Akron Hosts Troy on Band Day on Sept. 21

Saturday, September 21

Akron, Ohio

3 PM

University of Akron

Troy

September 16 | 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+

TROY [1-1] at AKRON [0-3]
Saturday, Sept. 21
InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field [30,000] | Akron, Ohio
3 PM | ESPN+
BAND DAY | Extra Yard for Teachers

THIS WEEK
Akron returns home for non-conference play with Troy on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 3 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. The Zips welcome several area high schools for Band Day. UA will also celebrate Extra Yard for Teachers Week. The first 3,000 fans at the gates will receive replica Takeway (No. 2) pencils.

ESPN+ will televise the contest with Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and Forrest Conoly (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 0-3 after a 45-24 decision at Central Michigan in the Mid-American Conference opener. The Zips return 57 letterwinners, including 10 starters, to their pro style offense and multiple defensive schemes.

Redshirt senior RB Deltron Sands (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is the team's top rusher with 62 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Under center, redshirt junior Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) stands 61-of-110 for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Redshirt junior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) is the top receiver with 14 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) is the top Zip with 33 tackles and a 25-yard fumble recovery.

In the NCAA stats, Akron is ranked No. 6 in kickoff return defense (11.50), No. 28 in time of possession (31:43), No. 39 in fewest penalty yards (47.33), and No. 41 in kickoff returns (23.22). Individually, junior WR Dustin Burkhart (Akron, Ohio) is No. 6 in yards per reception (25.36), No. 20 in receiving yards (279), and No. 24 in receiving yards per game (93.0). Redshirt senior LB John Lako is No. 13 in fumbles recovered (1) and No. 13 total tackles (11.0). Redshirt sophomore Jordyn Riley (Citra, Fla.) is No. 32 in total interceptions (1). Freshman WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) is No. 12 in kickoff returns (30.4) and No. 30 in combined kick returns (152).

The Trojans, under the guidance of first-year head coach Chip Lindsey, stand 1-1 after a 47-42 loss to Southern Mississippi. Troy returns 61 letterwinners, including 18 starters, to its spread offensive and 4-2-5 defensive schemes.

Sophomore RB DK Billingsley is the team's top rusher with 127 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Under center, senior QB Kaleb Barker is 47-of-72 for 786 yards and six touchdowns. At wide receiver, junior Kaylon Geiger has 11 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, sophomore LB Carlton Martial is the top defender with 29 tackles, including 6.5 TFL.

In the NCAA stats, Troy is No. 4 in passing offense (393.0), No. 9 in passing yards per completion (16.72), No. 13 in passing efficiency (184.48), No. 14 in kickoff returns (28.78), and No. 16 in total offense (527.5). Individually, senior QB Kaleb Barker is No. 2 in passing yards per game (393.0), No. 7 in passing yards per completion (16.72), and No. 8 in yards per pass attempt (10.92). Junior WR Reggie Todd is ranked No. 2 in kickoff return touchdowns (1). Sophomore LB Carlton Martial is No. 1 in tackles for loss (3.3), No. 2 in total tackles (14.5), and No. 3 in solo tackles (8.0).

AKRON-TROY CONNECTIONS
Akron has just one player from Alabama on its roster– redshirt junior DL Jaquize Cross [Buckhorn, Ala. | Buckhorn HS | Kentucky].

Troy has no players from Ohio on its roster.

Troy defensive line coach Davern Williams spent a month at Akron last spring prior to beginning his position at his alma mater. He coached on Tom Arth's staff at UT Chattanooga in 2018.

AKRON-TROY: THE SERIES
Saturday's game is the second meeting between Akron and Troy on the gridiron.

In the teams' first meeting on Sept. 23, 2017, penalties and turnovers proved costly as the Akron Zips fell at Troy, 22-17, before 27,324 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Following a 25-minute weather delay for lightning, the Zips jumped on the scoreboard first and then fought to regain the lead throughout most of the game. With 5:37 to go, UA went ahead 17-16 but couldn't hold on for the win.

Senior RB Warren Ball led the rushers with 112 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 28 carries. It marked the third 100-yard rushing performance of his career. His direct-snap rushing touchdown with 5:47 to go in the fourth quarter gave the Zips a 17-16 lead and momentum.

Senior WR Austin Wolf had six receptions for 71 yards, while redshirt junior WR Kwadarrius Smith had a career-high four receptions for a career-high 103 yards. It marked the first 100-yard receiving performance of his career.

Senior QB Thomas Woodson went 20-of-40 for 268 yards and a touchdown. He also had two interceptions.

Defensively, redshirt junior DB Shawn Featherstone led the defense with a career-high 11 tackles, including a career-best seven solo stops. Sophomore LB John Lako had the first forced fumble of his career on Troy's opening drive. UA scored on the turnover with a 27-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Troy: 0-1
Akron in games at Akron: 0-0
Akron in games at Troy: 0-1
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 2017, at Veterans Memorial Stadium, L, 17-22
Last meeting in series: 2017, at Veterans Memorial Stadium, L, 17-22

SERIES HIGHS
Akron Zips
Rushing: Warren Ball, 28-112, 1 TD (2017)
Passing: Thomas Woodson, 20-40-2-268, 1 TD (2017)
Receiving: Austin Wolf, 6-71 (2017)

Troy Trojans
Rushing: Jordan Chunn, 17-110, 1 TD (2017)
Passing: Brandon Silvers, 28-41-0-314, 1 TD (2017)
Receiving: Deondre Douglas, 7-92, 1 TD (2017)

Year Site Result Akron Coach Troy Coach
2017 Veterans Memorial L, 17-22 Terry Bowden Neal Brown

LAST GAME
Akron football opened Mid-American Conference play on the road at Central Michigan as the Zips fell 45-24 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Akron fell behind early as the Zips generated 329 yards of total offense. Junior QB Kato Nelson led the Zips with 241 yards in the air and 33 yards on the ground. Nelson completed 26-of-42 passes with three touchdowns, finding redshirt sophomore TE Maverick Wolfley, redshirt senior TE Brandon Junk (Clearwater, Fla.), and junior WR Nate Stewart.

Stewart led the receiving corps with five receptions for 78 yards and a long of 22 yards. Junior WR Andre Williams (Orlando, Fla.) followed with 58 yards and a long of 23 yards while corralling five passes. Also, recording five receptions for 36 yards and a long of 24 was freshman WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.).

In addition, Nelson found junior WR Dustin Burkhart (Akron, Ohio) three times for 62 yards and a game long 40-yard completion. Burkhart also had an onside kick recovery.

Defensively, senior LB John Lako led the way with 11 tackles, including two sacks for three yards of loss. Lako added a fumble recovery and returned it 25 yards as a result of senior DB Alvin Davis, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), and junior LB Michael Scott (Tallahassee, Fla.) breaking the ball loose. Sophomore LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) added 10 tackles and a sack, while junior DL John Mitchell (Crete-Monee, Ill.) had a sack for two yards of loss.

POSTGAME NOTES

Making his first appearance in the starting line-up was true freshman WR Michael Mathison. The youngster made the most of his opportunity, finishing with five receptions for 36 yards. Mathison also returned five kickoffs for 152 yards, including a 45-yard return.
Redshirt senior TE Brandon Junk (Clearwater, Fla.) scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter on a three-yard pass from Nelson.
Senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) led the defense with 11 tackles, including a career-high eight solo stops. He also had a 25-yard fumble recovery, the second recovery of his career.

WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE TAKEAWAY PENCIL?!
Fans watching Akron's game against UAB on CBS Sports Network saw something new on the Zips' sideline– a three-foot long yellow No. 2 pencil. By the time the game ended, video of the pencil had gone viral. So what is the meaning behind the "Takeaway Pencil"?

Coach Tom Arth explained: "For a team whose program is built on fundamentals and technique, what is a greater representation than that? It's about writing our story and realizing that the only people who matter are in our program. Whatever is happening on the outside doesn't matter, it's about us."

WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Several Zips frequently use their nicknames versus their formal, given names– LB Bubba (Alan) Arslanian, WR Dustin "Dusty" Burkhart, QB (Tyler) T.J. DeShields, WR Jeremiah "Boogie" Knight, DL Tank (Jordan) McClendon, WR (Lumuria) M.J. McGriff, QB (Kalyn) Kato Nelson, and DB (Anthony) A.J. Watts. Freshman LB Tiger Burkes' given first name is actually Tiger.

CFB150: COLLEGE FOOTBALL CELEBRATES 150 YEARS IN 2019
A year-long celebration began in January 2019 as college football celebrates 150 years and the anniversary of the first college football game [between Princeton and Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869]. Programs around the country, including Akron, are sharing their histories and stories through the CFB150 pillars of education, leadership, and community. Follow Akron's celebration on social media. #CFB150

ZIPS QUICK HITS
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). Akron has 52 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 44 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.

HOMECOMING & FAMILY WEEKEND SET FOR OCT. 11-13
Homecoming and Family Weekend at the University of Akron have been set for Oct. 11-13, 2019. In the annual Homecoming football game, the Zips will host rival Kent State on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 3:30 p.m. The 2019 Hall of Fame Class will be introduced during the game.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Massachusetts for its final non-conference contest on Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. Following a bye week, the Zips return home to host rival Kent State in the annual Homecoming game on Oct. 12. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.