Akron Travels to UMass for Final Non-Conference Contest

Saturday, September 28

Amherst, MA | McGuirk Alumni Stadium

3:30 PM

University of Akron

Massachusetts

Akron Travels to UMass for Final Non-Conference Contest

September 23 | 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 on FloFootball (fees apply)

AKRON [0-4] at MASSACHUSETTS [0-4]
Saturday, Sept. 28
McGuirk Alumni Stadium [17,000]
Amherst, MA
3:30 PM | FloFootball

THIS WEEK
Akron closes out its non-conference slate with a contest at Massachusetts on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 3:30 p.m. at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in the AFCA's annual Coach to Cure MD game to raise money and awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Fans may text CURE to 501501 to donate $25. For more information, visit CoachtoCureMD.org. The Akron coaching staff will be wearing the Coach to Cure MD patches on game day.

FloFootball will stream the contest with Josh Maurer (play-by-play), Andy Gresh (analyst), and Brandon London (sideline) calling the game. Fees apply.

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 0-4 after a 35-7 loss to Troy at home. 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 80 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries. Under center, redshirt junior Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) stands 76-of-139 for 922 yards and six touchdowns. Redshirt junior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) is the top receiver with 18 receptions for 274 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) is the top Zip with 45 tackles, 2.0 TFL, and a 25-yard fumble recovery.

In the NCAA stats, Akron is ranked No. 28 in fewest penalty yards (45.75). Individually, junior WR Dustin Burkhart (Akron, Ohio) is No. 5 in yards per reception (25.36). Redshirt senior LB John Lako is No. 11 total tackles (11.3) and No. 20 in fumbles recovered (1). Freshman WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) is No. 18 in kickoff returns (26.6) and No. 26 in combined kick returns (186).

The Minutemen, under the guidance of first-year head coach Walt Bell, stand 0-4 after a 62-28 loss to Coastal Carolina. UMass returns 41 letterwinners, including eight starters, to its multiple offensive and multiple defensive schemes.

Junior RB Bilal Ally is the team's top rusher with 256 yards and three touchdowns on 52 carries. Under center, junior QB Andrew Brito is 40-of-68 for 315 yards and two touchdowns, while senior QB Randall West is 37-of-59 for 351 yards and three touchdowns. At wide receiver, freshman Jermaine Johnson has 17 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, junior LB Cole McCubrey is the top defender with 34 tackles, 1.0 TFL, a forced fumble, a break-up, and a hurry.

In the NCAA stats, UMass is ranked No. 27 in punt returns (14.00). Individually, senior CB Isaiah Rodgers is No. 1 in combined kick returns (504) and punt returns touchdowns (1), No. 7 in total interceptions (2), No. 9 in kick returns (33.4), and No. 26 in interceptions per game (0.5). Freshman DL Billy Wooden is No. 20 in fumbles recovered (1).

AKRON-UMASS CONNECTIONS
Akron has no players from Massachusetts on its roster.

UMass has three players from Ohio on its roster– freshman QB Garrett Dzuro [Lakewood, Ohio | St. Edwards HS], sophomore QB Jaret Pallotta [Massillon, Ohio | Jackson HS], sophomore Dalton Tomlison [Beaver, Ohio | Eastern HS].

Akron freshman OL Xavior Gray (Massillon, Ohio) and UMass sophomore QB Jaret Pallotta were teammates at Jackson HS, while UA freshman OL Caleb Herring (Lakewood, Ohio) and UMass freshman QB Garrett Dzuro were teammates at St. Edward HS.

Zip offensive coordinator Tommy Zagorski served as the assistant head coach and offensive tackles at Eastern Kentucky during the 2017 season with UMass' QB coach Angelo Mirando who was the Colonels' offensive coordinator.

AKRON-UMASS: THE SERIES
Saturday's game is the fifth meeting between Akron and Massachusetts on the gridiron and their first as non-conference opponents. UMass was a member of the MAC for football from 2012-15. The Zips lead the series, 3-1, with three consecutive victories.

In 2015, the Akron Zips scored 10 second-half points and played tenacious defense en route to a 17-13 win over Massachusetts in Mid-American Conference play at Gillette on a Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore QB Thomas Woodson was 15-of-27 for 174 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 58 yards. Senior RB Conor Hundley led all rushers with 92 yards on 23 carries, while sophomore WR Jerome Lane was the top receiver with 56 yards on four receptions. Defensively, senior LB Dylan Evans and Jatavis Brown led the Zips with 11 tackles each. Brown also had an eight-yard sack and 1.5 TFL.

Woodson connected with sophomore WR Austin Wolf on a 27-yard touchdown pass, the second touchdown of his career, to tie the score at 7-7

Trailing 13-7 at halftime, momentum shifted to start the second half. On the Minutemen's opening drive, Brown had an eight-yard sack, forcing the UMass to punt on a 4th-and-17 from their own 23.

On the next drive, Akron took 10 plays to drive 73 yards over 4:52 as Woodson ran into the endzone for a 15-yard touchdown, giving the Zips their first lead on the day, 14-13.

In the fourth quarter, Zips' DB Kris Givens had an interception. UA took advantage, recording three straight first downs en route to a 36-yard field goal by senior PK Robert Stein to give the Zips a 17-13 cushion.

Akron ended the 2014 home slate in style on a frigid Tuesday night, cruising to a 30-6 victory over Massachusetts at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field on Nov. 18.

The UA offense converted on 6-of-7 opportunities in the red zone and accumulated 27 first downs to the Minutemen's 11. Akron posted 134 yards on the ground, while junior QB Kyle Pohl threw two TD passes and picked up 277 passing yards after going 26-of-40 in the air.

The Akron defense held UMass to 67 yards rushing and 168 yards passing, led by junior LB Jatavis Brown who picked up a team-high nine total tackles. Brown was followed by senior LB Justin March with eight, including seven solo stops. Junior WR Zach D'Orazio led the team in receptions with 10 for 121 yards, both career highs.

In 2013, Kyle Pohl passed for 208 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score to help Akron to a 14-13 victory over Massachusetts in Mid-American Conference football action at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 16.

Pohl, who completed 20-of-33 passes, hit Jawon Chisholm in the endzone with a 17-yard strike to make the game's final margin with 9:49 remaining. Chisholm had three catches for 37 yards, with the 17-yard TD grab being his longest of the day.

Zach D'Orazio and Fransohn Bickley paced the Akron receivers with six catches apiece. D'Orazio had 82 yards and Bickley had 55.

Massachusetts took a 13-7 lead after closing out a nine-play, 91-yard drive with a two-yard pass from Mike Wegzyn to Rob Blanchflower with 6:58 to go in the third quarter.

Wegzyn was 4-of-7 passing for 76 yards and one interception, while A.J. Doyle completed 13 of his 21 pass attempts for 75 yards and one INT.

SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. UMass: 3-1
Akron in games at Akron: 1-1
Akron in games at UMass: 2-0
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 2012, at InfoCision Stadium, L, 22-14
Last meeting in series: 2015, at Gillette Stadium, W, 17-13

SERIES HIGHS
Akron Zips
Rushing: Jawon Chisholm, 23-103, 1 TD (2012)
Passing: Dalton Williams, 34-51-332, 1 TD (2012)
Receiving: Zach D'Orazio, 10-121 (2014)

Massachusetts Minutemen
Rushing: J. Wilson, 22-70 (2013)
Passing: Mike Wegzyn, 23-39-266, 1 TD (2012)
Receiving: A. Williams, 6-86, 1 TD (2012)

Year | Site                     |    Result |    Akron Coach |   UMass Coach
2012 InfoCision Stadium     L, 14-22     Terry Bowden            Charley Molnar
2013 Gillette Stadium         W, 14-13     Terry Bowden            Charley Molnar
2014 InfoCision Stadium     W, 30-6      Terry Bowden             Mark Whipple
2015 Gillette Stadium     W, 17-13         Terry Bowden             Mark Whipple

LAST GAME
Akron football dropped a 35-7 decision to Troy on Sept. 21, at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

The Trojans racked up 485 yards of total offense. Akron was led by senior DB Alvin Davis, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) who tallied a career-high 17 tackles.

Offensively, the Zips were led by junior QB Kato Nelson who went 15-of-29 for 200 yards and a touchdown. Junior WR Nate Stewart had 89 yards on four receptions. Sophomore TE Maverick Wolfley (Morgantown, W.Va.) scored the Zips' lone touchdown on a 21-yard reception in the first quarter.

For the Trojans, QB Kaleb Barker went 27-of-37 for 214 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, DK Billingsley rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.

POSTGAME NOTES

Making their first appearance in the starting line-up were juniors DL Jaquize Cross (Buckhorn, Ala.) and LB DeMarkus Glover (St. Petersburg, Fla.), and sophomore WR Julian Hicks (Cleveland, Ohio).
In the first quarter, senior S Shawn Featherstone (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had an interception, the third of his career and first this season. He returned it 40 yards.
Redshirt freshman Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio) converted his first extra point..
Redshirt sophomore TE Maverick Wolfley had a 21-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, his second TD this fall and the third of his career.

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.
The Akron defense, which lost eights 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).

UP NEXT
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. The 2019 Hall of Fame Class will be introduced during the game.