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Hitchens carries Zips to first victory
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Rubber Bowl hasn't been much of a home advantage this season for UA players
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Saturday, Oct 18, 2008
The University of Akron football team hopes that its home-away-from-home advantage will continue.
The Zips have lost all three of their games at the Rubber Bowl this season, but they have won three in a row on the road.
UA (3-4, 1-2) will have a chance to run that streak to four today when it travels to Ypsilanti, Mich., for a Mid-American Conference crossover game against Eastern Michigan (2-5, 1-2).
Zips coach J.D. Brookhart said he has no magical formula for his team being able to win at Syracuse (42-28), Army (22-3) and Kent State (30-27).
''I have never made a big deal about where we are playing,'' said Brookhart, whose team lost its road opener at Wisconsin before the three road wins. ''The kids blank it out as soon as the whistle blows. It's how you prepare all week and how you carry out the plan.''
The success on the road — and lack of it at home — might be a product of the opposition. The three road victims have combined for a 4-15 record. Meanwhile, the three foes that defeated the Zips at the Rubber Bowl — Ball State, Cincinnati and Bowling Green — are a combined 15-4.
''We have played some pretty good teams. The top team in the East, the top team in the West and Cincinnati,'' Brookhart said about the home losses. ''I don't think we go to the Rubber Bowl and fold. You have to look more at the competition.''
Besides the road winning streak, the Zips also will be trying to continue another trend. In its first seven games — including a 37-33 loss to Bowling Green
last Saturday — UA has followed a loss with a victory.
Comparative scores offer both encouragement and discouragement for Zips fans.
UA thoroughly dominated Army in that 22-3 victory Sept. 20. Eastern Michigan lost to host Army 17-13 last Saturday.
That offers hope to UA, but then there is the fact EMU downed host Bowling Green 24-21 on Oct. 4, and those same Falcons handled the host Zips seven days later.
It's college football, in which the logical and the illogical seem to share equal billing.
''I don't think you can make sense of any of this stuff. It will go back and forth. You will see it the rest of the year,'' Brookhart said. ''You will be surprised the wins everybody has.''
Eastern Michigan began the season with a victory over Indiana State, then lost four in a row. Then came the upset of Bowling Green, followed by the loss to Army.
Statistically, the Eagles are among the top teams in the MAC, ranking third in total offense (374.4 yards per game) and fourth in total defense (350.6).
That has been offset by lower rankings for most penalties (10th, 52.1 yards per game), turnover margin (seventh, with 11 for and 11 against) and third-down efficiency (12th, 31.2 percent).
On offense, the Eagles are led by junior quarterback Andy Schmitt (11th in MAC passing), senior running back Terrence Blevins (10th in rushing), sophomore running back Dwayne Priest (11th in rushing) and junior receiver Jacory Stone (fifth in receptions).
The defense is led by one of the MAC's best linebackers, senior Daniel Holtzclaw, who is third in the MAC and 19th nationally in tackles at 9.71 per game.
The Zips will counter with a team that has been stronger on offense (368.0 yards, eighth in MAC) than defense (400.6 yards, 12th).
Junior quarterback Chris Jacquemain, whose six-game streak of throwing for more than 200 yards ended against Bowling Green, is fifth in MAC passing, and senior tailback Dennis Kennedy, who had a career-high 182 yards against the Falcons, is seventh in MAC rushing.
''They are very versatile both in the run and pass. It all starts with the quarterback . . . he does a nice job,'' said Jeff Genyk, who has a 15-38 record in five years as EMU's coach. ''Their offensive line is very athletic and does a good job of staying on blocks.''
After Saturday's game, the Zips have an unusual 18-day break. Their next game is Nov. 5 against Toledo at home.
Notebook
The Nov. 5 home game against Toledo will be at 8 p.m. and on ESPNU. . . . Running back Andrew Johnson (stingers) missed two games but is expected to play today. He is the backup to Kennedy.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
The University of Akron football team hopes that its home-away-from-home advantage will continue.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 12:47 PM, 10/18/2008
Go Zips! Bring back a win!
