When the Zips football team takes the field for the first time in the 2007 season against Army, the Zips' offense will have a new look. This year's squad is without a few key players: two-year starting quarterback Luke Getsy, left tackle Tim Crouch, left guard Mike Donaldson, center Andy Wills, right guard Andy Alleman and Freshman All-American wide receiver David Harvey, the team-leader in touchdowns scored.
Here's an equation for the 2007 Zips football season:- QB - OL - S - PK - PL + D = 4, as in the number of games the Zips win this year. If you're thinking four wins is a little low, the Zips lost nine starters - including three to the NFL (Andy Alleman, Kiki Gonzalez and Luke Getsy), and one to the CFL (Jermaine Reid)- from last year's 5-7 team.
Fantasy football is the new icebreaker in our society. No matter where one goes from August to January, a conversation about fantasy football will most likely be heard regarding recent trades and who the week's breakout player will be. From sports guru to casual fan, fantasy football provides a level playing field for individuals that need a little extra fix of football aside from the Sunday gridiron.
The Mid-American Conference and ESPN have teamed up in a deal that will bring MAC football to regionally broadcast television stations. The Zips will play in seven games this season with coverage from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and the Big Ten Network. ESPN's regional coverage will reach 34 television markets, mainly in the Midwest, and reach 22 percent of households in the United States.
Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart has talked about his continuing goal of recruiting high-character student-athletes who excel both in the classroom and on the football field. He has a model of his ideal recruit on this year's team in senior defensive tackle Jared Cecchetti.
Teams are usually evaluated by their amount of talent, but it's motivation and desire that ultimately determine what will be accomplished. Fortunately, for the University of Akron men's soccer team, the 2007 squad is talented and hungry. Last season, the Zips finished 13-5-1 while claiming its ninth Mid-American Conference regular season championship.
The women's cross country team will rely on experience and new recruits in an attempt to bring the first leg of the Triple Crown to the University of Akron. To earn the Triple Crown, a team must win the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field Mid-American Conference Championship in the same year.
Excitement and expectations surrounding the Zips' football team were at a program-high at the start of the 2006 season. After a thrilling 24-21 come-from-behind victory at North Carolina State in the second week of the season, Akron went 4-6 the remainder of the season, which ended with the Zips being shut out in the season finale against Western Michigan, 17-0 at the Rubber Bowl.
It can be impossible to evaluate a coach after the first season, but the second season is a different story. The hiring of a new head coach causes strenuous transition and philosophy changes that can be hard to overcome for young athletes. The Zips men's soccer team played its first year under coach Caleb Porter last season.