The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Announces 2018 Football Awards
January 22 | Football
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AKRON, Ohio— The University of Akron Department of Athletics announced the team awards for the 2018 football season on Tuesday.
Sophomore QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) was named the outstanding offensive performer, while junior CB Alvin Davis, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was named the outstanding defensive performer.
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A starter in 11 games at quarterback, Nelson went 178-of-342 passing for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns. His 15 touchdowns rank sixth on UA's TD passes in a season, while his 2,329 passing yards rank ninth on UA's season passing yards chart. On Akron's career list, Nelson moved up to No. 11 in career passing yards with 3,318. His career highs performance of 24-of-41 for 356 yards and four touchdowns at Ohio rank No. 15 on the top single-game passing totals. His 2,632 total yards in 2018 ranked No. 7 for total yards in a season. Nelson was named to the Davey O'Brien "Great 8" List on Sept. 17 following his performance in the win at Northwestern where he went 17-of-28 for 277 yards and two touchdowns.
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A 2018 first-team All-MAC selection, Davis started 11 games at safety. The top defensive back (and fourth overall) with 77 tackles, he had a national-best/team-best four interceptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns, three break-ups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. In the stunning win at Northwestern, Davis returned two interceptions for touchdowns (97 yards and 50 yards), propelling UA to the come-from-behind road victory.  Davis' 97-yard interception tied for second-best in program history. He finished the game with 10 tackles, two interceptions for 147 return yards, and two touchdowns en route to Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, Chuck Bednarik National Defensive Player of the Week, MAC Defensive Player of the Week, and Summa Health Student-Athlete of the Week honors.
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Senior P Nick Gasser (Liberty Township, Ohio) was selected as the special teams player of the year for the second consecutive year. Playing in all 12 games, he was the Zips' scoring leader, connecting on 16-of-22 field goals and 22-of-23 PAT for 70 points. Gasser punted 75 times for 2,952 yards (39.4 average); 18 punts landed inside the 20, while seven were longer than 50 yards. Gasser earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades twice (Sept. 10, Sept. 24) during the season. Gasser also received the Howard "Red" Blair Award as the team's leading scorer.
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Seniors CB Kyron Brown (Boynton Beach, Fla.), LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.), and OL Kyle Ritz (Willoughby, Ohio), who were selected as team captains for the 2018 season by their teammates, earned the coaches' captain's award.
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A complete list of honorees follows.
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Under the guidance of first-year head coach Tom Arth, Akron opens spring drills on March 7. The Zips open the 2019 season at Illinois on August 31.
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2018 Akron Football Team Awards
Fred S. Sefton Award
Presented for outstanding offensive and defensive performances, this award is named for
former UA football head coach (1915-23) and head of the physical education department.
Offensive MVP:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kato Nelson
Defensive MVP: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Alvin Davis
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Special Teams Player of the Year
Nick Gasser
Harry "Doc" Smith Award
Presented to the outstanding player in each class on offense and defense, this award is given
in remembrance of a man who gave himself to the University through his activity in the field
of health and physical education.
Outstanding Senior (Offense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Van Edwards, Jr. Â
Outstanding Senior (Defense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jamal Davis II
Outstanding Junior (Offense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Trevor Brown
Outstanding Junior (Defense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â John Lako
Outstanding Sophomore (Offense):Â Â Andre Williams
Outstanding Sophomore (Defense):Â Justin Sampson
Outstanding Freshman (Offense):Â Â Â Â Jeremiah Knight
Outstanding Freshman (Defense):Â Â Â Bubba Arslanian
Howard "Red" Blair Award
Presented to the player who scores the most points in a season, this award is given in honor
of the former UA head coach for football (1927-35) and basketball (1928-36).
Nick Gasser
John W. Heisman Award
Presented to the player who is the team's unsung hero for the intangibles he provides during
practice and for inspiring his teammates, this award is given in memory of UA's first athletics
director and football head coach (1893-94).
Offense: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kyle Ritz
Defense: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brennan Williams
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Captain's Award
Kyron Brown
Ulysees Gilbert III
Kyle Ritz
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Iron ZIP Award
Kyron Brown
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Rise & Shine Award
Logan Hawkins
Scout Team Player of the Year
Offense: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Justin Vance
Defense:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â De'von Jones
Academic Award
Senior:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kyle Foster
Junior:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jason Grossman
Sophomore: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Peyton Coffman
Freshman: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dylan Meeks
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AKRON, Ohio— The University of Akron Department of Athletics announced the team awards for the 2018 football season on Tuesday.
Sophomore QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) was named the outstanding offensive performer, while junior CB Alvin Davis, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was named the outstanding defensive performer.
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A starter in 11 games at quarterback, Nelson went 178-of-342 passing for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns. His 15 touchdowns rank sixth on UA's TD passes in a season, while his 2,329 passing yards rank ninth on UA's season passing yards chart. On Akron's career list, Nelson moved up to No. 11 in career passing yards with 3,318. His career highs performance of 24-of-41 for 356 yards and four touchdowns at Ohio rank No. 15 on the top single-game passing totals. His 2,632 total yards in 2018 ranked No. 7 for total yards in a season. Nelson was named to the Davey O'Brien "Great 8" List on Sept. 17 following his performance in the win at Northwestern where he went 17-of-28 for 277 yards and two touchdowns.
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A 2018 first-team All-MAC selection, Davis started 11 games at safety. The top defensive back (and fourth overall) with 77 tackles, he had a national-best/team-best four interceptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns, three break-ups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. In the stunning win at Northwestern, Davis returned two interceptions for touchdowns (97 yards and 50 yards), propelling UA to the come-from-behind road victory.  Davis' 97-yard interception tied for second-best in program history. He finished the game with 10 tackles, two interceptions for 147 return yards, and two touchdowns en route to Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, Chuck Bednarik National Defensive Player of the Week, MAC Defensive Player of the Week, and Summa Health Student-Athlete of the Week honors.
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Senior P Nick Gasser (Liberty Township, Ohio) was selected as the special teams player of the year for the second consecutive year. Playing in all 12 games, he was the Zips' scoring leader, connecting on 16-of-22 field goals and 22-of-23 PAT for 70 points. Gasser punted 75 times for 2,952 yards (39.4 average); 18 punts landed inside the 20, while seven were longer than 50 yards. Gasser earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades twice (Sept. 10, Sept. 24) during the season. Gasser also received the Howard "Red" Blair Award as the team's leading scorer.
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Seniors CB Kyron Brown (Boynton Beach, Fla.), LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.), and OL Kyle Ritz (Willoughby, Ohio), who were selected as team captains for the 2018 season by their teammates, earned the coaches' captain's award.
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A complete list of honorees follows.
Â
Under the guidance of first-year head coach Tom Arth, Akron opens spring drills on March 7. The Zips open the 2019 season at Illinois on August 31.
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2018 Akron Football Team Awards
Fred S. Sefton Award
Presented for outstanding offensive and defensive performances, this award is named for
former UA football head coach (1915-23) and head of the physical education department.
Offensive MVP:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kato Nelson
Defensive MVP: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Alvin Davis
Â
Special Teams Player of the Year
Nick Gasser
Harry "Doc" Smith Award
Presented to the outstanding player in each class on offense and defense, this award is given
in remembrance of a man who gave himself to the University through his activity in the field
of health and physical education.
Outstanding Senior (Offense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Van Edwards, Jr. Â
Outstanding Senior (Defense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jamal Davis II
Outstanding Junior (Offense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Trevor Brown
Outstanding Junior (Defense):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â John Lako
Outstanding Sophomore (Offense):Â Â Andre Williams
Outstanding Sophomore (Defense):Â Justin Sampson
Outstanding Freshman (Offense):Â Â Â Â Jeremiah Knight
Outstanding Freshman (Defense):Â Â Â Bubba Arslanian
Howard "Red" Blair Award
Presented to the player who scores the most points in a season, this award is given in honor
of the former UA head coach for football (1927-35) and basketball (1928-36).
Nick Gasser
John W. Heisman Award
Presented to the player who is the team's unsung hero for the intangibles he provides during
practice and for inspiring his teammates, this award is given in memory of UA's first athletics
director and football head coach (1893-94).
Offense: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kyle Ritz
Defense: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brennan Williams
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Captain's Award
Kyron Brown
Ulysees Gilbert III
Kyle Ritz
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Iron ZIP Award
Kyron Brown
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Rise & Shine Award
Logan Hawkins
Scout Team Player of the Year
Offense: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Justin Vance
Defense:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â De'von Jones
Academic Award
Senior:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kyle Foster
Junior:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jason Grossman
Sophomore: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Peyton Coffman
Freshman: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dylan Meeks
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Players Mentioned
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CB
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OL
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LS
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DE
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CB
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RB
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P
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PK/P
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LB
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WR
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DL
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WR
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WR
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TE/DL
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QB
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DE
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WR
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DL
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