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Do IT this week: Layering
Coach admits UA made mistakes, but says Temple was better and will win its next game
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Tuesday, Nov 17, 2009
This was a game that every University of Akron player, coach and fan would like to dismiss from their memories as soon as possible.
On Friday night, Temple did whatever it wanted to do in dominating the Zips 56-17 in a mismatch at InfoCision Stadium that took three hours, 25 minutes to play and mere seconds to categorize as forgettable.
UA (2-8, 1-5) had been spirited and competitive in many of its defeats in 2009, but this was not one of them.
''It was a very frustrating day. Our kids have been in basically every game this year and competed hard and haven't gotten over the hump very often,'' Zips coach J.D. Brookhart said Monday. ''But it was one of those days . . . things just unraveled. It was a tough game for our kids.''
Zips led in first quarter
The Zips led 17-7 late in the first quarter, but then succumbed to a Temple team that scored seven consecutive touchdowns to run its winning streak to eight games.
The Owls (8-2, 6-0), who lead the Mid-American Conference-East by one game over Ohio, were efficient on both sides of the ball, holding a decided edge in total offense 403-247 and in first downs 24-16.
''We started very well and made some good plays against a very good football team,'' Brookhart said. ''Got up 17-7 and then had a run where we unraveled quite a bit.
''We pressed in the second half a bit and certainly wore down at a couple places.''
Quick change
A key segment came late in the first half when the Owls got two touchdowns to move the score from 21-17 to 35-17 at the half.
Temple had the ball at its 33 with 1:28 left when it went the 67 yards in just three plays, buoyed by a 45-yard run by freshman tailback Bernard Pierce. The touchdown from 8 yards out came on a run by quarterback Chester Stewart.
UA then got the ball at their 30 with 58 seconds left. Rather than running out the clock and settling for an 11-point deficit, Brookhart elected to go for points. Freshman quarterback Patrick Nicely threw an ill-advised pass that Owls safety Wilbert Brinson intercepted and returned 32 yards to the 5. Pierce scored moments later from the 2 to make it 35-17.
''At 28-17, I think I made a mistake by trying to make something happen,'' Brookhart said. ''Putting Patrick, a young quarterback, in that situation was not a good idea.''
The fans in the InfoCision stands and ESPNU viewers also saw that the Zips were beaten by a superior team deserving of being ranked. On Monday, the Associated Press media poll had the Owls 32nd, just behind Navy and ahead of Auburn, and the USA Today coaches poll had them 33rd, just behind Central Michigan and ahead of Oklahoma.
On Monday, Brookhart predicted that the Owls will meet and defeat Central Michigan in the MAC title game Dec. 4 in Detroit. ''They are a good, big, physical and fast football team,'' Brookhart said.
''I don't think anybody looks like them in our league. They have good players, obviously. It wasn't just us making mistakes.''
The Zips return to action Friday night at Doyt Perry Stadium against pass-happy Bowling Green (5-5, 4-2), which is tied for third in the MAC-East with Kent State.
The Falcons have little use for the run, averaging 68.7 yards rushing per game in ranking 118th out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
But Bowling Green can accumulate first downs and points in a hurry with its passing attack, which ranks fourth in the nation at 324.7 yards per game.
Senior receiver Freddie Barnes leads the country in catches per game (11.7) and is second in yards per game (128.5). His aggregate totals are 117 catches for 1,285 yards.
Senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan is second in the nation in passing yards at 3,189, completing 298-of-465 throws, with 19 touchdowns.
Brookhart — along with UA fans — is ready to move on from the Temple defeat.
''I know they are all frustrated,'' Brookhart said about his players. ''We all are with that game. The key for us right now is to put that behind us and move forward to Bowling Green.''
The season finale comes Nov. 27 at home against winless Eastern Michigan.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
This was a game that every University of Akron player, coach and fan would like to dismiss from their memories as soon as possible.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 10:13 AM, 11/17/2009
JD Brokkhart came to town promising he would use his business background to get the program on track. Then on a national television game he shows up in a sweatshirt and dockers. I guess it was casual Friday!
Make him stay for the last year of his contact, but hire Dambrots wife to at least dress him. Now that is a class act that has used his business background to turn a program around.
akron, oh
Posted 11:31 AM, 11/17/2009
I thought the last sentence read, "The Brookhart finale comes Nov. 27th at home against winless Eastern Michigan." Not winless for long !
tallmadge, OH
Posted 11:59 AM, 11/17/2009
Akron needs to focus on their basketball team. Except for 1 or 2 seasons, the football program has produced a substandard product. It started when they let Huggens get away, dumped all the money into a football program and let a cancer known as Faust destroy it.
San Diego, CA
Posted 01:29 PM, 11/17/2009
@Socialist in charge: Faust may not have been the best coach in the world but I would hardly call him a "cancer".
There were two programs trying to make a name and went after his services after he left ND, and Akron won. The other was Youngstown State. They had to settle for an assistant coach named Jim Tressel.
San Diego, CA
Posted 01:35 PM, 11/17/2009
@scpttb512: Since you're the fashion police, didn't you think the AL Golden looked a little ridiculous with the long sleeve white shirt and tie? I don't think even Joe Pa wears them any longer. And besides, I don't think people care too much that Brookhart had on a sweatshirt. He can wear a Belichick hooded sweatshirt if he wins consistently.
In my opinion, Akron won the fashion battle among coaches.
Green, Oh
Posted 01:55 PM, 11/17/2009
JD could wear a dress for all I care, as long as they win!
Posted 02:24 PM, 11/17/2009
SD Joe, lighten up, been out in the sun too long? I only commented because I can remember being in at least three meetings with JD when he first started, where he stated many times how the program was going to run like a business, he even flashed around business plans to show recruits why they should go to U of A. He has obviously lost his way. You and 77 Zip make my point, that is just win. Then all his transgressions go away. As for Al Golden, I thought he looked sharp, it's like Earle Bruce used to say "you look good, you play good".
