Akron Football to Salute Senior Class in Season Finale with Ohio on Tuesday Night

Tuesday, November 26

Akron, Ohio

6 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

Akron Football to Salute Senior Class in Season Finale with Ohio on Tuesday Night

November 22 | Football

Pregame Coverage:
Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
Arth's Weekly Press Conference Video
MAC Weekly Media Teleconference Audio
MAC Weekly Release

Gameday Coverage:
Buy Tickets
Listen to Free Audio Stream (TuneIn.com)
Follow Free Live Statistics
Watch ESPN

OHIO [5-6, 4-3 MAC] at AKRON [0-11, 0-7 MAC]
Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019
InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field [30,000]
Akron, Ohio
6 PM | ESPN+

SENIOR NIGHT

THIS WEEK
Akron closes out the 2019 season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 26, with a 6 p.m. game against Ohio at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field on ESPN+. The Senior Class will be honored during a pregame ceremony.

ESPN+ will televise the contest before a national audience with Michael Reghi (play-by-play) and Jerod Cherry (analyst) calling the game.

The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron Sports Network [SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), 1420 WHK in Cleveland, 1440 WHKZ in Warren/Youngstown] with Steve French calling the action, David Skoczen providing analysis, and Joe Dunn with sideline report. The pregame show starts one hour prior to kickoff. A free audio stream is available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Tom Arth, Akron stands 0-11 overall (0-7 MAC) after a 20-17 loss at Miami (Ohio). The Zips return 57 letterwinners, including 10 starters, to their pro style offense and multiple defensive schemes.

Sophomore RB Brandon Lee (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is the team's top rusher with 179 yards on 61 carries. Under center, redshirt junior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) stands 150-of-266 for 1,810 yards and 11 touchdowns in nine starts, while freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) is 38-of-70 for 402 yards and a touchdown in three games. Redshirt junior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) is the top receiver with 37 receptions for 529 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) is the top Zip with 130 tackles, including a team-best 60 solo stops, 9.5 TFL, a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown, a 25-yard fumble recovery, and a hurry.

In the NCAA stats, Akron is ranked No. 2 in kickoff return defense (13.54). Individually, redshirt senior LB John Lako is No. 3 total tackles (11.8) and No. 23 in solo tackles (5.5). Freshman WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) is No. 21 in kickoff returns (25.6).

The Bobcats, under the guidance of 14th-year head coach Frank Solich, stand 5-6 overall (4-3 MAC) after a 66-24 victory at Bowling Green. With the win, Solich became the MAC's winningest coach with his 111th conference victory. The Bobcats are looking to achieve bowl eligibility with a win over the Zips. Ohio returns 43 letterwinners, including 10 starters, to its multiple offensive and 4-3 defensive schemes.

Redshirt freshman RB O'Shaan Allison is the team's top rusher with 765 yards and five touchdowns on 122 carries. Under center, senior QB Nathan Rourke is 171-of-283 for 2,368 yards and 16 touchdowns. At wide receiver, redshirt sophomore Isiah Cox has 33 receptions for 562 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt senior S Javon Hagan is the top defender with 97 tackles, 3.0 TFL, a team-best seven break-ups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a hurry.

In the NCAA stats, Ohio is ranked No. 8 in third down conversion percentage (0.500), No. 16 in red zone offense (0.915), and No. 24 in rushing offense (213.4). Individually, redshirt senior WR DL Knock is No. 14 in combined kick returns (610) and No. 25 in kickoff returns (24.5). Junior CB Marlin Brooks is No. 16 in fumbles recovered (2). Senior QB Nathan Rourke is No. 16 in passing yards per completion (13.85), No. 20 in total offense (282.8), No. 25 in total touchdowns (12), and No. 25 in yards per pass attempt (8.37).

AKRON-OHIO CONNECTIONS
Ohio has three players on its roster form the Akron area– freshman DE Aiden MacDonald [Twinsburg, Ohio | Twinsburg HS], redshirt freshman LB Keye Thompson [Barberton, Ohio | Barberton HS], and freshman OL Luke Vannest [North Canton, Ohio | Hoover HS].

AKRON-OHIO: THE SERIES
Tuesday's game is the 36th meeting between Akron and Ohio in series history, which began in 1912. The Bobcats lead, 21-13-1.

Last fall in its Mid-American Conference finale, Akron football gave a valiant effort in its 49-28 loss at Ohio on Nov. 23, at Peden Stadium. The Zips accumulated 388 yards of total offense, including four passing touchdowns.

Zips' sophomore QB Kato Nelson had a career day. He threw a career-high 24 completions on a career-high 41 attempts for a career-high 356 yards and a career-best four touchdowns.

Sophomore WR Andre Williams led the Zips with seven receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown. True freshman WR Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio), who made his first appearance in the starting line-up, followed with a career-high 94 yards receiving on four catches. Sophomore WR Jonah Morris (Akron, Ohio) had 61 receiving yards. Defensively, senior DE Jamal Davis II led Akron with 11 tackles.

In 2017, Akron earned bowl eligibility for the second time in three years with a 37-34 win over Ohio on Tuesday night at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

Redshirt freshman QB Kato Nelson and junior WR Kwadarrius Smith led the Zips' offense with career-high numbers. Nelson tossed a career-best 322 yards in the air with a career-high four touchdowns, while Smith led the receiving corps with 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Seniors WR A.J. Coney and WR Austin Wolf also added touchdown receptions.

Senior RB Manny Morgan led the ground attack 55 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Nelson followed with 45 yards on 14 rushes. Defensively, the Zips picked-off two passes, while junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III paced the defense with 11 tackles.

In the 2016 regular-season finale with bowl eligibility and a MAC East title on the line, it all came down to the last play. The Akron Zips ended their 2016 season with a 9-3 loss at Ohio in Mid-American Conference action at Peden Stadium on a Tuesday night.

With 22 seconds remaining in the game, UA redshirt senior Tyrell Goodman threw a 25-yard pass to senior WR JoJo Natson in the end zone to tie the game, but the pass fell incomplete. Goodman had one more shot on a fourth-and-11 but the pass to WR Austin Wolf was broken up, ending the Zips' hopes for another bowl bid.
The Zips finished the season at 5-7 overall and 3-5 in MAC play, while Ohio clinched the MAC East championship with an 8-4 overall mark and 6-2 record in MAC action.

In his first collegiate start at quarterback, Goodman went 12-of-27 for 136 yards while rushing for 25 yards. Junior RB Manny Morgan led the efforts on the ground, rushing eight times for 47 yards. Junior WR Jerome Lane was the top receiver with four receptions for 60 yards.

Defensively, junior LB Andrew Hauser and freshman CB Alvin Davis led the Zips with six tackles each.

UA committed no turnovers in the game.

At InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field in 2015, Akron's kicker Robert Stein made a career-high four field goals, but it is not enough to overcome Ohio's two early touchdowns as Akron fell to Ohio, 14-12, in the Mid-American Conference opener on Oct. 3.

Stein scored all 12 of the Zips' points, connecting on FGs of 40, 33, 41, and 30 yards. Sophomore QB Thomas Woodson threw for 231 yards, completing 18 of his 38 pass attempts and had 11 yards rushing. Senior RB Conor Hundley ran for a team-high 66 yards on 18 carries to lead the ground game.

Defensively, Zips seniors LB Darryl Monroe and CB Kris Givens made eight tackles apiece with six solo stops. Redshirt junior DE Jamal Marcus also registered six tackles during the contest with four for loss. Junior CB DeAndre Scott picked off Ohio QB Greg Windham in his only drive of the game.

In the teams' last meeting at Peden Stadium on Oct. 18, 2014, Akron football dropped a 23-20 decision at Ohio in Mid-American Conference play.

SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Ohio: 13-21-1
Akron in games at Akron: 10-6-1
Akron in games at Ohio: 3-15
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 1912, at UA, W, 27-0
Last meeting in series: 2018, at Peden Stadium, L, 28-49

MEEKS NAMED COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Junior DE Dylan Meeks (Orlando, Fla.) was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 5 football team.
A MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, Academic All-MAC selection, and Dean's List student, Meeks sports a 3.881 GPA in exercise science/pre-physical therapy.

SENIOR STATUS
Prior to the home finale with Ohio, Akron will honor the 18 members of its Senior Class– OL Trevor Brown, LS Peyton Coffman, DB Alvin Davis, Jr., WR Jaquavis Dixon, DB Shawn Featherstone, Jr., DL Andy Jean-Baptiste, DL Davon'te Jest, TE Nick Johns, WR De'von Jones, TE Brandon Junk, OL Rich Kallay, QB Robbie Kelley, LB James King, LB John Lako, LB DeMarcus Lloyd, TE Darryl Long, RB Deltron Sands, and LB Josh Ward.

The 2019 Senior Class leaves campus as one of the all-time most productive classes in program history. In four seasons, they helped the Zips to 16 wins, becoming bowl eligible in 2017. They claimed the 2017 MAC East title, played in the 2017 MAC Championship game, and
competed in the Boca Raton Bowl while winning three consecutive Wagon Wheel trophies.

Five of the seniors had already earned their undergraduate degrees prior to starting the season and are pursuing master's degrees.

Individually, the Zips have re-written the record books and climbed the career charts while racking up weekly honors. Off the field, they've represented UA in the community with several activities, including game week visits to Akron Children's Hospital. Congratulations, Seniors!

NOW IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Zip senior LBs John Lako and Josh Ward are tied at the No. 2 spot with five former Zips for most games played in their collegiate careers with 49 each.

Five players [Alex Allen, DB Kyron Brown, LS Michael Buddenberg, LB Ulysees Gilbert III, and OL Kyle Ritz] hold the school record with 51 games.

Senior DB Alvin Davis, Jr., is No. 4 with 47 career games.

LAST GAME
The Akron Zips fell 20-17 to the Mid-American Conference Eastern Division Champions Miami RedHawks at Yager Stadium on Wednesday night.

During the midweek MACtion contest, the Akron defense did not make it easy for the Miami offense in the first quarter, limiting the RedHawks to three first downs and 44 yards of total offense, all on the ground. Despite having zero yards of receiving in the opening stanza, Miami was able to put the first points on the scoreboard. Akron only allowed six yards on four plays in the scoring drive, but Sam Sloman nailed a 44-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 advantage at the 2:31 mark.

Akron also struggled to get the offense going in the first quarter until senior QB Kato Nelson found redshirt junior WR Nate Stewart for a 40-yard pickup. The play moved Akron into scoring position at the Miami eight-yard line which the Zips converted into three points. Freshman PK Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio) split the uprights from 33-yards away just three seconds into the second quarter.

The RedHawks responded with 14-points to take a 17-3 halftime lead. During the second stanza, Miami gained 120 yards on the ground and 59 yards in the air as RB Tyre Shelton recorded the first touchdown and RB Jaylon Bester claimed the second score.

POSTGAME NOTES

Freshmen Corey Thomas, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and DL John Mitchell (Crete-Monee, Ill.) earned their first starts.
Freshman OL Xavior Gray (Massillon, Ohio) made his second consecutive start at left tackle.
Freshman Corey Thomas, Jr. made his first career interception at the end of the second quarter.
In the third quarter, senior LB John Lako had an interception and returned in 64 yards for a touchdown. The interception was the third of his collegiate career. The last time (in 2017 vs. Ball State) Lako had an interception, he also returned it for a touchdown.
Sophomore P Jonah Wieland (Hudson, Ohio) punted a career-high nine times for a career-high 341 yards (37.3 average).

ZIPS QUICK HITS

Akron has started nine true freshmen this season, which ranks ties Alabama as the national leader.
Seven of Akron's 2019 opponents were bowl eligible last fall: UAB (Boca Raton), Troy (Dollar General), Buffalo (Dollar General), Northern Illinois (Boca Raton), Miami (not selected), Eastern Michigan (Camillia), and Ohio (Frisco).
With one week to go in the regular season, six of Akron's 2019 opponents are bowl eligible this fall: Illinois, UAB, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Miami (Ohio).
Akron has 52 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 44 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.
The Akron defense, which lost eight starters from 2018, is under the guidance of its third coordinator in three seasons– Matt Feeney (2019), Todd Stroud (2018), and Chuck Amato (2017).
Three of the defensive starters that Matt Feeney had to replace this fall are currently on NFL rosters– LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Pittsburgh Steelers), DB Kyron Brown (New York Jets), and DE Jamal Davis II (Indianapolis).