It’s been a rough stretch for Akron football, with the Zips coming in next-to-last in the Mid-American Conference in wins during the past decade. During that period, the program has more one-win seasons (2010-2012) than winning seasons (2015) .
Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country entering the 2019 season. The Sentinel staff will take a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team.
Today at No. 127: Akron
Coach: Tom Arth (0-0, entering first season; 49-21 overall)
2018 record: 4-8, 2-6 in the Mid-American Conference; tied for fourth in the East Division
Look back: A seven-win season and a bowl appearance in 2017 had everyone excited about the Akron program’s trajectory heading into 2018. The team opened with wins in its first two games, including a road victory over Northwestern, but the Zips would drop eight of their next 10 games and finished with the program’s seventh losing season since 2010.
The school fired Terry Bowden after he went 35-52 in seven seasons and brought in the 37-year-old coach Tom Arth, a lifelong native of Ohio, whose limited head-coaching experience includes four seasons at John Carroll and two seasons at Chattanooga. The former quarterback had brief stints as a player with the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers along with a stop in the Arena Football League.
Offensive starters returning: 7
Offensive starters lost: 4
Defensive starters returning: 3
Defensive starters lost: 8
Key losses: RB Van Edwards Jr., WR Kwadarrius Smith, G Kyle Ritz, T Undrea Bullard, TE Brian Reinke, DL Brock Boxen, DL Brennan Williams, DL Jamal Davis, LB Brian Bell, LB Ulysees Gilbert, DB Kyron Brown, DB Darian Dailey
Top returnees: QB Kato Nelson, WR Andre Williams, WR Jonah Morris, WR Nate Stewart, T Trevor Brown, T Brandon Council, G Hunter Corner, C Bryce Petersen, DB Alvin Davis, LB John Lako
Strengths: The team hasn’t had a quarterback complete more than 56 percent of his passes in a season since Dalton Williams in 2013, so chances are Arth and his staff will pay special attention to Kato Nelson and Robbie Kelley this summer. Nelson, who started all but one game last season, has thrown 23 touchdowns during the past two seasons. Kelley returns for a sixth season after he missed all of last year due to a shoulder injury and the NCAA granted his medical hardship waiver request.
Akron finished near the bottom of the league in scoring offense for the second straight year, with the Zips among a group of eight teams in the country averaging less than 20 points per game in 2018.
The return of a trio of receivers should ease the transition on the offensive side of the ball with Andre Williams (46 catches, 639 yards), Jonah Morris (26 catches, 381 yards) and Nate Stewart (22 catches, 280 yards) back in 2019.
Linebacker John Lako, who led the team in tackles (126), returns to anchor the middle of the defense. He’s joined by safety Alvin Davis, who led the team with four interceptions as well as two of the team’s four defensive touchdowns in 2018.
Weaknesses: Akron has finished dead-last in the league in rushing offense the past two seasons, with the Zips scoring a nation-worst five rushing touchdowns in 2018. The last time a player rushed for at least 1,000 yards in a season was more than a decade ago (Dennis Kennedy, 2008). The unit is looking for a replacement for starter Van Edwards Jr. and could benefit from the arrival of freshman Peter Hayes-Patrick, a three-star running back out of Orlando’s Timber Creek High.
Unfortunately for the Zips, the defense must replace a tremendous amount of production from last season with the departures of linebackers Ulysees Gilbert and Brian Bell, defensive lineman Jamal Davis and defensive back Kyron Brown, who all earned all-conference honors last season.
Outlook: Arth’s hiring injects some much-needed optimism into the program, which has already paid dividends on the recruiting trail. The Zips desperately need to retool the offense, making Arth’s offensive background a valuable asset. The defense, meanwhile, may suffer through some growing pains following extensive player departures.
2019 Schedule
Aug. 31 at Illinois
Sept. 7 UAB
Sept. 14 at Central Michigan
Sept. 21 Troy
Sept. 28 at UMass
Oct. 12 Kent State
Oct. 19 Buffalo
Oct. 26 at Northern Illinois
Nov. 2 at Bowling Green
Nov. 12 Eastern Michigan
Nov. 20 at Miami (Ohio)
Nov. 26 Ohio
Previously on the countdown:
![Through two games against the Magic, the Cavs average the most first-quarter points (31.5) among all playoff teams. "For us, we've just got to get off to a better start [and] not let them get off to this hot start," Orlando guard Cole Anthony said.](https://www.orlandosentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Magic-Cavaliers-Basketball-14.jpg?w=525 "Through two games against the Magic, the Cavs average the most first-quarter points (31.5) among all playoff teams. \"For us, we've just got to get off to a better start [and] not let them get off to this hot start,\" Orlando guard Cole Anthony said.")
