Akron football team names Kevin Cosgrove as defensive coordinator: College Newswatch
Cosgrove spent the past two seasons as Minnesota's co-defensive coordinator.Kent State focuses on some offensive beef among incoming football recruits
Kent State is turning away from its mini-back era toward bigger tailbacks - including St. Edward's Terrell BatesFormer Ole Miss QB recruit joins Akron’s 2011 incoming football class
Mississippi juco QB Clayton Moore adds depth to the Zips' backfield in 2011. Glenville's Johnny Robinson also chooses Akron.Youngstown’s Heacock added to KSU football staff: NE Ohio College Newswatch
Former head coach of the Penguins will be defensive coordinator for the Golden Flashes.Kent State set to introduce new football coach
The school has been searching for its 20th coach since Doug Martin resigned with a few weeks left in the season.Zips Ambush Black Knights
West Point, NY – Akron forced 5 turnovers and put up 358 yards as the Zips beat the Army Black Knights 22-3.
QB Chris Jacquemain was 14 for 25 for 203 yards. Andre Jones lead the Zips with 5 receptions for 103 yards. Dennis Kennedy carried the ball 19 times for 71 yards. Andrew Johnson (10 carries for 53 yards) and Joe Tuzze (4 carreis for 23 yards) also helped the Zips’ offensive effort.
Akron had only one turnover and had 9 penalties for 60 yards.
Akron Opens Against Big Ten
Madison, Wisc. – The Akron Zips Football season officially begins today in Madison, Wisconsin at 1:00pm. It’s the beginning of what was hoped to be a much heralded football season as 2008 ushers out the final year for Akron’s football stadium. But the team’s lack of returning experience could make this a difficult year to watch for Zips fans.
Akron will open today at the Badgers’ Camp Randall Stadium (80,321). Wisconsin’s coach Bret Bielema puts his 21-5 record up against Akron coach JD Brookhart’s 22-26 record. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network and locally on 1350AM and 106.9FM radio. The Badgers are favored by 27.
Wisconsin has won 10 straight season openers. P.J. Hill (tailback) begins the year ninth on UW’s career rushing list with 2,814 yards. Whether tight end Travis Beckum (hamstring) and fullback Chris Pressley (broken thumb) play will be game-time decisions. Allan Evridge (quarterback) hasn’t started a game since 2005 due to his redshirt freshman season at Kansas State.
Akron is 1-16 all-time against Big Ten foes. Its lone victory came on Sept. 5, 1894, when it beat Ohio State 12-6 during the John Heisman coaching era. Quarterback Chris Jacquemain (Junior)threw for 1,623 yards and 11 TDs a season ago in a platoon situation. This year, Jacquemain is not expected to share starting duties. Senior kick returner Bryan Williams ranked second nationally last season in kick return average at 31.9 yards. One place Akron has some experience is the offensive line.
Meet The Team On Sunday
Akron, OH – The University of Akron Zips football team will host their annual Meet The Team celebration on Sunday, August 10 from 5-6 pm at Rhodes Arena. This free event follows a team practice and will give fans a chance to interact with the team and Coach JD Brookhart. The University will provide refreshments and season ticket holders will have the opportunity to pick up their tickets for the 2008 season. Any tickets not picked up on Sunday will be mailed on Monday.
Kent Stadium Vandalized
Kent, OH – The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that vandals have defaced portions of the newly remodeled DIX Stadium near the Kent State University campus. “AK Rowdies” and “Go Zips” were spray-painted in an apparent attempt to possibly make it appear as if it was a U of Akron fan who did the damage. It is unknown at this time who is responsible for the vandalism.
Another Zip Is Off to the NFL
AKRON – (from GoZIPS.com) For the fourth consecutive year, a member of the University of Akron football team was drafted within the first four rounds as corner back Reggie Corner was picked in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills.
Corner was the 114th pick overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, the fifth-highest Akron student-athlete to be selected, following Charlie Frye (67th pick in 2005), Jason Taylor (73rd pick in 1997), Dwight Smith (84th pick in 2001) and Andy Alleman (88th pick in 2007).
Since 2001, Akron has had six players picked. In addition to the names above, Jake Schifino was taken in the fifth round (151st pick overall) in the 2002 draft and Domenki Hixon was taken in the fourth round (130th pick overall) in the 2006 draft.
Corner, who started every game over his career and graduated from Akron in December of 2007, ended his career at Akron with 197 tackles (52 in 2007), 15 interceptions and 35 pass breakups. His 15 career picks ties current NFL defensive back Smith for second on the Akron all-time list. Also, Corner ranks eighth on the Mid-American Conference all-time list with his 15 career picks and ranks seventh on the MAC all-time list with his 225 career return yards off interceptions.
Corner earned first team All-MAC honors in 2007, as named by the league’s coaches, as well as first team All-MAC by Rivals.com and Phil Steele Magazine. He led the league and ranked fourth in the NCAA in interceptions (0.58 per game). He added 12 pass breakups to go along with his seven interceptions to tie teammate Davanzo Tate as the MAC leader in passes defended (1.58), which ranked sixth in the NCAA. His seven picks was the second-best total in the nation to date this season and is fourth on the Akron single-season list. Corner opened the season being named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception 74 yards for a TD in the win over Army. The following week at Ohio State, he had another pick and two pass breakups, one of which led to a John Mackey interception. His solid play continued at Indiana, where he had a career-high eight tackles. In Akron’s win over rival Kent State, Corner intercepted a pass and returned it 43 yards to the KSU two, setting up what proved to be Akron’s game-winning TD. He added two picks in the Temple contest and one each versus Miami and Central Michigan. Corner closed the season with six PBU over the final three games, including a career-high four versus the Chippewas of CMU. In addition to being All-MAC, Corner was named the Zips’ “Most Valuable Defensive Back” by the UA staff.
