Akron Football Preview 2024: Key Players, Schedule, Season Predictions

Akron College Football Preview 2024

Let’s just say it’s been a rough run for Akron football.

The 2017 team pulled off a shocking run to the MAC title game, followed it up with a four-win season, and then …

Ugh.

Akron has won seven games over the last five seasons, and just four of those were against FBS teams. But there’s hope.

First, Joe Moorhead is a good head coach. He was great at Fordham, better than he got credit for at Mississippi State, and has been an elite offensive coordinator who’ll get this thing going.

The D was miserable in 2023 and decent enough in 2023. The O was decent in 2022, miserable in 2023. Under Moorhead, the offense won’t be that bad twice.

Last year’s team lost to Temple by three, dropped a heartbreaker to Indiana by two, lost to Buffalo by three, Central Michigan by a touchdown, and lost to Eastern Michigan by three. Five losses by a touchdown or less, four of those by three points or fewer.

Get on the right side of a few of those, catch a break in one upset somewhere, and ...

Don’t be totally stunned if 2024 Akron wins as many games as the last five years combined, but that only comes with more out of the …

Akron Football Preview 2024: Offense

- The coaching staff knows how to get an offense going, and there were a few playmakers on the roster last year, but the Zips couldn’t do anything, had nothing happening from the passing game down the field, and it all started with …

- The offensive line has to be better. The pass protection wasn’t there and the ground attack struggled. There are plenty of new pieces around center Tyhler Williams, and Miami transfer Laurance Seymore needs to help on the inside.

The top backs are done, and now it’s up to Charles Kellom and Michigan State transfer Jordon Simmons to handle more work. The running backs came up with just five touchdown runs for a ground game that hit 100 yards just three times, and …

- New starting QB Ben Finley isn’t much of a runner. It’s not that the Cal/NC State transfer can’t move, but he’s more of a passer who should start to push the ball down the field more for the attack. Former Virginia Tech transfer Tahj Bullock is a more dangerous option who ran for four scores for the Zips.

JUCO transfer Justin Campbell should add a bit more flash from the outside. The top targets are gone, but Alex Adams is back after missing most of last year hurt. He caught 63 passes with nine touchdowns two years ago, and TE Jake Newell will be used more.

Akron Football Preview 2024: Defense

- Defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar did a decent job last year. The Zips weren’t totally awful allowing 335 yards per game with the nation’s 22nd best passing game. It would be nice to get more help from the offense, but this bunch shouldn’t be bad.

- The defensive front has a few veterans who should be terrific. End CJ Nunnally is one of the MAC’s best pass rushers, Bennett Adler can work inside or out, LaJoshua Jackson is a decent hybrid end, and there’s size inside helped by the addition of 6-4, 292-pound New Hampshire transfer Nathan Kapongo at tackle.

Leading tackler Antavious Fish is back after making 95 stops, second-leading tackler Bryan McCoy made 94 tackles on the outside, and there’s good depth for a sneaky-strong corps.

- The Akron defensive backs can tackle, too. The transfer portal is helping with more options - particularly Aman Greenwood (Syracuse), and Paul Lewis III (Cornell) at safety - around versatile Darrian Lewis.

Key To The Akron Football Season

Get the passing game going.
The Zips were 2-0 when throwing for over 240 yards and 0-10 when they didn’t, but three losses were really, really close as long as the passing attack pushed past 200 yards.

As long as it’s hitting around 65% of its throws and keeping down the interceptions - 15 last year - everything else should open up, so …

Akron Key Player

Ben Finley, QB Jr.
The 6-3, 195-pounder got some starting work at NC State, moved to Cal, and has the passing skills to crank up the attack a bit more. He won’t run much, but the passing game that went off in 2022 and died last year should be revived.

Akron Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Paul Lewis III, S Sr.
The Cornell transfer is a do it all veteran who made 112 tackles with 19 broken up passes over the last three years. He’s a fast, active 6-2, 212-pounder who should be one of the team’s top tacklers.

Top Transfer Out: Kerry Martin, S Sr.
The Akron secondary returns full of experience and decent tacklers, but Martin was a key part. The former West Virginia transfer made 98 stops with three picks and seven broken up passes in his two years. Now he’s off to NC State.

Akron Key Game

at Ohio
Akron has a problem with Ohio losing six in a row and 15 of the last 16. It’s the start of the MAC season and the fourth road game in the first five weeks.

Ohio is in a rebuilding mode and might be gettable if the Zip offense gets working right away. Pull this off, and with three of the next four conference games at home there’s a shot to pull off a few midseason wins.

10 Best Akron Football Players

1. CJ Nunnally, EDGE Sr.
2. Darrian Lewis, S Jr.
3. Alex Adams, WR Sr.
4. Antavious Fish, LB Sr.
5. Bryan McCoy, LB Jr.
6. Ben Finley, QB Jr.
7. Darrian Lewis, CB Jr.
8. Tyhler Williams, C Soph.
9. Paul Lewis III, S Sr.
10. Charles Kellom, RB Soph.

Akron 2023 Fun Stats

- 3rd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 120, Akron 17

- Penalties: Akron 83 for 721 yards, Opponents 57 for 540 yards

- Sacks: Opponents 46 for 351 yards, Akron 23 for 141 yards

Akron Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

It’ll be ugly early against Ohio State, Rutgers, and South Carolina over the first four weeks, and the five road games in seven dates to kick things off stinks, but get a little more out of the offense and this becomes a far better season.

Again - from earlier - five games were decided by a touchdown or less, and there are plenty of chances to be on the right side against several MAC teams.

The team leaves Akron once - at Western Michigan, for over a month in the middle of the season, and that’s when the run needs to come.

It might not be a winning season without a ton of correct breaks, but don’t be shocked if the Zips go into late November with a chance to make a push for six wins.

Set The Akron Win Total At … 3.5

Likely Wins: Colgate

50/50 Games: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, at Kent State, at Northern Illinois, at Ohio, at Western Michigan

Likely Losses: at Ohio State, at Rutgers, at South Carolina, Toledo

2024 Akron Football Schedule

Aug 31 at Ohio State
Sept 7 at Rutgers
Sept 14 Colgate
Sept 21 at South Carolina
Sept 28 at Ohio
Oct 5 Bowling Green
Oct 12 at Western Michigan
Oct 19 Eastern Michigan
Oct 26 OPEN DATE
Nov 2 Buffalo
Nov 9 OPEN DATE
Nov 13 at Northern Illinois
Nov 19 at Kent State
Nov 26 Toledo
Missing: Ball State, Central Michigan, Miami University