Football

J.D. Brookhart has been pleased with Matt Domonkos this spring.

And even if he wasn't, it's likely the senior would have the job anyhow. Igor Iveljic is not cleared to kick as he is still recovering from the back injury that kept him out last season.

Iveljic is still dressing and showing up for pratice, which is good. With his potential, Zips fans should hope he performs well enough to win the job outright.

Men's basketball

I just got off the phone with the ABJ's Michael Beaven. He told me a little about Copley guard Andrew Moss, a preferred walk-on for the Zips.

He sounds like a more athletic version of Nick Goddard, but a lesser shooter. At 6-foot-2, Moss would have a better chance of earning playing time early in his career if he could handle the ball as a point guard.

Football

Akron's defense returns its top six tacklers from last season, and John Mackey told the ABJ's David Lee Morgan that should give the Zips one of the MAC's most fearsome forces.

Morgan's story also talks about how Reggie Corner improved his grades to earn a final year of eligibility.

• Today's practice already concluded. Being a college student on a Saturday morning, I couldn't roll out of bed in time. I'll pass along any information I hear.
• There is a huge scandal forming in Toledo, as a backup running back attempted to bribe teammates $10,000 to sit out games so gamblers can get a better feel for the spread. If Scooter McDougle tells the feds everything he knows, this could get ugly for the UT athletic department.

Baseball

The Zips fell 8-3 to MAC West leading Northern Illinois.

The teams will play again today at 1. Akron (11-7, 1-3 MAC) better start winning some of these conference games before the season slips away (again).

Softball

Akron split a doubleheader with Miami yesterday.

Football

Carlton Jackson's much-awaited debut showed glimpses of stardom, and a little more consistency than Sean Hakes the day before.

Jackson made several crisp passes, particularly to Jermaine Lindsey (whom I will discuss later). It seemed he was an eyeblink slow on reading some receivers' routes, which should be expected, I suppose.

The Florida native certainly is a capable scrambler. The scary part is, it doesn't seem like Jackson is running at full speed. He may be a bit sheepish without pads. Regardless, early returns say he deserves the No. 1 status J.D. Broohart conferred to him.

Here are other scribbles in my notebook (which is a registered trademark of Terry Pluto):

• The coaching staff moved Viktor Rajek, a Slovakian, to defensive end. At 6-foot-4, 240, it's probably a more natural position than wide receiver. "He's gone up about 20 pounds," Brookhart said. "He's fast, runs a 4.6 (40). He just doesn't know the nuances of the game."
• Back to Lindsey, the Zips' sophomore receiver, who is the No. 1 pass catcher in the absence of Jabari Arthur and David Harvey. Lindsey showed great jumping skills on overthrown balls. He made a few really terrific catches. Brookhart said Lindsey has solved some personal matters recently, and that has translated to his play on the field. Consistency in avoiding drops will be the final step. "He is extremely talented," Brookhart said.
• The Zips coaching staff has a goal to use 22 players on defense. That way, the team will be fresh enough to focus energy on special teams.
• I watched Shawn Lemon quite a bit today. He made a couple sacks in those few minutes. Coaches say, despite his athleticism, he has a long way to go. They might mean he's undersized. In a 3-3-5, he could use about 20 more pounds on his 6-1, 225 frame.
• Back to Arthur… He broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot during a routine drill a few weeks ago. It's kind of a scary thought that this can happen to someone's foot, but the senior receiver simply "hit wrong" on it, Brookhart said.
• I haven't mentioned the third quarterback candidate Chris Jacquemain. He did not participate today, nor will he tomorrow. He had to attend some kind of workshop for class.
• The defensive line managed to bat a lot of balls down at the line of scrimmage.
• The secondary grabbled several interceptions. In fact, the maddest I saw the coaching staff get with them was when Andre Jones did not take a knee after an interception that ended a two-minute drill. This will be the team's strength, as the ABJ's David Lee Morgan will write in tomorrow's paper.
• Brookhart gave both quarterbacks a shot to lead their team down the field from the 30-yard line in 1 minute, 15 seconds. Hakes showed awful clock management skills and a dropped pass fell into Jones' hands. Jackson was not much better. As he was "sacked" at the line, Jacson tossed a wobbler that another defender picked off. Both interceptions, of course, were more because of great defensive plays than because of offensive ineptitude.
• If you've never seen him on the field, Brookhart is as fiery as any coach you'll see. He screams a lot. A LOT. Yet, he knows there is a switch when he needs to turn that off, like most good coaches. Just minutes after screaming at Jones, he walked over to Morgan and me, joking about my last name. "Did you come up with that just for your column?" He's a good guy, but I think I'd turn ghost white if I was a player who committed a crime of stupidity on the field.

Football

Akron began spring practice without its quarterback, No. 1 and No. 2 receivers.

Carlton Jackson dressed but remained on the sidelines on the stationary bike. Coach J.D. Brookhart held him back for "internal" reasons. In other words, he didn't want to tell me. Jackson should be back tomorrow.

Jabari Arthur broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot. Brookhart did not seem so concerned. In fact, the coach joked that he's getting mileage out of Arthur as a coach. Arthur probably won't play all spring.

The same goes for David Harvey, whom Brookhart cleared for spring practice because of personal issues.

Despite all that semi-negative news, it was a pretty fascinating practice (and great to get out in the sun).

I know how you Zips fans love reading bullet-pointed notes. Here they are…

• Per NCAA guidelines, teams must begin with two practices of helmets only — no pads. That pretty much dictates that hitting will be minimal, and it was.
• It's a good thing for Akron's quarterbacks. Chris Jacquemain and Sean Hakes scrambled like I've never seen from a Zips signal caller. Brookhart said it's by design, now that Luke Getsy's immobility is not a factor. "You see the athleticism of quarterbacks beat you," he said. "It's exciting to have that working in your favor."
• Tight ends Brian Flaherty and Jose Cruz look to be your long snappers, in that order. Neither looked especially strong, but take that for what it's worth. There were plenty of dropped snaps, passes and punts. None of that worried Brookhart too much, since it's the first practice.
• I was talking with a friend of Brookhart's on the sideline. A Pitt native and Panthers fan, he told me about the celebration fans held on campus when Andrew Johnson committed to Pitt. Of course, he decommitted and went to Miami the night before signing day. Now he's at Akron, but will sit out this season. Brookhart said he was impressed with what Johnson showed today.
• Hakes had a very up and down day. It's clear to me that his potential is limitless. He is incredibly quick. He has great moves in the open field, too. He made some excellent passes today. On the other hand, he threw a couple "are you serious?" passes, too. It's a shame either Jackson or Hakes will be a career backup. They have super-high ceilings. "Hakes is kind of a wild card," Brookhart conceded.
• Chris Jacquemain has a good arm. He won't impress anyone but will be a solid backup in the MAC.
• I thought the offensive line looked good. Brookhart said he'd like to see improvement. "We've got some growing to do up front offensively," he said. This year's line is more athletic with longer wingspans. That certainly will help with pass blocking and running left or right. Don't expect so much down-your-windpipe handoffs, though.
• Linemen opened some nice holes for Andre Walker and Dennis Kennedy. Walker especially impressed me. I never realized how fast he is. It also will be a shame that there aren't enough carries for Walker, Kennedy, Alex Allen and Bryan Williams.
• Speaking of Allen, he is still recovering from his torn ACL. He's not listed on the depth chart at this point.
• I know. I know. I haven't even talked about the defense yet. It's good to see cornerback Reggie Corner get another year of eligibility thanks to Proposition 48. He completed a certain percentage of his credit load by the end of his fourth year, and that awarded him the opportunity to play as a fifth-year senior. Brookhart thinks very highly of Corner, whom the coach said may go from being good to great this year. Linebacker Parris McNeal is also a Prop 48 senior.
• You'll see defensive lineman Shawn Lemon on the roster. He grayshirted last season. The means he signed a letter of intent in 2006. Then he did not enroll for another year. Often, players do this to bulk up, nurse an injury, repair grades or for some other reason, Mike Cahill told me. All that matters is that Brookhart has another body to throw in there.
• Junior college transfers Casey Estrada (LT) and Miguel Graham (CB) are on the roster, though neither is listed as a starter.
• I'll have more after tomorrow's practice.

Baseball

Akron played its home opener this afternoon in front of a decent crowd.

The Zips beat Cleveland State 6-3 behind a four-run eighth-inning rally.

The Buchtelite's Josh Volchko, a rising sportswriting star, wrote about the inner happenings on the team.

Golf

I think it's safe to say Akron now has a respectable golf team.

The Buchtelite's Jeff Thomas discussed what is making it happen. Mainly, it's the philosophy of coach Tom Porten and leadership of Blake Sattler.

(p.s. I'm incredibly jealous these guys are traversing the nation playing golf in exotic locales. And when they come home, aw shucks, they have to play Firestone Country Club. Jerks.)

Football

Akron opens its spring season tomorrow at the outdoor practice field at 4 p.m.

If you remember, coaches banned media and bystanders from summer camp. I don't think the spring will be the same — at least for the outdoor practices.

I'll have my report from camp sometime tomorrow evening.

Men's basketball

Romeo Travis' career ended the worst way fathomable.

Today, he can take solace the Associated Press named him one of 48 Honorable Mention All-Americans.

Also listed are LSU's Glen Davis, Georgetown's Roy Hibbert, Gonzaga's Derek Raivio, Ohio State's Mike Conley and UCLA's Darren Collison.

This a great honor for Travis. Hopefully it takes the salty taste out of his mouth. He's the first Zip to earn the honor since Eric McLaughlin.

Football

Starting with Thursday's opening spring practice, Akron will attempt to fill nine holes left by departing seniors.

On offense, it's Luke Getsy, Andy Alleman, Mike Donaldson, Tim Crouch and Andy Wills. Before you get all anxious about having to replace almost an entire line, consider that J.D. Brookhart has planned for this by landing several highly touted linemen.

On defense, it's Kiki Gonzalez, Jermaine Reid and Jason Nedd. Losing the two most consistent defensive linemen hurts most. Also, throw in Jon McClain on special teams.

Without further adieu, here are five questions I think spring practice should answer…

1. Can Zach Anderson be the stand-out blocker we assumed he was as a three-star recruit in 2005? And are the other new linemen capable of protecting a first-time quarterback? Call me crazy, but I actually can see the offensive line being a strength this year.
2. Will a leader emerge to win the starting quarterback job? It's between Chris Jacquemain, Carlton Jackson (both sophomores) and Sean Hakes (redshirt freshman). I think Jacquemain has a lot of work to do to win the job. Coaches put Jackson ahead last season, and the Florida native showed brief flashes of incredible ability. Character issues could be his downfall. And then there's Hakes, who I compare to Charlie Frye in his ability to scramble and throw on the run. No coach will say it, but Jackson is basically the incumbent. He needs avoid a terrible spring or another off-the-field incident to become the leader.
3. What the heck will the depth chart at running back look like? Here's my guess, but it's only a guess: Dennis Kennedy, Alex Allen, Aaris Reed and Andre Walker. That does not include Miami (Fla.) transfer Andrew Johnson and Bryan Williams, who probably won't play this season. Don't be surprised if one or two of these guys transfer in the next year. It's a logjam.
4. Does the Zips defensive line stand a chance? This is the thinnest part of the team, and if Brookhart could play a 1-5-5 defense, he probably would. Your starters are probably Nate Robinson, Eric Lively and Jared Cecchetti. We all know Robinson can't play a full game without an oxygen mask standing by. Lively has never started. Cecchetti has never impressed me. Behind that, it's anyone's guess. It's going to take some serious convincing to tell me this isn't one of the worst defensive lines in the nation. That will put a lot of stress on the defensive backs. Maybe Brookhart will get lucky and one of his true freshman can play a little.
5. Who is the place kicker? Matt Domonkos played himself out of last year's job, which was handed to him after Igor Iveljic hurt his back. Andy Hildreth is now listed as a place kicker, too. Luckily Brookhart will have more options than last season, when he resorted to stealing a player off Caleb Porter's pitch. If healthy, I think Iveljic is the winner (as long as he's done beating up fellow students in the dorms).

Notice I didn't mention the secondary, linebackers or receivers. Those positions should be solid. In fact, so should running backs. It's just figuring out who gets the bulk of the carries.

Men's basketball

In a story in the Massillon Independent, Keith Dambrot basically said he buys into Bob Huggins' theory that Akron's program has Final Four potential.

He was at a Hall of Fame luncheon in Canton, trying to get Stark County residents excited about Zips basketball.

Dambrot, with his business background, is well versed with marketing his program.

Football

The ABJ's David Lee Morgan discussed Akron's kicking woes in 2006.

J.D. Brookhart said he is talking with special teams gurus and should have more options at place kicker this fall.

Regardless of the extra focus on special teams, I can't see kicking being such a big problem again. The Zips will have more options — Igor Iveljic and a walk-on — that someone should step up and win the job. Heck, that could even be Matt Domonkos.

I plan to cover several spring practices, which start Thursday.

Men's basketball

Tom Gaffney covered last night's celebration.

He estimated (or maybe the university did) the crowd at 450.

I wanted to post a photo from the Buchtelite, but we are in the process of launching a new Web site and everything is messed up.

Men's basketball

I am supremely impress at the attendance of tonight's celebration.

My estimate is about 700 showed up. Here are some quick highlights…

• Mack Rhoades: "This means the world to our team, our coaches and our staff. Thank you (to the fans) … Nobody agreed with the way the season ended. What I'll remember is how everyone dealt with it."
• Luis Proenza read a New York Times article that said the NIT selection committee was heartless.
• Keith Dambrot: "Sometimes, through setbacks, you find out a lot about your community … I want to be here the rest of my career. You guys remember that when we only win 15 games one year … We're going to outgrow the JAR because I think that's something we need to do."
• Dru Joyce: "When I was young, I used to come to the games, and they'd put me to sleep." He also talked about how he coaxed Romeo Travis and Jeremiah Wood to play at UA.
• Travis: "I would never imagine the gym would be full of people .. Me and Dru leaving is not the end of anything. This is the beginning."
• Nick Dials was the only Zips player not to show. He was in class.

Men's basketball

MAC writer Ray Mernagh wrote a compelling book about a season in the conference.

His book, 1 Chance 2 Dance, is on sale for $14.95. He posted part of the book that pertains to the Zips on his Web site, Hoopwise.com.

I recommend reading the exerpt, if not buying the book, which I did. Mernagh put in a ton of energy into getting inside information from coaches and players. It gives a great look at mid-major basketball.