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Stallworth's contract terminated
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Law, Love and Chocolate
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Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
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Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
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Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
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Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
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OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
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See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 10:00 a.m. EDT, Oct 09, 2009
The entire University of Akron community hopes that veteran coach Frank Solich of Ohio University is correct in this particular assessment.
Solich is bringing his Bobcats (3-2, 1-0) to InfoCision Stadium on Saturday for a homecoming and Mid-American Conference game against the Zips (1-3, 0-1).
Solich is wary that UA is poised and ready to move forward after starting quarterback Chris Jacquemain was suspended Sept. 17 and dismissed Sept. 23.
''Once you have a little bit of turmoil, and you have to remove a player from the team, sometimes the players rally together and all of a sudden you become a more unified football team and play better as a unit,'' said Solich, a Cleveland native in his fifth year at Ohio after being head coach at Nebraska from 1998-2003.
Since the Jacquemain suspension, the Zips have been thumped at home by Indiana (38-21) and at Central Michigan (48-21).
UA coach J.D. Brookhart said the shock of the Jacquemain loss has worn off, helped by having a bye week, and his team has adjusted to having sophomore Matt Rodgers at quarterback.
He also said he hopes that homecoming will help his squad regain some of the momentum it had with the opening of the new stadium just four weeks ago.
''I have heard a lot of people are coming back for the game. I have heard that since summer,'' Brookhart said. ''I would expect to see a good group of alumni, obviously a student body for the first night game. It's going to be a pretty good environment. I expect the campus will be jumping.''
Brookhart obviously hopes the jumping will be in joy — but that is not likely to happen without a much-improved performance from the last two games.
Besides being outscored 86-42 against Indiana and Central Michigan, the Zips lost the total yardage matchup in the two games by a cumulative difference of 878-467.
That has plummeted the Zips' total offense and total defense to 117th and 82nd, respectively, among the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
Still, with eight games remaining and with the MAC-East being balanced, Brookhart is optimistic that this is a season that can be salvaged.
''It's going down to divisional games. We are all very similar football teams,'' Brookhart said. ''From turnovers to big plays that change games . . . you have to have them go in your favor.
''There are going to be a ton of games that will be seven-point football games or less, You have to play critical downs well.''
Brookhart said he expects to see Rodgers continue to improve after being forced into the lineup against Indiana because of the Jacquemain suspension.
Rodgers, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound sophomore, has been operating behind an offensive line that has allowed 12 sacks in four games, compared to 17 in 12 games in 2008, and that has operated without a featured running back.
In the four games, he has completed 29-of-50 passes for 316 yards and one touchdown. He threw three interceptions against Indiana but none against Central Michigan.
''Matt is doing a pretty decent job given the circumstances. He is executing fairly well,'' Brookhart said. ''He can get better and he is doing everything he can to get better.''
The Zips, who are four-point underdogs, will be playing an Ohio team whose two losses were competitive ones to BCS teams Connecticut (23-16) of the Big East and Tennessee (34-23) of the Southeastern Conference.
Last Saturday, the Bobcats served notice that they are legitimate MAC-East contenders by winning at Bowling Green 44-37.
Ohio won by relying once again on its big-play ability, having seven plays of 25 yards or longer.
''You have to . . . make them drive the field. That's the biggest thing you have to do,'' Brookhart said. ''What they have been getting is a lot of chunks that eventually hurt you. It's a real challenge.''
The Bobcats have many of the same playmakers who hurt the Zips late last season in a 49-42 victory in Athens. Receiver Taylor Price caught three touchdown passes, LaVon Brazill had a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown and Chris Garrett had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
All those players will be on the field today, but quarterback Boo Jackson, who threw for 222 yards and five touchdowns, will be in a reserve role behind starter Theo Scott.
''As far as explosive plays, we have done a good job of matching up with teams on that end of it,'' Solich said. ''That has paid huge dividends for us.''
This is the only home game in October for UA, with games at Buffalo, Syracuse and Northern Illinois following. The next home game is Nov. 7 against Kent State.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
The entire University of Akron community hopes that veteran coach Frank Solich of Ohio University is correct in this particular assessment.
Solich is bringing his Bobcats (3-2, 1-0) to InfoCision Stadium on Saturday for a homecoming and Mid-American Conference game against the Zips (1-3, 0-1).
Solich is wary that UA is poised and ready to move forward after starting quarterback Chris Jacquemain was suspended Sept. 17 and dismissed Sept. 23.
''Once you have a little bit of turmoil, and you have to remove a player from the team, sometimes the players rally together and all of a sudden you become a more unified football team and play better as a unit,'' said Solich, a Cleveland native in his fifth year at Ohio after being head coach at Nebraska from 1998-2003.
Since the Jacquemain suspension, the Zips have been thumped at home by Indiana (38-21) and at Central Michigan (48-21).
UA coach J.D. Brookhart said the shock of the Jacquemain loss has worn off, helped by having a bye week, and his team has adjusted to having sophomore Matt Rodgers at quarterback.
He also said he hopes that homecoming will help his squad regain some of the momentum it had with the opening of the new stadium just four weeks ago.
''I have heard a lot of people are coming back for the game. I have heard that since summer,'' Brookhart said. ''I would expect to see a good group of alumni, obviously a student body for the first night game. It's going to be a pretty good environment. I expect the campus will be jumping.''
Brookhart obviously hopes the jumping will be in joy — but that is not likely to happen without a much-improved performance from the last two games.
Besides being outscored 86-42 against Indiana and Central Michigan, the Zips lost the total yardage matchup in the two games by a cumulative difference of 878-467.
That has plummeted the Zips' total offense and total defense to 117th and 82nd, respectively, among the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
Still, with eight games remaining and with the MAC-East being balanced, Brookhart is optimistic that this is a season that can be salvaged.
''It's going down to divisional games. We are all very similar football teams,'' Brookhart said. ''From turnovers to big plays that change games . . . you have to have them go in your favor.
''There are going to be a ton of games that will be seven-point football games or less, You have to play critical downs well.''
Brookhart said he expects to see Rodgers continue to improve after being forced into the lineup against Indiana because of the Jacquemain suspension.
Rodgers, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound sophomore, has been operating behind an offensive line that has allowed 12 sacks in four games, compared to 17 in 12 games in 2008, and that has operated without a featured running back.
In the four games, he has completed 29-of-50 passes for 316 yards and one touchdown. He threw three interceptions against Indiana but none against Central Michigan.
''Matt is doing a pretty decent job given the circumstances. He is executing fairly well,'' Brookhart said. ''He can get better and he is doing everything he can to get better.''
The Zips, who are four-point underdogs, will be playing an Ohio team whose two losses were competitive ones to BCS teams Connecticut (23-16) of the Big East and Tennessee (34-23) of the Southeastern Conference.
Last Saturday, the Bobcats served notice that they are legitimate MAC-East contenders by winning at Bowling Green 44-37.
Ohio won by relying once again on its big-play ability, having seven plays of 25 yards or longer.
''You have to . . . make them drive the field. That's the biggest thing you have to do,'' Brookhart said. ''What they have been getting is a lot of chunks that eventually hurt you. It's a real challenge.''
The Bobcats have many of the same playmakers who hurt the Zips late last season in a 49-42 victory in Athens. Receiver Taylor Price caught three touchdown passes, LaVon Brazill had a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown and Chris Garrett had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
All those players will be on the field today, but quarterback Boo Jackson, who threw for 222 yards and five touchdowns, will be in a reserve role behind starter Theo Scott.
''As far as explosive plays, we have done a good job of matching up with teams on that end of it,'' Solich said. ''That has paid huge dividends for us.''
This is the only home game in October for UA, with games at Buffalo, Syracuse and Northern Illinois following. The next home game is Nov. 7 against Kent State.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Posted 11:48 AM, 10/09/2009
Going on strike........that's a way to avoid losing this Saturday....... LOL
hudson, oh
Posted 11:52 AM, 10/09/2009
Darn.
I thought they were finally suspending all the money-draining athletic programs and putting the money towards education.
Disappointed again.
Go Zilch's, Zero's, Nada's, er, Zips..
akron, oh
Posted 11:58 AM, 10/09/2009
Yeah, strike out!!!!
North Hill, OH
Posted 05:20 PM, 10/09/2009
Sounds like mr patriot there needs an education himself. Suspend athletics is about an idiotic comment I've ever heard. Athletics promote a well-rounded student body and give the community and alumni another reason to be proud of their school (see UA basketball and soccer programs). The football program will get there, but you can't build Rome in a day. I'll make a bold prediction and say the Zips win 10 games in a season within the next decade. Mark it down. Of course, if you'd rather sit around and be bitter and pessimistic about one of the greatest things happening in the region, the University itself, you go right ahead. I, however, will be joined by several thousand friends having a great day of tailgating and cheering the team on to victory in the homecoming game. GO ZIPS!
Canton, OH
Posted 06:19 PM, 10/09/2009
C'Mon, Zippers, C'Mon. . .Win this 1 for Reno. . . .
Posted 09:02 PM, 10/09/2009
I still say the Zits are playing pretty well so far this season. RowdyZ, I think you are correct, the Zips will win 10 games in the next decade. Uhhh, They`ve already won ten games this season haven`t they? Oooops, wrong sport!
North Hill, OH
Posted 09:58 PM, 10/09/2009
Clever.
Highland Square, OH
Posted 12:11 PM, 10/10/2009
This will be like a battle of whose team is the crappiest. OU seems crappy this year, but Akron just might out do them.
Posted 01:34 PM, 10/10/2009
GO ZIPS!!! There are plenty of people to be proud of you and enjoy everything that is happening, regardless of a select few! BELIEVE!
