RISE ZIPS Twitter ..@AkronZips | @ZipsFB | #GoZips | #ZipsGameday (Indiana State ‘09) Facebook ................................Facebook.com/AkronZips Stadium: ...................... InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field Running Backs: ........................Second season at Akron ...........................................Facebook.com/ZipsFB Capacity: .......... 30,000 [official sellout is 27,881] YouTube ...............................YouTube.com/ZipsAthletics Playing Surface: ......................................ProGrass Deonte Gibson (Northwestern ‘15) Record at InfoCision Stadium: .......25-40 (11 yrs.) Outside Linebackers | Def. Ends: ...First season at Akron Mailing Address Shipping Address Press Box Phone ..........................(330) 972-2913 The University of Akron University of Akron Athletics Chris Hurd (North Texas ‘04) Rhodes Arena, Suite 83 373 Carroll Street Special Teams Coord. | Fullbacks | H-Backs: ....Second season at Akron Akron, OH 44325-5201 Rhodes Arena, Suite 83 TEAM INFORMATION Akron, OH 44325-5201 2019 Record: .............................................. 0-12 overall Jamael Lett (Samford ‘11) 2019 MAC Record: .................... 0-8 (6th East Division) Secondary: .....................................First