The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Places Five on 2024 All-MAC Team
December 05 | Football
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Akron football team had five players earn Mid-American Conference postseason accolades as seniors DL CJ Nunnally IV (Douglasville, Ga.) and P Avery Book (Ironton, Ohio) garnered First-Team All-MAC Defensive accolades followed by junior LB Bryan McCoy (Chicago, Ill.), sophomore WR Adrian Norton (Huber Heights, Ohio) and senior DB Paul Lewis III (Baltimore, Md.) with All-MAC honors, the league announced on Thursday.
For the second-straight season, Nunnally garnered First Team All-MAC Defensive accolades. In 12 games played, Nunnally finished the regular season ranked seventh in the MAC in tackles for loss (11.0) for a total of 55 yards, posting 8.5 TFL in league play. In addition, he ranked 10th in the MAC with six sacks for 43 yards and four sacks coming in conference games for 31 yards. On the national landscape, Nunnally is ranked 63rd in sacks (0.5 per game). He led Akron in both categories and ranked fifth on the team in total tackles (56), including a fifth-best 24 solo takedowns. He added five QB hurries and two forced fumbles. Nunnally solidified the Zips' overtime win against Toledo with a game-ending sack.
Book makes his first appearance on the All-MAC squad, capturing first-team accolades. Serving as the primary punter, Book unleashed 65 punts with 20 punts of 50 or more yards. He pinned the opposition inside the 20-yard line 21 times. Book posted a season-long 61 yards against South Carolina. In the MAC, Book ranked first in average punt yards (43.4) and 50+ yard punts (20). He was second in league play for punts inside the 20-yard line (21) and total punting yards (2,093). In the NCAA, he ranked 33rd in average punt yards (43.4).
Landing on Second-Team All-MAC were McCoy for defense and Norton for offense, both playing in all 12 games.
McCoy paced the Zips defense with a team-high 120 tackles, including 54 solo stops. He recorded 1.5 tackles for loss of four yards to go along with three QB hurries and two pass break-ups. McCoy finished the season ranked 3rd overall in tackles (120) and 3rd in tackles per game (10.0) and 6th in solo tackles (54). In MAC-only play, McCoy also ranked 3rd in total tackles (89), 3rd in tackles per game (11.1) and 5th in solo tackles (39). Nationally, McCoy ranked 8th in tackles per game (10.0). McCoy posted six games of 10 or more tackles and registered a season-high 17 tackles against Toledo.
Norton led Akron's receiving corps with 43 receptions and 831 yards for an average of 69.3 yards per game and 19.3 yards per reception. He caught seven touchdown passes and had a season-long 60-yard reception against Western Michigan. In addition, he posted a career-best 168-yard receiving effort on eight receptions against Western Michigan. In addition, he had three games of 100+ yards receiving (Western Michigan, Colgate, Kent State) and was two-yards shy of that feat against Buffalo. For the season, Norton ranked 2nd in average yards per catch (19.3), 5th in the MAC in receiving yards (831), 5th in yards per game (69.3), 6th in touchdowns (7) and 14th in receptions (43). In MAC play, Norton ranked 6th in total yards (595), 4th in average yards per catch (19.2), 7th in receiving yards per game (74.4), 12th in receptions (31) and 12th in touchdowns (4). Nationally, Norton ranked 13th in yards per catch (19.3), 45th in receiving TDs (7), 52nd in receiving yards (831) and 52nd in receiving yards per game (69.3).
Rounding out the all-league performers for Akron was Paul Lewis III with Third-Team All-MAC Defensive honors.
Lewis was second on the team in tackles with 77, including a second-best 43 solo takedowns. Lewis recorded seven tackles for loss for 15 yards, ranking second on the squad behind Nunnally. Lewis registered five pass break-ups, one QB hurry, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. For the season, Lewis ranked 13th in solo tackles (43), 16th for total tackles (77) and 19th in tackles per game (6.4) among the league leaders. In MAC-only play, he ranked 10th in solo tackles (33), 14th in total tackles (57) and 14th in tackles per game (7.1). Nationally, he ranked 156 of 476 NCAA defenders with 6.4 tackles per game. Lewis posted a season-high nine tackles twice against Colgate and Toledo and had seven or more tackles in seven games.
For the second-straight season, Nunnally garnered First Team All-MAC Defensive accolades. In 12 games played, Nunnally finished the regular season ranked seventh in the MAC in tackles for loss (11.0) for a total of 55 yards, posting 8.5 TFL in league play. In addition, he ranked 10th in the MAC with six sacks for 43 yards and four sacks coming in conference games for 31 yards. On the national landscape, Nunnally is ranked 63rd in sacks (0.5 per game). He led Akron in both categories and ranked fifth on the team in total tackles (56), including a fifth-best 24 solo takedowns. He added five QB hurries and two forced fumbles. Nunnally solidified the Zips' overtime win against Toledo with a game-ending sack.
Book makes his first appearance on the All-MAC squad, capturing first-team accolades. Serving as the primary punter, Book unleashed 65 punts with 20 punts of 50 or more yards. He pinned the opposition inside the 20-yard line 21 times. Book posted a season-long 61 yards against South Carolina. In the MAC, Book ranked first in average punt yards (43.4) and 50+ yard punts (20). He was second in league play for punts inside the 20-yard line (21) and total punting yards (2,093). In the NCAA, he ranked 33rd in average punt yards (43.4).
Landing on Second-Team All-MAC were McCoy for defense and Norton for offense, both playing in all 12 games.
McCoy paced the Zips defense with a team-high 120 tackles, including 54 solo stops. He recorded 1.5 tackles for loss of four yards to go along with three QB hurries and two pass break-ups. McCoy finished the season ranked 3rd overall in tackles (120) and 3rd in tackles per game (10.0) and 6th in solo tackles (54). In MAC-only play, McCoy also ranked 3rd in total tackles (89), 3rd in tackles per game (11.1) and 5th in solo tackles (39). Nationally, McCoy ranked 8th in tackles per game (10.0). McCoy posted six games of 10 or more tackles and registered a season-high 17 tackles against Toledo.
Norton led Akron's receiving corps with 43 receptions and 831 yards for an average of 69.3 yards per game and 19.3 yards per reception. He caught seven touchdown passes and had a season-long 60-yard reception against Western Michigan. In addition, he posted a career-best 168-yard receiving effort on eight receptions against Western Michigan. In addition, he had three games of 100+ yards receiving (Western Michigan, Colgate, Kent State) and was two-yards shy of that feat against Buffalo. For the season, Norton ranked 2nd in average yards per catch (19.3), 5th in the MAC in receiving yards (831), 5th in yards per game (69.3), 6th in touchdowns (7) and 14th in receptions (43). In MAC play, Norton ranked 6th in total yards (595), 4th in average yards per catch (19.2), 7th in receiving yards per game (74.4), 12th in receptions (31) and 12th in touchdowns (4). Nationally, Norton ranked 13th in yards per catch (19.3), 45th in receiving TDs (7), 52nd in receiving yards (831) and 52nd in receiving yards per game (69.3).
Rounding out the all-league performers for Akron was Paul Lewis III with Third-Team All-MAC Defensive honors.
Lewis was second on the team in tackles with 77, including a second-best 43 solo takedowns. Lewis recorded seven tackles for loss for 15 yards, ranking second on the squad behind Nunnally. Lewis registered five pass break-ups, one QB hurry, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. For the season, Lewis ranked 13th in solo tackles (43), 16th for total tackles (77) and 19th in tackles per game (6.4) among the league leaders. In MAC-only play, he ranked 10th in solo tackles (33), 14th in total tackles (57) and 14th in tackles per game (7.1). Nationally, he ranked 156 of 476 NCAA defenders with 6.4 tackles per game. Lewis posted a season-high nine tackles twice against Colgate and Toledo and had seven or more tackles in seven games.
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