Akron Zips put up fight in loss to archrival Kent State

KENT – The University of Akron football team will get credit for not quitting.

In the Wagon Wheel game, anything is possible, and for UA, the chance of beating archrival Kent State (3-5, 2-2 in Mid-American Conference) was in the cards.

Unfortunately, the Zips (1-7, 0-4 MAC) couldn’t get the hand they needed, losing 33-27 in a game that could have gone either way but again went the wrong way for UA.

Zips quarterback DJ Irons completed 32 of 43 passes for 383 yards and ran for two touchdowns. He also threw two key interceptions that proved pivotal in the game. His favorite receiver on the day: Alex Adams, who caught nine passes for 199 yards.

An inconsistent UA defense allowed 455 total yards, including 242 on the ground.

How the Akron Zips answered scores was important

The Zips opened the game by punching Kent State right in the jaw on an 80-yard touchdown pass from quarterback DJ Irons to wide receiver Alex Adams on their first play from scrimmage. They eventually took a 10-0 lead, but they allowed the Golden Flashes to come back to take a 14-10 lead.

One score they didn't answer. Another, to take a 17-14 lead with 1:48 left in the first half, they did, and a special teams snafu gave the Flashes great field position at the UA 46 with 1:42 left in the half. KSU took advantage and scored.

But coach Joe Moorhead lamented what the Zips weren’t able to accomplish scoring wise.

“We moved the ball as well as we have all year, you know, find a little bit of run game with the draws and things like that,” Moorhead said. “But I say it all the time, explosive plays and turnover margin are the two biggest, you know, factors in the outcome of games. And I don't think we won either of those.”

The Golden Flashes had the explosive plays from the game’s onset, including a 46-yard run by running back Marquez Cooper in the game’s opening drive. It didn’t result in any points when Andrew Glass missed a 37-yard field-goal attempt. The Zips took advantage of that and Irons when deep on the first play from scrimmage. Eighty yards later, wide receiver Alex Adams had the first score of the game, a touchdown.

If nothing else, it served Kent State notice that they should not take the Zips lightly.

Two DJ Irons interceptions were costly mistakes

One came as it appeared the Zips were driving to take a two-score lead. Instead, JoJo Evans intercepted a pass from Irons and returned it to the 29-yard line at 5:13 of the first quarter. The UA defense held, but it was a costly error.

The second interception came on the opening drive of the second half and the Zips trailing 21-17. They had an opportunity to answer and once again take the lead. With more than 13 minutes left in the third quarter, cornerback Montre Miller stepped in front of Irons' pass. KSU capitalized, eventually punching it in for a score and 27-17 lead.

Irons deserves some blame and the Golden Flashes’ defensive backs deserve some praise.

“You know, certainly with DJ, we got to make sure that we're correcting the decision making and emphasizing when it's time to take a shot,” Moorhead said. “Aggressive, not reckless is what I've always told the quarterbacks.”

The reality for the Zips, however, is that without Irons, that offense doesn’t go.

“So certainly, he made some critical mistakes, but I mean, that guy's playing his a** off,” Moorhead said.

Fans should appreciate the Akron coaching staff's attitude

From that first offensive play from scrimmage to going for and making it on a fourth-and-6 early in the second quarter, it was clear the UA coaching staff and the team were there to win that game, not just compete. That bold fourth-down call was successful and eventually led to a 22-yard UA field goal and a 10-0 lead.

Moorhead said his team never walks out onto the field expecting to lose, but he knows they haven’t learned to finish yet.

“So, we talked about the Wagon Wheel since our first team meeting when I was hired,” Moorhead said. "It's emphasized in every workout. There’s a period for it in every practice. Unfortunately, we didn't do enough to bring that thing back to Akron.”

Its return may be coming sooner than the Zips' 2022 record suggests.

Special teams hurt the Akron Zips against Kent State

That hasn't been the case or even as noticeable this season because of other glaring problems. However, it can be argued that special teams played a significant role in 10 Kent State points.

The first coming on the kickoff after the Zips took a 17-14 lead with 1:48 left in the first half. KSU returned the ball to the UA 48 and eventually scored on a Devin Kargman to Devontez Walker touchdown pass to go ahead 21-17. In the fourth quarter with the Zips trailing 30-24 and backed up near their own end zone, the Zips punted and Noah Gettman's kick traveled 25 yards to the UA 27. KSU eventually turned that into a field goal and 33-24 advantage with 11:44 left in the game.

Moorhead called the kickoff, return and subsequent touchdown the biggest momentum changer of the game.

“We work a momentum period every week in practice,” Moorhead said, “and obviously we got to maybe do it more, because, I mean, that was going into the locker room up 17-14 with the ball coming out in the second half. The feel of the game's completely different.”

UA's final drive showed effects from offensive line play

Despite the loss, the Zips were not out of the game in the fourth quarter. Realistically, they still had a shot trailing 33-24 and with the ball at their own 31 with 4:53 left.

Anyone watching what turned into a field goal to make it 33-27 with 1:22 left would have said they should have run the drive with more urgency.

With the offensive line’s play being so inconsistent throughout the season, Moorhead said the focus was getting things right and getting points.

“A lot of the things that were taking time weren't us getting lined up, or the play being called, it was DJ, making sure the protection was directed the right way,” Moorhead said.  “We got to make sure because they were bringing it from a bunch of spots and angles.”

Reach George M. Thomas at gthomas@thebeaconjournal or on Twitter @ByGeorgeThomas.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Big plays doom Akron Zips again in loss to rival Kent State