This past season, Akron failed to secure a win in Mid-American Conference play. The Zips have one victory to their credit this time around, but new coach Terry Bowden and senior quarterback Dalton Williams have begun to change the culture around InfoCision Stadium.
Williams leads an offense that likes to put the ball up in the air, as referenced by the Zips’ MAC-leading 339 passing yards per game. Bowden’s new scheme has also led to points on the board, as Akron scores more than 33 points per game.
“They’re ranked eighth in the country in terms of their passing offense,” said Ohio coach Frank Solich. “They build on that, and they throw and set up the running game; you can’t forget about the running game. He’s a guy that’s going to drop back and throw. He’s not a guy that they design running plays for, but they do have running attack that’s dangerous in the MAC.”
Ohio’s ground game had a new look last week, as redshirt junior running back Ryan Boykin returned to the gridiron with a two-touchdown performance. Fellow running back Beau Blankenship also has a chance to become the first Ohio back since Kalvin McRae to accumulate 1,000 yards in a season.
Offensive coordinator Tim Albin said he doesn’t care who’s lugging the pigskin as long as the running backs are doing their job.
“I don’t care who is back there,” he said. “I just want the guy back there that is dependable and knows what to do and does his job the right way.”
nr225008@ohiou.edu
