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Zips open new home with shutout win over Morgan State

AKRON , OHIO - For the Akron Zips, what a difference a week, the opposition, and a new stadium makes.

Last week at Penn State, Akron (1-1) managed just eight first half yards in a 31-7 rout of the nationally ranked Nittany Lions.

Saturday afternoon, in the inaugural game at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field, the Zips shutout the Morgan State Bears 41-0 before a sellout crowd of 27,811.

It was the Zips first shutout since 1992 (13-0 at Ohio), the first home shutout since 1989 (31-0 vs. Cincinnati) and the first blanking in a home opener since 1986 (35-0 over Salem College).

“It’s just great to get a victory.” Head Coach J.D. Brookhart said after the game.

“I thought our kids fought their buts off…We challenged them to continue to finish things today…Our guys executed made the improvement you should make from game one to game two”

Akron dominated the statistics both offensively and defensively.

On the offensive side of the ball they amassed 436 yards compared to just 186 last week against Penn State.

The offense had no drives resulting in negative yardage; they had no three plays and punt. They were 11-for-17 on third down conversions while going 6-for-8 in the red zone.

“You’re talking about a really good defense” Brookhart said of Morgan State. “I think that is the first opponent over 350 yards against them since 2006.”

Senior quarterback Chris Jacquemain was 13-for-22 passing for 162 yards and three touchdowns. The third time in his career the Mentor, Ohio native has thrown for three touchdowns in a game, one shy of his career best.

Senior wide receiver Deryn Bowser who had eight catches on the day for 86 yards, was the recipient of all three of Jacquemain’s touchdown throws which is a career high.

“It was incredible out there… We were all looking forward to this day, we couldn’t wait for it to get here…It was something to be remembered” Jacquemain said “

The defense allowed Morgan State (0-1), who was playing their season opener, to just 127 yards of total offense. Allowed just 1-for-11 on third down attempts, had two interceptions.(one returned for a touchdown), and did not allow the Bears to reach the red zone.

“Coach Flem (defensive coordinator Jim Fleming) said he didn’t want any points scored this game. Go out there and shut down the running game” Defensive tackle Almondo Sewell said.

Redshirt freshman Brian Wagner again led the Zips defense with nine tackles (three solo), a quarterback sack, two forced fumbles, a tackle for loss, and finally the final exclamation point of Akron’s complete victory.

Early in the fourth quarter, he intercepted a Carlton Jackson pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown. It was Wagner’s first career interception and first collegiate touchdown.”

“I think it was a good play call defensively…I dropped back into coverage, and it seemed he (Jackson) threw the ball right at me. I made a few of people miss, got a couple of blocks and got in for the touchdown” He said.

“The depth (in the defense) continues to help us. We are using a lot of guys through there” Brookhart said. “After their first drive, I thought we responded well”

After all the pregame ceremonies, which included the school mascot, Zippy, riding in with the game ball that was given to him in the ceremony after the final game at the Rubber Bowl last November.

Both teams moved the ball well on their Initial possessions

Akron , using the no-huddle offense, moved the ball from their 24 yard line to the Morgan State 11. But after two incomplete passes, place kicker Branko Rogovic missed a 28-yard field goal.

The Bears offense, at the controls of former Zips quarterback Jackson, took possession on their own 20 and moved the ball crisply down to the Akron 21 yard line. A pass completion for negative yardage, and a penalty moved them back to the 28 yard line where kicker Kemar Scarlett missed a field goal from 40-yards out.

Jackson was the Zips quarterback in 2006 and 2007 making five starts

The Zips defense came up with the game’s first big play which eventually led to the first score.

On a third down play from his own 20 yard line, Jackson had his pass intercepted by sophomore cornerback Manley Waller who returned the ball to the Bears nine.

Two plays after the interception, Jacquemain found Bowser into the end zone for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. The pair hooked up for a 40-yard score, the Zips only points, last week at Penn State.

It was a lead Akron would not relinquish.

The Zips would extend their last as the first quarter became the second, the defense keeping Morgan State deep in their own territory forcing a short punt which returned Diamond Weaver returned 20 yards to the Bears 30.

Six plays later, the score was 14-0 as Jacquemain and Bowser hooked up again this time from 16-yards away.

After the Zips defense forced a three-and-out, Morgan State punted again and Akron the ball in good field position on their own 47 yard line.

In the second term, Brookhart put sophomore Matt Rodgers into the game and he engineered an eight-play 53-yard drive which ended with a one run touchdown run by running back Alex Allen to make the score 21-0.

Rodgers, a sophomore from Pittsburgh, made his collegiate debut last week playing the majority of the fourth quarter at Penn State.

On their next possession the Zips again moved the ball but failed to score as two incomplete passes from Jacquemain forced Rogovic to try a 46 yard field goal which he missed wide to the left.

Akron would add points on the scoreboard before halftime. With 2:50 remaining in the first half, and starting a drive from their own 35 yard line, Jacquemain and the offense moved to the Bears 14 with 59 seconds remaining.

After an incomplete pass in the end zone, Rogovic came out and this time made a 31-yard field goal to give the Zips a 24-0 lead at intermission.

After Morgan State went three-and-out on their first possession of the third quarter, another short punt gave the Zips excellent field position this time at the Bears 45 yard line.

On this drive, Akron used their ground game which gained 42 yards in 10 plays on the drive. The eleventh play though was a pass and a touchdown as Jacquemain and Bowser connected for the third time in the contest this time from three yards out to make the score 31-0.

Before the third term ended, a Rogovic field goal from 32-yards out made the score 34-0.

The Zips ended the scoring with Wagner’s interception and return for a touchdown but the day belonged not only to the Zips, but to the University and the unveiling of the new stadium.“Today you saw a real college football environment” Brookhart said. “It was exciting. I never felt like this today. The most nervous I have ever been, and all such a new experience and extremely exciting for me”“We started something new today and it was great” Bowser said.

“The atmosphere was amazing. We had our entire (fall) practice inside the stadium and to see it packed” Jacquemain said

NOTES: The game was the first ever meeting between the two schools…Akron improved to 71-36-3 in all-time openers (4-2 under J.D. Brookhart)…Zips are 2-1 lifetime against the MEAC (1-0 Morgan State,1-0 Howard,0-1 Delaware State).. Akron is 5-0-1 in their last six games against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision…Chris Jacquemain-AKR has at least one touchdown pass in 14 of his last 15 games…his three-touchdown performance marked 11 th time in his career with multi-touchdown games…and moved into fourth place on the Zips all-time total yards list with 4,709…Deryn Bowser-AKR tied a career best at home with eight catches…Manley Waller-AKR interception was the second of his career…Bryan Wagner-AKR interception return for a touchdown was the first by a Zip since Reggie Corner (72 yards in 2007 against Army)…Morgan State is 1-2 lifetime against the MAC (0-1 Akron,1-1 Buffalo)…First time shutout in a season opener since 1994 (41-0 to Bethune-Cookman)…Bears last win against the Football Bowl Subdivision was 2006 over Boise State 28-20…Four of the game officials also worked the final game at the Rubber Bowl.