Beacon Stories -- 2 of them

[Zippy989]

Once I got over being upset that the Urinal has Akron's Soccer article listed under Can't State on the website... I was pleased with two articles on the Zips today..

Here's the link.. hope you can see the Sports page without registering. If not go to www.ohio.com and look at Sports...

Reakin Urinal.. Ohio.com

Articles:

Posted on Thu, Sep. 08, 2005

Freshmen to get test on defense

Visit to Purdue first game action for highly touted recruiting class

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal sports writer

Several members of the heralded freshman class that University of Akron coach J.D. Brookhart recruited will face a huge test Saturday, when the Zips play at No. 15 Purdue, in the season-opener for both teams.

Most of the Zips' first-year players will be on the defensive side of the ball. Brookhart plans to start linebacker Kevin Grant (6-foot-2, 235 pounds), with defensive backs Brion Stokes and Brandon Anderson expected to see action off the bench.

On the defensive front, Brookhart will give linemen Clarence McPherson (6-3, 255), Josh Kiner (6-3, 255) and Eric Lively (6-2, 255) quality minutes during the course of the game.

Offensively, running back Alex Allen, tight end Merce Poindexter and fullback Joe Tuzze will play, and Brookhart said one lineman -- either Zack Anderson (6-6, 275) or Chris Kemme (6-6, 260) -- will play.

Brookhart will have decisions to make regarding the rest of the freshman class. He'll have until Week 5 to decide whether a freshman will play or be redshirted, meaning he won't play the rest of the season unless there's an injury to a player and that freshman is needed to fill in as a backup.

A freshman who is redshirted will maintain his freshman status the following year. But once he has played a down as a freshman, he can't be redshirted.

``Unless they get hurt before that fourth game, if they played just one down and didn't play the rest of the season and were healthy, they used up a year,'' Brookhart said. ``We're still deciding with a couple of guys as to whether we're going to redshirt or play them and a lot is going to depend on the first four weeks of the season and how healthy we are.''

Brookhart said he has confidence in the freshmen and has been impressed with their progress from the start of preseason drills last month.

The Zips' 2005 recruiting class was ranked by several national publications as the best in the Mid-American Conference.

``This is a really good group,'' Brookhart said. ``It's actually better than we thought. There's good speed and the guys are good football players from good (high school) programs. I feel great about our freshman class.''

Now, the reality is that having to play so many freshmen, especially in the opener against a quality opponent like the Boilermakers, means there will be mismatches.

Brookhart understands that it will take time for the young players to develop.

``Playing Purdue will help them out,'' he said. ``They'll see a great college environment, great competition and they'll find out pretty quick they can play at that level. Once that happens, you start to get a little confidence.''

Then again, there's the possibility that a younger player's confidence can be shaken when he faces a Top 25 team in his first collegiate start.

That doesn't worry Brookhart.

``If things don't go well, most athletes are not short on confidence,'' Brookhart said. ``If it's a rough day, most of the guys are going to say they just had an off day. There are going to be tough days for everyone but it's still just football, 11 on 11.''

Zips senior seeking more thrills

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal sports writer

Domenik Hixon can be called somewhat of a thrill seeker.

He'd probably ride Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster, Millenium Force or Magnum XL-200 without the safety bar if he were allowed.

The University of Akron senior wide receiver rides a Suzuki SV1000 -- aka crotch rocket -- across campus.

Riding a motorcycle isn't the only thing that gets Hixon's blood pumping.

For the 6-foot-2, 192-pound senior, standing on the football field awaiting a kickoff or punt, while 10 or 11 opposing players are barreling down with one thing in mind -- to completely pulverize him -- is an indescribable feeling.

That's what Hixon will be facing Saturday, when the Zips open the season at No. 15-ranked Purdue.

As the player who led the Zips in total receiving yards (882), yards per catch (13.4) and touchdowns (six) last season, Hixon has a certain frame of mind when he runs a pass route across the middle of the field. But returning punts and kicks, the mind-set is much different.

Along with speed, quickness and the ability to make yourself elusive, an effective kick returner has to have a little bit of renegade in him.

Last year, Hixon finished first in the Mid-American Conference and sixth in the nation in punt-return average at 17.2 yards. He also was third in the MAC in kickoff returns (24.9).

Hixon set a school record last year for the longest punt return with an 85-yard score against Ball State and returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown against Buffalo.

The secret to his returns?

``You want to get vertical first and make the other team commit and then you can make a move to find an opening,'' Hixon said. ``When I'm watching and studying other players, I try and take some techniques from what I see and I noticed if you get north and south and just gain yards you will do better.''

So as a returner, is it a borderline fear factor?

``I wouldn't call it fear,'' Hixon said. ``It's more of an extra adrenaline rush. You're just patiently waiting and waiting (for the ball) and as soon as you get it in your hands, you have 10 people running down trying to take your head off so you're ready to just take off and go somewhere.''

Linebackers and special teams coach Matt Wallerstedt has coached long enough to know that a player is ``special'' in what he does.

Hixon is that special player.

``Domenik has had success with the kick and punt return units and with the type of energy he has, the guys rally around that,'' Wallerstedt said. ``He had some game-breaking returns last year that swung momentum our way.

``But you're still talking about 11 guys with a one-shot deal.

``There's no second or third down. Everyone is doing their jobs and if one guy breaks down, the whole unit breaks down.

``You have to get it right the first time.''

[Captain Kangaroo]

Once I got over being upset that the Urinal has Akron's Soccer article listed under Can't State on the website... I was pleased with two articles on the Zips today..

DL Morgan writes:

Most of the Zips' first-year players will be on the defensive side of the ball. Brookhart plans to start linebacker Kevin Grant (6-foot-2, 235 pounds), with defensive backs Brion Stokes and Brandon Anderson expected to see action off the bench.

Hey DL...Brion Stokes is an F-ing LINEBACKER! Would the OSU beat writer list AJ Hawk as a defensive back? No. If the guy was that stupid, he'd be fired.

DL: I just hope to God we're competing with Marshall for the MAC East Championship at year's end with Brion Stokes' brilliant cornerback skills leading the way.

Keep up the shoddy work, DL. Attention to detail...like who's in the conference of the team you're covering...or the position played by a team starter...that stuff is overrated...as long as you can cut-n-paste stuff from GoZips.com to supplement it.

[Zipsrifle]

Keep up the shoddy work, DL. Attention to detail...like who's in the conference of the team you're covering...or the position played by a team starter...that stuff is overrated...as long as you can cut-n-paste stuff from GoZips.com to supplement it.

AMEN!

[zff]

Just a little more fuel for the fire.....

Stokes is also a Soph. not a freshman and Keving Grant is a redshirt freshman so he was not included in last years class.

All so Eric Livley is a true freshman but he came in the class with Grant but did not show up until last Jan......

Come DL if you need some help just post a topic and we can help you out!!!!!!

War Zips!!!! F Purdue