Talk about your tough crowds, All Akron did was go from 4-8 to 7-5 coming within a few big plays against Kent State and Wisconsin from being 9-3, but that wasn't enough to keep head coach Lee Owens around.
O.K., so Owens had been around for a long time and the program wanted a fresh start. High expectations aren't a bad thing, and Akron wants to be among to players in the MAC title race. In comes J.D. Brookhart from Pittsburgh ready to lead the high-powered offense led by next-big-thing QB Charlie Frye and a team full of decent athletes.
Akron appears to be ready to make a Miami University-like jump up in status. It isn't going to happen this year, but the infrastructure is in place from a good recruiting base to a big enough school to support a good team. Now the wins have to come.
The Schedule: Four road games in the first five and six in the first eight might make for a rocky road to start things off. On the plus side, getting Miami and Marshall at home will be a huge help for MAC East hopes. Getting Northern Illinois on the road will hurt, but the other MAC road games aren't that bad.
Best Offensive Player: Senior QB Charlie Frye. He could be this year's Ben Roethlisberger with the size, arm and mobility to be a next-level star. What he doesn't have is Roethlisberger's receivers, or even his own, with the top five pass catchers of last year gone.
Best Defensive Player: Senior DE Chase Blackburn. Blackburn moved from middle linebacker to outside and made 110 tackles. Now he'll take his quickness and tackling talents to defensive end where he should flourish on the other side of Dwayne LeFall.
Key player to a successful season: With little proven production and no size whatsoever in the receiving corps, 2003's top tackler Domenik Hixon made the move over to receiver lending his athletic 6-2, 190-pound talents to the corps. He and senior Morris Ellington have to play well to keep the offense moving. Charlie Frye will get them the ball, but they have to do something with it.
The season will be a success if ... Akron wins seven games again. Seven wins last year wasn't enough to keep Lee Owens around, but it would be a huge first step for J.D. Brookhart as he needs several new starters and playmakers to shine right away.
Key game: November 5th vs. Marshall. This nationally televised game needs to be the showcase for the program and for Charlie Frye. Akron isn't going to get too many shots on the big stage and has to come through against the loaded Herd.
2003 Fun Stats:
- Akron second quarter scoring: 151 - Akron fourth quarter scoring: 64
- Passing yards per game: Akron 311.3 - Opponents 225.7
- Touchdown passes: Opponents 23 - Akron 22
O.K., so Owens had been around for a long time and the program wanted a fresh start. High expectations aren't a bad thing, and Akron wants to be among to players in the MAC title race. In comes J.D. Brookhart from Pittsburgh ready to lead the high-powered offense led by next-big-thing QB Charlie Frye and a team full of decent athletes.
Akron appears to be ready to make a Miami University-like jump up in status. It isn't going to happen this year, but the infrastructure is in place from a good recruiting base to a big enough school to support a good team. Now the wins have to come.
The Schedule: Four road games in the first five and six in the first eight might make for a rocky road to start things off. On the plus side, getting Miami and Marshall at home will be a huge help for MAC East hopes. Getting Northern Illinois on the road will hurt, but the other MAC road games aren't that bad.
Best Offensive Player: Senior QB Charlie Frye. He could be this year's Ben Roethlisberger with the size, arm and mobility to be a next-level star. What he doesn't have is Roethlisberger's receivers, or even his own, with the top five pass catchers of last year gone.
Best Defensive Player: Senior DE Chase Blackburn. Blackburn moved from middle linebacker to outside and made 110 tackles. Now he'll take his quickness and tackling talents to defensive end where he should flourish on the other side of Dwayne LeFall.
Key player to a successful season: With little proven production and no size whatsoever in the receiving corps, 2003's top tackler Domenik Hixon made the move over to receiver lending his athletic 6-2, 190-pound talents to the corps. He and senior Morris Ellington have to play well to keep the offense moving. Charlie Frye will get them the ball, but they have to do something with it.
The season will be a success if ... Akron wins seven games again. Seven wins last year wasn't enough to keep Lee Owens around, but it would be a huge first step for J.D. Brookhart as he needs several new starters and playmakers to shine right away.
Key game: November 5th vs. Marshall. This nationally televised game needs to be the showcase for the program and for Charlie Frye. Akron isn't going to get too many shots on the big stage and has to come through against the loaded Herd.
2003 Fun Stats:
- Akron second quarter scoring: 151 - Akron fourth quarter scoring: 64
- Passing yards per game: Akron 311.3 - Opponents 225.7
- Touchdown passes: Opponents 23 - Akron 22
