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Senior running back bounces back to be a key contributor for Zips Deck
By Michael Beaven
Special to the Beacon Journal
POSTED: 08:34 p.m. EDT, Oct 28, 2008
Just one season ago, Dennis Kennedy was almost a forgotten man on the University of Akron football team.
That is definitely not the case now, as Kennedy and UA (4-4, 2-2) head into a Mid-American Conference game against Toledo (2-6, 1-3) at 8 p.m. next Wednesday.
at the Rubber Bowl.
Kennedy dropped to third on the depth chart last season but has emerged this season as UA's top tailback. A senior, Kennedy has gained 750 yards on 125 carries and scored nine touchdowns in eight games this season. In the MAC, he is second in average per carry (6.0 yards), tied for second in touchdowns (nine) and third in average per game (93.8 yards).
By comparison, he rushed for 148 yards on 44 carries with no touchdowns in last season's first eight games and finished 2007 with 156 yards on 46 carries and no touchdowns.
''Offensively, you see a much improved team from a year ago,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said. ''Dennis is playing extremely well, and I think the guys up front are doing some great things to help him. He is finishing some runs like we always thought he was capable of doing. I am happy for him, because it has been a long road, but a good road, for Dennis.''
Kennedy, a 5-foot-10 and 205-pound graduate of Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has set broken his career high in rushing yards the previous two games. He gained 182 yards on 29 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 37-33 loss to visiting Bowling Green on Oct. 11, then rushed for 277 yards on 25 carries and scored three touchdowns in a 42-35 win at Eastern Michigan on Oct. 18.
Kennedy's 277-yard game is the highest total by a UA back since the program joined Division I-A in 1987 and the second highest in school history.
James Black set the single-game record as a senior with 295 yards on 52 carries in a 26-3 win over Austin Peay on Nov. 19, 1983. It was Black's final collegiate game.
Senior Chris Kemme, juniors Zack Anderson and Elliott Bates and sophomores Mike Ward and Corey Woods have formed the Zips' starting offensive line to help Kennedy succeed.
''They [the offensive linemen] are doing a great job and the receivers are blocking downfield, making it easy for the backs to run hard,'' Kennedy said.
From OSU to UA
Kennedy, 23, originally committed to play football at Ohio State and signed a letter of intent. He then changed his mind and was released from the commitment. Kennedy said UA, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Rutgers and Cincinnati then showed the most interest.
''Coach Brookhart called me up a day or two [after my recruitment reopened] and we talked,'' Kennedy said. ''He flew me up and I ended up signing just because I liked the family environment. I committed on the spot.''
Since arriving in Akron, Kennedy has had to deal with an assortment of ailments, including shoulder, neck and calf injuries.
''There has been some frustration because of injuries,'' Brookhart said. ''Is he still 100 percent healthy? He is not right now. He is shouldering a lot of carries that we didn't plan on him shouldering this year.''
Kennedy redshirted his first year at UA, then contributed to the 2005 Zips that won the MAC East Division title and league championship game. He rushed for a touchdown in the MAC championship game and also had a touchdown reception in a key regular-season game. Both touchdowns, the first two of his UA career, came in wins over Northern Illinois.
Kennedy led UA's rushing attack as a sophomore in 2006 by gaining 914 yards on 226 carries and scoring nine touchdowns. Those numbers earned him second-team All-MAC honors and raised expectations.
Humbling season
During the 2007 season, Kennedy dropped behind Bryan Williams and Alex Allen in the Zips' rushing attack. His primary role became as a special teams player.
Williams led UA with 728 yards on 152 carries and scored two touchdowns, but he was converted to a defensive back this season as a senior.
''It was very frustrating,'' Kennedy said of his junior season. ''Going in, you always want it to be a smooth ride, but I guess everything has its roller coasters and ups and downs. You just have to continue to stay focused and continue to work hard.''
Injuries this season to Allen, a junior, and to senior Andrew Johnson, a University of Miami transfer, have led to more opportunities for Kennedy.
''I knew I had to step up because going into the season [the running backs] were one of the strengths of the team,'' Kennedy said. ''Nobody expected it to happen like this or take this route, so yes, I did feel a little pressure to take it upon myself and step up.''
Allen and Johnson showed they were capable of being the featured back until they were sidelined. Allen suffered a broken hip Sept. 13 against Ball State and is out for the season. Johnson returned for the Eastern Michigan game after missing games against Kent State and Bowling Green due to shoulder stingers.
''Honestly, I thought we would be ready to go as a fresh football team that would use three tailbacks, and they would all be valuable members on special teams as well,'' Brookhart said. ''That was how I initially thought it would play out because they all had strengths.''
Kennedy is on pace to become UA's first 1,000-yard back in a season since Brett Biggs gained 1,230 yards on 284 carries and had 10 touchdowns in 2005.
He also has entered the top 20 on the UA career rushing list with 1,951 yards. Mike Clark leads with 4,257 yards on 804 carries in 32 games.
Just one season ago, Dennis Kennedy was almost a forgotten man on the University of Akron football team.
That is definitely not the case now, as Kennedy and UA (4-4, 2-2) head into a Mid-American Conference game against Toledo (2-6, 1-3) at 8 p.m. next Wednesday.
at the Rubber Bowl.
Kennedy dropped to third on the depth chart last season but has emerged this season as UA's top tailback. A senior, Kennedy has gained 750 yards on 125 carries and scored nine touchdowns in eight games this season. In the MAC, he is second in average per carry (6.0 yards), tied for second in touchdowns (nine) and third in average per game (93.8 yards).
By comparison, he rushed for 148 yards on 44 carries with no touchdowns in last season's first eight games and finished 2007 with 156 yards on 46 carries and no touchdowns.
''Offensively, you see a much improved team from a year ago,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said. ''Dennis is playing extremely well, and I think the guys up front are doing some great things to help him. He is finishing some runs like we always thought he was capable of doing. I am happy for him, because it has been a long road, but a good road, for Dennis.''
Kennedy, a 5-foot-10 and 205-pound graduate of Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has set broken his career high in rushing yards the previous two games. He gained 182 yards on 29 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 37-33 loss to visiting Bowling Green on Oct. 11, then rushed for 277 yards on 25 carries and scored three touchdowns in a 42-35 win at Eastern Michigan on Oct. 18.
Kennedy's 277-yard game is the highest total by a UA back since the program joined Division I-A in 1987 and the second highest in school history.
James Black set the single-game record as a senior with 295 yards on 52 carries in a 26-3 win over Austin Peay on Nov. 19, 1983. It was Black's final collegiate game.
Senior Chris Kemme, juniors Zack Anderson and Elliott Bates and sophomores Mike Ward and Corey Woods have formed the Zips' starting offensive line to help Kennedy succeed.
''They [the offensive linemen] are doing a great job and the receivers are blocking downfield, making it easy for the backs to run hard,'' Kennedy said.
From OSU to UA
Kennedy, 23, originally committed to play football at Ohio State and signed a letter of intent. He then changed his mind and was released from the commitment. Kennedy said UA, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Rutgers and Cincinnati then showed the most interest.
''Coach Brookhart called me up a day or two [after my recruitment reopened] and we talked,'' Kennedy said. ''He flew me up and I ended up signing just because I liked the family environment. I committed on the spot.''
Since arriving in Akron, Kennedy has had to deal with an assortment of ailments, including shoulder, neck and calf injuries.
''There has been some frustration because of injuries,'' Brookhart said. ''Is he still 100 percent healthy? He is not right now. He is shouldering a lot of carries that we didn't plan on him shouldering this year.''
Kennedy redshirted his first year at UA, then contributed to the 2005 Zips that won the MAC East Division title and league championship game. He rushed for a touchdown in the MAC championship game and also had a touchdown reception in a key regular-season game. Both touchdowns, the first two of his UA career, came in wins over Northern Illinois.
Kennedy led UA's rushing attack as a sophomore in 2006 by gaining 914 yards on 226 carries and scoring nine touchdowns. Those numbers earned him second-team All-MAC honors and raised expectations.
Humbling season
During the 2007 season, Kennedy dropped behind Bryan Williams and Alex Allen in the Zips' rushing attack. His primary role became as a special teams player.
Williams led UA with 728 yards on 152 carries and scored two touchdowns, but he was converted to a defensive back this season as a senior.
''It was very frustrating,'' Kennedy said of his junior season. ''Going in, you always want it to be a smooth ride, but I guess everything has its roller coasters and ups and downs. You just have to continue to stay focused and continue to work hard.''
Injuries this season to Allen, a junior, and to senior Andrew Johnson, a University of Miami transfer, have led to more opportunities for Kennedy.
''I knew I had to step up because going into the season [the running backs] were one of the strengths of the team,'' Kennedy said. ''Nobody expected it to happen like this or take this route, so yes, I did feel a little pressure to take it upon myself and step up.''
Allen and Johnson showed they were capable of being the featured back until they were sidelined. Allen suffered a broken hip Sept. 13 against Ball State and is out for the season. Johnson returned for the Eastern Michigan game after missing games against Kent State and Bowling Green due to shoulder stingers.
''Honestly, I thought we would be ready to go as a fresh football team that would use three tailbacks, and they would all be valuable members on special teams as well,'' Brookhart said. ''That was how I initially thought it would play out because they all had strengths.''
Kennedy is on pace to become UA's first 1,000-yard back in a season since Brett Biggs gained 1,230 yards on 284 carries and had 10 touchdowns in 2005.
He also has entered the top 20 on the UA career rushing list with 1,951 yards. Mike Clark leads with 4,257 yards on 804 carries in 32 games.
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