Akron’s visit to No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday probably won’t be a great indicator of how good the Buckeyes can be this season.
Ohio State has a ton of standout players, with Will Howard transferring from Kansas State, a veteran quarterback and a defense full of starters from last year’s team that was ranked the second best in the country.
“They’re talented, they’ve got a lot of potential and they’re well-coached,” Joe Moorhead, Akron’s third-year coach, said this week. “People obviously talk about them being a serious contender to win the national championship, and they’re right. So it’s going to be a huge, huge challenge.”
That’s how you could put it.
Ohio State is a seven-touchdown favorite, meaning the backups will get as much playing time as the starters. With so many underdogs, Moorhead, the former Fordham and Mississippi State coach, probably won’t be able to learn much about his players other than their resilience.
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Akron has won seven games in the last five seasons, only four of which have been against FBS teams. Last year they finished 2-10. The Zips were ranked 11th out of 12 teams in the MAC preseason poll.
The opponent doesn’t matter, said Howard, who threw for nearly 5,800 yards and 48 touchdowns in four years at K-State before arriving in Columbus and taking the lead in a crowded quarterback room.
“The most important thing is what’s right in front of you,” he said. “We know we have a lot of away games and a lot of really important games and we’re going to have to play some tough teams, but you know, the most important thing for us right now is Akron. And that’s because it’s the next big thing.”
Loaded with weapons
Howard said he doesn’t have to be a hero – just a competent ball distributor to the Buckeyes’ numerous offensive weapons.
AP All-American TreVeyon Henderson and Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins form one of the best backfield duos in college football. No. 1 receiver Emeka Egbuka is another preseason All-American. Freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith is being called a generational talent.
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The plays will be called by new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, whose relationship with coach Ryan Day dates back to when Kelly was coach at New Hampshire and Day was his quarterback from 1998 to 2001. Kelly left his job as UCLA’s head coach to work for Day this season.
“We try to set a standard for ourselves,” Day said. “And no matter what team we play, we play and we move on. So, like I tell the guys every day in practice, they can’t have a bad day here.”
Defense is strength
The Zips’ defense is put to a tough test.
“We have eight starters and a lot of guys with a lot of playing time back,” Moorhead said. “We got a lot of talent through the portal, so I’m excited to see our defense take the next step forward.”
The player to watch on that side of the ball is defensive end CJ Nunnally IV, one of the best pass rushers in the MAC.
New quarterback in Akron
Moorhead hopes fifth-year transfer quarterback Ben Finley can provide some stability to an offense that averaged 195 yards and about 16 points per game last season. Finley is a career backup who played three years at NC State before transferring to Cal for his fourth year.
The last time…
Moorhead last visited Ohio Stadium on Sept. 11, 2021, when he was the offensive coordinator for Oregon. That day, the No. 12 Ducks defeated the No. 3 Buckeyes 35-28.
