Dennis Kennedy

Height:
5-10
Weight:
205
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
High School:
Stranahan HS

Had big expectations after earning All-MAC as a sophomore, but he fell to third on the UA running back depth chart by midseason ... Had an impressive spring and his play, along with added depth, allowed UA to move All-MAC running back Bryan Williams to defense for 2008 ... With 1,201 career rushing yards, only needs 738 yards to move onto Akron’s all time top 20 list.

Junior (2007): Played in 11 games, starting each of the first three ... Saw production fall, slipping to third on the UA depth chart ... However, was a constant on the UA special teams ... Ended the season with 156 rushing yards on 46 carries ... Started the season in fine fashion, rushing for 72 yards on 13 attempts, an average of 5.5 yards per attempt, in a win over Army ... Most of Kennedy’s touches came in the second half as the Zips worked the clock ... Had two key runs during the Zips’ lone offensive TD drive ... Although losing his starting spot for the Kent State game, made a key reception, leading to Akron’s only score in the first half, hauling in a 20 yarder to the KSU 13 ... Followed that with an 11-yard rush to the KSU two, setting up Carlton Jackson’s two-yard TD run ... Made a key 26-yard reception at Western Michigan ... Saw significant action at Bowling Green as running back ... Had four carries for 23 yards (5.8 avg.) and returned four kicks for 49 yards.

Sophomore (2006): Tabbed second team All-Mid-American Conference, tallying 914 yards despite missing a game-and-a-half due to an injury ... Ranked 37th in the NCAA and fifth in the MAC averaging 83.1 rushing yards per game ... Ranked third on the team with 39 receptions (with the team leader hauling in 45 passes) ... Scored nine rushing TDs and ranked second on the team with 54 points ... Scored all three of Akron’s touchdowns in a 20-17 win at North Carolina State, including the game-winning score as time expired that gave the Zips their first-ever win over an ACC team .... Finished the NC State game with 30 rushing attempts and 117 yards, his first career 100-yard rushing game, to be named MAC East Co-Offensive Player of the Week as well as one of five finalist for USA Today National Player of the Week ... Recorded five 100+-yard rushing games on the season, including four straight contests spanning Miami, Toledo, Bowling Green and Buffalo ... Ran for a career-high 178 yards and two scores in a win over Bowling Green ... Completed both pass attempts on the season ... First came at Penn State, a 32-yarder, with the second coming a week later at NC State, a 24-yarder ... In that Penn State game, he established what were career highs in both rushing (59 yards on 25 attempts) and receiving (50 on eight catches) ... Was injured during the Central Michigan game, forcing him to miss the North Texas contest ... Returned to the lineup at Kent State, just missing 100 yards as he gained 91 on just 16 attempts ... In addition to his 129 rushing yards versus Miami, he scored two TDs leading to the 24-13 victory and him garnering MAC East Offensive Player of the Week honors ... However, in the Miami game, he did commit his first fumble, snapping a string of 153 carries without coughing the ball up ... In gaining a career-high 178 yards versus Bowling Green, he scored twice en route to the victory ... Named Most Valuable Offensive Back by the coaching staff.

Redshirt Freshman (2005): Appeared in 12 games as a reserve running back and special teams performer ... Second on the team in rushing yards (131) and third in attempts (45) ... Also hauled in 14 receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown ... Ran the ball a season-high eight times for a season-best 38 yards in Akron’s 48-42 overtime win over Northern Illinois (Sept. 24) ... Also caught two passes for 87 yards, including a career-long 79-yard scoring strike, in the victory ... That reception is tied for the eighth-longest catch in school history ... Recorded his first career rushing touchdown in the MAC Championship game versus Northern Illinois ... His three-yard run in the first quarter gave Akron a 14-0 lead in a game they would go on to win, 31-30.

Freshman (2004): Redshirted.

Prior to Akron: A three-sport standout ... Rushed for 967 yards and scored seven touchdowns ... Also added 54 tackles and three sacks en route to third team All-Broward County honors ... As a junior, he rushed for 882 yards ... Played basketball his last two years ... Averaged 20 points-per-game as a senior ... A first team all-county and an honorable mention All-State performer in 2003 ... Ran track and was timed at 10.8 in the 100-meter dash and 22.6 in the 200 meters ... Also posted a personal-best 45-6 in the triple jump ... Originally signed a national letter of intent with Ohio State in February, 2004 before being released and signing with the Zips prior to the 2004 season.

RUSHING G/GS Att Yds TD Lg Avg/C Avg/G
2005 12/0 45 131 1 24 2.9 10.9
2006 11/11 226 914 9 30 4.0 83.1
2007 11/3 46 156 0 14 3.4 14.2
TOTAL 34/14 317 1,201 10 30 3.8 35.3

RECEIVING G Rec Yds TD Lg Rec/G Avg/C Avg/G
2005 12/0 14 158 1 79 1.2 11.3 13.2
2006 11/11 39 193 0 21 3.5 4.9 17.5
2007 11/3 9 80 0 26 0.8 8.9 7.3
TOTAL 34/14 62 431 1 79 1.8 7.0 12.7