catdaddyp

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.

It took coach JRod a few seasons of recruiting to get the offensive line to a point where there was enough quality depth to compete on a weekly basis. Now the challenge has shifted from building depth to retaining developed talent. This offseason alone, four linemen transferred to power programs — three were high school recruits and one was a JUCO addition. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: coach JRod does as good a job as anyone in the MAC when it comes to identifying under recruited prospects with high upside and then developing them into legitimate contributors. Returning Starters: C. Lyons is the lone holdover from the previous regime and returns as the starting center. He really came on strong toward the end of last season, so having him back is a big plus heading into 2026. A. Jones opened 2025 as the starting right guard before eventually sliding outside and splitting time at right tackle with M. King. Jones also finished the season playing some of his best football and is the likely favorite to lock down the starting right tackle spot this year. A. Archer closed out 2025 as the starting left guard and also logged snaps at right guard throughout the season. His versatility gives the staff options and he’ll likely step back into one of the starting guard spots this fall. Who else returns? A. Fox is a former JUCO All-American who may finally be ready to step in and contribute in a meaningful way. Injuries have seemingly slowed his development since arriving on campus, but the talent is there. For whatever reason, former Alabama signee D. Shor hasn’t panned out yet. One former Alabama insider claimed Shor stepped away from the team in 2022 due to mental health concerns. I can’t speak to the situation, but hopefully he’s able to put everything together and eventually provide a boost along the offensive line. J. Mann is now a redshirt junior and should begin pushing for meaningful snaps. At 6’7”, 310 pounds, he has the physical tools to develop into a solid tackle. J. Gould is another young tackle with plenty of upside, though he’s probably still a year, or two, away from being ready for major snaps. Portal Additions: I. Falkner started at left tackle for DII Missouri Southern State University. He’s built more like a guard, but should have enough athleticism to stick outside at tackle in the MAC. C. Slayden is now on his fourth and final stop after previous stints at JUCO, Troy, and Southern Mississippi. He’s logged snaps at nearly every position along the offensive line throughout his career. Captain mentioned during the spring that Slayden was working at left tackle. B. Smith started at center for Merrimack (FCS) before transferring to South Dakota (FCS) this past season, where he served as a backup across multiple interior OL spots. He should provide depth behind Lyons at center. J. Hoskins comes from a Lackawanna College program set to transition to DII this coming year. He earned 2nd Team JUCO All-American honors while playing left tackle. Hoskins moves exceptionally well for someone listed at 350 pounds. That said, trimming some weight would help maximize his effectiveness at the FBS level. He originally committed to Old Dominion during this signing cycle before ultimately changing course. D. Christman-Gourley is another JUCO addition. Piecing together DCG’s path hasn’t been easy. It appears he went the JUCO route out of high school, though it’s unclear how long he remained with the football program. There are spring highlights floating around, but I haven’t been able to track down any actual JUCO game film. I believe he has four years to play three. Regardless, based on his high school tape and limited JUCO highlights, DCG flashes solid size, length, and agility. He could end up being a strong developmental addition over the next year or two. M. Puckett transferred in from Bethune-Cookman, where he started at right guard the previous two seasons. An injury early last year limited him to just two games. If healthy, he’ll have a legitimate shot to compete for starting reps this year. Puckett was especially strong in pass protection at Bethune-Cookman. J. Stephens played left tackle in a pass-heavy JUCO offense. At times he had issues dealing with quicker edge rushers and probably projects more as a developmental addition right now. N. Hampton is an interior lineman with solid size and a good frame. He played at powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School before signing with Saint Francis. Hampton only appeared in a handful of games there and should still have multiple years of eligibility remaining. The Freshmen: L. Barthelemy - Barthelemy played both ways in high school, and it’s easy to see the upside he brings to the table. However, it’ll take some time to reshape his body before he’s ready to consistently contribute as a tackle at this level. Similar to former high school teammate and Zip Jayvin James, Barthelemy was lightly recruited out of Florida. Coach JRod helped develop James (transferred out after two years in the program) into Mississippi State’s starting left tackle. The tools are there with Barthelemy, but patience will probably be needed early on. E. Rollins - Similar to Barthelemy, Rollins was also lightly recruited coming out of high school. There’s solid upside here, and he may see the field sooner depending on roster need. Rollins appears to be further along physically than Barthelemy, and projects more naturally as an interior lineman. If he continues to develop technically, he could carve out a role quicker than expected. Projected Depth Chart: This is my best projection for who will see the most playing time to begin the season. Coach JRod typically opens the year rotating around 10 guys before tightening things up later in the season. LT Slayden Falkner LG A. Archer N. Hampton C C. Lyons B. Smith RG A. Fox M. Puckett RT A. Jones D. Shor Last Thoughts: The offensive line lost some key players and guys who absolutely would’ve helped in 2026. Unfortunately, that’s probably something Zips fans are going to have to get used to, as functional offensive linemen are in high demand in today’s NIL environment. All things considered, I think the staff has done a good job bringing in talent that should be able to step in and contribute right away while also adding developmental pieces for the future. After diving deeper into the position, I’m honestly not all that concerned about this group. Returning: C. Lyons (Gr.) A. Archer (R. Sr.) A. Fox (R. Sr.) A. Jones (R. Sr.) D. Shor (R. Sr.) J. Mann (R. Jr.) J. Gould (R. Fr.) In: I. Falkner (R. Sr.) = (DII) C. Slayden (R. Sr.) = Southern Miss B. Smith (R. Jr.) = South Dakota (FCS) J. Hoskins (Jr.) = (JUCO) M. Puckett (R. So.) = Bethune-Cookman (FCS) D. Christman-Gourley (So.) = (JUCO) J. Stephens (So.) = JUCO N. Hampton (R. Fr.) = St. Francis (FCS) L. Barthelemy (Fr.) E. Rollins (Fr.) Out: K. Davis = Pittsburgh M. King = Iowa State K. McManus = Auburn D. Morris = Kansas State J. Moore = Graduation J. Motley-Simmons = Graduation D. Johnson = Graduation

The secondary should be the strength of the defense in 2026. Despite losing DeWalt to the NFL and Reed to a power program, there is still plenty of potential and experience returning. Safety: Former Oregon transfer D. David is back for another go-round and will attempt to finally make it through a full season healthy. If he does, he should lock down one of the starting safety spots. Flanking him will likely be former Penn State transfer M. Flowers, who showed flashes last season and should benefit from another year in the system. Backing them up are J. Somerville and R. Hunter, both of whom have enough experience and will likely rotate in regularly. T. Davis may also be ready to push for significant snaps. Overall, this is a group that should be able to build on last year’s performance. Nickleback: Both Branches return at nickel, which is a positive for this defense. AL. Branch started most of the games last season, but by the end of 2025 I actually thought AI. Branch was the better overall player. Both bring experience and versatility to the position, and that continuity should help stabilize the secondary. I also expect Miami (OH) transfer K. Moss to eventually settle into this role, although that may still be a year or two away depending on how quickly he develops and adjusts to the system. Cornerback: White started the first game of 2025 and promptly went down with a season-ending injury just several plays in. Assuming White is healthy, he should lock down one starting CB spot. T. Thomas (former Purdue signee) has been around the program for quite a while now and emerged as the top backup by the end of 2025. He’ll likely slide into the starting role opposite White. Behind them, there are several intriguing options among the defensive back transfers listed below, and that group should create solid competition. Incoming Defensive Backs: Old Dominion transfer Z. Hobson has great height, length, and speed for the position. However, in the game I watched of him at West Virginia State (DII), he struggled in run support, and I have to wonder if that played a role in keeping him off the field at Old Dominion this past season. Hobson only has one year of eligibility remaining, so he’ll need to quickly shore up the weaker parts of his game if he wants to become a regular contributor as a Zip. Mizzou transfer S. McNeil is the definition of a player who hasn’t played up to his potential. He’ll be a redshirt junior with two seasons left to prove why he was once considered a top-100 cornerback recruit coming out of high school. The physical tools are clearly there, it’s just a matter of putting everything together consistently at the college level. Holy Cross transfer C. Newsome has good speed and tracks the ball well in the air. His tackling could still use some improvement, though that will probably come with added mass and time in the program. Newsome is also a willing special teams player, which should help his chances of working his way onto the two-deep during his first season at Akron. Redshirt freshman D. Galloway may end up being one of the bigger pickups in this class. He was an explosive player on both sides of the ball in high school and has really impressive upside. Galloway originally committed to West Virginia and now enters this season as a redshirt freshman. Honestly, this is the type of player I’m still not totally sure how the staff managed to land given the financial restraints of today’s NIL era. Redshirt freshman K. Moss was lightly recruited out of high school before ending up at Miami (OH). He’s another guy that shouldn’t be overlooked because he may quietly develop into a really solid player. Moss actually reminds me quite a bit of former Zips DB Darrian Lewis. The Freshmen: H. Perrymond is an explosive athlete who played both ways in high school. My guess is his size — similar to Patrick and Mason — is what ultimately landed him with the Zips. He’s a cornerback that I expect to see the field sooner rather than later, and honestly, he’ll probably be a tough one for Akron to hang onto for all four years if he develops the way I think he can. Perrymond was listed on the spring roster, which should give him a head start. S. Lewis is another freshman who played both ways in high school. To me, he doesn’t look quite as explosive as Perrymond, though that’s not really a knock on Lewis. He actually reminds me a lot of C. White coming out of high school and appears to have excellent hands. Lewis will need to add some mass before he’s ready to contribute consistently at this level. He did not participate in spring ball. Anyone else? Former JUCO and Cincinnati signee I. Jarmon returns for his final season, and K. Johnson is back as well. Both possess the physical traits to contribute, but neither have done so in an impactful way to this point. What to make of this? There’s probably more overall talent in this year’s secondary than in any previous season under this staff. I’m not saying this is an elite secondary, but on paper, this group has a chance to be one of the better units Akron has fielded in quite some time. Of course, secondary play is still heavily tied to what happens up front. If the pass rush can’t consistently affect the quarterback or gaps are being filled incorrectly by other positions, that can easily skew how this unit’s play is perceived. Still, there’s a good blend of experience, athleticism, and upside here. The staff also finally appears to have accumulated enough legitimate depth to withstand a few injuries without a major drop-off in production. At this point, I doubt any more players will be added to the secondary. Returning: CB - Jarmon (Gr.) CB - T. Thomas (Sr.) CB - White (R. Jr.) CB - K. Johnson (R. So.) S - David (Gr.) S - Flowers (R. Sr.) S - Somerville (R. Jr.) S - Hunter (R. So.) S - T. Davis (So.) NB - AL. Branch (Gr.) NB - AI. Branch (Jr.) In: CB - Hobson (R.Sr.) = Old Dominion CB - McNeil (R. Jr.) = Missouri CB - Newsome (Jr.) = Holy Cross CB - Galloway (R. Fr.) = West Virginia CB - Lewis (Fr.) CB - Perrymond (Fr.) S - Moss (R. Fr.) = Miami (OH) Out: CB - Kamara = North Dakota CB - Reed = Utah CB - DeWalt = Graduation S - Anderson = Graduation S - D. Johnson = Graduation S - Stepney = Graduation

Initial Outlook: This is a unit that lost essentially all of its production to graduation and the portal. Cooper, Summers, Spriggs, and Boswell played just about every meaningful snap in 2025, so now it’s an entirely new cast being asked to fill the shoes of what had been steady linebacker play heading into 2026. Previously, I felt comfortable that linebacker would be in good shape no matter who was playing (due to coach Tibesar). However, that’s no longer where I’m at with the current situation. There are legitimate concerns going into the season due to a lack of FBS experience of every linebacker on the roster. None of the transfers really jump out as all-conference types, and losing Spriggs to the portal feels like a bigger deal at this point. There’s also just the reality that this group may need some time. Multiple players are being asked to adjust to FBS speed at once, and that usually doesn’t come together right away. It wouldn’t be surprising if it takes a few games before things start to settle in and linebacker play improves. Who are the newcomers? I don’t want to make it sound like there is no talent on the roster - because there is. Nunoo is a transfer from FIU who doesn’t seem to stand out in any one area, but should be able to adequately fill in at both linebacker spots. Jones is built more like a true MIKE and can come downhill in a hurry. He covers ground quickly sideline to sideline and shows a nice burst. In the game I watched, though, he had some issues in coverage as balls kept getting dropped in over him. So that’s clearly an area that needs to improve. Smith looks a bit undersized on film, but he moves well and, like Summers, just seems to find his way to the ball. He wasn’t on campus this spring, but with his JUCO degree already in hand, I’d expect him to arrive this summer. These three should take up the bulk of snaps early in the season. What about the returners? I’m still very high on the potential of Hocker, James, and Reeves. The question is when they’ll be ready to consistently contribute. The talent is clearly there, but it’s a matter of when it starts translating on a week-to-week basis at this level. Their time can’t come soon enough. One freshman: Curtis has been added to the mix, and like the three young linebackers just mentioned, also has plenty of upside and should be a good one down the road. Any other linebackers? As mentioned in the DL column, Duncan may now be playing linebacker. I haven’t seen any film of him at the position, nor did I see him in the spring, so I can’t really comment on what he’ll bring to the table just yet. My assumption is either the staff likes him enough and believes he can help us there, or the overall play at linebacker hasn’t quite been where it needs to be and Duncan is getting a look as a result. I’m hoping it’s the former. What’s next? Coach Moorhead said there are still three scholarships available so I wouldn't rule out another linebacker being added if the staff doesn’t feel great about things going into fall camp. Projected Depth Chart: MLB: Jones Hocker WLB: Nunoo Smith Returners: Hocker (R. So.) James (R. Fr.) Reeves (R. Fr.) In: Nunoo (R. Sr.) (Florida International) Jones (Jr.) (JUCO) Smith (Jr.) (JUCO) Curtis (Fr.) Out: Benenge = Albany Boswell = Texas Spriggs = Southern Miss Cooper = Graduation Summers = Graduation

With the Hustle Belt going under and not much news coming out about the football program, I figured I’d fire up the position previews again. I stopped updating them before because it got to be too much balancing a full-time job, writing for Rivals, and trying to keep up with the insane amount of portal movement. I’m going with a slightly different format this time around. Now that I’ve got a bit more free time, I’ve gone back and watched full games of our portal and JUCO additions to get a better feel beyond just their highlight reels. If anyone was at the spring game or has anything else to add, feel free to jump in. New Additions: The new additions will provide depth, and a few of them might end up entering the starting rotation at different points during the season. That said, I’m not seeing any clear all-conference type additions right now. If injuries don’t become a factor, the starting DL feels fairly predictable: Hull at one DT spot and Durham holding down one end. They are the two most likely all-conference candidates along the DL. @Captain Kangaroo mentioned D. Frazier as a starter at DE during his spring visit, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that sticks heading into the season. Based on one of the photos, Frazier looks like he’s added some bulk. He was an explosive player coming out of high school as a linebacker, so this might be the year where the move to DE starts to pay off and he takes that next step. The real question mark is the other defensive tackle spot. At this point, I’d lean toward Mixon holding onto it. I just haven’t seen anything on film from the incoming group that suggests someone is clearly better right now. Potential Starter: I originally expected V. Highland to start alongside Hull, and that still could end up being the case. But the staff may lean towards rotating Hull and Highland to keep both fresh, which could give us very little drop-off at that DT spot. Highland graded out as the highest-rated defender on Arkansas Pine-Bluff last season per PFF, but it’s worth noting his snap count was under 400. For comparison, Laventure logged over 650 snaps and Hull was north of 550, so there’s a difference in workload. Either way, Highland is going to play a lot this year. Whether he’s technically listed as a starter or comes in as part of a rotation, he should see significant snaps. The X-Factors: K. Waye and JD Williams bring the kind of size, length, and athleticism you just can’t teach — Waye at 6’4”, 240 and Williams at 6’6”, 340 really stand out. That said, both look a bit raw and are making the jump from DII, so there’s naturally going to be some projection involved. If I’m not mistaken, they each only have one year of eligibility left, which makes it tougher to bank on major development in a short window. I’d be a lot more intrigued if they had two years in the program with the staff having more time to refine things. It sounds like Waye was backing up D. Frazier during the spring, which at least provides a pretty athletic rotation at that end spot. Williams, on the other hand, wasn’t on campus for spring ball, so he may need a little more time to get up to speed. If one (or both) hit, it could really elevate the ceiling of this defensive front. Depth: JUCO DT Ross-Graves looks a bit smaller on film than what he’s listed at, but he plays with a relentless motor. That alone should give him a chance to push Mixon on the interior. At minimum, he feels like a solid backup option. DE J. Ridley is another JUCO addition with a similar high-effort profile. In the game I watched, he was in more of a 3-4 alignment and spent a lot of time lined up inside the tackles - almost like a DT - and held his gap pretty well against that level of competition. B. Tobias is more of a longer-term addition. He has excellent size at 6’5”, 240 and comes over from Western Kentucky, but I’m not expecting much from him this season. Overall, I’d still be surprised if any of these guys provide more than depth right away, but that was clearly a need after the portal losses and graduation. What about the rest of the returners? Not to be forgotten, D. Frazier’s brother, J. Frazier, should continue backing up Durham at DE, just like we saw at the end of 2025. There’s definitely some potential with the younger group. At defensive tackle, E. Davis (R. So.) and Brown-Demery (R. Fr.) could start working their way into the rotation. At defensive end, redshirt freshmen T. Watkins and V. Kavals may not quite be ready to make an impact yet, although it sounds like Kavals could be growing into more of a tackle role. Duncan is also listed at DE, but it sounds like he may have been moved over to linebacker. Overall, there’s some intriguing upside in this group, even if it doesn’t show up in a major way this season What’s next? The staff may not be finished adding to the defensive line if they feel there’s someone out there who can come in and contribute right away. As it stands, there’s a solid mix of older players and younger developmental guys. This unit certainly wouldn’t be mistaken for the best DL in the MAC, and I don’t think it matches the overall talent level of last year’s group. But there does seem to be enough depth here for the unit to be productive and, at the very least, not a liability for the defense. Projected Depth Chart: DE: D. Frazier Waye DE: Durham J. Frazier DT: Hull Highland DT: Mixon Ross-Graves Returners: DE - Duncan (R. Sr.) (Might be a LB now)* DE - Durham (R. Jr.) DE - D Frazier (R. So.) DE - J. Frazier (R. So.) DE - Kavals (R. Fr.) DE - Watkins (R. Fr.) DT - Mixon (R. Jr.) DT - Hull (Jr.) DT - E. Davis (R. So.) DT - Brown-Demery (R. Fr.) In: DE - Waye (Sr.) (DII) DE - Ridley (Jr.) (JUCO) DE - Tobias (R. So.) (Western Kentucky) DT - Highland (R. Sr.) (Arkansas Pine Bluff) DT - Williams (R. Sr.) (DII) DT - Ross-Graves (Jr.) (JUCO) Out: DE - Dall (All-MAC) = UCF DE - Cheatom = Robert Morris DE - Brown = Graduation DT - Laventure (All-MAC) = Texas Tech DT - Murphy = Western Kentucky DT - Vega = Portland State DT - Madden = Graduation DT - Musika = Portal

He has impressive film, that’s for sure. We might’ve gotten a steal. If Duncan stays at LB, then I think we’re done there. If not, I imagine one more will be added.

I doubt it. He has impressive size and length, but his HS film isn’t anything special. Nor is the fact he hasn’t seen a single snap on defense or special teams during his time at WKU. I hope he proves me wrong, but this feels like more of a depth addition.

Could be another addition due to injuries or desire for more depth. I don’t know. My surprise is that this puts us at 17 scholarship offensive linemen, which is more than we’ve carried in the past.

Wonder if this means another lineman isn’t making it to campus.

I understand most spring games are going by the wayside, but this whole thing has seemed like an absolute **** show. Kent State is doing it right and now this is supposed to be the answer? Just a few years ago they opened up the suites and had free food for everyone. How far things have fallen. I’m incredibly disappointed as I can only get up there twice a year and the spring game is one of those times. This is exactly how not to resonate with your fanbase.

@Captain Kangaroo are you going to make it out to any spring practices?

I think he’s a solid pickup, especially at this stage of the cycle where the portal’s mostly been picked over and almost every program is turning their attention to the JUCO ranks and lower levels without another entry window. My guess is Hull and Highland end up as the starters, with Williams working into the rotation. I doubt we’re done adding at DT either, unless someone already on the roster has eaten their way into the position or there’s a flip from the other side of the ball.

One year of eligibility remaining. Collected 27 total tackles and 4 sacks last year at the DII level.