Removing the lights for the Game on Friday

[Zipsrifle]

Found this through the Stinkin' Urinal:

Akron football

Zips prepare to battle Marshall

Akron trying for fourth consecutive win in home game broadcast on ESPN2

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal staff writer

In three days, the Akron Zips (4-4 overall, 4-1 in the Mid-American Conference) will play host to the Marshall Thundering Herd (5-3, 5-0) in a game that will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

It's the first time since 1986 that the Zips will have a home game televised nationally.

``The road to the championship goes through Marshall,'' said Akron senior quarterback Charlie Frye. ``They've had some great teams in the past and coach (Bob) Pruett does a great job recruiting. Except for last year with Miami, Marshall has been the team to beat.''

Frye has played in important games for Akron, but this one is extra special.

``This game has the most meaning for me,'' said Frye, the Zips' all-time career passing leader and holder of 50 school records. ``Usually, late in the season, we're trying to fight to get back up to .500. We're at .500 right now and sitting at 4-1 in the MAC so this is a great opportunity. We haven't been in this situation in quite a while.''

The last time the Zips contended for a conference title was in 2001, when they shared the East Division championship with Marshall. Both teams were 5-1 and Frye was a redshirt freshman that year.

After losing its first three games of the season, Akron registered its first win of the season against Can't State (24-19) on the road. The Zips have won four of their past five games.

``I think you can point to the Can't State game and say that it gave us confidence,'' Akron coach J.D. Brookhart said. ``It sent a message to all of us and showed us what we were capable of doing.''

Brookhart, meanwhile, tried to downplay the significance of the Marshall game.

``If we go out, play well and have a chance to pull it off in the end, it makes you take a big step forward, in recruiting, in confidence, in a lot of different areas,'' he said.

``It would be a huge win and most importantly it would put us on top of the standings. We know what's at stake but I don't think you can approach it any different than you have the past few weeks.''

Frye added: ``This is an exciting time. It's a great opportunity for us. We're facing a really good football team, and I expect a big showing Friday night.''

Notebook

• To accommodate ESPN2's broadcast, the university will remove stadium lights inside the Rubber Bowl and Musco Lighting of Iowa will set up temporary lights. The three fixtures on the press-box side of the stadium would hinder camera views, so the lights will be removed via helicopter. The lights will be reinstalled next week. The cost to the university for the work is $75,000.

• Akron had an open date Saturday so Brookhart decided to give his team a few days off. The players practiced at 5:30 a.m. Friday so they could go home for the weekend. ``The guys didn't have to come back until Sunday at 5 p.m., and they needed the rest,'' Brookhart said. ``Some of the guys went home to their old high school football games. If you watched practice (Sunday), you would see that they were a fresh group. The rest for 48 hours helped.''