Trio of Zips Earn Phil Steele All-MAC Football Honors

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2020 PHIL STEELE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARD WINNERS

AKRON, Ohio - Led by redshirt junior ILB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio), who was honored by Phil Steele as a first-team All-Mid-American Conference football selection, a trio of Akron student-athletes garnered All-MAC accolades as announced on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Junior RB Teon Dollard (Lake City, Fla.) and sophomore CB A.J. Watts (Columbus, Ga.) were tabbed as second- and third-team honorees, respectively.

A team captain, Arslanian turned in a dominant season as one of the premier linebackers in both the MAC as well as the NCAA in 2020, leading the defensive efforts for the Zips.

He is rated first in the NCAA in solo tackles (7.8) and in total tackles (12.3), while ranking 20th among active career leaders in the NCAA in total tackles per contest (7.07), 49th in solo tackles per game (3.60), 54th in assisted tackles (104) and 73rd in total tackles (212). He became the sixth Akron linebacker to earn second-team league recognition when the MAC unveiled its award winners in December.

In MAC play, Arslanian headlined the league in solo tackles (47) and tackles per game (12.3), while ranking third in total tackles (74) and seventh in assisted tackles (27). His 16-tackle performance against Bowling Green represents the second-best single-game effort in the MAC this season.

Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in 14 of the last 18 games overall. He led the Zips in tackles all six games this season and seven straight overall and in nine of Akron's last 11 contests dating back to the 2019 campaign.

Dollard was tabbed by Phil Steele as a second-team honoree after becoming the first Zip to garner first-team All-MAC honors at running back, while representing the fourth offensive player to earn first-team league accolades when the league named its all-conference performers in December. He rushed for 666 yards on 112 carries en route to scoring a team-high six touchdowns.

Dollard is rated 17th in the NCAA in rushing (111.0), 29th in rushing yards per carry (5.95), 53rd in rushing yards (666) and 55th in all-purpose yards (115.83). He ranked third in the MAC in rushing yards (666), fourth in rushing touchdowns (6) and in rushing yards per game (111.0).

Dollard's 202 yards against Kent State (Nov. 17) represented the highest single-game rushing total since Dennis Kennedy posted a 277-yard effort against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 18, 2008. He also finished with four touchdowns on the ground against the Golden Flashes, the most for a Zip since Bobby Hendry rushed for five scores versus Eastern Michigan on Nov. 24, 2001. Dollard also added totals of 185 and 165 yards, respectively, on the ground versus Bowling Green (Dec. 5) and Ohio (Nov. 10).

Earning third-team All-MAC recognition at defensive back was Watts, who led the Zips in interceptions (2), pass break-ups (2) and forced fumbles (1), while ranking second in tackles (29) and solo tackles (22) and fourth in assisted tackles (7).

In MAC play, Watts was second in the league in interceptions (2), fifth in interceptions per game (0.33) and 19th in solo tackles (22).

He capped his campaign with interceptions in back-to-back games against Bowling Green (Dec. 5) and Buffalo (Dec. 12).

The University of Akron Athletics

Trio of Zips Earn Phil Steele All-MAC Football Honors

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Players Mentioned

Bubba Arslanian

Teon Dollard

A.J. Watts

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