2018 Akron Football Season Summary

Photo by: David Dermer

January 22 | Football

2018 SEASON SUMMARY (in PDF)

2018 SEASON SUMMARY
Under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Terry Bowden, Akron finished 4-8 overall (2-6 in MAC play) after a 28-3 loss at South Carolina on Dec. 1. UA returned 58 letterwinners, including 15 starters, to its spread offense and 4-3 defense.

Senior RB Van Edwards, Jr. (Cape Coral, Fla.) was the Zips' top rusher, gaining 558 yards and three touchdowns on 147 carries. Under center, sophomore QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) was 178-of-342 for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns. Sophomore WR Andre Williams (Orlando, Fla.) was the top receiver with 649 yards and six touchdowns on 46 receptions. Defensively, junior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) was the top Zip with 126 tackles, 10.0 TFL, three break-ups, a fumble recovery, and a hurry. Senior Nick Gasser (Liberty Township, Ohio) was the Zips' scoring leader with 70 points.

In the final NCAA statistics, Akron was ranked No. 2 in red zone offense (0.952), No. 6 in defensive touchdowns (4), and No. 22 in fumbles recovered (11). Individually, junior CB Alvin Davis, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was No. 16 in interceptions per game (0.4) and No. 16 in total interceptions (4). Freshman Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio) was No. 6 in punt return touchdowns (1). Junior LB John Lako was No. 11 in solo tackles (6.1) and No. 16 in total tackles (10.5). Senior PK Nick Gasser (Liberty Township, Ohio) was No. 26 in field goals (1.33). Senior DE Jamal Davis II (Canton, Ohio) was No. 21 in tackles for loss (1.3), while sophomore QB Kato Nelson was No. 29 in passing yards per completion (13.08).

UNIVERSITY MAKES CHANGE AT HEAD COACH
Following Akron's loss at South Carolina, the University of Akron announced that head coach Terry Bowden would not return to lead the team in 2019.

On December 14, the University of Akron announced that former NFL quarterback and Ohio native Tom Arth had been named the Zips' new head football coach.

NOW IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Three Zip seniors– DB Kyron Brown, LB Ulysees Gilbert III, and OL Kyle Ritz– tied the school record for most games played in their collegiate careers with 51 each. They tied former LS Michael Buddenberg [2014-17] and Alex Allen [2005, 07-10]. P/H Kyle Foster played in 49 games, while LB Brian Bell and RB Van Edwards, Jr., played in 48 games each.

With his 178-of-342 passing for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns, sophomore QB Kato Nelson ranks No. 9 in season passing yards (2,329) and No. 11 on the career passing yards chart (3,318). His career highs performance of 24-of-41 for 356 yards and four touchdowns at Ohio ranks No. 15 on the top single-game passing totals. Nelson's 3,318 total offensive yards rank No. 12 on the career chart, while his 2,632 total yards in 2018 rank No. 7 for total yards in a season.

SIX ZIPS EARN ALL-MAC HONORS
Six University of Akron football players have earned 2018 Mid-American Conference honors. Earning first-team All-MAC recognition was junior DB Alvin Davis, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Senior LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.), redshirt senior DE Jamal Davis II (Canton, Ohio), and senior DB Kyron Brown (Boynton Beach, Fla.) garnered second-team All-MAC honors. Junior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) and senior LB Brian Bell (Valdosta, Ga.) were third-team All-MAC honorees.

Additionally, Phil Steele honored six Zips on his All-MAC teams. Earning first team accolades were junior DB Alvin Davis, Jr., and redshirt senior DE Jamal Davis II. Second-team honorees were senior DB Kyron Brown, Senior LB Ulysees Gilbert III, and junior LB John Lako. True freshman WR Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio) was third-team selection at punt returner.

ACADEMIC ALL-MAC HONORS
Ten Akron football players–S Jamal Baggett (Oak Park, Ill.), LB Nathan Bischof (Akron, Ohio), WR Dustin Burkhart (Akron, Ohio), H Kyle Foster (Parkersburg, W.Va.), LB John Lako, LS Cameron Lyons (Morgantown, W.Va.), DE Dylan Meeks (Orlando, Fla.), QB Alex Ramart (Richmond, Texas), TE Brian Reinke (Akron, Ohio), and WR Mykel Traylor-Bennett (Columbus, Ohio)– earned Academic All-Mid-American Conference honors for the 2018 season.

There were 29 students named as three-time selections, including Akron's Bischof and Lako.

The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.

Additionally, senior S Jamal Baggett and sophomore DE Dylan Meeks were named MAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes.

BAGGETT NAMED TO GOOGLE CLOUD ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM
Safety Jamal Baggett (Oak Park, Ill.) has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Google Cloud Academic All-District 5 football team. A participant in all 10 games, Baggett has played primarily on special teams, working with the punt and kickoff return units. Baggett earned a bachelor's degree in sport management with a minor in marketing in May 2018. He is pursuing a master's degree in sport science with an emphasis on coaching. He sports a 3.700 grade-point average.

GILBERT PLAYS IN EAST-WEST SHRINE GAME; FOUR ZIPS TO TROPICAL BOWL
Senior LB Ulysees Gilbert III was invited to participate in the 2019 East-West Shrine Game to be held on Jan. 19, in St. Petersburg, Fla., while CB Kyron Brown was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 19.

Additionally, four Zips– LB Brian Bell, DE Walter Brady, WR Kwadarrius Smith, and WR Mykel Traylor-Bennett– were invited participate in the fourth annual SPIRAL Tropical Bowl at Daytona Stadium on Sunday, January 13.

DAVIS INVITED TO NFL COMBINE
Redshirt senior DE Ulysees Gilbert III was invited to participate in the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 26 to March 4 in their quest to achieve their NFL dreams. Executives, coaches, and personnel from all 32 NFL teams will be on hand to evaluate the nation's top college football players eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft (April 25-27).

The last Zip to earn a combine invitation was WR Jerome Lane (Akron, Ohio) in 2017.

TEAM AWARDS
Sophomore QB Kato Nelson was named the outstanding offensive performer, while junior CB Alvin Davis, Jr., was named the outstanding defensive performer. For the second consecutive year, senior P Nick Gasser was selected as the special teams player of the year as well as received the Howard "Red" Blair Award recipient as the team's leading scorer. Seniors CB Kyron Brown, LB Ulysees Gilbert III, and OL Kyle Ritz earned the coaches' captain's award.

SENIOR STATUS
Prior to the home finale with Bowling Green, Akron honored the 29 members of its Senior Class– S Jamal Baggett, LB Brian Bell, LB Nathan Bischof, DL Brock Boxen, DE Walter Brady, CB Kyron Brown, OL Undrea Bullard, DB Denzel Butler, CB Darian Dailey, DE Jamal Davis II, RB Van Edwards, Jr., CB Mark Ellis, OL Nick Fazio, PK James Fonseca, H/P Kyle Foster, PK/P Nick Gasser, DB Jordan George, LB Ulysees Gilbert III, RB Caleb Green, LB Travonte Junius, QB Robbie Kelley, WR Brandon Mitchell, PK Tom O'Leary, TE Brian Reinke, OL Kyle Ritz, WR Kwadarrius Smith, WR Mykel Traylor-Bennett, DL Brennan Williams, and TE Newman Williams.
The 2018 Senior Class leaves campus as one of the all-time most productive class in program history. In the four seasons, they were a part of the re-building process, helping the Zips to at 24 wins. The Zips became bowl eligible twice in three seasons, a program first. They claimed the 2017 MAC East title and four consecutive Wagon Wheel trophies.

Twelve of the seniors had already earned their undergraduate degrees prior to starting the season and are pursuing master's degrees.

Individually, the Zips have re-written the record books and climbed the career charts while racking up weekly honors. Off the field, they've represented UA in the community with several activities, including game week visits to Akron Children's Hospital. Congratulations, Seniors!

POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE
Twelve Zips competing began the 2018 season with their bachelor's degrees: S Jamal Baggett (sports management/marketing), LB Nathan Bischof (sport management), DE Walter Brady (leisure, sport & tourism from MTSU), CB Kyron Brown (political science/criminal justice), OL Nick Fazio (mechanical engineering), P/H Kyle Foster (sport management), QB Robbie Kelley (business management from Quincy), TE Darryl Long (sport management), WR Brandon Mitchell (criminal justice), TE Brian Reinke (sport management), OL Kyle Ritz (biomedical engineering), and WR Mykel Traylor-Bennett (organizational supervision). The 12 Zips ranked fifth nationally with players with degrees. UAB led the country with 19 graduated players on its roster.

LAST GAME
Akron football closed out the 2018 season with a 28-3 loss at South Carolina on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Zips won the turnover battle and held the Gamecocks scoreless in the second half.

Sophomore QB Kato Nelson went 19-for-39 for 178 yards. Freshman RB Keyondre White (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) led the UA rushers with 56 yards on 13 carries. In his final game, senior WR Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.) was the top receiver with 69 yards on six receptions.

Defensively, sophomore DB Zaire Jacobs (Miami Gardens, Fla.) and junior LB John Lako led the Zips with eight tackles each. Jacobs also had two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble, all in the second half.

For USC, QB Jake Bentley went 14-of-27 for 199 yards and three touchdowns. Mon Denson was the top rusher with 110 yards on 17 carries, while Bryan Edwards was the top receiver with five catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.

POSTGAME NOTES

The game was Akron's first regular-season contest played in the month of December in program history.
Redshirt freshman RB Jemarulin Suggs (Akron, Ohio), true freshman WR Daishawn Brimage (Akron, Ohio), and redshirt senior DE Walter Brady (Florence, Ala.) made their first appearances in the starting line-up.
Redshirt freshman RB Jemarulin Suggs recorded career highs of 14 carries for 40 yards.

POWER-FUL SCHEDULE
For the first time in its FBS history (since 1987), Akron (MAC) scheduled four Power 5 schools in one season. The Zips, who have played two Power 5 teams in one season several times since 1987, faced Northwestern (Big Ten), Iowa State (Big 12), and South Carolina (SEC). UA upset Big Ten West champion Northwestern, 39-34 in Evanston, Ill. Because the season opener at Nebraska (Big Ten) was cancelled due to lightning, the Zips scheduled a game at South Carolina for the end of the season [Dec. 1]. Playing three Power 5 teams in one season was a program first.