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Do IT this week: Layering
Zips' starting lineup bears little resemblance to last month's team
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Oct 22, 2009
The three primary playmakers on the University of Akron football team were offensive afterthoughts just a month ago.
Now they will be expected to carry the Zips and to help them out of the doldrums of a 1-5 start, beginning Saturday on the road against Syracuse.
Quarterback Patrick Nicely, tailback DeVoe Torrence and receiver Andre Jones will need to be productive this week and in the following ones if the Zips have any chance of salvaging anything from a season gone terribly wrong.
Injuries to starters or projected starters have elevated them in status.
Nicely is a freshman who was scheduled to be redshirted before No. 1 Chris Jacquemain was dismissed from the team for a violation of team policy and No. 2 Matt Rodgers suffered a serious knee injury.
Torrence, a redshirt freshman from Massillon Washington High, was behind Alex Allen and Dale Martin in fall camp, and he saw little action in the first five games. But when it became apparent that Allen and Martin were not healthy, Torrence got the call last Saturday against Buffalo and had a breakout performance.
Jones, a senior, will make his first start of the season at receiver because of an injury to Deryn Bowser. Jones did play that position in 2008 but was moved in the preseason to safety, where he played as a freshman and sophomore.
''I will play wherever they want me, anything that helps the team,'' Jones said last Saturday after a 21-17 defeat at Buffalo.
Nicely's baptism under fire began when he was forced into the lineup in the second half of the Ohio University game after the injury to Rodgers.
With a week of preparation for Buffalo — rather than 15 minutes against Ohio — Nicely showed vast improvement by completing 17-of-34 passes for 200 yards in his first college start.
''For a true freshman who two weeks ago believed he was being redshirted and probably prepared that way, he did a good job,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said.
Freshman mistakes came in the form of two interceptions, and both were crucial. The first one came in the end zone in the second quarter, when the Zips were first-and-10 at the Buffalo 18. The second one came with 1:32 left from the Buffalo 29, when his pass was behind receiver Jeremy LaFrance.
''The last one was not a very accurate throw. Those things happen,'' Brookhart said. ''The first one was a miscommunications on a route with a receiver. They were not on the same page.''
Torrence had gained only 39 yards rushing on nine carries in the first five games. But with the Zips' running game suffering, Brookhart turned to him against Buffalo.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Torrence responded with runs of 11 yards and 12 yards on the Zips' first two plays. He finished with 90 yards rushing — a UA-high in 2009 — on 13 carries. His only negatives were a lost fumble inside the 5 on the Zips' second drive and some blocking miscues.
''He played a lot better than he practiced. He had a couple of mistakes and missed assignments, but I thought he ran hard,'' Brookhart said. ''He's a tough tackle, and I think the game experience will really help him.''
For the first time this season, Torrence is listed as the starter at tailback on the official depth chart, ahead of Allen and workhorse Joe Tuzze.
''You will continue to see more and more of DeVoe,'' Brookhart said. ''He is a load and runs like a big back.''
Jones actually started the Buffalo game at safety but moved to offense when Bowser was injured in the second quarter. He finished with four catches for 53 yards.
''He helps out where he can help out. He's fantastic that way, a smart kid,'' Brookhart said. ''For not playing receiver, he did a heck of a job.''
Jones started a total of 20 games at safety his first two seasons, finishing in the top four on the team in total tackles each year. He was moved to receiver in 2008 and finished second to Bowser in receptions (47) and yards receiving (678), while scoring seven touchdowns.
With the start at receiver against Syracuse, he will become just the second player in the nation to start at three positions. He previously had five starts at safety and one at cornerback.
Brody Eldridge of Oklahoma (center, guard and tight end) also has started at three positions.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
The three primary playmakers on the University of Akron football team were offensive afterthoughts just a month ago.
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