Football Opens November With MAC Trip to UMass

November 02 | Football

Pregame Coverage:
Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
Terry Bowden – Weekly Press Conference Video
Terry Bowden – MAC Weekly Media Teleconference Audio
MAC Weekly – Nov. 2

Gameday Coverage:
Listen to Free Audio Stream (TuneIn.com)
Follow Free Live Statistics

Akron (3-5, 1-3 MAC) at Massachusetts (1-7, 0-4 MAC)
Saturday, Nov. 7
Gillette Stadium [68,756]
Foxboro, Mass.
Noon ET | CBS Sports Network

THIS WEEK
Akron opens November with back-to-back MAC road games. The Zips visit Massachusetts on Nov. 7, at Noon ET at Gillette Stadium.

CBS Sports Network will televise the game with Ben Holden (play-by-play), Jay Feely (analyst), and John Schriffen (sideline) calling the action.

CBS Sports Network: University of Akron Cable channel 63, Time Warner channels 322 & 1323(HD), DirecTV channel 221, DISH Network channel 158, and AT&T U-Verse channel 643 &1643(HD).

The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron-IMG Sports Network [SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), 1420 WHK in Cleveland, 1440 WHKZ in Warren/Youngstown] with Steve French calling the action, Brad Detwiler providing analysis, and Joe Dunn with sideline report. The pregame show starts at 11 a.m. ET. A free audio stream is available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.

Under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Terry Bowden, the Zips stand 3-5 overall and 1-3 in MAC play after a 14-6 MAC loss to Central Michigan on Oct. 31. Akron returns 47 lettermen, including 12 starters. The Zips utilize a spread offense and a 4-3 defense.

After seven games, senior RB Conor Hundley (Hamilton, Ohio) is the team's leading rusher with 607 yards and six touchdowns on 113 carries. Under center, sophomore QB Thomas Woodson (Monroeville, Pa.) leads the Zips with 92-of-174 for 1,241 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior WR Imani Davis (Miami, Fla.) is the top receiver with 30 catches for 390 yards and two touchdowns. Senior LB Dylan Evans (Nazareth, Pa.) is the top defender with 68 tackles, 6.5 TFL, six break-ups, 1.5 sacks, and an interception.

In this week's national rankings, Akron is ranked No. 8 in rushing defense (97.6), No. 18 in blocked punts (1), No. 33 in total defense (346.3), and No. 37 in red zone defense (0.800). Individually, sophomore WR Jerome Lane (Akron, Ohio) is No. 3 nationally in yards per reception (25.33). Junior CB DeAndre Scott (Frederick, Md.) is No. 17 in interceptions per game (0.5) . Senior LB Jatavis Brown (Belle Glade, Fla.) is No. 10 in sacks (0.94). Sophomore QB Thomas Woodson is No. 30 in passing yards per completion (13.49).

Under the guidance of eighth-year head coach Mark Whipple, Massachusetts stands 1-7 overall and 0-4 in MAC play after a 20-10 loss at Ball State on Oct. 31. The Minutemen return 80 letterwinners, including 19 starters, to their pro set offense and 3-4 defense.

After eight games, junior RB Marquis Young leads the rushers with 436 yards and two touchdowns on 59 carries. Under center, senior QB Blake Frohnapfel is 211-of-353 for 2,293 yards and 15 touchdowns. Senior WR Tajae Sharpe is the top receiver with 88 catches for 980 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB Jovan Santos-Knox has 89 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, and three break-ups.

In the NCAA stats, the Minutemen are No. 19 in passing offense (308.0), No. 36 in first downs (182), and No. 47 in total offense (423.6).

Individually, senior QB Blake Frohnapfel is No. 5 in completions (26.38), No. 17 in passing yards (2,293), and No. 20 in passing yards per game (286.6). Senior WR Tajae Sharpe is No. 1 in receptions per game (11.0), No. 5 in receiving yards (980), and No. 6 in receiving yards per game (122.5). Freshman DB James Oliphant is No. 6 in kickoff return touchdowns (1) and No. 24 in kickoff returns ( 26.6). Senior LB Jovan Santos-Knox is No. 8 in total tackles (11.1).

AKRON-MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTIONS
Akron has no players from the state of Massachusetts on this year' roster.

Massachusetts has two players from Ohio– freshman RB Andy Isabella (Mayfield, Ohio | Mayfield HS) and freshman DL Mario Patton (Cleveland Heights, Ohio | Cleveland Heights HS).

AKRON-UMASS: THE SERIES
Saturday's game is the just the fourth meeting between Akron and Massachusetts in series history, which began in 2012. The Zips lead the series, 2-1, with two consecutive victories.

Last fall, Akron ended the 2014 home slate in style on a frigid Tuesday night, cruising to a 30-6 victory over Massachusetts at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field on Nov. 18.

The UA offense converted on 6-of-7 opportunities in the red zone and accumulated 27 first downs to the Minutemen's 11. Akron posted 134 yards on the ground, while junior QB Kyle Pohl threw two TD passes and picked up 277 passing yards after going 26-of-40 in the air.

The Akron defense held UMass to 67 yards rushing and 168 yards passing, led by junior LB Jatavis Brown who picked up a team-high nine total tackles. Brown was followed by senior LB Justin March with eight, including seven solo stops. Junior WR Zach D'Orazio led the team in receptions with 10 for 121 yards, both career highs.

In 2013, Kyle Pohl passed for 208 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score to help Akron to a 14-13 victory over Massachusetts in Mid-American Conference football action at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 16.

Pohl, who completed 20-of-33 passes, hit Jawon Chisholm in the endzone with a 17-yard strike to make the game's final margin with 9:49 remaining. Chisholm had three catches for 37 yards, with the 17-yard TD grab being his longest of the day.

Zach D'Orazio and Fransohn Bickley paced the Akron receivers with six catches apiece. D'Orazio had 82 yards and Bickley 55.

Massachusetts took a 13-7 lead after closing out a nine-play, 91-yard drive with a two-yard pass from Mike Wegzyn to Rob Blanchflower with 6:58 to go in the third quarter.

Wegzyn was 4-of-7 passing for 76 yards and one interception, while A.J. Doyle completed 13 of his 21 pass attempts for 75 yards and one INT.

SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. UMass: 2-1
Akron in games at Akron: 1-1
Akron in games at UMass: 1-0
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 2012, at InfoCision Stadium, L, 22-14
Last meeting in series: 2014, at InfoCision Stadium, W, 30-6

ZIPS QUICK HITS
• Five of Akron's 2015 opponents—Oklahoma (Russell Athletic), Pittsburgh (Armed Forces), Louisiana (R+L Carriers), Bowling Green (Camellia), and Central Michigan (Bahamas)— participated in bowls in 2014. With four weeks left in the 2015 season, three Zips' opponents are already bowl eligible– Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, and Bowling Green.

• In 2015, Akron opens its seventh season playing on-campus in InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field. The Zips have a 14-25 record at the venue (4-2 in 2014). The stadium opened in 2009.

• Since 1979, Akron has faced 25 nationally ranked teams, going 1-24. The Zips' sole victory was a 34-20 win over No. 25 Marshall at the Rubber Bowl on Nov. 2, 2002.

• The 2015 season marks the 10th Anniversary of the Zips' 2005 Mid-American Conference championship. Under coach J.D. Brookhart, UA defeated Northern Illinois, 31-30, in the MAC title game before participating in the Motor City Bowl, its first bowl appearance as an NCAA Division I-A member (FBS).

• Akron has 51 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 37 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.

• The Zips features experienced players on the roster, including 14 transfers– senior RB Donnell Alexander (Colorado State), senior OL Tommy Brown (Ohio State), sophomore QB Tra'Von Chapman (Pittsburgh), r-junior CB Wedley Charles (Hiram), r-senior DL Rodney Coe (Iowa State), r-sophomore WR A.J. Coney (Weber State), junior DB Larry Hope (Miami [Fla.]), r-senior DB Bryce Jones (Boston College), sophomore OL Josh Krok (Kentucky), r-junior DL Jamal Marcus (Ohio State), senior LB Darryl Monroe (Washington State), junior DL Se'Von Pittman (Ohio State), junior OL Xavier Quigley (Western Iowa), and sophomore ATH Anthony Young (Indiana).

The players elected seniors LB Jatavis Brown, RB Conor Hundley, and NT Cody Grice as team captains for the 2015 season.

• Senior WR Michaelee Harris (Achilles), junior OL Michael Casimos (ankle), and junior WR Mykel Traylor-Bennett (hand) are out for the season with the injuries.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 14, for its last MAC road trip of the 2015 season. Kickoff is set for Noon on ESPN3.