Game Day Information
Date: October 18, 1997
Site: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Stadium: Rynearson (30,200)
Kickoff: 6:00 ET
Team Records: UA is 1-5, 1-3 in the MAC; Eastern Michigan is 2-4 (2-3 MAC).
Radio: Akron's broadcast will originate on WHLO-AM (640) and WTIG-AM (990).
EMU's broadcast will originate on WEMU-FM (89.1).
TV: There is no live television in Akron; highlights will be replayed
Oct. 20 as part of Zips' Monday Night Football on WAKC-TV Channel 23
at 8 p.m.
Series: 12-8, Akron
Last November 9, Akron's three-game winning streak and attempt to finish 4-4 in the MAC was halted in the second half of the season finale at Eastern Michigan.
EMU rallied from a 17-3 halftime deficit and trimmed UA 20-17. The Zips wound up 4-7; the Eagles, 3-8.
This Saturday, the two schools hook up again in the 21st series meeting, and both teams' seasons are at a crossroad. With the red-hot Ohio Bobcats on deck, Akron is hoping to recapture its late-season magic of a year ago. Eastern, picked by some as the preseason favorite to win the MAC West, outscored Ball State, 38-32, last Saturday, and now hopes to make it two in a row. A last-second 38-35 loss to Toledo on Sept. 13 was tough to swallow.
"We're a different football team at home compared to on the road," Zip coach Lee Owens said. "And we've got to figure out why. That's our biggest concern. We have to play better on the road." One change -- UA will work out Friday at the opponent's stadium.
The Zips defeated Northern Illinois, 34-17, in DeKalb a year ago and then played competitively in the season-ending loss at EMU. So far this season, on the road against MAC heavyweights Miami and Marshall, the Zips have been down big at the half each time. The Herd led UA, 38-14, after the first 30 minutes.
Sophomore quarterback Greg Gromek (Chesterland/West Geauga) is out this week with a knee injury. His counterpart, Eastern's sixth-year senior Charlie Batch, is one of the MAC's best again this fall after a medical redshirt in '96 (right ankle).
QUOTABLE: "It has been uncharacteristic for this team to self-destruct the way we did tonight. We handed them three touchdowns and then had a couple of chances to score and didn't." -- Lee Owens last Saturday after the Zips' 52-17 loss to Marshall.
NONCON: This Saturday's date at Eastern Michigan is a non-conference game. The EMU game will not count in the league standings for either team. The Eagles play at Akron on Nov. 14, 1998.
SERIES: Akron leads 12-8. This series began in 1949. UA won 9 of 10 meetings between 1979 and 1993. The Eagles have won the last three meetings.
AKRON'S MAC AWARD NOMINEES FOR OCTOBER 11: Junior tailback Greg Lomax (Monongahela, Pa.) is the Zips' Offensive Player of the Week. Lomax rushed for 117 yards on 15 carries and posted the first 100-yard rushing game by a Zip back this season. It marked his second career 100-yard game. Lomax also had 4 receptions for 64 yards.
Junior free safety Andre McCray (Akron) is the Zips' Defensive Player of the Week. McCray registered a team-high nine tackles and had two pass breakups and one sack for -5 yards.
MEDICAL UPDATE: Two Zips sustained knee injuries at Marshall. Junior DT Jamey Bennett (McDonald, Pa.) sprained his MCL and will be out 2-4 weeks. Sophomore QB Greg Gromek (Chesterland) is to have his left knee examined by doctors again on Monday (Oct. 13) with an MRI scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Junior DL Jeremy Maxa (Finleyville, Pa.) suffered an elbow injury last Tuesday and did not make the trip to Marshall.
Redshirt freshman guard Chad Smith (Canton) has missed the last four games with a shoulder strain.
Senior linebacker Pat Powell (Beaver, Pa.) broke a bone in his foot prior to BGSU and has not dressed for the last four games. Powell had just been promoted to #2 middle linebacker behind Nate Boyd.
Two defensive backs, junior Jon Eaton (ankle) and sophomore Mike Hughes (shoulder), are medical redshirts for 1997.
SMACO LUNCHEON: The Sports Media Association of Cleveland is sponsoring a rivalry luncheon Thursday, Nov. 6, at noon at the Cleveland South Hilton Inn (Rockside Road at I-77, Independence). UA's Lee Owens will be joined by coaches from Kent, John Carroll and Baldwin-Wallace. The Zips entertain the Golden Flashes that Saturday at 3:30. Tickets are priced at $12 each for SMACO members and $15 for guests. Call the UA Sports Information Office at (330) 972-7468 to reserve a seat.
ALOHA: Zip senior fullback Jamie Reader (Monessen, Pa.) has been invited to the Hula Bowl, Jan. 18, 1998, in Honolulu.
IRON MAN: Junior quick tackle Kevin Kuntz (Steubenville/Edison) made his 28th consecutive start against Marshall. Originally a 210-pound, walk-on tight end, Kuntz (now 275) is among the MAC's top offensive linemen.
SMITH CLEARED: True freshman DB-KOR Dwight Smith (Detroit, Mich./Central Catholic) saw limited action against Central Michigan and Marshall after being cleared to play Sept. 25. Smith was caught up in the NCAA clearinghouse which evaluates high school transcripts and determines academic eligibility for freshmen.
One survey rated Smith the 16th-best prep player in the state of Michigan last fall. He possesses sprinter's speed, having won city track titles in the 100 and 200 meters. Owens says he is a 10.4 100-meter man. A year ago, he rushed for over 1,000 yards, intercepted 12 passes and made 111 tackles.
THE BEASTS ARE IN THE EAST: Western Michigan's 34-21 win over Bowling Green last Saturday snapped the East Division's 7-0 mastery over the West. Four MAC teams received votes in this week's in the AP Top 25 poll (for the second straight week): Toledo (46), Miami (11), Ohio (9) and Marshall (8). The East has outscored the West, 297-136.
THE RECORD PAGE: The Zips' record offensive performance against Central Michigan needed to be recapped.
53 points:
AKRON'S NFL PERFORMERS: Former Zip star Jason Taylor has shined as a rookie starter for the Miami Dolphins. A third-round draft pick (73rd overall), Taylor has racked up 29 tackles (22 solo), two QB sacks (for -16 yards) and two pass deflections through 6 games. In the preseason, he had four sacks for 35 yards in losses. Miami's record is 4-2, good for second place in the AFC East. A first-team All-MAC DE last fall, Taylor had 18 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks.
Victor Green, a Zip letterman from 1990-92, led the NFL in tackles last year as a DB for the New York Jets.
"LUNCH WITH THE COACH": UA's popular "Lunch With The Coach" program takes place every Monday at noon at the Martin University Center, 105 Fir Hill Street. Zip head coach Lee Owens reviews the previous week's game and previews the upcoming contest. Tickets are priced at $7.50. Joe Dunn serves as emcee.
MAC FORMAT: The MAC will stage a Championship Game, pitting East and West champs, Dec. 5 in Huntington, W. Va. The winner will advance to face an at-large team in the first Ford Motor City Bowl, Dec. 26, at the Pontiac Silverdome.
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE: Head coach Lee Owens knew the Zips' 1997 schedule would be a huge challenge -- the most difficult in school history. But -- how about the 16th toughest in Division. I-A? The Seattle Times rated it 16th (through 5 games) among 112 schools.
RADIO COVERAGE: For the sixth straight year, Akron radio station WHLO 640-AM is the flagship station for University of Akron football. Massillon station WTIG 990-AM has reached agreement for a third season to form the Zips Football Radio Network. WHLO's 5,000-watt daytime signal covers 66 of Ohio's 80 counties in addition to western Pennsylvania and into West Virginia.
In his ninth season as the "Voice of the Zips" is Steve French. He is joined in the broadcast booth by Clint Scroggs, who last year served as UA's sideline reporter. The UA network is on the air 15 minutes before kickoff with the pre-game show, featuring Zip head coach Lee Owens.
AKRON ZIPS' MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Every Monday night throughout the season, Zip football fans will be able to see UA game highlights on WAKC-TV Channel 23 at 8 o'clock. The one-hour show, hosted by Joe Dunn, will feature head coach Lee Owens evaluating game highlights from the previous Saturday. Coach Owens also will preview the Zips' upcoming opponent. The Eastern Michigan game will be shown October 20 with the final show Nov. 17 following Toledo.
MAC CALL: Zip head coach Lee Owens will be on the MAC coaches' call at least one more time this season -- October 27 at 10 a.m. The number to dial is (913) 661-0896 or (800) 289-0437.
ZIPPY THE KANGAROO: Zippy, Kasey, Moe and Katy. What do they have in common? They are the only four college kangaroo mascots in America. The University of Akron has Zippy, the University of Missouri-Kansas City has Kasey, Virginia Military Institute has Moe, and Austin College in Sherman, Texas, has Katy. UA's Zippy originated in 1954 with the playing of the first Acme-Zip football game.