GRADING THE COACHING HIRES

 

Willie Fritz comes to Houston with a reputation for winning

Barring some unexpected firings or retirements, the college football coaching carousel appears to have come to a halt. What does that mean? Why, time for grades, of course. 

This is a long-term prognosis, not necessarily an immediate turnaround, in the moment rating. Some will look good right now and can give a temporary jolt to a program, but may not have staying power. Others may struggle early before getting it going. We favor long-term stability over quick turnarounds, and that's how our grading system will be formulated.

 

We aren't including Northwestern coach David Braun because he coached the Wildcats for the entire 2023 season after Pat Fitzgerald was fired amid allegations of hazing within the program. Braun won Big Ten Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Wildcats to a 7-5 campaign.

 

TOP SHELF

Willie Fritz/Houston: An offensive guru. Fritz has won everywhere he's been, including winning 23 games the last two seasons at Tulane. High caliber athletes should want to play in Fritz's system, so the Cougars could be a player in the new-look Big 12.

 

Bronco Mendenhall/New Mexico: He knows the lay of the land, having been an assistant for the Lobos, and is a consummate winner as a head coach. He has been a master at developing players, so look for the Lobos to be better in short order.

 

Jonathan Smith/Michigan State: The Spartans finally get serious about being good again, and Smith has already shown his ability to secure talent by nabbing some impressive portal additions. If you can win at Oregon State you can win in East Lansing. MSU will be physical and should be built the right way, with an eye on development.

 

Jon Sumrall/Tulane: A former SEC assistant who had a previous stint at the Green Wave's DC, Sumrall is an up-and-comer who should be able to keep up the momentum in New Orleans. Following Fritz won't be easy, but Sumrall has the chops to keep Tulane at the top of the American Conference.

 

VERY GOOD

Curt Cignetti/Indiana: We debated about putting Cignetti one level up, but it's just SO hard to win consistently in Bloomington. He's also 63 years old, so you wonder just how long he'll be on the sideline. He's never had a losing season in his head coaching career, and he should be able to breathe life into a stagnant Hoosiers program.

 

Mike Elko/Texas A&M: After a slew of failed offensive hires, the admins went with a guy who has a defensive bent. That could prove to be wise as Elko should foster a better culture than predecessor Jimbo Fisher had. It may be difficult to win the SEC, but the floor will be higher than it was under Fisher and the Aggies should be competitive more consistently under Elko.

 

Manny Diaz/Duke: He revamped his image as Penn State's defensive coordinator and earned another shot at being a head coach. This seems a better fit than the glare that was Miami, and he can once again hang his hat on defense, and his familiarity with the ACC can't hurt. Don't expect too much of a dip for the Blue Devils.

 

Sean Lewis/San Diego State: If you can win at Kent State, you have a lot going for you. Lewis is a great offensive mind who should bring the Aztecs offense into the 21st century, and he's in a fertile recruiting area so the talent level should get better. 

 

Fran Brown/Syracuse: The only new hire who didn't come from a coordinator or previous head coaching position. Nonetheless, Brown is a top-notch recruiter who should boost the talent level for the Orange very quickly. Learning under Kirby Smart the past few seasons will only help, and Brown has the look of a future star.

 

SOLID

Bob Chesney/James Madison: He steps into a great situation at JMU as the Dukes have won 19 games in two seasons in FBS, though there could be questions about his recruiting ability as he comes in from FCS Holy Cross. Has the look of a burgeoning star, but the Sun Belt is not an easy place in which to win.

 

Jeff Choate/Nevada: He's been at high-profile Power 5 programs and had a four-year stint as head coach at Montana State, where he was wildly successful. He is stepping into a pretty barren situation at Nevada, but he is high energy and likely won't be overwhelmed by the situation given his experience at the top level of college football.

 

Gerad Parker/Troy: He comes over from Notre Dame, where he was offensive coordinator, and seems to have the requisite chops to be a leader at a Group of Five program that is showing itself to be among the best in college football. Troy has been built on defense, but Parker should make the Trojans offense more explosive. A bit of an out of the box hire, which may be just what Troy needs.

 

Scotty Walden/UTEP: El Paso has historically been a tough place to win, but Walden has a few things in his favor: he's young (34), has an excellent offensive mind and he's a Texas native who has relationships in the state. There could be worse deficits to have when talking over a program such as this one.

 

Spencer Danielson/Boise State: The players seem to really like him, which is a plus. He has a high-energy approach, which is a bit of a change from previous head coaches. He's the latest in the "elevate from within" pattern that Boise has used, going back to Dan Hawkins and including Andy Avalos, whom Danielson replaces. Keeping the program filled with high-level talent will be paramount, and right now that's the only unknown.

 

OK, BUT ...

Jeff Lebby/Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are going back to the offensive side of things with this hire, and it should help in the short-term. He's been OC at UCF, Ole Miss and Oklahoma, so the bonafides are there. The program is the issue -- there aren't enough built-in advantages to make this an easy long-term success, so Lebby will be challenged and may need to provide a big culture change if he wants to win consistently.

 

Jay Sawvell/Wyoming: It won't be easy following Craig Bohl, but he has been with the program for four seasons and knows how things work. He's also been a DC under Jerry Kill, Dave Clawson and Bohl, so he's worked under some of the best in the game. First-time head coaches can be dicey, but Sawvell isn't flying blind here.

 

Trent Bray/Oregon State: This is one of the tougher jobs in America, especially now with all of the uncertainty surrounding conference affiliation and the fact he doesn't have head coaching experience. That said, he knows the program, the players seem to like him and he understands what it takes to win in a place such as Corvallis. Whether or not he does it remains to be seen.

 

DOING THIS AGAIN IN THREE YEARS

Derek Mason/Middle Tennessee: His head coaching stint at Vanderbilt was nothing short of disastrous, so maybe he can reinvent himself in Murfreesboro. The defense should be good, few question his acumen on that side of the ball. What will the offense look like? Will he be able to recruit well enough to make an upward move in Conference USA? There isn't much excitement or buzz around this hire, so he will need to prove himself to the fanbase. His P5 background could help.

 

Bryant Vincent/Louisiana-Monroe: He has some background in the Sun Belt, serving as OC and interim head coach at UAB. He worked under Bill Clark, which also counts for something, and his offense at New Mexico in 2023 had some explosiveness. Still, this is one of the tallest tasks in college football as the Warhawks have had just one winning season since joining FBS in 1994. He talked with enthusiasm at his opening press conference, but turning that into results is another matter entirely.

PLENTY ON THE LINE IN THE LATEST RENDITION OF "THE GAME"

The hype is off the charts for this year's edition of The Game

With everything that has been swirling around in the buildup to this year’s edition of The Game, you can forgive both teams if they are a little disconnected from the rest of the football world. Both Ohio State and Michigan have been preparing as best they can, and now that all of that is done there is  just one question remaining.

When can we play some football?

The wait won’t be a terribly long one – just a little after high noon on Saturday, in Michigan Stadium. The Buckeyes and Wolverines will renew a rivalry that is not only the best in college football, but one that has a bit more vitriol than usual. The fanbases of both schools always have their rival high in their thoughts, but this year it’s a little different.

The in-person scouting allegations levied against Michigan have created a bunker mentality among the fanbase – including a break from reality as it comes up with counter allegations, none coming from credible, national media – changing the narrative from simply wanting to beat the Buckeyes to beating them bad enough to break the program.

On the other side, Buckeyes fans have acquired a quiet confidence, and believe that the distractions surrounding the Michigan program will be enough to affect the Wolverines and their ability to focus on the task at hand.

To its credit, Michigan sounds like it knows what lies ahead.

“It’s all about our preparation for Ohio,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “The days, the minutes, the hours — everything leading up to this game — that’s where our focus is. Preparing ourselves and planning. Going to practice and then execute. So, anything else is irrelevant when you get into this kind of big game week.”

Harbaugh will not be on the sidelines for this game, which is the final of his three-game suspension levied by the Big Ten in the wake of the in-person scouting allegations. As he has previously, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will be the acting head coach as the Buckeyes come to town.

Ryan Day may not talk much about legacy, but he is at what some might call a crossroads, coming off of consecutive losses to the Wolverines, by double-digit margins. There is a growing sentiment that the Buckeyes lack toughness, and that maybe the rivalry contest isn’t approached with the same focus as in previous years. Day approaches the game differently than predecessor Urban Meyer, and if the outcome is the same as it has been the past two years that approach will come under even more scrutiny.

“Not that it’s easy, but the only thing that matters is this game, is this team, is preparing,” Day said. “The rest of it doesn’t matter. We have got to stay disciplined enough to focus on that. It goes back to the conversation about emotion, letting emotion of the game and everything get in the way. We can’t do that. And every year, you learn more and more about this game and the preparation for it. We’re not going to let any of that stuff get in our way, in terms of distractions. We’re just going to focus on this team, this season and preparing the best we possibly can.”

Both teams are currently in the top four in the College Football Playoff rankings – Ohio State at number two, Michigan at three – so there is a ton riding on the outcome. The loser almost certainly will be on the outside looking in while the winner will be off to the Big Ten championship game and, quite probably, the CFP.

This is the 14^th meeting between the teams when both are ranked top five, and Ohio State holds a 7-5-1 advantage in such contests. The home team has won 10 times in this situation, though Michigan bucked that trend last year with a 45-23 victory.

A lot has been made of Michigan’s lackluster schedule, as well as the fact it has looked much more mortal the past two weekends in wins over Penn State and Maryland. The Buckeyes will be the sternest test this season for the Wolverines, but there doesn’t seem to be a ton of concern from the UM camp.

“It’s really a battle tested team,” Harbaugh said. “Amazing effort. The way our players have gone about things, coaches, players … I just think back over the last five, six weeks, especially, it’s just been like a high-pitched siren, like a deafening, ear-piercing noise. After awhile, you start to tolerate it. And then before you know it, you just block it out.”

Day has heard the talk, heard that the Buckeyes need to win and win now, especially when the Wolverines are down their head coach. He’s not having any of it.

“I think with everything going on and the things that are out there, we just kind of stayed away from all the distraction,” Day said. “We have just focused on our team. I think our guys have done a good job of it. I think when you talk to our guys, I’ve talked to them a couple of times about what’s gone on this season and going into the game, but they’re focused on this game, they’re focused on this season, they’re focused on their preparation.”

OHIO STATE OFFENSE

After spending much of the year looking for its groove, the Buckeyes offense has seemingly hit its stride. Ohio State has averaged 6.59 yards per play over the last four games, and currently sits 18^th in the nation in total offense. OSU still is a bit inconsistent finishing drives, sitting at just 61.70 in red zone touchdowns percentage. But that, too, has been trending upward as Ohio State has punched in 75 percent of its red zone trips over the last three contests.

That improvement has come with the return to health of running back TreVeyon Henderson, who has netted 499 yards and five touchdowns in four games since returning to the lineup. His blend of balance, vision and burst has been a nightmare for opposing defenses, and Michigan will have its hands full trying to stop Henderson before he reaches the second level. The Buckeyes have helped him a bit by using motion and bringing in an extra tight end for blocking, and it has worked well. Henderson is especially dangerous between the tackles, where he can pick a hole, put his foot in the ground and cut to daylight.

Kyle McCord followed the best game of his career against Michigan State with a bit of an up and down contest against Minnesota. He has been turnover free in the last two contests and has done a better job going through progressions instead of locking onto his first read. He has been in the fire this season and come out unscathed, but this is his first start in the most hostile environment he has seen. Michigan likes to stunt and twist with its interior players, so McCord may need to get outside the pocket a bit more than usual.

Marvin Harrison Jr (Ohio State Athletics)

McCord’s primary focus will be Marvin Harrison Jr., who had seven grabs for 120 yards and a score in last year’s game, and he presents major problems for the Wolverines. It’s likely that Will Johnson will be trailing Harrison for most of the game, and that’s a matchup that should be worth the price of admission. Johnson is fearless in coverage and will need to be physical against Harrison, who always has an advantage due to the precision of his routes. Look for OSU to move Harrison all over the formation – out wide, in the slot, even offset in the backfield. Emeka Egbuka appears to be back to health, and if Johnson has success limiting Harrison, then Egbuka could end up with a big afternoon. He is excellent underneath and near the boundary, and McCord has looked to him in clutch situations more than a few times. Tight end Cade Stover is the wild card for OSU, with the size and speed to create mismatches.

The game will be won or lost up front, and while the Buckeyes have improved in run blocking, there have still been some anxious moments in pass protection. Ohio State may need to use more of a quick passing game early, getting the ball to the edges with Henderson and Harrison and Egbuka and Xavier Johnson. Michigan’s edge rush is not great, but the Wolverines have shown they can get home bringing just four so McCord will need to be cognizant of pressure and his checkdowns.

OHIO STATE DEFENSE

The Buckeyes are near the top in most important defensive statistics and have looked nearly impenetrable at times this season. But that was the story last year, too, and Michigan was able to parlay six big plays into a runaway victory. A slight tweaking of the scheme has paid huge dividends for the Buckeyes, who have allowed a nation’s-best one play of 40-plus yards this season. The return of Mike Hall Jr inside will fortify an already strong interior, and that could make things difficult for the Wolverines as they like to do their damage between the tackles. DC Jim Knowles has not blitzed as much this season as he did in 2022, but he could have a few surprises in store for this game.

Ohio State’s discipline and attention to detail has been paramount in the unit’s improvement, and that will need to continue as Michigan seldom beats itself. The move to a single-high safety has made a world of difference and has prevented teams from getting to the end zone after breaking through to the second level. It has also allowed Ohio State to change up its looks pre-snap, often showing blitz and then dropping into coverage. Knowles hasn't been afraid to bring a blitz off the edge from that additional safety, however, so don't be shocked if the Buckeyes get pressure with some unconventional methods.

The Buckeyes are eighth in the country in opponent’s third down conversions, at less than 30 percent, and if it can get Michigan into third-and-medium or third-and-long situations it will allow Knowles to get creative. Michigan has averaged just 4.8 yards per play in its last two games and hasn’t had a touchdown pass in its last three. If the Buckeyes can get Michigan off-schedule and away from the ground game, it will have a huge advantage.

MICHIGAN OFFENSE

Even without Harbaugh on the sideline Michigan has retained its identity as a physical team that wants to play bully ball. It ran the football on 32 consecutive plays against Penn State and was able to pick up some key first downs on the ground against Maryland late in the contest.

JJ McCarthy (Michigan Athletics)

Still, something looks off with the Wolverines offense. Quarterback JJ McCarthy has not been asked to do much – and while some UM fans will say that’s been a choice because the ground game has been so good, it could be more of a concern with leaky pass protection on the outside. Penn State abused Michigan’s tackles, and Maryland was able to bring pressure quite a bit, as well. McCarthy had his worst game of the season against the Terrapins, completing just 52 percent and throwing an interception. Michigan likes to work the boundary with out-breaking intermediate routes, but teams that have been able to bring pressure and get in McCarthy’s face on rollouts have had success. McCarthy has also had issues recently with the levels of the passing attack, hitting almost nothing deep and being forced to make a lot of underneath throws.

Michigan’s ground game has been steady but lacks explosiveness, and that could be a real problem against the Buckeyes. Blake Corum has been a hammer in the red zone, scoring 20 touchdowns, but has had only 10 percent of his runs go for more than 10 yards. Last year he was over 15 percent and looked smoother and faster than he has this season. Donovan Edwards was the hero of last year’s contest, scoring two long touchdowns, but has been largely a non-factor in 2023 with just three scores and a 3.4 yards per carry average.

The battle up front will be key as the strength of Michigan’s line is its interior. Zak Zinter is an All-America type at one guard, and Trevor Keegan has been consistent opposite him. Drake Nugent has been steady as a pivot, but there are worries at tackle as Karsen Barnhart and Myles Hinton have struggled in recent weeks. That could be a problem against OSU’s J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer off the edge. Michigan has been able to minimize those problems by going heavy, with as many as nine up front, and may need to do that against Ohio State to keep the chains moving.

UM receivers will have their work cut out against Ohio State’s Denzel Burke, who is playing at the All-America level of his freshman season, and the emerging Jordan Hancock on the opposite side. Michigan is 43^rd nationally in pass plays of 20-plus yards and 110^th in passes over 30-plus yards, and while Roman Wilson has shown to be a deep threat he has just one catch over the last two contests. Tight end Colston Loveland has been a favorite target for McCarthy, and he was a hero in last year’s contest and should be targeted frequently against the Buckeyes.

MICHIGAN DEFENSE

Michigan uses a lot of passive pressure – showing false looks pre-snap and a bunch of movement post-snap to confuse the quarterback – and also does a lot of coverage rotation on the back end out of that. This makes the quarterback think longer than he wants to, which allows the pressure to get home.

The Wolverines front six is as good as any in America, especially along the inside. Tackles Mason Graham, Kris Jenkins and Kenneth Grant are a lethal combo who all have quickness and power, and have destroyed offensive lines for most of the season. They can get upfield quickly, but even on the occasion when the offense wins, they have been excellent at staying in their gap and recovering to make the stop. They seldom get too wide or take bad angles, which is why they have been so effective. Michigan rotates as many as 10 guys up front during games, which has helped the starters stay fresh at crunch time.

There isn’t a ton of blitzing from this group because it can affect teams with just four. That leaves linebackers Junior Colson, Michael Barrett and Ernest Hausmann to roam free and find the football. Colson is a leader and the latest in a long line of stellar Michigan linebackers. He isn't flashy and his stats won't wow you, but he gets the job done. Barrett was nicked up against Maryland but appears ready to go, which is good news for Michigan as he has been one of the chief disruptors on the squad.

The secondary is led by corners Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil, two of the better cover guys in college football, and hard-hitting safety Rod Moore has shown that he deserves to be among the better safeties in the country. The active Wolverines have picked off 14 passes and lead the country with four Pick-6s, so McCord will need to make decisions quickly while Michigan attempts to flummox him with its rotations and coverage changes.

TALE OF THE TAPE

*POINTS PER DRIVE OFFENSE: Ohio State 3.01 (12), Michigan 3.84 (4)

*POINTS PER DRIVE DEFENSE: Ohio State .90 (2), Michigan .75 (1)

*NET POINTS PER DRIVE: Ohio State 2.11 (5), Michigan 3.09 (1)

*YARDS PER PLAY OFFENSE: Ohio State 6.74 (19), Michigan 7.03 (8)

*YARDS PER PLAY DEFENSE: Ohio State 4.36 (4), Michigan 3.59 (1)

*NET YARDS PER PLAY: Ohio State 2.38 (5), Michigan 3.45 (1)

POINTS PER PLAY OFFENSE: Ohio State .499 (T-15), Michigan .604 (5)

POINTS PER PLAY DEFENSE: Ohio State .145 (1), Michigan .155 (2)

YARDS PER POINT OFFENSE: Ohio State 12.7 (22), Michigan 10.4 (1)

YARDS PER POINT DEFENSE: Ohio State 26.8 (1), Michigan 26.2 (2)

TURNOVER MARGIN: Ohio State +1 (T-53), Michigan +12 (T-3)

RED ZONE TD PERCENTAGE: Ohio State 61.70 (64), Michigan 75.00 (T-11)

OPPONENT RED ZONE TD PERCENTAGE: Ohio State 45.45 (T-11), Michigan 33.33 (1)

THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: Ohio State 46.15 (20), Michigan 52.00 (4)

OPPONENT THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: Ohio State 29.19 (8), Michigan 30.34 (15)

SACK RATE: Ohio State 5.76 (T-78), Michigan 8.85 (13)

SACK RATE ALLOWED: Ohio State 4.86 (31), Michigan 4.69 (35)

#MISSED TACKLES: Ohio State 83, Michigan 56

SCORING OFFENSE: Ohio State 33.6 (24), Michigan 38.3 (11)

AVERAGE SCORING DEFENSE FACED (Points/Ranking): Ohio State 23.4/55, Michigan 23.4/55

SCORING DEFENSE: Ohio State 9.3 (2), Michigan 9.0 (1)

AVERAGE SCORING OFFENSE FACED (Points/Ranking): Ohio State 26.4/79, Michigan 24.3/87

*STATS TAKEN FROM BCFTOYS.COM  

# STATS TAKEN FROM PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS

 

WHAT WILL HAPPEN

The hype for this one has been off the charts, and understandably so. On one hand you have Michigan circling the wagons and seeing Ohio State as the enemy that started all of the distractions, and on the other you have the Buckeyes playing their best football but still having that small hint of doubt about whether it can finally get it done after consecutive disappointments.

Michigan has looked dominant for much of the season, though the last two games have been more slogs than slugfests. The Wolverines have looked disjointed on offense and have needed help from the defense and special teams to come away with the victory. McCarthy is still dangerous, especially given his mobility, but he’s looked increasingly uncomfortable when he’s had to make plays in the face of pressure.

Look for Ohio State to mix coverages, show pressure from inside before bringing it from the edge to prevent McCarthy from getting outside of the pocket. Ohio State’s coverage is not a concern, though it has been a bit sloppy in tackling – and that led to couple of Michigan’s scoring plays a year ago. If the Buckeyes can clean up that aspect, it’s hard to see Michigan making a ton of big plays. The ground game has been efficient, but Corum is not the same back as he was last season. He still loves to bounce things outside, so it is imperative that Ohio State have discipline in edge containment. The Buckeyes pass rush can get home against Michigan’s tackles, so Michigan may need to get creative and create some long drives that can control the clock.

McCord is squarely in the crosshairs for the Buckeyes, but he has not shied away from big moments. He came through against both Notre Dame and Penn State, but this is an entirely different animal. Michigan has feasted on turnovers, and if McCord cannot solve the Wolverines post-snap rotations and coverages it could be a long day. The Buckeyes have been clever in scheming to get Harrison open, so look for him to approach 15 touches on the afternoon. He will be the best player on the field for either team, so the Buckeyes would be wise to give him a chance to operate. Having said that, the real X-factor is Henderson in the backfield. Michigan has allowed just 2.96 yards per carry this season and has blown things up inside, which is Henderson’s preferred area of operation. Don’t be surprised if Ohio State runs him more on outside stretch and off-tackle plays, getting him one-on-one against a defender in space. His elusiveness and wiggle have meant big plays for the Buckeyes, and he appears primed to have a big game.

While Ohio State has the better top-to-bottom roster, Michigan has done a better job sticking to its identity. The Wolverines know who they are and what they do well, and seldom deviate from that. To this point they haven’t found a team that can stand up to that approach, though the Buckeyes appear to be the best-equipped to do so.

It’s been difficult to get a read on this one due to red flags on both sides.

For Michigan it’s the leaky pass protection coupled with Ohio State’s ability to affect the passer, as well as the lack of explosiveness in the ground game. If the Buckeyes can stay disciplined and rattle McCarthy early it could be enough to throw the entire offense into disarray. It’s unlikely that the busts of last year happen, so the Wolverines will need to get creative if they want to create chunk plays.

For Ohio State, an inability to finish drives in the red zone has been worrisome, but to this point hasn’t cost the Buckeyes because they have been the better team. Play calling has also been predictable, with runs coming on early downs in an attempt to get McCord settled in. Day may need to get more aggressive and have McCord get the ball to his playmakers underneath and allow them to make plays. If Day has anything in his bag of tricks it might not be the worst time to bring it out.

The feeling here is that this is a back-and-forth contest, with both teams landing haymakers at various points. OSU has averaged 28 points per game on the road this season, though that could be a tad inflated due to blowouts over Purdue and Rutgers. Michigan has been lethal at home, allowing just over seven points per contest in the Big House, and that’s hard to overlook.

With turmoil swirling around it, Michigan feels secure and confident playing in the confines of its home field, which could be just enough to provide an edge. This is a top-five matchup, and in 13 other such occasions between these two teams the home squad has come out on top 10 times. Not sure how it’s going to happen – a special teams play, a turnover that provides a short field, a late grind-it-out drive – but from this vantage point it looks like Michigan does just enough to stay unbeaten.

MICHIGAN 23, OHIO STATE  (+3.5) 21

 

DESPITE RECORDS, ZIPS AND GOLDEN FLASHES HAD PLENTY TO PLAY FOR

 

Akron kicks to Kent State Wednesday night in their battle for the Wagon Wheel

 

One of the beautiful things about college football is the fact that a seemingly meaningless midweek game between a pair of 1-7 teams could bring such drama and joy.

Akron and Kent State are considered among the weakest programs in college football this year, at least by team strength metrics, and to the average fan there didn't appear to be much appeal to the contest. 

Losing can be a huge motivator, however, and Akron had not beaten its rival since 2018, a year after the Zips last home win in the series.

So it was understandable when the home sideline erupted and sprinted to the South end zone to grab the Wagon Wheel as time expired, a 31-27 victory secured. It had been so long since Akron had much to be happy about, and all of the frustration of recent history was deposited on the Infocision Stadium turf as unbridled joy took over.

“The first thing I did was walk over to our president and shake his hand because I know how much it meant to him,” Zips coach Joe Moorhead said following the win. “To look down there and see our guys snatching up that Wheel and taking it over to the band, it felt like watching 110 of my own kids running down and celebrating one of life’s great successes, winning a rivalry game.”

Akron trailed 27-10 into the fourth quarter, largely because of self-inflicted wounds. The offensive line missed blocks, the quarterback overthrew some shots, the defense allowed a few deep balls to fly over its head. But even in all of that, the belief never wavered. Despite dropping nine one-score games over the last two seasons and winning just three times in Moorhead’s first 20 games at Akron, the players felt that they had enough to get the job done.

“That’s the culture we’re trying to build here, 60 minutes or as long as it takes,” Moorhead said. “Our coaches are going to coach up to and through the game, and the keys to us winning are how well we prepare and how hard we play. I think the kids definitely played hard tonight.”

Running back Lorenzo Lingard – a former prep All-American who had stops at Florida and Miami before landing in Ohio – was a catalyst for the comeback, with his bruising 37-yard scoring run with 3:32 to play paring the Zips deficit to 27-24.

There was still work to do for a defense that had been victimized much of the night by big plays. But Kent State played right into Akron’s hands by playing conservative (read that as “playing not to lose”) with a pair of feeble rushes up the middle, and an incomplete pass to the sideline on third-and-8. Akron got the ball back at its own 43-yard line with 3:09 to play and one timeout left, and never thought about simply getting into field goal range.

The Zips wanted to win.

“There was probably a little bit of belief when it got to 27-17, then when it got to 27-24 after Lorenzo scored you felt the tide and the momentum was turning a bit,” Moorhead said. 

First-year Kent State coach Kenni Burns felt going in that this was a game the Golden Flashes could win, so to fall short was a punch to the gut.

"Obviously disappointing," Burns said. "It's not what we expected at all, but we didn't play four quarters. We talked about starting fast and finishing strong. We didn't finish strong. It was as clear as day."

Lingard did much of the heavy lifting on the Zips game-winning drive, rushing four times for 15 yards and making a nifty catch of a Jeff Undercuffler throw near the sideline. Jasaiah Gathings pitched in with a pair of catches for 17 yards, as well as drawing a defensive holding penalty on a deep route.

With the ball at the Kent five-yard line and 31 ticks left on the clock, Undercuffler – pressed into the role because starter DJ Irons was lost for the year to injury – read coverage on a pass off of a triple option call and motored into the end zone to put the Zips ahead to stay. It felt like forever to cover that short distance, but took no time at all for euphoria to break out along the home sideline.

“The last thing in the world you would expect is – he runs like me, and that ain’t a compliment – for him to run the ball in. It was a triple option, so it’s (either) a give to Lorenzo, pull and throw to TJ (Banks) in the flat -- they double-teamed TJ -- no one covered Jeff, so he ran the damn thing in.”

Lingard finished with 106 yards on 22 totes and added 49 yards on a pair of receptions. It has seemingly been an eternity since Lingard was thriving as a player, and Moorhead could not contain his feelings for the performance.

“It was great for him because he had been bottled up most of the year as we struggled trying to get our O-line situated,” Moorhead said. “I told him just before we left the locker room, ‘I need you to run angry tonight.,’ and it did look like he ran angry. That last run he probably got contacted about the eight- or nine-yard line and did a nice job covering the ball and carried two guys into the end zone.”

Receivers Daniel George (9 catches, 104 yards, TD) and Gathings (9-103-TD) also were heavy contributors to the victory over the nearby rivals, who were led by All-MAC receiver candidate Chrishon McCray and his six grabs for 106 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Rivalry games have a way of bringing out the best in teams – and sometimes fans.

“I was in the conference room at the hotel watching tape and some random comes in and asks, ‘Are you one of the coaches?’” Moorhead explained. “I say “Yes, sir.” He says, “This is our Super Bowl tonight.’ And I tell him ‘Yes, sir, I’m well aware.’ Components of a great rivalry are proximity, parallels in recruiting and passion. This is a game that means a lot to a lot of people. Hopefully our fanbase will continue to build here. It was really important to our players.”

It’s a testament to the teams that they traded blows for 60 minutes when on the surface they had little to play for. There will be no Mid-American Conference title opportunity, no chance at a winning record or bowl appearance for either squad, yet there they were, putting out maximum effort, on a Wednesday night in front of an announced crowd of 8,113.

Knowing that a coveted item was in the hands of the enemy was enough to spur the Zips spirits.

“I talked to (Miami Hurricanes) coach (Mario) Cristobal, and he said, ‘The best thing to bring to a fight is a reason,’” Moorhead said. “I remember my dad telling me as I was growing up, you want to win any fight you have to swing first, swing hard and at the end of the day you’ve gotta keep swinging. I think that’s what our kids did. They had a reason.”

Moorhead appears to be in it for the long haul, and mentioned that he had been approached by bigger schools, with bigger checkbooks, but feels there is something special brewing at Akron. And he’s been here before, serving as an assistant for the Zips from 2004-2008, a period in which they won 27 games.

He’s trying to return Akron to that level, and knows that improvement is incremental. First it’s a culture change, then getting better players, then turning blowout losses into competitive losses and, finally,  competitive losses into victories.

Akron had not scored an offensive touchdown against Kent State at home in the last 10 quarters heading into this contest, so the offense humming and the outcome being a positive truly hit home for the second-year Zips boss.

“It’s very validating to a lot of the things we’re building here,” he said. We needed a moment like this, to finally finish it.”