Akron Football starts a new era with Joe Moorhead
By Shane Lunnen
Zips linebackers should be the strength
As bad as the offense was last season, the defense was not any help either. The Zips ranked last in the conference in scoring defense, giving up 39.5 points per game, and in rushing defense giving up nearly 249 yards per game on the ground.
A lot of the top tacklers from last year’s unit will be back this year and the Zips also added some transfers that could make an instant impact.
The best unit appears to be the linebackers. Senior Bubba Arslanian suffered a season-ending injury after only four games a year ago and still finished fifth on the team in tackles. Jeslord Boateng picked up the slack in Arslanian’s absence, leading the team with 80 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Senior corner Charles Amankwaa, who led the team with three interceptions and nine pass breakups last season, was injured in the spring and right now is a question mark before fall camp. Senior cornerback Jalen Hooks will look to gain more time and safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell also returns.
The Zips also added three Power 5 transfers to the secondary from Duke, West Virginia, and Mississippi State. They should bolster this unit, especially if Amankwaa misses time.
Last season the front was undersized but speedy. Now they will move to a four-man front under new defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar, who spent the last four season’s in the same role at Oregon State.
The line adds some size with Curtis Harper from Syracuse, Devon Robinson from Memphis, and Victor Jones from Wyoming. Jones totaled 72 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss in his three seasons with the Cowboys.