catdaddyp

I think Zips fans are going to love this LB in a few years. While he has good size, he may not be quite as athletic as some of the other linebackers we’ve recruited, but he’s incredibly physical and has a good nose for the ball. Reminds me of Bubba in that sense.

I think he falls under the “transition” category, meaning he still has this season left to play. If I’m not mistaken, the new 5-for-5 rule applies to incoming players in 2026, while athletes who still have eligibility under the old rules can continue playing under those rules.

He’s a guy I’m excited about. The question is how quickly he’ll come along. Will he be ready to step in and contribute right away, or will it take a season or two? For comparison, I liked DeWalt coming out of JUCO, but it took him a full season to get comfortable and figure things out before everything clicked in year two. We seem to have good depth this year and there’s no denying Galloway’s upside, that’s for sure.

I think Cravaack has the potential to make it. He’s another player I’m not sure we’ll be able to keep if he takes the next step in his development. Hopefully our specialists will have a great year, but we’ve had a lot of inconsistency there.

Thanks, happy to do it. I think the offense could be really good this year. If Poffenbarger plays as well as I think he can, he’ll be a candidate. I’d be surprised if Mason and Williams weren’t selected at WR. There’s a chance both Patrick and Gant will be worthy, but neither make it if snaps are split fairly evenly. In that situation they wouldn’t have the same amount of opportunities as some of the other backs in the conference. Lyons and Jones are probably the best candidates along the OL. I think the collective parts of the defense will make it solid, but I’m not sure if we’ll have that many standouts this year. I like Hull at DT, but for some reason even when we’ve had strong DT play in the past, our players have been passed over. Then at DB, White at CB and David at safety could be candidates it if they can stay healthy.

Kicker: M. Schramm had a solid first season with the Zips, splitting time with former kicker O. Wiley. Schramm went 16-of-17 on extra points and 12-of-13 on field goals, with his only miss coming from beyond 40 yards. Based on last season’s production, he should enter 2026 as the clear favorite to handle field goal and extra point duties. J. Westrich has been added for what I assume is primarily kickoff duties, as that was his main responsibility at the Division II level last season. While he possesses a strong leg, he went 0-for-5 on field goal attempts, which suggests his path to playing time is likely through kickoffs rather than challenging Schramm as the primary placekicker. Punter: J. Castle had his best season to date averaging nearly 43 yards per punt. He also split some snaps with former punter B. Johnson. I believe A. Satire is being brought in primarily as a punter to compete with Castle. He did not play as a freshman at West Virginia this past season. Long Snapper: F. Miner was the backup at long snapper in 2025 and will compete with portal addition S. Dean for the starting role this coming season. Returner: B. Hills is set to reprise his role as the main kickoff returner. His competition will likely come from S. Patrick, T. Thomas, and JUCO addition G. Hilburn. On punt return, it’ll likely be the same competition of players as kickoff return, except Patrick should be the lead man. Looking forward: I believe most specialists are non-scholarship players for Akron, with the exception of whoever earns the starting jobs. So typically only three scholarships are allocated to special teams. With that in mind, I wouldn’t be surprised if one more kicker is brought in before fall camp. Returning: P - Castle (Sr.) LS - Miner (R. Sr.) K - Schramm (R. So.) New: LS - Dean (Jr.) = DII K - Westrich (R. So.) = DII P - Stire (R. Fr.) = West Virginia Out: LS - Dennis (Gr.) P - Johnson (Gr.) K - Samaha = Eastern Michigan K - Wiley = Portal

The Starter: Unless something drastically changes, R. Poffenbarger will be the starter in 2026. Poffenbarger was named an FCS All-American during his time at Albany where he threw for 6,613 yards and 60 touchdowns across two seasons. From there, he went on to become a backup at Miami and North Texas, sitting behind Cam Ward and Drew Mestemaker respectively. Poffenbarger throws a catchable ball and, at least during his Albany days, didn’t turn the ball over much. He’s not necessarily a “dual threat” quarterback, but he has enough mobility to pick up yards on the ground when needed. If Poffenbarger can produce anything close to the numbers he put up at the FCS level, Akron’s offense will have a chance to be the best it’s been in the Moorhead era, especially considering all the weapons surrounding him on the offensive side of the ball. Next in Line: B. Roggow moves into the backup role by default. The redshirt sophomore has been in the system for a few years now and, ideally, will be ready if called upon. Of course, there’s always the chance Broughton or Beals leapfrog him depending on development and overall performance. C. Broughton is an impressive athlete at quarterback. My question is whether he remains at quarterback if, for whatever reason, he’s unable to move up the depth chart. I’m not ruling him out as potentially being an all-conference player, but I am suggesting there’s a possibility it could happen at a different position. It’s still early for those types of decisions to be made, though. S. Beals is a talented freshman with a load of potential. This is the second year in a row Akron has landed a quarterback that had power program offers in high school. Beals isn’t the scrambler Broughton is, but he has enough wiggle and speed to make things happen on the ground when he needs to. He has plenty of arm strength and could make some noise sooner than most would expect. Outlook: This is easily the most talented quarterback room of the Moorhead era. Of course, physical ability is only part of the equation at quarterback. Plenty of players have the arm talent and athleticism but never put it all together because of the mental demands that come with the position. That said, I believe Akron has its starter in Poffenbarger, and I expect him to have a strong season in 2026. Beyond that, there is enough young talent in the room to make me believe at least one of the underclassmen will emerge as a highly successful quarterback over the next few years. New: Poffenbarger (Gr.) = North Texas S. Beals (Fr.) Returning: Roggow (R. So.) Broughton (R. Fr.) Out: Finley (Gr.) Johnson (Gr.)

In what is one of the more unusual developments during the transfer portal era, every scholarship running back has returned for 2026. The Room: J. Gant became the first back to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a season during the Moorhead era. Gant isn’t the biggest or most explosive runner — in fact, his longest carry of the year was only 36 yards — but he is excellent in other areas. He has a subtle shiftiness when hitting the hole that consistently makes defenders miss. Just as importantly, he has an excellent feel for tempo: knowing when to gear down, when to accelerate, and when to simply lower his shoulder to grind out extra yards. There were countless runs in 2025 that looked destined to lose yardage, only for Gant to somehow turn them into positive gains or at least get back to the line of scrimmage. His strong season earned him 2nd Team All-MAC honors. S. Patrick actually opened 2025 as the starter for the first four games before an injury sidelined him for several weeks. When he returned, he never quite looked fully back to form, and combined with Gant’s emergence, his opportunities became more limited. Still, Patrick remains the most explosive running back on the roster and seems primed for a breakout season if he can stay healthy. The combination of Gant’s consistency and Patrick’s big-play ability gives the Zips one of the better backfield duos in the MAC. M. Williams arrived in the 2024 class as a transfer from Minnesota. I still haven’t seen the level of explosiveness one would typically expect from a former Power Four transfer, but he’s proven to be an adequate option when called upon. C. Gee led Colgate in rushing in 2024 with over 400 yards while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He brings a little more size than Akron’s top two backs and could carve out a role in the offense if he can stay healthy. T. Curry is the biggest running back on the roster. He hasn’t produced much during stops at UAB, ULM, or Akron, but he at least provides experienced depth and has the frame to step in if injuries start piling up. Outlook: This is the deepest running back room of the Moorhead era, and it’s unlikely Gant will put up the same volume of yards he did a season ago with the expected emergence of Patrick. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. Akron finally has multiple backs capable of carrying the load and bringing different skill sets to the offense. With the combination of Gant’s consistency, Patrick’s explosiveness, and solid depth behind them, the Zips’ rushing attack should be able to improve upon last year’s numbers. Returning: Curry (R. Sr.) Gant (R. Sr.) Gee (R. Jr.) Williams (R. Jr.) Patrick (R. So.)

Finally someone with some FBS experience. He was a starter in 2024 before missing all of the 2025 season with an injury, so hopefully he’s able to bounce back this year. Johnson was strong against the run and will likely slide into the starting MLB spot with Nunno at OLB. JUCO additions Jones and Smith will probably round out the rotation

The Starters: M. Williams returns after a 2025 season that saw him land 2nd Team All-MAC honors. He had as good of a four-game stretch to close out the year as anyone in the nation — hauling in 30 receptions for 458 yards during that span. Williams was an explosive player coming out of high school and there’s no reason to think his role will be diminished in 2026. K. Mason may be small in stature, but he’s as dynamic as anyone on the roster. Mason split snaps with Walker in the slot last season and should take over the starting role full-time in 2026. Barring injury, it’d be surprising if Mason doesn’t find himself on an All-MAC team this year. The Returners: P. Davis is a former Duke commitment out of high school who also considered Mississippi State. Needless to say, he has not lived up to the billing thus far. Davis is now a redshirt junior, meaning it’s time for him to start pushing for meaningful snaps. B. Hills transferred in from Washington State last offseason and while he did not see much action offensively, Hills locked down the kickoff return role. He came close to breaking a few for touchdowns, but surprisingly never managed to take one to the house. With a full year and offseason in the program, Hills should be in a much better position to carve out a role offensively while continuing to impact special teams. J. Louis signed in the same class as P. Davis and A. Norton. At the time, he was probably the least physically developed of the trio, but he eventually managed to carve out a role as a backup in 2025 — appearing in seven games and even starting the finale against Bowling Green. Louis will likely serve as Mason’s backup in the slot. C. Monteiro transferred in from Pittsburgh last offseason and spent 2025 backing up Polk and M. Williams. He should compete for the receiver spot opposite Williams and Mason this season. Monteiro had six power conference offers coming out of high school and still possesses plenty of upside. He didn’t face what most would consider elite competition in Massachusetts high school football, so in his case, taking a little longer to develop is not unusual. If he can take the next step in 2026, it’ll give the offense another weapon in what is already a deep receiver room. L. Sivon was an underrecruited prospect out of high school that could end up being a steal. Sivon has good size, body control, and can really move. @Captain Kangaroo called Sivon his “Sleeper of the Year,” and that’s probably a safe bet. When players with Sivon’s physical traits begin developing technically, they can become dangerous. This feels like one of those situations where Akron was his only DI offer out of high school, yet there’s little chance he avoids getting poached by a bigger program down the road if things click. Newcomers: M. Burris transfers in from UNC Charlotte where he was a part-time starter. Burris is not going to run by many defensive backs vertically, but he runs solid routes and flashes reliable hands. He was credited with catching all 14 of his receptions without a drop last season. He’s also a willing blocker and was frequently used in Charlotte’s “pick” concepts. Burris will play on the perimeter and is currently listed as the biggest receiver on the roster. Akron also offered him out of high school. T. Myers was the top option on his JUCO squad in 2024 — totaling 888 receiving yards — yet hardly saw the field last season at Old Dominion. Myers is another one that Akron previously offered and he’ll likely be a depth addition for this year. G. Hilburn is another JUCO addition who should immediately add competition at kickoff returner. He may also carve out some offensive snaps as he’s a shifty player with legitimate speed who can be utilized in multiple ways. JUCO receivers haven’t provided much more than depth under this staff, but Hilburn has a chance to develop into more over the next few seasons. One Freshman: I’d like to know the story behind J. Riggins ending up at Akron because Kentucky insiders seemed convinced he was a lock to sign with the Wildcats. At different points in his recruitment, Vanderbilt and Florida were major players as well. Regardless, Riggins is one of the most talented high school receivers this staff has signed during the Moorhead era. Still, I’m going to stop short of placing major expectations on him in 2026 because he’ll likely need time to add mass, learn the offense, and adjust to FBS speed. After that, we’ll see just how high his ceiling is. Outlook: The receiver room may have lost All-MAC wideout I. Polk and former All-MAC receiver A. Adams (who unfortunately looked like a shell of himself after the injuries) but this group appears deeper than before. In my opinion, this is one of the most talented positions on the roster from top to bottom. If quarterback play is at least on par with last season and the unusual rash of early-season drops doesn’t resurface, this offense should once again field one of the MAC’s better passing attacks. Returning: P. Davis (R. Jr.) B. Hills (R. Jr.) J. Louis (R. Jr.) K. Mason (R. So.) C. Monteiro (R. So.) M. Williams (R. So.) L. Sivon (R. Fr.) New: M. Burris (Jr.) = Charlotte T. Myers (Jr.) = Old Dominion G. Hilburn (So.) = JUCO J. Riggins (Fr.) Out: A. Adams = Graduation/Portal T. Grear = Graduation M. Walker = Graduation I. Polk = Oklahoma State (All-MAC)

Returning Starter: Last year, C. Cravaack took advantage of Newell missing time with an injury to lay claim to the starting tight end position. I thought Cravaack was playing substantially better than Newell by the end of 2025 and I imagine that played at least a part in Newell deciding to transfer out. New Faces: W. Hook comes in as a transfer from Michigan State. Although Hook only saw snaps on special teams during his time as a Spartan, he easily has the most upside of all the newcomers. An insider at MSU compared Hook to Josh Whyle, who was selected in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. I don’t know if I’d go that far with the praise, but Hook definitely has the potential to immediately step in and be a productive player for the Zips. E. Alexander is a JUCO signee with some potential. He’s a good athlete with a long frame and uses it well to gain yards after the catch. He may not be a great blocker at this time, but he is a willing blocker and should improve in that area with some added mass and experience. Y. DeReese is the most recent, and probably final, addition to the tight end room. He’s actually listed as the smallest TE on the roster, but looks bigger on film, so there’s some discrepancy there. The way he moves reminds me of former Bowling Green and current Wisconsin tight end Jacob Harris. My guess is DeReese is more of a depth addition at this time, but he has the ability to eventually become a contributor down the line. Conclusion: I thought the tight end room had the potential to be one of the best in the MAC last year between Newell and Cravaack, however that did not come to pass. Cravaack came on strong the more he played, while Newell only saw action in six games and didn’t necessarily play all that well when he was on the field. This season will feature some new faces alongside Cravaack that should have enough ability to help this offense be productive. Returning: Cravaack (R. Jr.) In: DeReese (Jr.) - JUCO Hook (R. So.) = Michigan State Alexander (So.) = JUCO Out: Newell = Toledo Whisner = Sam Houston Witherspoon = Still in portal (Transitioned to WR)

I think he’s too good of an athlete to not be a scholarship addition. Reminds me of Jacob Harris from Bowling Green that scored on us last year and is now at Wisconsin. We were sitting with three tight ends, which is hard to see us going into the season with that few when the offense uses 11 personnel so much. We had four last year until Witherspoon officially slid over to receiver. If I’m not mistaken, there’s one scholarship left to give. Assuming that’s correct, it’ll probably go to DL or LB.

Good catch. He should be. For whatever reason Mann is still listed as a redshirt sophomore on the official roster. Looks like Shor is listed wrong as well. I’ve updated them both here.

All this sounds about right from what I can gather. One SMU insider claimed Abor “lost his explosiveness and was buried on the depth chart,” and also described him as “troubled.” Whether the SMU insider is correct or not, the bigger point still makes sense: we had three scholarships available, so why not take a flyer on a guy who, at one point, was more physically gifted than anyone currently on our defensive line? If it doesn’t work out, the staff can send him on his way. Low risk, high reward.