Football

Head coach: Gregg Brandon

Last season: Here's a real anomaly: With an offense that averaged almost 30 more yards than the defense allowed, how did Bowling Green win only four games? Also, the Falcons tied for 15th in the nation in fewest turnovers lost. They even converted a respectable percentage of touchdowns in the red zone.

Special teams was a huge problem, as the Falcons allowed five touchdowns off punts and kicks and did not score one themselves. They were eighth-to-last in the nation at kick coverage and sixth-to-last at punt coverage. BG also missed five of nine field goal attempts.

Chris Bullock was good yet inconsistent as a freshman running back. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry, but had very poor performances against Miami and Toledo to end the season. Overall, the defense wasn't bad. It tallied a fair number of sacks and tackles for loss. Unfortunately for BG, often the special teams got the team in a hole, and they lacked the passing firepower to get back in the game.

Best returning player: Junior linebacker Erique Dozier

Offense: Despite a solid running game, Bowling Green needs better quarterback play to win games in the MAC. Junior Anthony Turner has been more of a scrambler than a passer. That works against bad defenses (Akron allowed Turner to rush for 105 yards), but the better teams are too fast and smart. Perhaps the real skill of the offense comes from the line, which allowed the third-fewest sacks in the conference last season. The receivers are just so-so.

Defense: Dozier is one of the MAC's best linebackers. The backs and defensive ends are pretty good, too. The question will be whether they can find a couple defensive tackles to improve a subpar rush defense.

How the Zips match up: These teams are quite similar in talent. Both could be pretty good or just average. Both teams will have difficulty tackling running backs. The tiebreaker is that BG will be coming off tough MAC games against Miami, Kent State and Ohio. Before that is a matchup with Boston College. Akron will be relaxed after laying whoopings on the cellar dwellars and enjoying a bye week. Dennis Kennedy ran for 178 yards in Akron's win last season. I can see a repeat.

Way-too-early prediction: Akron 31, Bowling Green 27

Men's golf

The departure of coach Tom Porten to Kent State is still a mystery, even to some of his closest friends.

I spoke with a few people in the know, and nobody knows anything. They could only speculate why the man who turned around Akron's program would bolt to be the assistant of a cross-town rival.

A similar thing happened last season when Donnie Darr went to be an assistant at Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys are a national powerhouse. Akron actually finished higher than the Golden Flashes in the MAC Tournament.

Porten, from what I hear, is an introvert. He enjoys teaching the game, but some of the tasks that go along with being a head coach are cumbersome. But that wouldn't make sense as being the reason, considering he led Cleveland State's program for 14 years and even successfully lobbied for the Vikings' home course to host an NCAA Regional tournament.

Another line of thought is that Porten really wanted to work with Kent State's coach Herb Page, and perhaps he even has inside information Page is nearing retirement. From what I hear, the retirement talk also is false. And if it were true, current KSU women's coach Mike Morrow probably has the leg-up on Porten.

Now that the mystery is swirling in golf circles, rumors are popping up that possibly Akron is not adequately funding its golf team. Take one look at the golf facilities (including the Stile Field House and Firestone Country Club) and tell me that isn't adequate.

The guessing will end on Monday when Porten addresses his players and future recruits. From what I understand, the recruits are all staying but not very pleased. The players have to feel betrayed.

Knowing Mack Rhoades, I'm sure he's diligently finding a replacement. From what I hear, Rhoades is just as perplexed as you and me. One name that has surfaced is Darr, who might be coaxed to return.

It's a real shame the program will take a step back after progressing in one season under Porten. If they can bring back Darr, however, it could be a good thing. I hope to have more about this in the coming week.

Football

Head coach: Turner Gill

Last season: Buffalo allowed more points than all but three Division IA teams. Surrendering 35.9 points per outing, the Bulls were a full touchdown worse than the nearest MAC team. In five of the 12 games, they gave up more than 40 points.

The offense wasn't quite as bad. Drew Willy cut his interception total from 12 to six in his sophomore year before going down with a thumb injury. In fact, he was the last starting quarterback in the nation to throw a pick. James Starks, a second-team All-MAC running back, is another reason for optimism. He averaged four yards a carry, scored six touchdowns and did not fumble in his freshman year.

Even though they finished at 2-10, the Bulls made a large impact on the MAC East when they dealt a dehabilitating beatdown on Kent State, a team that appeared to be on cruise control for a division title. Akron will travel to Buffalo for a game on October 27.

Best returning player: Sophomore running back James Starks

Offense: Willy returns, but he better stay healthy this time. His backup is a converted wide receiver. Starks is a solid runner and will have four offensive linemen returning to work for him. Buffalo will bring back a lot of receivers, too. Problem is, none of them are any good. They also must replace tight end Chad Upshaw, who was Willy's favorite target. Luckily for Gill, serviceable tight ends grow on trees in the MAC. Buffalo also needs to find a kicker, but that's not too uncommon these days in the MAC.

Defense: Nine starters are coming back to the defense. However, Gill must replace linebacker Jeff Bublavi, one of the MAC's leading tacklers in 2006. The unit will become stronger with another year of experience, but it still appears destined to be the one of the nation's worst in stopping the run.

How the Zips match up: The middle of Akron's schedule is quite favorable. The Zips should be prime for a late-season surge after pummeling Temple, enjoying a bye week, then kicking the Bulls' teeth in. Anyhow, the Zips will need to stack the box and force Willy to pass. He's not a bad quarterback, but he's definitely not one of the MAC's best. As long as Akron keeps Starks contained for fewer than 150 yards, it should be a stress-free Zips triumph.

Way-too-early prediction: Akron 38, Buffalo 13

New offers:

Zane Zebrasky, quarterback, Canonsburg, Pa.
Offers: Akron
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 220
Speed: 4.64
Notes: Rivals.com calls Zebrasky a dual-threat passer, meaning he can run. His 40-yard dash time shows that.
Likelihood: Zebrasky also has interest in Indiana. There isn't much more written about him.

Josh Vick, quarterback, Vandergrift, Pa.
Offers: Akron
Height: 6-3
Weight: 200
Speed: Not listed
Notes: Vick missed much of last season after injuring his knee. He still was nominated for consideration to play in the All-American Game in San Antonio. Zips coaches must feel unconfident about the previous quarterback targets, so they made offers to Vick and Zebrasky.
Likelihood: There's no doubt Vick would have BCS offers by now if not for the injury. Many teams, such as Pittsburgh, Penn State and West Virginia, will watch to see how he recovers.

Kenny Stafford, wide receiver, Columbus, Ohio
Offers: Akron, Kent State, Buffalo and Ohio
Height: 6-3
Weight: 180
Speed: 4.55
Notes: Stafford is the nephew of former NFL star Cris Carter. Without blazing speed or an imposing frame, Stafford won't follow his uncle to Ohio State.
Likelihood: Like with any MAC showdown, the Zips have a good shot.

Men's golf

Zips golfers must feel betrayed.

Their coach, who spoke of turning around the program and actually appeared to be doing so, took an associate coaching job at rival Kent State.

Tom Porten understandably has great respect for KSU's Herb Page, but enough to make a downward career move? That's bizarre.

Some positive golf news: UA recruit Drew Davidson from Central Catholic won the Ohio Junior Golf Championship this week.

Football

There must be a funny Dick Cheney joke somewhere.

Paul Simkovich, a top Zips recruit from Pennsylvania, had to get stitches in his shoulder after his friend accidentally tripped and yanked the trigger while hunting. He is fine.

Football

Head coach: Al Golden

Last season: Temple was next-to-last in the nation with 53.7 rushing yards per game. They only picked up 1.87 yards per carry. That kind of anemic run production puts a lot of stress on a quarterback in third-down situations. Quarterback Adam DiMichele forced a lot of passes. He finished the season with 12 interceptions and 10 touchdowns. The passing offense was 98th in the nation.

The defense was just as bad. The Owls allowed almost 20 more rushing yards per game than any other team in the nation. So yeah, they were the infamous No. 119, but by a wide margin. The pass defense was adequate, being only the 71st best. But why the heck would you throw the ball when a blind osteoporosis patient can stroll a wheelchair past the Owls' line?

Most teams figured that out last season as Temple finished the nation's third-toughest schedule at 1-11. The one win came at home against Bowling Green. And that's a good sign for the program, because it enters the MAC as a football-only member in 2007. Golden believes his team can win the MAC East.

Best returning player: Junior defensive tackle Terrance Knighton

Offense: The good news: The Owls will bring back nine players on this side of the ball. The bad news: So what? Those guys stunk. There's not much more to say about this group. They couldn't pass. They certainly couldn't run. And they plan to make an encore in 2007. Coming to a Rubber Bowl near you.

Defense: After reading the team's spring prospectus, which typically is an overly optimistic outlook, I still can't see one position where the team has an advantage over any other Division I team. Knighton has the most impressive stats on defense, but apparently he will split time at tackle.

Almost every position is up for grabs. There are a lot of "auditions" and "battles" for positions. Is there one guy Golden can count on? Well, sophomore Jake Brownell looks decent at punting and kicking — although Golden only sent out his field goal team six times in 2006. If anything, this reminds me of the Browns early expansion years. They had a few players that could be serviceable. Almost everyone was too young or too unskilled. Coach Golden, let me save you a giant headache when I urge your players to keep their helmets on after a missed field goal to end the game.

How the Zips match up: Who cares? This is a blowout … OK, OK … I'll provide some serious analysis. Week seven is a great time to play Temple. First, it could be the point in the season to try a new quarterback. If J.D. Brookhart's original choice is a dud, the backup can get an opportunity against a young defense. Also, it should give the backup running backs an opportunity to get some carries. Dennis Kennedy could be banged up. Now would be a terrific time to see if Bryan Williams or Alex Allen can live up to their potential.

All cockiness aside, Temple will be a solid MAC team in the near future. Their recruiting classes have stacked up nicely with Akron's. Golden came up with a great farm system for developing walk-ons. The first two years, however, the Owls will be lucky to beat Buffalo.

Way-too-early prediction: Akron 42, Temple 12

Men's basketball

Romeo Travis and Dru Joyce both plan to continue their basketball careers, the ABJ's Tom Gaffney reports.

Travis sounds confident he will have a spot on the Cavs' summer league team. Joyce wants to play in Europe, possibly Germany.

I've always thought Travis could be a poor man's Carlos Boozer. He just needs to turn his motor up a few notches. Joyce is a solid game manager, but he can't create his own shot or guard quicker players. He will be a better coach than player.

As Captain Kangaroo posted on ZipsNation.org, Akron will play at Winthrop next season. I haven't said this in a few months, but readers of this blog should bookmark ZipsNation. It's the best gathering of smart Zips fans on the Web.

I'd also like to thank all of my readers, particularly those who correspond with me via e-mail. In the future, I plan to publish a "mailbag" segment from readers. So if you want to get your question on the blog, just shoot me an e-mail (mike_rasor@yahoo.com) with your name, hometown and the reason you are affiliated with UA (alumni, student, random community member, etc.) and I'll try to research/answer it for you.

Football

Chad Hounshell, offensive tackle, Mentor, Ohio
Offers: Akron, Cincinnati, Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, Central Florida, Kent State and Miami
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 302
Speed: 5.5
Notes: Hounshell gained all his buzz during the spring combine and camp season. Although he is from Mentor, Hounshell attended a different high school than Zips kicker Igor Iveljic.
Likelihood: At one point, only Northwestern and Pitt were talking to Hounshell. Although that has changed, he still feels loyalty to those schools. They also play in big conferences, which is a plus. The downside is that neither has offered a scholarship. Akron looks alive as any school in this hunt.

Tavon Wilson, cornerback, Washington, D.C.
Offers: Akron, Boston College, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State and Pittsburgh
Height: 6-0
Weight: 179
Speed: 4.5
Notes: Wilson is another player who gained recognition for his performance at the Nike camp. As with most players with his athleticism, he plays both ways at Woodson High School.
Likelihood: The Zips are squaring off against a lot of second-tier teams, but the Zips coaching staff wouldn't bother with Wilson this late in recruiting season unless they thought they had a chance.

Other notes:

Ausar Walcott, the No. 22 safety in the nation, committed to Virginia. Akron offered him a scholarship, too.
Tony Gregory, the No. 38 running back, chose Virginia Tech over Akron, Marshall, Northern Illinois and Maryland.

Football

Head coach: Bill Cubit

Last season: The Broncos were 1-10 in 2004. Then Cubit took over. His teams have gone 7-4 and 8-5. While J.D. Brookhart has outrecruited his counterpart at Western Michigan, Cubit has done much more with his predecessor's recruits. Credit their stingy … naw, downright scary defense. The Broncos allowed just 76.1 rushing yards per game, good for best in the MAC (almost 50 yards fewer than second-best Northern Illinois) and sixth-best in the nation. Ameer Ismael led the way, and the nation, with 17 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss. Those are not typos. Somehow the second-team All-American wasn't drafted. He landed with New Orleans as non-draftee.

Ryan Cubit effectively ran the offense for his dad, taking the team to the International Bowl, which the Broncos lost to Cincinnati. Mark Bonds was a 1,000-yard rusher, but perhaps the more talented player was behind him. Brandon West averaged 4.8 yards per carry in his freshman year.

Best returning player: Junior cornerback Londen Fryar

Offense: The Broncos lost a lot from the 2006 team. Thomas Peregrin and Tim Hiller will duel for the quarterback job. Peregrin started twice last season, and he started in wins against Toledo and Virginia. He's a junior college transfer who will be a senior this season. Hiller, on the other hand, was 2005 MAC Freshman of the Year. He threw 20 touchdowns that year before injuring his knee and sitting out an entire season. Most of a solid receiving corps returns, including Branden Ledbetter, who scored six touchdowns as the tight end. The offensive line also brings back four of five starters, including Robbie Krutilla — a preseason All-MAC selection and possibly the highest draftee next spring. Even without a returning starter at quarterback, the Broncos offense should be very strong and multi-faceted.

Defense: And yeah, their defense will still be good. They lost four of the front seven, but return impact players such as defensive lineman Zach Davidson, who logged eight sacks his sophomore season, and Dustin Duclo, whom the team named its defensive player of the year. The secondary, however, might take over as the defense's signature cog. Each starter returns from last year, when the team gave up a fair amount of yardage, but also led the conference with 24 interceptions. Londen Fryar is an outstanding cornerback and, being only a junior, has "first-day draftee" tagged on his shoulder pads. He grabbed four interceptions (two for touchdowns), broke up five passes and forced a fumble last year.

How the Zips match up: With all due respect given to the defending Big Ten champions, the Broncos are a dynamite team and possibly the more difficult game. Every aspect of the team is water-tight. The only question mark is kicker, but the Zips shouldn't be close enough to make that matter.

Way-too-early prediction: Western Michigan 31, Akron 7

Football

Previously it had been reported some homes between Vine and Exchange streets could be vulnerable to the university's stadium plans — and eminent domain would be used as a last resort.

The same is true of businesses on Exchange, said Ted Curtis, UA's vice president of capital planning.

"I mentioned to them that these properties are in our target area," Curtis said specifically of those businesses owned by Manuel Nemer, who protested the university's effort on the news last week.

I made a public records request on the $2 million stadium plan. I should have that for you once the university realizes its attorneys can't legally keep it from me.

Football

Indiana coach Terry Hoeppner, who battled brain cancer the past two years, succumbed to the illness today. He was 59.

"Hep" as he was called, was an enthusiastic and optimistic leader who appeared to be moving the Hoosiers forward. Last week, IU announced Hoeppner would not coach in 2007 and his offensive coordinator Bill Lynch would step in.

Akron will play Indiana the third week of the season in Bloomington.

Football

Head coach: Randy Edsall

Last season: UConn ran the ball well, but they couldn't stop the run. They defended the pass well, but they couldn't throw the ball themselves. A 46-45 win over Pittsburgh was nice, but it's not enough to quell whispers that Edsall better return the team to 2004 form or the Huskies will have a new coach.

Best returning player: Sophomore running back Donald Brown

Offense: The Huskies lost both guards, but that doesn't mean the running game has to suffer. Brown was UConn's only All-Big East performer in 2006. He'll only get better. The two returning tackles, however, must do a better job protecting quarterback D.J. Hernandez, assuming it's Hernandez who is taking the snaps. It could be junior Tyler Lorenzen or Iowa State transfer Dennis Brown. Hernandez, whom the spring roster lists as a wide receiver, played so-so in 2006, his sophomore season. All in all, this is a running team so it's basically a moot point.

Defense: The 105th-best run defense in Division I won't improve with the loss of two tackles. Cornerback Darius Butler and linebacker Danny Lansanah do well to stop the passing attack. The juniors grabbed four interceptions each last season.

How the Zips match up: The Huskies were pretty bad last year and don't look a lot better in 2007. The same could be said of Akron, I suppose. Although UConn's talent level isn't all that great, they should be bowl-eligible thanks to a cake nonconference schedule. The Zips will have a good chance in this game despite UConn's strong running game. Both teams will move the ball effectively while chewing up clock. The team with the fewest mistakes wins.

Way-too-early prediction: UConn 31, Akron 24