** 2018 Opponent Previews: Akron (Game 1) **

brophog said:
And the 14 simultaneous QB threads? People might not realize there is an actual game this week.
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Hyperbole and sarcasm are unnecessary. There are approximately four QB-related threads on the main page and each of them are relatively different enough to stay as individual threads. If you disagree, you may issue a Report and we'll review. We try to make concerted efforts to combine similar threads but we're not omnipotent.

Otherwise, please stay on topic.

 
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For about 15 years I thought the Akron player peed himself. Maybe that's what they said on the radio call. I didn't find out it was puke until a few years ago.

 
Notes on Akron from watching the tape to go with the numbers above.

The good - Kato Nelson, QB

He played mostly in the second half of the season because he was only a frosh, but I think he probably should have played more. Throws a very pretty ball and is a slippery runner. Unfortunately, doesn't complete enough and at the end of the day doesn't really generate much for yardage on the ground. From the sounds of yesterday's player interviews, Nebraska's defenders are well aware of him. This isn't the biggest challenge of the year, but he can be enough of a nuisance to make for some good coaching points.

The bad - Almost everything else

This is a team that I knew wasn't good when started watching and that became more and more apparent the more games I put on. Whether they won or lost, my opinion just kept getting worse. To describe them, they look like they got their play call sheets on the way out to recess. Some decent schemes but very undisciplined. Silly penalties, lots of dropped balls, and a very low amount of effort. I'd flat out call their defense lazy at times. They'd have a numbers advantage on one side of the field and just stand there while a guy ran wide open. Happens a lot on running plays, too. They often would have hats and no one would even try to make a play or at best a standing arm tackle. When they get blocked it's like velcro and their DBs seem to lose every 50/50 ball.

If they play anything like last year, and from the sounds of it they may even be worse, this team quits once they're down a few scores. Most of the better teams they played pounced on them early and then their low effort turned into no effort.

 
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They have a new DC this year in Todd Stroud. Looks like he's spent most of his career as a strength coach and D-line coach, except for a few years as the HC at Western Alabama:

Stroud’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience
1986 – UCF (defensive line)
1986 – Florida State (weight room assistant)
1987-93 – Samford (defensive line | strength and conditioning)
1993 – Auburn (head coach strength and conditioning)
1994-96 – Western Alabama (head coach) (6-25 record)
1997-99 – Memphis (head coach strength and conditioning)
1999-04 – NC State (director of strength and conditioning)
2004-06 – NC State (associate head coach | defensive line)
2007-09 – Florida State (head coach strength and conditioning)
2010 – Colorado State (tight ends | fullbacks | recruiting coordinator)
2011 – Colorado State (defensive line)
2012-15 – Akron (defensive line)
2016-17 – Akron (assistant head coach | defensive line)
2018 to present – Akron (associate head coach | defensive coordinator | tackles)

 


Watched a little bit of Akron's bowl game against FAU and I see what Jackson is saying. Nelson seems to freeze if his first read isn't there. He can scramble and he's shifty, but he doesn't seem to accelerate very quickly. He was only a freshman last season, so I can only assume he's improved.

Akron D:

FAU seemed to have a lot of success when they went really fast or used motion. Idk what the new DC has them doing though. FAU's QB is not fast at all and he gashed them a few times on some reads and straight option plays. I could see Martinez having a big day on the ground.

 
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University of Akron football: Zips will face stern test in opener at Nebraska

The University of Akron football team picked a heck of a way to open its 2018 football season, with a visit to Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium.

But the Zips will arrive with a veteran defense featuring nine seniors in starting roles complemented by two juniors. Nebraska is a struggling program relying on the return of its version of the prodigal son, former quarterback Scott Frost, who returns at coach to right the ship.
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Line shifts

Former left guard Brandon Council (6-4, 325 pounds) was moved to right tackle to improve the line and redshirt freshman Hunter Corne (6-4, 305 pounds) moved into the left guard spot to open the season.
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Also sounded like their centers got a little banged up last week.

Couple posters on their forums still aren't real confident in their QB or the #1 RB

 
GSG said:
Couple posters on their forums still aren't real confident in their QB or the #1 RB
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No surprise, from the sounds of it Bowden is pretty worried about that offense, too.

On defense, yes, that's 9 starters returning....but 9 starters that couldn't stop anyone. But I guess even bad teams must be better at something.

 
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