– Last Updated on June 8, 2018 7:51 am
2016 Football Preview – MAC – Akron Zips
Looking for 2016 Akron Zips predictions? The Akron Zips football team has been in the basement of the NCAA for many years, until the arrival of Coach Terry Bowden. The Zips have gone from not winning a single game against a FBS school, to winning their bowl game last season in the Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho.
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2016 MAC College Football Preview – Akron Zips
NCAA Division: MAC
Head Coach: Terry Bowden
2015 Record: 8-5
Akron Zips Odds To Win MAC Championship +750
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The road will not get easier for this Zips team, as they lost some valuable keys to their key, players who have racked up many and many starts.
Look for this roster to struggle this season, but will hang onto the players that have been there before.
2016 Akron Zips Predictions: Team Strengths
There is no looking past the strength of this Akron Zips team, it’s the defensive line.
The defensive line consists of the MAC conferences top two defensive ends, Se’Von Pittman and Jamal Marcus, both transfers from Ohio State.
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The two ends have made their presence known since being in Akron; they tallied up 8.5 sacks to go along with 19.5 tackles for loss in this past season.
Look for these ends to be trouble for opposing tackles all season long.
The Zips line did lose both of their interior linemen to graduation, but I do not see it matter much who you put inside with the two monsters they have outside.
Look for the big 280 pound Darius Copeland to fill the void for the nose tackle position, and Brock Boxen will field the other defensive tackle position.
Boxen appeared in 11 games last season and Copeland played in 9.
This defensive interior will seem inexperienced at times, but when the both guards on the offense have former Big Ten ends rushing around the corner, not much attention will be inside the tackles.
2016 Akron Zips Predictions: Team Weaknesses
The wide receiver position has always been a struggle in Akron; they never have been able to find the right fit across the board, nor the right guy behind center to give the ball.
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The wide receiver position lands as the weakness on this team due to inexperience that these guys have.
Akron comes into this season losing 75 catches and 893 yards from Imani Davis and Andrew Pratt, both graduating, they have also lost 1,407 yards of rushing.
The Akron receiver JoJo Natson, transfer from Utah State, will have to carry the load for this corps.
Natson comes into this season with 51 catches for 504 yards. Behind him stands junior Jerome Lane who has 39 catches for 782 yards in his career.
Other receivers looking to find a spot on the field and contribute are Mykel Traylor, Tyrell Goodman, A.j. Coney, and Louisville transfer Michaelee Harris.
This wide receiver corps will look for quarterback Thomas Woodson to do much of the work come fall in order to move the ball offensively.
2016 Akron Zips Predictions:
( Akron Zips 7-6)
This Akron football team lost a lot of big time players from last season, but their schedule will be helpful come September.
The Zips have a lot of winnable games looking at the schedule, but then hit a rough point towards the end of the season, where they play Toledo and Bowling Green in back-to-back games.
Akron will look to be peaking going into that game.
I look for Akron to have a similar record as last season; I’m going to place Akron at a 7-6 record. I see them losing to Wisconsin and Marshall in the first three matchups.
I also see Toledo and Bowling Green to be tough this season.
Akron seems to not be able to get over the hump of beating the teams they should beat, so look for Akron to drop one somewhere to a mediocre MAC school.
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Then I look for Akron to take a dive in the bowl game unlike last season. Overall, back-to-back winning seasons for Terry Bowden will be exciting for the program and institution.
Also, another winning season will help this Zips program recruit the talented area that surrounds them.
2016 Akron Zips Football Schedule
- 9/3/16 vs. VMI Keydets 6:30 PM/ET
- 9/10/16 at. Wisconsin Badgers 3:30 PM/ET
- 9/17/16 at. Marshall Thundering Herd 12:00 PM/ET
- 9/24/16 vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers TBA
- 10/1/16 at. Kent State Golden Flashes 3:30 PM/ET
- 10/8/16 vs. Miami (OH) Redhawks 3:00 PM/ET
- 10/15/16 vs. Western Michigan Broncos TBA
- 10/22/16 at. Ball State Cardinals 3:00 PM/ET
- 10/27/16 at. Buffalo Bulls 7:30 PM/ET
- 11/2/16 vs. Toledo Rockets 7:30 PM/ET
- 11/9/16 at. Bowling Green Falcons 8:00 PM/ET
- 11/22/16 vs. Ohio Bobcats 7:00 PM/ET
What do you think about our 2016 Akron Zips predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2016!
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