The college football season is just over one month from kick-off, and training camp is even closer with the first whistle expected to start in the early days of August.
In preparation for the season, the Hoosier is previewing each of Indiana's opponents this season in order. The coverage is part of our expansive preview of the Hoosier's upcoming season under Tom Allen.
Up next is Indiana's week four opponent, the Akron Zips.
PREVIOUS WEEKS: Week 1 vs. Ohio State, Week 2 vs. Indiana State, Week 3 vs. Louisville
SEE ALSO:
Big Ten head coaching tiers entering 2023 season
Predicting the 2023 All-Big Ten defense
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, September 23rd, 2023
Time: TBA
Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
TV: TBA
2022 RECAP
With the bright offensive mind of Joe Moorhead at the helm, the 2022 season was his first in Akron – the Zips going just 2-10 throughout the campaign. And despite rumors of Moorhead heading for higher positions, the head coach is back for a second go-around with the Zips this season.
Akron won the season's first contest in overtime versus Saint Francis (PA), but it wouldn't be until the season's penultimate Saturday – a victory over Northern Illinois – would the Zips be on the right side of the final score again.
Their 10 losses would come by an average margin of 18 points, but the results are skewed with a 52-point loss to Michigan State and a 57-point loss to Tennessee in the season's early stages. Without those two outliers, the average margin falls to just around nine points, a much more respectable mark despite their final total.
The Zips defense was, statistically, the worst in the MAC a season ago. Opponents scored the most points and gained the most yards on average against Akron than any other team in the MAC, and their offense wasn't much better – even with the boost of Moorhead's philosophies.
The Zips' passing attack was the best across the MAC, but the struggles came up front – Zip QBs were sacked 56 times last season, 14 more times than any other team in the conference. Concurrently, their rushing attack was the league's worst. Akron earned 61% of their first downs through the air, the 274 first downs being tied for the league's best mark.
All of this is to say, the defense wasn't great and the offensive line was, putting it lightly, awful. As for the positives, the only way to go in that regard is up.
RETURNING STARTERS
Offense: 7
Defense: 6
Analysis: Although the offensive line is the group that struggled the most, they return three of their five presumed starters from last season into the 2023 season. There's veteran experience on the line, but it's not been a successful bunch as of late. If Akron hopes for a turnaround in any sense, they'll need to be a much more cohesive and fortified unit this season.
Quarterback DJ Irons, a 6-foot-5 redshirt senior from Lawrenceville, Ga., is the straw that stirs the drink offensively for the Zips. Irons threw for just under 261 yards/game last season, completing 253-of-380 attempts for 2609 yards – good for a strong 66.5% completion percentage – but just 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Irons was also the second leading rusher on the Zips attack last season, only trailing the now-departed Cam Wiley's 487 yards on the ground. Clyde Price II, this year's assumed starter, is back in the fold though, fresh off a seven touchdown campaign a year ago.
Akron's second and third leading receivers by yardage are back as well, with Alex Adams and Daniel George leading the way on the outside this season. Adams, a former LSU transfer, hauled in 9 touchdowns last season, a team-best mark.
As leading tackler Bubba Arslanian announced his departure from the program to pursue a professional football career in June, the Zips will need a new defensive anchor to try and stop the bleeding from a season ago. Some of the Zips top statistical DBs from a season ago – Darrian Lewis, Tyson Durant and Nate Thompson – will look to help in that cause.
PRESEAON PROJECTION
Battling to expand off of last season, the Zips hope that more familiarity and direction will be uncovered in Moorhead's second year at the helm. In many cases – especially so against the likes of Indiana and Kentucky, the two tougher teams in their 2023 schedule – Akron will likely be undersized and fighting an uphill battle to make up the talent deficit they possess.
However, Irons is a guy at quarterback who provides at least a chance to stay competitive in ballgames this season. They rounded into shape and were a much more competent team in the second half of the season – not necessarily formidable, but much less of a cakewalk than one would expect from a 2-10 team.
With that being said though, it's hard to project anything but another finish near the bottom of the MAC this season. Anything above the fifth or sixth spot in the MAC East division and the bottom couple of spots in the overall conference would likely be viewed as an overachievement. Moorhead's offense could find more form if the offensive line play improves, but a one-dimensional team can only go so far in this day and age of college football.
Combine the one-dimensional offense with a lackluster defense in similar fashion of 2022, and the 2023 campaign could be a long one in Akron this fall.
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