Football Opens 2016 Slate at Home with VMI, Touchdown Music Fest

August 29 | Football

Pregame Coverage:
Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
Terry Bowden – Weekly Press Conference Video
Mayor Horrigan Press Conference Video
Terry Bowden – MAC Weekly Media Teleconference Audio
MAC Weekly – August 29

Gameday Coverage:
Listen to Free Audio Stream (TuneIn.com)
Watch on ESPN3.com
Follow Free Live Statistics

VMI (0-0) at Akron (0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 3
InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field [30,000]
Akron, Ohio
6:30 PM | ESPN3

PREGAME CONCERT
The University of Akron will hold its inaugural Touchdown Music Fest, featuring Grammy Award-winning band Soul Asylum, on Saturday, Sept. 3, prior to the football home opener with VMI.

The music festival is FREE to the public. Gates to the Lee R. Jackson Track & Field Complex (next to InfoCision Stadium) open at Noon. Live music will be played from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Prior to Soul Asylum, live music will be provided throughout the afternoon by Akron rock legends The Bizarros, country-group Shooter Sharp & the Shootouts, and singer-songwriter J.D. Eicher.

Akron radio station 91.3 FM The Summit is the official promotional partner for the Touchdown Music Fest.

THIS WEEK
Akron opens its 116th season of football at home in non-conference action with Virginia Military Institute (VMI) on Saturday, Sept. 3. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.

ESPN3 will televise the game online with Keith Morehouse (play-by-play) and Jerod Cherry (analyst), calling the game.

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 6 p.m. ET. A free audio stream is available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.

Fireworks will follow the game.

Under the guidance of fifth-year head coach Terry Bowden, the Zips return 48 lettermen, including seven starters. The Zips utilize a spread offense and a 4-3 defense. In season openers, Bowden is 1-3 at Akron and 2-2 in home openers.

Top Zip returners include junior QB Thomas Woodson (Monroeville, Pa.) led the Zips under center, completing 162-of-307 attempts for 2,202 yards and 16 touchdowns while finishing second in rushing with 600 yards and three touchdowns on 136 carries. Junior WR Jerome Lane (Akron, Ohio) was the top receiver with 782 yards and eight touchdowns on 39 receptions. Junior S Zach Guiser (Fayette City, Pa.) had 59 tackles, five break-ups, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery.

In the 2015 final national rankings, Akron was ranked No. 3 in rushing defense (92.9), No. 11 in blocked punts (2), No. 13 in turnover margin (0.77), and No. 15 in total defense (331.5). Individually, CB DeAndre Scott (Frederick, Md.) was No. 7 in total interceptions (6), No. 12 in interceptions per game (0.5) and No. 22 in passes defended (1.3). WR Jerome Lane (Akron, Ohio) was No. 12 nationally in yards per reception (20.05).

VMI, under the guidance of second-year head coach Scott Wachenheim, returns 44 letterwinners, including 18 starters, to its spread offense and 3-4 defense.

VMI returns redshirt junior QB Al Cobb who has 5,707 passing yards, 505 completions, and 34 touchdowns in two seasons under center. Senior WR Aaron Sanders led the Southern Conference in receiving yards per game (81.1) and receptions (7.6). Redshirt junior LB Ryan Francis was the top defender in 2015 with 115 tackles, 9.6 TFL, three forced fumbles, and three break-ups.

In the final NCAA stats, the Keydets were ranked among the Top 10 in four categories– No. 2 in fewest penalties (44), fewest penalties per game (4.00), fewest penalty yards (370), and fewest penalty yards per game (33.64). VMI was also ranked No. 14 in punt returns (12.93).

AKRON-VMI CONNECTIONS
Akron has no players from the state of Virginia on its roster.

VMI has no players from the state of Ohio on its roster.

Zip redshirt senior DB Bryce Jones' (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) older brother Chaz played running back at VMI from 2008-11. Chaz played in VMI's last game at InfoCision Stadium (in 2011), while Bryce and family were in the stands cheering.

Both squads have father-son coaches on their staffs. For the Zips, special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach Jeff Bowden is joined by his son Hunter who serves as the graduate assistant coach for the offense. VMI head coach Scott Wachenheim is joined by his son Tyson who coaches the tight ends.

AKRON-VMI: THE SERIES
This is the third meeting on the gridiron between the Zips and the Keydets.

In 1967, VMI claimed a 38-14 home win.

In 2011, the Zips tied the series with a 36-13 victory at InfoCision Stadium. Jawon Chisholm rushed 27 times for 188 yards and one touchdown. Keith Sconiers also caught eight passes for 154 yards and two scores for the Zips as they were able to capitalize on a plus-two turnover differential.

The 154 receiving yards tied Sconiers for the 16th-best individual performance by a UA pass catcher. The combined production of Chisholm and Sconiers gave Akron (1-3) its first game ever with both a 150-yard rusher and receiver.

Sconiers caught first-half touchdown passes of 31 and 10 yards from Clayton Moore, who completed 13-of-28 passes for 223 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. VMI: 1-1
Akron in games at Akron: 1-0
Akron in games at VMI: 0-1
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 1967,at VMI, L, 14-38
Last meeting in series: 2011, at InfoCision Stadium, W, 36-13

SERIES HIGHS
Akron Zips
Rushing: Jawon Chisholm, 27-188, 1 TD (2011)
Passing: Clayton Moore, 13-28-0-223, 3 TDs (2011)
Receiving: Keith Sconiers, 8-154, 2 TDs (2011)

VMI Keydets
Rushing: T. Talley, 8-63 (2011)
Passing: E. Kordenrbrock, 13-29-0-133, 1 TD (2011)
Receiving: S. Ross, 2-49, 1 TD (2011)

Year Site Result Akron Coach VMI Coach
1967 Lexington, Va. L, 14-38 Gordon Larson Vito Ragazzo
2011 InfoCision Stadium W, 36-13 Rob Ianello Sparky Woods

HEAD COACH TERRY BOWDEN
Entering his fifth season at Akron, head coach Terry Bowden is the dean of the Mid-American Conference coaches with the most career wins (159). Nationally, Bowden ranks sixth among active coaches in career wins.

AKRON O-LINE RANKED IN CAREER STARTS
Under first-year coach Brett Ekkens, the Akron offensive line must replace five senior starters from a year ago. Of the 128 Division I FBS football teams, the Zips rank No. 127 in combined career starts on the o-line with nine (according to PhilSteele.com). Navy is last with eight, while MAC rival Bowling Green is the national leader with 140.

Ironically, last fall Clemson started the season with five new members on its offensive line as was tagged the most underrated o-line in the country after advancing to the National Championship game against Alabama. This fall, Fox Sports ranks the Tigers as the best offensive line in the nation.

ZIPS QUICK HITS

Seven of Akron's 2016 opponents— Wisconsin (Holiday), Marshall (St. Petersburg), Appalachian State (Camellia), Western Michigan (Bahamas), Toledo (Boca Raton), Bowling Green (GoDaddy), and Ohio (Camellia)— participated in bowls in 2015.

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.
• In 2016, Akron opens its eighth season playing on-campus in InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field. The Zips have a 16-26 record at the venue (3-3 in 2015). The stadium opened in 2009.

The 2016 season marks the 40th Anniversary of the 1976 team which finished the season as the national runner-up during the Division II playoffs. Under coach Jim Dennison, UA defeated UNLV, 27-6, in the quarterfinal round at the Rubber Bowl. The Zips beat Northern Michigan, 29-26 OT, in the first overtime game in NCAA playoff history. In the national championship game, called the Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls, Texas, Akron lost to Montana State, 24-13. The 1976 team will be honored as the Team of Distinction during Homecoming/Hall of Fame weekend (Oct. 7-9).

Akron has 43 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 30 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.

The Zips featured experienced players on the roster, including 21 transfers– r-senior RB Warren Ball (Ohio State), r-senior DB Michael Butler (Western Michigan), r-junior QB Tra'Von Chapman (Pittsburgh), r-junior WR A.J. Coney (Weber State), r-sophomore LB Jamal Davis (Pittsburgh), r-freshman CB Mark Ellis (West Virginia), sophomore OL Nick Fazio (Chalreston), r-junior WR Kevin Gladney (Nebraska), r-senior Jelani Hamilton (Miami [Fla.]), senior DB Larry Hope (Miami [Fla.]), r-senior DB Bryce Jones (Boston College), sophomore LB James King (Miami [Fla.]), r-senior DL Jamal Marcus (Ohio State), r-senior WR JoJo Natson (Utah State), senior DL Se'Von Pittman (Ohio State), junior PK/P Jon Semerene (Miami [Fla.]), sophomore ATH Kwaddarius Smith (Missouri), r-junior OL Logan Tuley-Tillman (Michigan), r-junior QB Clayton Uecker (Ave Maria), r-senior DE Daumantas Venckus (Iowa), and junior ATH Anthony Young (Indiana). Fifth-year transfers include Ball and Hamilton.