The University of Akron Athletics
Led by Adams and Arslanian, Five Zips Garner All-MAC Football Accolades
November 30 | Football
2022 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARD WINNERS RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Led by redshirt senior LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) and sophomore WR Alex Adams (Osyka, Miss.), who were named First-Team All-Mid-American Conference selections, five members of The University of Akron football team were among those honored with All-League accolades by the conference on Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Hauling in Third-Team All-MAC laurels were redshirt junior QB DJ Irons (Lawrenceville, Ga.), redshirt senior WR Shocky Jacques-Louis (Fort Myers, Fla.) and redshirt senior OL Anthony Whigan (Lexington Park, Md.).
The first-team selections of Adams and Arslanian marked only the second time in program history that an Akron offensive and defensive player have earned first-team accolades in the same season. In 2007, WR Jabari Arthur and DB Reggie Corner collected first-team honors for the Zips.
A team captain, Arslanian earned all-conference accolades for the second time, as he was tabbed a First-Team All-MAC honoree after turning in a dominant season as one of the premier linebackers in both the MAC as well as the NCAA in 2022, leading the defensive efforts for the Zips.
Becoming the fifth Akron linebacker to earn first-team league recognition, he is rated fifth in the NCAA in total tackles per contest (8.36), seventh in total tackles (376), eighth in assisted tackles (194) and 18th in solo tackles (182) and solo tackles per tilt (4.04). Additionally, he ranks 15th among active career leaders in the NCAA across all divisions in total tackles (376) and in assisted tackles (194), 36th in solo tackles (182) and 57th in total tackles per game (8.36)
In MAC play, Arslanian ranks second in the league in assisted tackles (44), third in tackles per game (10.7) and fifth in overall tackles (75), while adding 31 solo tackles.
Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in 24 of the last 33 games he has played in overall. Arslanian surpassed the 300-tackle plateau for his career against Bowling Green on Oct. 1, 2022.
Adams became the second Zip to garner First-Team All-MAC laurels at wide receiver in program history, and first since Jabari Arthur in 2007, earning all-conference accolades for the initial time.
Adams led all eligible players at the position this season collecting a conference-best 726 yards in league play en route to averaging a MAC-leading 103.7 yards per game. In league-only games, he ranks third in the league in touchdowns (7) and catches (44), while rating fourth in yards per catch (16.5). Overall, he leads the MAC in receiving yards per contest (83.8), while ranking second in receiving yards (838), third in receptions per tilt (5.6), fifth in touchdowns (8), sixth in yards per catch (14.9) and seventh in receptions (56)
Adams pulled in a reception in all 10 games he has appeared in for Akron this fall, including registering a career-high 10 catches for 115 yards versus Miami on Oct. 29. He has found the end zone eight times, including scoring a pair of touchdowns against Bowling Green (Oct. 1) and Northern Illinois (Nov. 26), while garnering a career-high 200 yards on nine catches versus Kent State (Oct. 22).
Irons, a team captain, became only the third Akron QB to earn All-MAC accolades with his selection to the all-league third team this fall. He joins James Washington and Charlie Frye, who garnered second-team all-conference honors in 2000 and 2005, respectively.
Irons has started each of the 10 games he has appeared in for the Zips this season en route to throwing for 2,606 yards on the strength of a .668 completion percentage and 14 touchdowns, including 10 through the air.
Irons' 2,606 passing yards ranks as the eighth-best single-season effort in program history, while his 260.6 passing average stands as the fourth-best single-season mark. He has completed 25 or more passes in six of 10 games he has appeared, including a string of four straight for the Zips. He has completed 60 percent or more of his passes in seven of Akron's 11 games this season.
Irons is rated eighth in the NCAA in completions per game (25.30), 19th in completion percentage (.668), 28th in passing yards per game (260.6) and 50th in passing yards (2,606), while ranking second in the MAC in completion percentage, passing yards and total offense (291.9) and sixth in overall passing (129.5).
Additionally, Irons connected on a school-record 43 completions against Ohio on Oct. 8 finishing the game 43-of-54 for a career-high 418 yards passing. His 43 completions stand as the second-best single-game high for Division I this season and best the previous school-record mark of 37 set by Dalton Williams in 2012.
Jacques-Louis, a team captain, is the 12th Zips' WR to pull in All-MAC accolades, joining first-team selections Jabari Arthur (2005) and Adams, second-team honorees Lavel Bailey (2000), Matt Cherry (2003), Domenik Hixon (2005), David Harvey (2006) and JoJo Natson (2016), as well as third-team recipients Deryn Bowser (2008), Andre Jones (2008), Jalil Carter (2009) and Marquelo Suel (2012).
Jacques-Louis has pulled in a team-best 69 catches this season for 837 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. Averaging 12.1 yards per reception, he has surpassed the 100-yard receiving plateau in four games on the campaign, including a season-high 152 yards at Ohio on Oct. 8, while registering 103 yards on the strength of nine catches at Tennessee on Sept. 17.
Jacques-Louis is ranked 16th in the NCAA (FBS) in receptions per game (6.3), 28th in receptions (69) and 45th in receiving yards per contest (76.1).
He leads the MAC in receptions per game (6.3), while ranking third in receiving yards (837) and fourth in receiving yards per tilt (76.1). Through Akron's first seven league games, Jacques-Louis has pulled in a conference-best 48 catches for a league-leading 6.9 receptions per game on the strength of 77.1 yards per outing.
Whigan has started each of the 10 games he has appeared in for the Zips on the offensive line this season en route to ranking as the sixth Akron offensive lineman to collect all-conference honors. He joins Konrad Dean (2001-1st), Chris Kemme (2008-1st, 2007-2nd, 2006-2nd), Dan Wessman (1998-2nd, 1999-2nd), Corey Woods (2009-3rd) and Jarrod Pughsley (2013-3rd).
UP NEXT
Akron closes out its campaign with a 1 p.m. contest at Buffalo on Friday, Dec. 2.
ABOUT ZIPS ATHLETICS
Founded in 1870, The University of Akron (UA) is one of Ohio's most influential public urban research universities, conducting high-quality research in focused areas of excellence, contributing to the vitality of the local economy, and providing a workforce highly trained in diverse disciplines. The University offers more than 200-degree programs, including unique, highly ranked associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral and law degrees — with accreditations by 35 professional agencies. UA is focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, investment in community and economic growth. Akron sponsors 17 NCAA Division I sports with more than 500 student-athletes. Learn more at gozips.com.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Led by redshirt senior LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) and sophomore WR Alex Adams (Osyka, Miss.), who were named First-Team All-Mid-American Conference selections, five members of The University of Akron football team were among those honored with All-League accolades by the conference on Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Hauling in Third-Team All-MAC laurels were redshirt junior QB DJ Irons (Lawrenceville, Ga.), redshirt senior WR Shocky Jacques-Louis (Fort Myers, Fla.) and redshirt senior OL Anthony Whigan (Lexington Park, Md.).
The first-team selections of Adams and Arslanian marked only the second time in program history that an Akron offensive and defensive player have earned first-team accolades in the same season. In 2007, WR Jabari Arthur and DB Reggie Corner collected first-team honors for the Zips.
A team captain, Arslanian earned all-conference accolades for the second time, as he was tabbed a First-Team All-MAC honoree after turning in a dominant season as one of the premier linebackers in both the MAC as well as the NCAA in 2022, leading the defensive efforts for the Zips.
Becoming the fifth Akron linebacker to earn first-team league recognition, he is rated fifth in the NCAA in total tackles per contest (8.36), seventh in total tackles (376), eighth in assisted tackles (194) and 18th in solo tackles (182) and solo tackles per tilt (4.04). Additionally, he ranks 15th among active career leaders in the NCAA across all divisions in total tackles (376) and in assisted tackles (194), 36th in solo tackles (182) and 57th in total tackles per game (8.36)
In MAC play, Arslanian ranks second in the league in assisted tackles (44), third in tackles per game (10.7) and fifth in overall tackles (75), while adding 31 solo tackles.
Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in 24 of the last 33 games he has played in overall. Arslanian surpassed the 300-tackle plateau for his career against Bowling Green on Oct. 1, 2022.
Adams became the second Zip to garner First-Team All-MAC laurels at wide receiver in program history, and first since Jabari Arthur in 2007, earning all-conference accolades for the initial time.
Adams led all eligible players at the position this season collecting a conference-best 726 yards in league play en route to averaging a MAC-leading 103.7 yards per game. In league-only games, he ranks third in the league in touchdowns (7) and catches (44), while rating fourth in yards per catch (16.5). Overall, he leads the MAC in receiving yards per contest (83.8), while ranking second in receiving yards (838), third in receptions per tilt (5.6), fifth in touchdowns (8), sixth in yards per catch (14.9) and seventh in receptions (56)
Adams pulled in a reception in all 10 games he has appeared in for Akron this fall, including registering a career-high 10 catches for 115 yards versus Miami on Oct. 29. He has found the end zone eight times, including scoring a pair of touchdowns against Bowling Green (Oct. 1) and Northern Illinois (Nov. 26), while garnering a career-high 200 yards on nine catches versus Kent State (Oct. 22).
Irons, a team captain, became only the third Akron QB to earn All-MAC accolades with his selection to the all-league third team this fall. He joins James Washington and Charlie Frye, who garnered second-team all-conference honors in 2000 and 2005, respectively.
Irons has started each of the 10 games he has appeared in for the Zips this season en route to throwing for 2,606 yards on the strength of a .668 completion percentage and 14 touchdowns, including 10 through the air.
Irons' 2,606 passing yards ranks as the eighth-best single-season effort in program history, while his 260.6 passing average stands as the fourth-best single-season mark. He has completed 25 or more passes in six of 10 games he has appeared, including a string of four straight for the Zips. He has completed 60 percent or more of his passes in seven of Akron's 11 games this season.
Irons is rated eighth in the NCAA in completions per game (25.30), 19th in completion percentage (.668), 28th in passing yards per game (260.6) and 50th in passing yards (2,606), while ranking second in the MAC in completion percentage, passing yards and total offense (291.9) and sixth in overall passing (129.5).
Additionally, Irons connected on a school-record 43 completions against Ohio on Oct. 8 finishing the game 43-of-54 for a career-high 418 yards passing. His 43 completions stand as the second-best single-game high for Division I this season and best the previous school-record mark of 37 set by Dalton Williams in 2012.
Jacques-Louis, a team captain, is the 12th Zips' WR to pull in All-MAC accolades, joining first-team selections Jabari Arthur (2005) and Adams, second-team honorees Lavel Bailey (2000), Matt Cherry (2003), Domenik Hixon (2005), David Harvey (2006) and JoJo Natson (2016), as well as third-team recipients Deryn Bowser (2008), Andre Jones (2008), Jalil Carter (2009) and Marquelo Suel (2012).
Jacques-Louis has pulled in a team-best 69 catches this season for 837 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. Averaging 12.1 yards per reception, he has surpassed the 100-yard receiving plateau in four games on the campaign, including a season-high 152 yards at Ohio on Oct. 8, while registering 103 yards on the strength of nine catches at Tennessee on Sept. 17.
Jacques-Louis is ranked 16th in the NCAA (FBS) in receptions per game (6.3), 28th in receptions (69) and 45th in receiving yards per contest (76.1).
He leads the MAC in receptions per game (6.3), while ranking third in receiving yards (837) and fourth in receiving yards per tilt (76.1). Through Akron's first seven league games, Jacques-Louis has pulled in a conference-best 48 catches for a league-leading 6.9 receptions per game on the strength of 77.1 yards per outing.
Whigan has started each of the 10 games he has appeared in for the Zips on the offensive line this season en route to ranking as the sixth Akron offensive lineman to collect all-conference honors. He joins Konrad Dean (2001-1st), Chris Kemme (2008-1st, 2007-2nd, 2006-2nd), Dan Wessman (1998-2nd, 1999-2nd), Corey Woods (2009-3rd) and Jarrod Pughsley (2013-3rd).
UP NEXT
Akron closes out its campaign with a 1 p.m. contest at Buffalo on Friday, Dec. 2.
ABOUT ZIPS ATHLETICS
Founded in 1870, The University of Akron (UA) is one of Ohio's most influential public urban research universities, conducting high-quality research in focused areas of excellence, contributing to the vitality of the local economy, and providing a workforce highly trained in diverse disciplines. The University offers more than 200-degree programs, including unique, highly ranked associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral and law degrees — with accreditations by 35 professional agencies. UA is focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, investment in community and economic growth. Akron sponsors 17 NCAA Division I sports with more than 500 student-athletes. Learn more at gozips.com.
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