Akron 2012 Recruiting

Akron Zips 2012 ... Head Coach: Terry Bowden

Akron Zips

2011 Record: 1-11

Sep. 3 at Ohio State L 42-0
Sep. 10 Temple L 59-14
Sep. 17 at Cincinnati L 59-14
Sep. 24 VMI W 36-13
Oct. 1 at Eastern Mich L 31-23
Oct. 8 FIU L 27-17
Oct. 15 Ohio L 37-20
Oct. 22 Central Michigan L 23-22
Oct. 29 OPEN DATE
Nov. 3 at Miami L 35-3
Nov. 12 Kent State L 35-3
Nov. 19 at Buffalo L 51-10
Nov. 25 at Western Mich L 68-19

2010 CFN Prediction: 4-8
2010 Record: 1-11

Sept. 4 Syracuse L 29-3
Sept. 11 Gard-Webb L 38-37 OT
Sept. 18 at Kentucky L 47-10
Sept. 25 at Indiana L 35-20
Oct. 2 NIU L 50-14
Oct. 9 at Kent State L 28-17
Oct. 16 at Ohio L 38-10
Oct. 23 Western Mich  L 56-10
Oct. 30 at Temple L 30-0
Nov. 6 at Ball State L 37-30 2OT
Nov. 13 OPEN DATE
Nov. 16 Miami Univ. L 19-14
Nov. 26 Buffalo W 22-14
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The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

 Top 5 Akron Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. QB Steve Franco
6-3, 180, Scout.com 66th raked quarterback

2. OG Rodney Carroll
6-6, 290, Scout.com 117th ranked guard

3. OT Kevin Mills
6-5, 290, Scout.com 153rd ranked tackle

4. LB Daryan Martin
6-4, 210, 155th ranked linebacker

5. OG Quaison Osborne
6-4, 308, 171st ranked guard

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... New head coach Terry Bowden has to find as much help for the offense as possible … now. Last year’s class brought in plenty of receivers, but the line has to be night-and-day better. This class will upgrade the front five, while going after a few backs to improve a woeful running game is a must.

Team Concerns For 2012: Defensive tackle is a concern with three of the key parts of the rotation gone. Overall this is a young team that can afford to lose players from a miserable run, but it’s still not a plus to take away four starters from the offensive line. Always busy punter Zack Campbell is done.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: One of the nation’s worst programs over the last few years under Rob Ianello, now it’ll be up to Terry Bowden to try to change things around with QB Patrick Nicely leading a veteran offense that’ll be more mature in the backfield. However, four starters are gone from the O line. The defense gets tackling machine linebacker Brian Wagner back, but both defensive tackles have to be replaced. 

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … Skill Players. Rob Ianello’s anemic offense needs more pop, and while it’s asking a lot to get it right away from a recruiting class, at least one running back should emerge from the fray. Bre Ford and Karell Bostick will get every opportunity early on. The receiving corps gets more help with smallish speedsters. JUCO transfer center Vinnie Rizzo could see time immediately.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 98. That Class Was Heavy On ... Skill players, skill players, skill players. The Zips loaded up on wide receivers last year and brought even more in this season. For a team that struggled so much offensively, there's reason to get excited with QB Patrick Nicely, last year's big recruit, getting weapons to work with highlighted by RB Erick Howard, who's better than anyone the team had last year. Even more receivers were brought in with Keith Sconiers, Anthony Schrock, and Mike Bizzarro all with size and all physical.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 111. That Class Was Heavy On ... Wide receivers. The immediate help is at cornerback, but the bulk is at receiver. There aren’t any five-star, sure-thing prospects, but there are a lot of them with various types and sizes. New QB Patrick Nicely, a passer, will have targets to work with once he becomes part of the mix in three years.

Nov. 25 at Western Michigan 68 … Akron 19
(AP) KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Tyler Van Tubbergen threw six touchdown passes and ran for another score as Western Michigan routed Akron 68-19 on Friday.

The Broncos (7-5, 5-3 Mid-American) led 10-5 early in the second quarter. But Dervon Wallace's 56-yard run set up Van Tubbergen's 9-yard TD pass to Chleb Ravenell, and began a streak of eight Western Michigan touchdowns without any Akron points.

Van Tubbergen was 19 for 21 for 252 yards. He threw two TD passes apiece to Jordan White -- who had 138 yards receiving -- and one each to Ravenell, Eric Monette, Dallas Walker and Matt Cutler. He also scored on an 8-yard run and finished with 60 yards rushing. Receiver Robert Arnheim also threw a touchdown pass to Ravenell.

It was 66-5 before Akron finally scored again, on Mike Perish's 2-yard run midway through the third quarter. The Zips (1-11, 0-8) lost three fumbles during the Broncos' eight-TD spree.

Nov. 19 at Buffalo 51 … Akron 10

Nov. 12 Kent State 35 … at Akron 3

Nov. 5 at Miami Univ. 35 ... Akron 3  

Oct. 29 Central Michigan 23 … at Akron 22  

Oct. 22 Ohio 37 … at Akron 20  

Oct. 8 FIU 27 … at Akron 17
CFN Analysis: Brian Wagner is phenomenal. The veteran linebacker did what he could against FIU, making 21 tackles with a tackle for loss, but the rest of the defense has been awful. There’s no run defense, no pass rush, and little overall production, and yet the game was still there for the taking. It was a three point game in the fourth quarter, but the Zips couldn’t mount any sort of a drive to get over the hump, with Clayton Moore finishing with just 153 yards on 11-of-23 passes. He ran for 51 yards and a score as the team’s lone offensive playmaker, and he needs more help. Until the lines start to improve, if they can improve, the season isn’t going anywhere.  

Oct. 1 at Eastern Michigan 31 … Akron 23
CFN Analysis: Just when it seems like Akron is making positive steps forward, the mistakes keep on coming. The Zips are getting horrendous play from both lines, they’re not generating a pass rush, and they’re not doing anything on special teams. The defensive front was shoved around by Eastern Michigan was too easily, and even though Jawon Chisolm ran for 122 yards and a touchdown, and threw an eight-yard scoring pass, the offense didn’t move the chains. Quarterback Clayton Moore had trouble on third down and the offense didn’t do its part to give the D any sort of rest. Even so, Brian Wagner was his typical terrific self with 17 tackles and a forced fumble. 

Sept. 24 at Akron 36 … VMI 13
CFN Analysis: Finally, Akron got the offense to do something productive. It took a game against VMI to do it, but at least the attack was able to show off a little bit with 534 yards and a balanced attack. There were nine penalties and too many misfires on third downs, but Clayton Moore looked like a real, live passer with 223 yards and three scores, and Jawon Chisolm was tremendous averaging seven yards per pop with 188 rushing yards. Can this carry over? Can this be the spark to finally get the program rolling? If the Zips can’t win at Eastern Michigan next week, then this will just be one nice moment in what’ll be another ugly year. 

Sept. 17 at Cincinnati 59 … Akron 14
CFN Analysis: Akron’s offense was lousy coming into the game, scoring just three points against Ohio State and Temple, and against Cincinnati it wasn’t just bad; it was a disaster. The six turnovers with two first half pick sixes and a fumble return for a score. Between the six turnovers and the nine penalties, there were way too many mistakes and way too many giveaways, and the offense didn’t do anything positive until late when it finally got into the end zone in the fourth quarter. Fortunately, VMI is up next to give the program a breather, and then it’s time to turn things around at Eastern Michigan. At this point, just improving and showing a sign of life would be a plus. 

Sept. 3 at Ohio State 42 … Akron 0  
CFN Analysis: The Zips were going to have to sit back and take the beating against a team desperate to get back on the field and show what it could do. Ohio State’s defense was frothing at the mouth, and there was nothing the Akron O could do about it. Clayton Moore struggled to find an open receiver, partly because there weren’t any, and the running game was nowhere to be found when Moore wasn’t taking off. The Zip defensive front did a nice job of holding up, but this was a payday game; the Temple game should be more indicative of where the program is at.

The 2011 Recruiting Class Is Heavy On … Skill Players. Rob Ianello’s anemic offense needs more pop, and while it’s asking a lot to get it right away from a recruiting class, at least one running back should emerge from the fray. Bre Ford and Karell Bostick will get every opportunity early on. The receiving corps gets more help with smallish speedsters. JUCO transfer center Vinnie Rizzo could see time immediately.