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Do IT this week: Layering
A dropped, wind-blown pass might represent team’s frustration during losing streak
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 07:32 p.m. EST, Nov 02, 2009
It was a play that might stand the test of time as the one symbol of futility and frustration for the 2009 University of Akron football team.
Saturday at Northern Illinois, the Zips led 10-6 late in the third quarter. From the UA 23, freshman quarterback Patrick Nicely lofted a long and true bomb to a wide-open Dashan Miller. It was a touchdown play in the making, but Miller dropped it in the swirling wind.
The run-oriented Huskies took it from there, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to win 27-10 and drop the Zips to 1-7 overall and 0-4 in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.
''We missed an opportunity to go up 17-6, which would have been fairly devastating at the time,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said today at his weekly news conference.
That potential 17-6 advantage would have forced NIU to score twice and likely have to pass to do so, which was not the strength of quarterback DeMarcus Grady (104 yards rushing and 62 yards passing).
''It would have been nice to have an 11-point lead,'' Brookhart said. ''If you take an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter or near the fourth, that probably changes their game plan.''
However, Brookhart refused to single out Miller, never using his name in the news conference. He said that a handful of plays in any one game determine the outcome, not one.
Over the course of the current six-game losing streak headed to a home game Saturday against Kent State, the Zips have had players take turns making crucial mistakes.
''It's not like everybody threw their hands up and said, 'That's it,' '' Brookhart said about the attitude of his team after the non-catch. ''But, certainly, yes, you have to . . . take advantage of those six to eight plays a game. That's what we have struggled to do.''
More crucial to the outcome was that the Zips could produce only 235 yards of total offense, with 80 of those yards coming on an option pass for a touchdown from tailback Alex Allen to wide receiver Andre Jones.
That production dropped UA to an average of 274.4 yards per game of total offense, which is 119th out of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. That is ahead only of New Mexico State (232.9), an Ohio State victim Saturday.
The UA defense held the Huskies to six points through three quarters. But the defense was on the field for too many long periods because the offense was ineffective. That and poor punts produced too many short fields for NIU.
As a result, the defense wilted at the end, allowing three rushing touchdowns in the final 13 minutes.
''Our defense hung extremely tough in the first half. Offensively, we did not execute very well,'' Brookhart said. ''It was a field-position game and we lost that battle.''
The Zips became so desperate for offense that Brookhart decided to start tailback Broderick Alexander, a freshman who was a redshirt in the first seven games. He responded by rushing for a team-high 48 yards on 19 carries.
Brookhart said he needed Alexander because of the injuries to Allen, Dale Martin, DeVoe Torrence and Joe Tuzze.
''With five games left, we asked him to sacrifice a little bit for the team, to carry the load,'' said Brookhart, meaning Alexander's freshman season would be cut more than in half. ''I thought he did a real good job. He will get a lot better in game two.''
The defeat to NIU means that the Zips are ensured of having a losing record in 2009. It also was the 10th consecutive Football Bowl Subdivision defeat and seventh consecutive MAC loss, over two seasons.
The last FBS and MAC victory came over Toledo 47-30 at the Rubber Bowl on Nov. 5, 2008.
The Zips will attempt to break that streak Saturday against the Flashes (5-4, 4-1) in the Wagon Wheel game.
UA has won 10 of the past 12 games between the two teams and holds a 29-20-2 edge in the series.
But Kent State, which is tied for second in the MAC-East with Ohio and behind Temple, has a 19-18-1 advantage since 1946 when the Wagon Wheel trophy was started.
This is the last Saturday game for the Zips. The remaining three games are on Fridays — Temple (Nov. 13), at Bowling Green (Nov. 20) and Eastern Michigan (Nov. 27).
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
It was a play that might stand the test of time as the one symbol of futility and frustration for the 2009 University of Akron football team.
Saturday at Northern Illinois, the Zips led 10-6 late in the third quarter. From the UA 23, freshman quarterback Patrick Nicely lofted a long and true bomb to a wide-open Dashan Miller. It was a touchdown play in the making, but Miller dropped it in the swirling wind.
The run-oriented Huskies took it from there, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to win 27-10 and drop the Zips to 1-7 overall and 0-4 in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.
''We missed an opportunity to go up 17-6, which would have been fairly devastating at the time,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said today at his weekly news conference.
That potential 17-6 advantage would have forced NIU to score twice and likely have to pass to do so, which was not the strength of quarterback DeMarcus Grady (104 yards rushing and 62 yards passing).
''It would have been nice to have an 11-point lead,'' Brookhart said. ''If you take an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter or near the fourth, that probably changes their game plan.''
However, Brookhart refused to single out Miller, never using his name in the news conference. He said that a handful of plays in any one game determine the outcome, not one.
Over the course of the current six-game losing streak headed to a home game Saturday against Kent State, the Zips have had players take turns making crucial mistakes.
''It's not like everybody threw their hands up and said, 'That's it,' '' Brookhart said about the attitude of his team after the non-catch. ''But, certainly, yes, you have to . . . take advantage of those six to eight plays a game. That's what we have struggled to do.''
More crucial to the outcome was that the Zips could produce only 235 yards of total offense, with 80 of those yards coming on an option pass for a touchdown from tailback Alex Allen to wide receiver Andre Jones.
That production dropped UA to an average of 274.4 yards per game of total offense, which is 119th out of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. That is ahead only of New Mexico State (232.9), an Ohio State victim Saturday.
The UA defense held the Huskies to six points through three quarters. But the defense was on the field for too many long periods because the offense was ineffective. That and poor punts produced too many short fields for NIU.
As a result, the defense wilted at the end, allowing three rushing touchdowns in the final 13 minutes.
''Our defense hung extremely tough in the first half. Offensively, we did not execute very well,'' Brookhart said. ''It was a field-position game and we lost that battle.''
The Zips became so desperate for offense that Brookhart decided to start tailback Broderick Alexander, a freshman who was a redshirt in the first seven games. He responded by rushing for a team-high 48 yards on 19 carries.
Brookhart said he needed Alexander because of the injuries to Allen, Dale Martin, DeVoe Torrence and Joe Tuzze.
''With five games left, we asked him to sacrifice a little bit for the team, to carry the load,'' said Brookhart, meaning Alexander's freshman season would be cut more than in half. ''I thought he did a real good job. He will get a lot better in game two.''
The defeat to NIU means that the Zips are ensured of having a losing record in 2009. It also was the 10th consecutive Football Bowl Subdivision defeat and seventh consecutive MAC loss, over two seasons.
The last FBS and MAC victory came over Toledo 47-30 at the Rubber Bowl on Nov. 5, 2008.
The Zips will attempt to break that streak Saturday against the Flashes (5-4, 4-1) in the Wagon Wheel game.
UA has won 10 of the past 12 games between the two teams and holds a 29-20-2 edge in the series.
But Kent State, which is tied for second in the MAC-East with Ohio and behind Temple, has a 19-18-1 advantage since 1946 when the Wagon Wheel trophy was started.
This is the last Saturday game for the Zips. The remaining three games are on Fridays — Temple (Nov. 13), at Bowling Green (Nov. 20) and Eastern Michigan (Nov. 27).
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Posted 08:27 PM, 11/02/2009
JD, that is where you fail as a coach. You teach your kids that EVERY play matters, that you can break it open on any given down and not just the ones that you call specifically to take a shot.
Canton, OH
Posted 10:48 PM, 11/02/2009
We'll get the black squirrel flashes & keep the wheel. . .
Akron, Oh
Posted 07:38 AM, 11/03/2009
Lets see 1-7 where have heard that act before?
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 09:17 AM, 11/03/2009
Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Boy, has this guy's act worn thin. NE Ohio seems to just be cursed with poor football management.
Akron, Oh
Posted 11:15 AM, 11/03/2009
Akron University Football - The Joke of The MAC!
uniontown, oh
Posted 11:37 AM, 11/03/2009
I guess if we beat Kent...............
Posted 01:09 PM, 11/03/2009
i wonder if akron could beat the browns... call casear's palace, i bet they would lay only a 4-1 against the zips...
Posted 02:13 PM, 11/03/2009
nice stadium... for UofA to LOSE IN...
Canton, OH
Posted 02:52 PM, 11/03/2009
but the soccer team is great!!!
akron, oh
Posted 03:16 PM, 11/03/2009
When we get a new coach next year i hope people cut him a break cause JD hasn't left much to work with!!!
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 06:56 AM, 11/04/2009
the wagon wheel is gonna head east on I-76
