Thought I’d hop over and give a glimpse into the 2025 Akron squad with just under a month to go before kickoff.
Joe Moorhead took over the Zips in 2022 and is still in the process of turning around a program that was left without much talent following the departure of the previous staff. It’s taken longer than expected, as Akron managed just two wins in each of Moorhead’s first two seasons. But 2024 finally saw a few of those close games go the Zips’ way, with notable wins over Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Those two conference victories, along with wins over Colgate (FCS) and Kent State (arguably the worst team in college football), doubled Akron’s win total from the previous season. If not for three matchups against power conference opponents, the Zips might have picked up another win or two, and the perception of the program heading into 2025 could look a little different.
Most fans and pundits across the college football landscape expect Akron to be bad again—because, why not? They’ve been bad for years, and with all the movement across the sport, it’s harder than ever to make accurate predictions. To be fair, most G5 coverage is either lazy or completely disconnected from what’s actually happening. A lot of people just default to what occurred last year and roll with it.
All that said, here are some names to know and what to expect from the 2025 version of Akron:
QB:
Ben Finley returns for his final year of college football after throwing for 2,604 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. A few media outlets have him pegged as either third or fourth team preseason All-MAC. Behind Finley is Syracuse transfer Michael Johnson, who brings a skillset very similar to Tahj Bullock—who transferred to Colorado State this offseason. As the 2024 season progressed, Bullock was often used as a power runner in short-yardage situations and inside the 10-yard line. Expect Johnson to be used in a similar role this fall.
RB:
The Zips lost all their production at this position in the offseason, but there shouldn’t be much of a drop-off. Especially considering the run game can become an afterthought at times in Moorhead’s RPO-heavy system. Tennessee State transfer Jordan Gant is expected to be the starter, but keep an eye on redshirt freshman Sean Patrick. He’s the kind of back Akron may have a tough time holding onto in today’s portal era once he gets his shot. Patrick was on track to see the field last year as a true freshman before an injury set him back.
WR:
Wide receiver has always been a position of strength under Moorhead, and 2025 should be no different. Since Moorhead’s arrival in 2022, five receivers have earned all-conference honors. Former LSU transfer Alex Adams was 1st Team All-MAC in 2022 but has been derailed by injuries since. He’s poised to make a return this season.
If the spring game is any indication, the most dangerous player on offense might be redshirt freshman Kyan Mason. Mason is dynamic and looked significantly better than any other receiver during the spring.
Former PITT transfer Israel Polk is another name to watch—he made steady progress throughout 2024 and could be ready to take on a bigger role.
TE:
Tight end features former Arizona State transfer Jake Newell and redshirt sophomore Connor Cravaack. Both are reliable options in the passing game and will be utilized on a regular basis. They’re also solid run blockers and give the offense some versatility at the position.
OL:
The offensive line lost two starters to the portal and another to graduation. This group has plenty of length, size, and athleticism, but there are still a lot of question marks. Offensive line was easily one of the weakest positions on the team talent-wise when this staff arrived, and it’s taken several years of overhaul to get it to a respectable place. A combined six transfers and JUCOs were added this offseason to increase the physical maturity level of a mostly green unit.
DL:
Two places a team never wants to head into a season with loads of questions are along the lines of scrimmage—and unfortunately, the Zips fall into that boat. Similar to the offensive line, the defensive line isn’t lacking in athleticism or talent, but they’re missing coveted game experience. A total of seven transfers and JUCOs have been added to this position. Arizona transfer defensive end Cyrus Durham looked the part in the spring game, while several more newcomers arrived post-spring. Expect Akron to rotate plenty of bodies early on until a core unit separates itself.
LB:
Both starting linebackers transferred out during the offseason. That said, there shouldn’t be too much of a drop off here, as defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar has done an excellent job of stockpiling talent over the past few years. Gage Summers is expected to be one of the starters after collecting 19 total tackles against Toledo in the season finale, while former Illinois transfer Shammond Cooper is back after missing most of last season with an injury. Cooper is easily the best blitzing linebacker on the team. Behind them are some young guys who saw action in reserve roles last season and should be ready to push the starters in fall camp.
DB:
At safety, former Oregon transfer Daymon David will start at one spot—assuming he’s healthy. David went down in the second game with a season-ending injury and also sat out the 2025 spring game. Justin Anderson should resume his role starting at the opposite safety spot. The Zips struggled with quality depth at safety last year and made a clear effort to address that this offseason.
Who starts at nickel is still up in the air, although it looked like Malcolm DeWalt and DII transfer Ben Kamara were splitting reps there in the spring. Both are physically impressive, but each still has a learning curve.
At corner, former Kentucky transfer Elijah Reed has been selected as a preseason all-conference candidate by a few media outlets. Opposite him will likely be Iesa Jarmon.
ST:
The Zips will break in new specialists this fall after fielding one of the better kicking and punting units in the conference last season.
Akron’s season will hinge on flipping the script in close games and how quickly things come together along the lines of scrimmage. There’s more depth and talent at the skill positions than ever before, so that’s not the concern. Expectations remain low among a jaded fanbase that’s witnessed more heartbreak—and wild botches—than most programs could imagine. But 2025 feels like a make-or-break year for this staff and athletics department. With the smallest budget in the MAC and no NIL money to speak of, the Zips need to win now and find steady footing in an increasingly expensive and unstable football landscape.
Joe Moorhead took over the Zips in 2022 and is still in the process of turning around a program that was left without much talent following the departure of the previous staff. It’s taken longer than expected, as Akron managed just two wins in each of Moorhead’s first two seasons. But 2024 finally saw a few of those close games go the Zips’ way, with notable wins over Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Those two conference victories, along with wins over Colgate (FCS) and Kent State (arguably the worst team in college football), doubled Akron’s win total from the previous season. If not for three matchups against power conference opponents, the Zips might have picked up another win or two, and the perception of the program heading into 2025 could look a little different.
Most fans and pundits across the college football landscape expect Akron to be bad again—because, why not? They’ve been bad for years, and with all the movement across the sport, it’s harder than ever to make accurate predictions. To be fair, most G5 coverage is either lazy or completely disconnected from what’s actually happening. A lot of people just default to what occurred last year and roll with it.
All that said, here are some names to know and what to expect from the 2025 version of Akron:
QB:
Ben Finley returns for his final year of college football after throwing for 2,604 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. A few media outlets have him pegged as either third or fourth team preseason All-MAC. Behind Finley is Syracuse transfer Michael Johnson, who brings a skillset very similar to Tahj Bullock—who transferred to Colorado State this offseason. As the 2024 season progressed, Bullock was often used as a power runner in short-yardage situations and inside the 10-yard line. Expect Johnson to be used in a similar role this fall.
RB:
The Zips lost all their production at this position in the offseason, but there shouldn’t be much of a drop-off. Especially considering the run game can become an afterthought at times in Moorhead’s RPO-heavy system. Tennessee State transfer Jordan Gant is expected to be the starter, but keep an eye on redshirt freshman Sean Patrick. He’s the kind of back Akron may have a tough time holding onto in today’s portal era once he gets his shot. Patrick was on track to see the field last year as a true freshman before an injury set him back.
WR:
Wide receiver has always been a position of strength under Moorhead, and 2025 should be no different. Since Moorhead’s arrival in 2022, five receivers have earned all-conference honors. Former LSU transfer Alex Adams was 1st Team All-MAC in 2022 but has been derailed by injuries since. He’s poised to make a return this season.
If the spring game is any indication, the most dangerous player on offense might be redshirt freshman Kyan Mason. Mason is dynamic and looked significantly better than any other receiver during the spring.
Former PITT transfer Israel Polk is another name to watch—he made steady progress throughout 2024 and could be ready to take on a bigger role.
TE:
Tight end features former Arizona State transfer Jake Newell and redshirt sophomore Connor Cravaack. Both are reliable options in the passing game and will be utilized on a regular basis. They’re also solid run blockers and give the offense some versatility at the position.
OL:
The offensive line lost two starters to the portal and another to graduation. This group has plenty of length, size, and athleticism, but there are still a lot of question marks. Offensive line was easily one of the weakest positions on the team talent-wise when this staff arrived, and it’s taken several years of overhaul to get it to a respectable place. A combined six transfers and JUCOs were added this offseason to increase the physical maturity level of a mostly green unit.
DL:
Two places a team never wants to head into a season with loads of questions are along the lines of scrimmage—and unfortunately, the Zips fall into that boat. Similar to the offensive line, the defensive line isn’t lacking in athleticism or talent, but they’re missing coveted game experience. A total of seven transfers and JUCOs have been added to this position. Arizona transfer defensive end Cyrus Durham looked the part in the spring game, while several more newcomers arrived post-spring. Expect Akron to rotate plenty of bodies early on until a core unit separates itself.
LB:
Both starting linebackers transferred out during the offseason. That said, there shouldn’t be too much of a drop off here, as defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar has done an excellent job of stockpiling talent over the past few years. Gage Summers is expected to be one of the starters after collecting 19 total tackles against Toledo in the season finale, while former Illinois transfer Shammond Cooper is back after missing most of last season with an injury. Cooper is easily the best blitzing linebacker on the team. Behind them are some young guys who saw action in reserve roles last season and should be ready to push the starters in fall camp.
DB:
At safety, former Oregon transfer Daymon David will start at one spot—assuming he’s healthy. David went down in the second game with a season-ending injury and also sat out the 2025 spring game. Justin Anderson should resume his role starting at the opposite safety spot. The Zips struggled with quality depth at safety last year and made a clear effort to address that this offseason.
Who starts at nickel is still up in the air, although it looked like Malcolm DeWalt and DII transfer Ben Kamara were splitting reps there in the spring. Both are physically impressive, but each still has a learning curve.
At corner, former Kentucky transfer Elijah Reed has been selected as a preseason all-conference candidate by a few media outlets. Opposite him will likely be Iesa Jarmon.
ST:
The Zips will break in new specialists this fall after fielding one of the better kicking and punting units in the conference last season.
Akron’s season will hinge on flipping the script in close games and how quickly things come together along the lines of scrimmage. There’s more depth and talent at the skill positions than ever before, so that’s not the concern. Expectations remain low among a jaded fanbase that’s witnessed more heartbreak—and wild botches—than most programs could imagine. But 2025 feels like a make-or-break year for this staff and athletics department. With the smallest budget in the MAC and no NIL money to speak of, the Zips need to win now and find steady footing in an increasingly expensive and unstable football landscape.
