Another game is right around the corner and this week’s match up brings the Akron Zips to Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday. The Zips have dropped two games in a row, the first to Syracuse and the second to FCS Gardner-Webb. The Wildcats are coming off of two wins against in-state foes and will hope to have momentum on their side heading into the game. How do the teams match up against each other? I’m glad you asked.
QUARTERBACK
Mike Hartline has played extremely well over the first two games, showing an ability to command the offense and distribute the ball to his playmakers. He’s improved his long ball and also showed he isn’t scared to tuck the ball and run either. His play has improved from game one to game two and there’s no reason for it not to get better for game three. On the flip side, Akron starter Patrick Nicely has had a rough year. Through two games, Nicely has thrown for an average of 138 yards a game and a 46% completion percentage to go along with one interception and one touchdown. Hartline gets the nod without a second thought.
Edge: KENTUCKY
RUNNING BACK
Derrick Locke has exploded though the first two games and helped establish Kentucky’s offensive tempo so far this year. He’s proven capable of running the ball, receiving out of the backfield, picking up the blitz, and returning kicks. There’s little doubt he’ll be geared up to rush for over one hundred yards for the third week in a row. The Zips will bring in a two-back tandem featuring Nate Burney and Alex Allen. While both ran for over 100 yards against Gardner Webb, neither could crack 40 yards against a bad Syracuse team. Don’t feel bad though Akron, not a lot of teams would win this one.
Edge: KENTUCKY
WIDE RECEIVER / TIGHT END
Kentucky has Chris Matthews, LaRod King, Jordan Aumiller and Matt Roark. These three all measure in at 6’4 or taller and have managed to make big catches, run after the catch and move the chains. Akron has 6’1 senior Jeremy LaFrance, who’s actually not a bad receiver. But that’s it. No, seriously. LaFrance has out played the rest of Akron’s entire offense as he’s accounted for 53% of their receptions and 59% of the team’s receiving yards. Kentucky wins the battle at receiver hands down. Oh yeah, and Kentucky has Randall Cobb too.
Edge: KENTUCKY
OFFENSIVE LINE
Joker recently commented about how the Akron offensive line is one of the team’s strongest units. Well, that must mean the rest of the team is really that bad. The unit has given up three sacks over the past two weeks, and struggled to establish any type of running game against fellow FBS team Syracuse while playing at home in Akron. The Kentucky offensive line has had their own ups and downs, but have helped keep the opposing defenses off of the QB for the majority of two games and have helped establish a strong running game in both contests as well. Stuart Hines has All-SEC talent at LG, which helps push UK over the top.
Edge: KENTUCKY
DEFENSIVE LINEThe Akron defensive line has actually played relatively well so far this season and has managed to equal the sack count for the Wildcats at four apiece on the year. The Zips are allowing fewer rushing yards per game as well. The Wildcats have caused more plays for negative yardage. I would honestly love to list Akron as the better unit of the two as some sort of motivational ploy, but I can’t. The Zips are overmatched by the size and athleticism of Kentucky’s front four, but the entire unit need to step up and make a statement in this game.
Edge: KENTUCKY
LINEBACKER
The Wildcat offense will have to be aware of Akron middle linebacker Mike Thomas. Patrolling the field, he’s managed to rack up 24 tackles over the first two games to go along with forcing and recovering a rumble against Syracuse. But as hard as I could try, I wouldn’t be able to actually make you believe Thomas is as good as Trevathan, and that’s probably because he isn’t. The Kentucky standout at weak-side linebacker has made play after play and is always around the ball. The supporting casts are skewed to Kentucky, which really isn’t good for Akron considering the lack of impact any other Wildcat linebacker has made.
Edge: KENTUCKY
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Kentucky has held opposing offenses’ passing games in check so far this season and features two hard hitting safeties. Akron’s defensive backfield is actually not bad and is a unit that could surprise Kentucky this Saturday. The Zips’ corners and safeties did a good job holding Gardner-Webb to only 111 yards, but surrendered 229 passing yards to Syracuse. The Wildcats held Louisville to 127 passing yards and then turned around and locked down Western Kentucky, allowing only 97 passing yards. The athleticism of Mychal Bailey and Randall Burden is too much for the Zips.
Edge: KENTUCKY
SPECIAL TEAMS
I really can’t describe how bad the special teams play for Kentucky has been. Missed field goals, poor kickoff coverage, missing field goals? Well, believe it or not, Akron isn’t really much better. Their kicker has missed one field goal and had one blocked, their coverage teams are allowing decent yardage and their kicker has missed a PAT. The Akron punter has actually been pretty impressive, placing 5 kicks inside the 20 yard line. The only reason Kentucky wins this is because Akron has no one that can even compare to the electricity Cobb and Locke bring to the return game.
Edge: KENTUCKY
COACH
Both Akron and Kentucky feature first year head coaches in Akron’s Rob Ianello and Kentucky’s Joker Phillips. This one’s pretty simple. Phillips is 2-0 as a head coach, and Ianello is 0-2 at Akron as a head coach.
Edge: KENTUCKY
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