Football

In this episode of the Buchtelite podcast, we talk about what we liked from the Akron-Miami game. One topic was Dennis Kennedy’s steamrolling of the RedHawks.

Download podcast_12.5.mp3

My column talks about the Zips coaching staff, which has healed the team’s major sicknesses…

The Zips of old returned Saturday.

Linebackers tied a mobile quarterback’s feet to cinderblocks.

Running back Dennis Kennedy returned to his normal self, bashing into tacklers rather than avoiding contact.

The offensive line built a shield around Luke Getsy - and not one made of toilet paper this time.

The Zips are back.

Thank the coaches. They made the obvious changes necessary to win. In losses to Kent State and Cincinnati, the opposing quarterback led his team in rushing. This time, Miami’s Mike Kokal ran for only 1 yard on 16 carries.

During those previous games, Getsy was starting to feel like his predecessor Charlie Frye, who is scheduled for a weekly brain scrambling with the Cleveland Browns.

Getsy remained vertical the entire game, not being sacked once. Heck, the Zips’ offensive line only allowed a total of five tackles for loss.

Part of that can be attributed to a healthy Kennedy, who reminded the RedHawks he’s still one of the Mid-American Conference’s best backs. He ran for 129 yards and scored two touchdowns.

If that wasn’t enough, the Zips coaching staff also threw in some bonus goodies, such as tallying six sacks. That gave Akron’s defensive backs a chance to defend their receivers for a shorter time.

"It always starts up front," senior cornerback Reggie Corner said. "They took a lot of pressure off the corners and safeties."

Two weeks ago, I gave coach J.D. Brookhart’s staff a grade of C- because the team failed to make adjustments and consistently offer an effective game plan. After reviewing the most recent assignment, a B seems more appropriate.

"We made the adjustments we needed to make," Brookhart said at his Monday news conference. "Was it clean? No."

I agree.

Place-kicker Jon McClain missed two extra points, one of which was extended by a celebration penalty after a touchdown.

That makes five missed extra points on the year, making the team 63 percent successful on a play where any error is unforeseeable and unforgivable.

I asked Brookhart if it might be time to consider a two-point conversion on a more regular basis. His answer was an unequivocal no.

"I’m frustrated with it, obviously," Brookhart said. "We’ve got to give it some leeway."

McClain, who plays on Akron’s soccer team, "just defended Bowing Green’s soccer team 24 hours ago."

I understand that. McClain certainly has had the craziest life of any Akron athlete in a while. So I don’t blame him, nor do I really fault secondary kicker Matt Domonkos, who can’t seem to find his groove outside of the practice field.

Still, the coaches must adjust for this. Although a two-point conversion strategy certainly is not advantageous, Akron should consider it. I believe the Zips could match its 63 percent success rate in going for two, rather than one.

With reliable targets at tight end, wide receiver and an effective running back, the Zips have more options to earn two yards than any other team in the MAC.

Regardless of whether the coaching staff sees this as feasible, I’m pleased to announce, the Zips are back.

Cross country

The Zips, coming off a win at the Falcon Invitational, are preparing for the MAC Championships this weekend.

The Buchtelite’s Josh Volchko wrote about men’s coach Joe Klim, the husband of swimming coach Nittaya Klim.

Men’s soccer

The Zips will finish their non-conference schedule today at UNC-Greensboro.

The bigger game, however, is Friday at home against Buffalo. A win would give the Zips a share of the MAC regular season title.

Football

With all the connections J.D. Brookhart has to the Browns and Broncos — Charlie Frye, Domenik Hixon, Mike Shanahan and Larry Coyer — he plans to avoid the game.

Shanahan and Coyer’s defense will pressure Frye, while Hixon looks on from the injured list during the game at 4 p.m. today.

I planned to attend this game so I could talk to Hixon, but his broken foot from predraft training has kept him out all season.

• Hixon tells DenverBroncos.com Frye’s success in the NFL Draft and his rookie year inspired him.
• The Broncos have a three-week window to work Hixon back into playing shape. He says his foot feels fine.

Football

By controlling the opposing quarterback’s scrambling and establishing a dominant rushing attack, the Zips surged past Miami 24-13.

RedHawks signal caller Mike Kokal passed for 263 yards, but the Akron defense held him to ONE SINGLE YARD on the ground. Meanwhile, Zips running back Dennis Kennedy rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

Both of these aspects — controlling QB scrambling and a setting up a strong running game — were lacking in the Zips’ previous two-game losing streak.

Akron receiver David Harvey caught a few important passes. He finished with 96 yards and a touchdown.

Miami suffered on third down, converting only twice in 17 attempts. The RedHawk defense, however, collected two Akron fumbles. One was a conspicuous pitch to backup quarterback Carlton Jackson.

Akron’s secondary had no answer for NFL prospect Ryne Robinson at receiver. He pulled down nine receptions for 135 yards and a score.

Around the rest of the MAC…

• Toledo confirmed that it won’t play in the postseason. The Rockets fell to 0-4 in conference play after losing to a weak Eastern Michigan team. Akron will play at Toledo next Saturday.
• Ohio, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan easily overcame Buffalo, Temple and Ball State, respectively.

Who could have predicted that Miami and Toledo would be out of the hunt midway through MAC play, and meanwhile Kent State seems unstoppable? That’s why this is a great conference. I’ll post more tomorrow once the tailgating wears off.

Football

In order to contain Miami’s mobile quarterback Mike Kokal, the Zips gameplan intends to clog inside pass-rush lanes, defensive coordinator Jim Fleming says.

• David Lee Morgan predicts a 31-24 Zips victory on Homecoming.
• This game was supposed to determine first place in the MAC East, the Cincinnati Enquirer writes.
• Each of CFN’s experts, including the chicken, picked Akron to win by more than the seven-point spread, which has since ballooned to eight.

As for my take, I think this will be a close game, but the Zips will win. One factor sure to help Akron is days of rest. The Zips have been inactive for two weeks. Miami played Buffalo on Sunday.

With all the emphasis and media scrutiny on the Zips defense’s inability to stop a mobile quarterback, I believe Fleming’s plan will have improved. If Dennis Kennedy is truly 100 percent healthy, Akron will be able to run all night.

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate for a terrific day of tailgating.

Akron 24, Miami 21.

Football

Coach J.D. Brookhart thinks the Zips off week helped cure some of the minor injuries that have hampered the team lately.

• ESPN 360 will carry the game if you are unable to make it to the Rubber Bowl.

Football

Akron will beat Miami by 7.5 points — a football impossibility — according to the USAToday’s Danny Sheridan.

Other oddsmakers see a similar outcome.

Scroll down to download the Buchtelite’s newest podcast. Four semi-informed Zips journalists give their predictions.

Men’s soccer

At this point, the main thing is confidence.

The Zips need to find it before going further into the MAC schedule.

And they may have Wednesday, beating Michigan 1-0 without Sinisa Ubiparipovic.

Cross country

Sediah Erskine earned the MAC’s Runner of the Week award.

She took second at the Falcon Invitational last weekend. It is Erskine’s second such award from the conference this season.

Football

The ABJ’s David Lee Morgan wrote about the hairy John Mackey, a Walsh Jesuit product who is 21st in the MAC in tackles.

Football

The Buchtelite podcasts returned Thursday. We talk about Homecoming weekend and the likelihood that the Zips get back on track with a win at Miami.

Download podcast_11.mp3

• J.D Brookhart says the team has prepared for mobile quarterbacks like Miami’s Mike Kokal. Click that link for the rest of Adam Ferrise’s Buchtelite game preview.
• The Outsiders debate what has made them maddest about this fall.
• As you may have heard, former Zips kicker Zac Derr nearly made the Atlanta Falcons this summer. He actually won the starting job before suffering what would become a career-ending groin injury. Read his compelling story from the gridiron to the pulpit at The Chapel in Akron, written by the Buchtelite’s Mike Hixenbaugh.

Volleyball

Despite an eight-match losing streak, the Zips and coach Mike Sweitzer are optimistic a four-match homestand can help swing the season in a positive direction, the Buchtelite’s Matt Kane writes.

Football

David Lee Morgan’s story today brought up two interesting facts:

1. The Zips believe they can/will go 8-4 by winning the final six games.
2. Senior lineman Andy Alleman is telling everyone to forget that. Miami is Akron’s only concern.

That should be reassuring to Zips fans that the team kept its confidence, despite a two-game losing streak. However, they aren’t overlooking 1-5 Miami.

• Tim Crouch certainly has had his problems on and off the field this season. However, his grades are perfect, and that earned him a spot on the semifinal list for the Draddy Award.

Football

The Buchtelite’s Adam Ferrise sat down with coach J.D. Brookhart and asked him to give a midseason critique for each part of the team.

Unlike many Zips fans, he admires Luke Getsy’s play so far.

Soccer

Many Zips soccer players — men and women — originate from the other side of the pond.

The Buchtelite’s Michael Beaven wrote about how they are coping with the United States’ lifestyle.

Men’s basketball

I have a major announcement.

I formally name Romeo Travis as the University of Akron’s first-ever Big Man on Campus.

I explain why in my column…

Romeo Travis is big, friendly and successful. The power forward’s fame exceeds that of any athlete in University of Akron history.

Today, I name "Rome" the University of Akron’s first-ever Big Man on Campus.

Consider that UA is a loosely knit commuter campus without a huge amount of fan support for the sports teams.

Everywhere Romeo Travis goes on campus, people know him. Ron Burgundy’s leather-bound books are nothing compared to the notoriety Travis receives walking around the Student Union. He’s kind of a big deal.

Blame his height, at least partially. At 6-foot-7, he is unmistakable.

You might confuse Zips quarterback Luke Getsy with another 6-2 schmoe carrying books to class. Not Travis.

But it takes more than height to achieve the BMOC label. And Travis has got it.

Almost every college basketball magazine picked Travis as its preseason Mid-American Conference player of the year. Those same publications believe Akron will win its first MAC Championship in men’s basketball.

The prominence of this team and its leader extends beyond the MAC, however. According to CBSSportsline.com’s magazine, the Zips are No. 20 in the nation.

You might assume this kind of attention would give Travis a big head. You would be dead wrong.

Travis always seems to be friendly. If Facebook.com is any indication, he will befriend anyone. He boasts more than 1,300 Facebook friends at UA, and will join basically any group that invites him (See "Travis Hafner once ripped a Bigfoot in half" and "I wish there was more white defensive backs in the NFL.").

Saturday night, Travis considered my proposal of the BMOC label, and he smiled. His humility quickly kicked in.

"I’m just another man on campus," Travis said. "A lot of (the attention) is from before I got to Akron."

True. The initial reason you knew Travis’ name was his connection to LeBron James. The Cavaliers’ superstar grew up with Travis and Zips teammate Dru Joyce. They won numerous trophies, cups and championships together at St. Vincent/St. Mary’s High School.

Problem is, almost anytime a newspaper story mentions Travis and Joyce, the writer also drops James’ name. Travis and Joyce have been synonymous with the guys "who were high school teammates of LeBron James." The Zips seniors are truly proud of James, who has ambitions of becoming the world’s richest man. But, like any human beings, they want some spotlight, too. That’s what this season is about.

"Finally, we’re trying to step outside the LeBron’s teammates label," Travis said. "We’re trying to establish a tradition (at UA). We want a great legacy."

The program’s first trip to the Big Dance in March could create that.

Looking forward, though, Travis and Joyce hope to follow in their former teammate’s footsteps. Travis hopes to make an NBA roster by specializing in defense and rebounding. His solid mid-range jump shot shouldn’t hurt either. Joyce, being one of the nation’s leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio, will try to latch on as a point guard.

A key to being drafted is attention. And winning is the best way to get it, coach Keith Dambrot said.

"They realize that if the team wins, things will be good for them," he said.