2026 MAC Football Preseason Preview: Akron Zips

The 2025 Akron Zips did not have the most auspicious of starts, getting hit with an Academic Progress Rate penalty which banned them from the postseason– effectively ending the campaign even before it started.

They also had a slow acclimatization period, failing to score points in their first two contests while giving up 73 points combined against Wyoming and Nebraska.

However, the Zips, as they always do, persevered despite the pressure.

Akron finished 5-7 and flirted with the possibility of a .500 record for the first time in nearly a decade thanks in part to finishing the MAC slate strong with a 3-1 record in their last four games.

With fellow Ohio MAC peers such as Bowling Green and Kent State elevating their floor under new head coaches, Akron still seeks to push past the glass ceiling in Year 6 of the Joe Moorhead administration.

Complicating matters further, Moorhead and company will work with a 2026 roster which sees a near-complete transformation from 2025.

"In the portal era, we've had to replace 37, 39 and 41 of our 85 scholarships [over the last four seasons]," Moorhead said at MAC Media Day when asked about sustaining momentum from the 2025 season into 2026. "It's like an Etch-a-Sketch."

The work doesn't end there; Moorhead was also animated about the team's stick-to-it-iveness, stating "we need to stick to the process and do a bit better. ... There's power in truth."

The intrigue in the Rubber City is certainly never lacking; what can we expect to see this upcoming season at InfoCision Stadium?

What’s New?

Incredibly, Akron has not had very many changes to the overall coaching staff since Moorhead took over, as Moorhead has always tended to focus on stability and consistency from his group.

Moorhead will once again call the plays as his own offensive coordinator, a necessitated change from back in 2023 which has paid off well since. Defensive coordinator Tim Tebosar returns for his fifth-straight season as well, overseeing a unit which noticeably suffered in the margins in 2025 but still showed bursts of talent. Special teams coordinator Ryan Matviko also returns for his third season, which has seen a raised floor of competency in recent years.

The most notable on-roster change is at quarterback for Akron, as journeyman Reese Poofenbarger emerged from spring camps as the unquestioned starter at quarterback. Poofenbarger, who has sat behind Cam Ward (Miami [FL]) and Drew Mestemaker (North Texas) the last two seasons, brings some starting experience from his time with UAlbany at the FCS level. He'll be the second former Great Dane to get a chance at the Akron QB job under Moorhead, who also recruited Jeff Undercuffler Jr. in 2023.

Akron's depth once again takes a significant impact in 2026, with over half the roster turned over from 2025. The offense does bring back a lot of its skill players, but the offensive line is a question mark at left tackle and right guard positions– two very important spot for success. The defense has it worse, looking at six new starters, with two vacancies each on the defensive line, at linebacker and on the corners.

Offense

• Key arrivals: QB Reese Poffenbarger (North Texas), WR Miles Burris (Charlotte), TE Elijah Alexander (Laney College), OG Brandon Smith (South Dakota)
• Key departures: QBs Ben Finley and Michael Johnson (unlisted); WR Israel Polk (Oklahoma State), OLs Keylen Davis (Pitt), Darrell Johnson (graduation), Jayme Motley-Simmons (graduation), Kenneth McManus (Auburn), Javirea Moore (West Texas A&M) and Maasai King (Iowa State)
• Key incumbents: HB Jordan Gant, WRs Kyan Mason and Marcel Williams; TE Connor Cravaack, OC Colin Lyons, OG Amarie Archer, OT Alan Jones, OL Carlos Slayden

Akron's performance in 2025 was up-and-down, largely relying on the now-graduated Ben Finley to carry them in the passing game. Unfortunately for the team, Finley proved to be a rollercoaster, placing top five in the MAC in passing yards and touchdowns– but also failing to convert on third downs nearly 70 percent of the time and having a completion rating of 51 percent.

That simply does not equate to winning games.

The Zips offense became steadier with the emergence of Jordan Gant in the backfield. Gant's breakout season went a long way towards brightening the picture for the Zips, as he ran for 1,032 yards and six touchdowns. Gant, who won second-team all-MAC honors in 2025 and earned a nod as a Maxwell Award watchlister for 2026, will likely bear the burden of the offense on his capable shoulders. Sean Patrick (274 yards) and Marquise Williams bring experience to the backup spots.

Akron's big acquisition in the offseason was experienced gunslinger Reese Poofenbarger. Though he has primarily served as a backup at the FBS level the last two years, Poofenbarger was a two-time FCS All-American at UAlbany in 2022 and 2023, with 6,602 passing yards and 60 passing touchdowns.

The staff hopes his experience in multiple systems and starting reps at the FCS level will bring a level of stability Akron hasn't seen at the position for quite some time.

Israel Polk departs the program after scoring eight of the team's 20 touchdowns in 2025, but the Zips do retain their #1 and #3 leading receivers from 2025 in Marcell Williams (45 receptions, 641 yards, two touchdowns) and Kyan Mason (33 rec., 481 yards, five TDs.) Both Williams and Mason really grew into their roles towards the end of last season; the possibility of growth with another year in the system is appealing. Starting tight end Conner Cravaack (18 rec., 147 yards, two scors) and passing-down back Sean Patrick (11 rec., 136 yards) could also have an impact.

Both sides of the offensive attack will have to depend on the offensive line, of course, and Akron's unit looks to be stronger in 2026.

The unit largely malfunctioned under pressure in 2025, finishing towards the bottom of the NCAA in tackles-for-loss and sacks allowed, but they also improved their rushing game totals from 2024– something that shouldn't be lost on anyone considering just how inefficient the run game was even three years ago– and kept pace in the passing game.

The 2026 unit loses a ton of depth, but does return starting experience to the line, including OG Amarie Archer (six starts), OT Allen Jones (seven starts, 11 games) and OC Colin Lyons (12 starts). Akron brought in eight transfer linemen in the offseason, including former South Dakota starter Brandon Smith; it might take some time to shake out who will wind up on the left side of the line.

Defense

• Key arrivals: DE Omari Abor (SMU), NT Vaughn Highland (Arkansas Pine Bluff), LBs Donelius Johnson (Kennesaw State) and Jude Buchanan (Western University [Canada]), Eddie Smith (JUCO), Dwight Nunoo (FIU), Jeremiah Jones (JUCO), DB Caiden Newsome (Holy Cross), DB Zach Hobson (Old Dominion)
• Key departures: EDGE Julian Laventure (graduation), DL Bruno Dall (UCF), LBs Shammond Cooper (graduation), Gage Summers (graduation) and Melvin Spriggs (Southern Miss); SAFs DiMarco Johnson (graduation) and Malcolm DeWalt IV (NFL), DBs Justin Anderson (graduation) and Elijah Reed (Utah)
• Key incumbents: DT Ronald Hull, EDGE Cyrus Durham, DBs Aamii Branch, Alex Branch, Catrell White and Mehki Flowers,

Another year, another grand shuffle in the defense.

Akron loses their top eight tacklers due to either graduation or transfer, which leaves a lot of difficult questions down the two-deep.

What they do bring back is an experienced interior on the defensive line, with Ronald Hull (20 tackles, 2.5 sacks in 12 starts) and Jon'Trell Mixon (11 tackles, sack, 1.5 TFLs in 12 appearances) expected to occupy the middle. Arkansas Pine Bluff transfer Vaugh Highland could also be a factor in the rotation; the six-foot-one, 315 lb. tackle picked up 38 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 12 sacks for the Golden Lions in 2025.

The Zips also being back a lot of experience with returning players in the defensive backfield, with Aamii Branch (three starts), Alex Branch (six starts) and Mehki Flowers (four starts) and Rodrick Hunter (four starts) all expected to contribute. Flowers, the former Penn State transfer, is the team's leading returning tackler (43) and has availed himself well so far with the Zips. A number of transfers also join the fray, including Zach Hobson (29 tackles, five PBUs at West Virginia State in '24) and Caiden Newsome (37 tackles, seven PBUs with Holy Cross in '24 and '25) on the corners.

DBs should once again be the deepest, most athletic part of the Akron defense in 2025.

In terms of question marks, Cyrus Durham returns after a campaign which saw him pick up 31 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, nine QB hits and three sacks to anchor the rush end spot. But his running mate on the opposite side is still to be determined, with a number of on-roster options and a transfer in six-foot-four, 275 lb. Omari Abor (four tackles in three seasons) expected to compete at the spot.

Linebacker is a clean slate, with transfers Donelius Johnson (89 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks in '24), Jeremiah Jones (111 tackles last two years in JUCO) and Jude Buchanan (125 tackles, 3,5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, six pass break-ups in three seasons of Canadian U-Sports ball) all expected to compete for roles. One could expect to see some nicklebacks filling in at linebacker in certain packages, something Alex Branch did well both in Akron and with Kent State in '24.

Special Teams

• Key arrivals: LSs Frank Miner (Oregon State) and Stone Dean (West Texas A&M)
• Key departures: PK Owen Wiley (Southeastern Louisiana)
• Key incumbents: PK Matthew Schramm, P/H Joseph Castle, RETs Brandon Hills and Sean Patrick

This unit returns unscathed from last year, which is a feather in the cap as far as experience goes.

Matthew Schramm took over mid-season from Owen Wiley (4-of-10 on field goals) and brought stability to the placekicking position, finishing 12-of-13 on his field goal attempts and 16-of-17 on extra points. It wasn't enough to dig Akron out of their hole last season, but was encouraging for a team which has struggled for certainty at the position in recent years.

Joseph Castle started all 12 games last season and had 11 boots go over 50 yards and 15 land inside the 20-yard line out of 47, averaging 42.9 punting yards along the way. He gets some competition in the form of West Virginia transfer Aiden Stire, a redshirt freshman, but should still be the starter for the foreseeable future.

Brandon Hills was the primary kick returner last year and returns as the favorite to do so again after accumulating 663 yards last season. Sean Patrick also returns after being the primary punt returner in 2025; he wasn't asked to do very much, likely by design.

There will be a battle for long snapper, with two transfers duking it out for the honors.

Outlook

The fact the Zips won five games and were one result short of a potential .500 season for the first time since 2015 last season is made all the more impressive by the fact the team was missing one practice per week due to sanctions.

Combine that with the lowest NIL and coaching budget in the MAC by a decent margin, and one can really sympathize with the position Moorhead and his staff are in during a tumultuous time in college sports.

That said, a lot of the players who made that possible are now gone, especially on defense, and the team will have to learn how to win all over again.

The offense largely being intact outside of quarterback is a nice boon, and should allow the Zips to show some muster as the team gets their legs under them defensively.

September, as usual, will be rough, with two Power Four games and a match against Mountain West favorite UNLV. However, they avoid Western Michigan in the league slate; if they can find wins in October, November really opens up for them to potentially get three wins in four games in the right circumstances.

The team's absolute ceiling isn't very high, with maybe 5-6 wins being the max this team will muster. But hey, six wins and a bowl would be their most successful season in a decade-plus... that's progress!

If they can equal or improve last year's record, that should be more than enough for Moorhead to secure his position and give the fanbase something to hope for in the future.

Schedule

All dates and times are current as of publication. An asterisk (*) denotes a conference game.