Senior leadership abides on the 2024 two-deep, but inexperience lurks just beneath the surface.
The Akron Zips were probably one of 2023’s most unlucky teams, playing in seven one-score games and winning just twice.
The Zips were 31st in the NCAA in overall defense in 2023, allowing just 335 yards per game while also stifling opponents to just 61-of-166 on third-down conversions (good for 42nd)— but also found themselves giving up an astounding 43 touchdowns over 12 games, which placed them in the bottom third of the country.
The numbers get even more confusing when you dig deeper, as the unit finished 22nd in pass defense (187 average yards per game) and 56th in rushing defense (147.8 yards per game) in 2023.
This was, by most all accounts, a great defense. So why did they lose so many games?
The culprit was redzone defense (92.3 percent opponent conversions, 123rd in NCAA) and turnover margin (-9, 121st in NCAA). An otherwise outstanding defense was left to fend for themselves much too often as the offense fell apart at the seams, leaving a lot of opportunities off the table.
This year will see most of an experienced secondary leave— a fact which could potentially exasperate the turnover margin issue— but the vast majority of a punchy defense does return for another campaign, giving the Zips a chance to reverse their fortunes with a few bounces of the football.
Defensive line
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Departures:
- END Antonio Smith (unlisted)
- DL LaJoshua Jackson (unlisted)
- DL Devon Robinson (graduation)
- DL Tyler Carter (unlisted)
- DT Terray Jones (graduation)
Arrivals:
- END Jahvon Frazier (incoming)
- END Dahvon Frazier (incoming)
- DL Ronald Hall (incoming)
- DL Elijah Davis (incoming)
- DL Tristen Graham (incoming)
- DL Dimitri Madden (transfer from UTEP)
- DL Nathan Kapongo (transfer from FCS New Hampshire)
Returnees:
- END Kabbash Richards
- DL Bennett Adler
- DL Lama Lavea
- DL CJ Nunnally IV
- DL Kam Cheatem
- DL Bruno Dall
- DL Marcus Moore Jr.
- DL Kiwuan Murphy
- DL Andre Proffitt
- DL Jon’trell Mixon
- DL Langston Ragland
- DL Zy Brockington
The dynamic Terray Jones, who was a pleasant surprise after his transfer from Murray State, departs from the defensive line after plugging up the middle for 43 tackles, including 6.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks.
It hurts losing a player of that impact at the point of attack, but the Zips do return most all their defensive line production in 2024, which should give the defense a fighting chance assuming they stay healthy.
CJ Nunnally IV is the obvious star of the group, leading the Zips with 15 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks on the season while finishing fourth in total tackles (65.) Nunnally burst onto the scene in 2023 after transferring in from Independence CC, and earned first-team all-MAC honors, establishing himself immediately as a force in the conference.
Joining Nunnally in establishing the trenches will be two fellow seniors in Lama Lavea and Bennett Adler. Lavea projects to fill the Terry Jones role with his six-foot-one, 300 lb. frame, and finished 2023 with 25 tackles and a TFL. Adler, who has inside/outside versatility at six-foot-three, 265 lbs., should pick up more stops with more playing time after accumiulating 26 tackles and five TFLs last season.
After those three, it’s hard to project. The losses of LaJoshua Jackson and Devon Robinson as depth account for 36 tackles, four TFLs and 2.5 sacks of production, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but when taking the experience of the rest of the roster into account, it could cause issues.
Marcus Moore Jr. (eight tackles, 2.5 sacks in seven games) figures to get back into the equation after suffering an injury in 2023, while New Hampshire transfer Nathan Kapongo (six-foot-four, 292 lbs.) offers intriguing size and ability after a 25-tackle performance for the Wildcats in 2023— with six of those tackles against MAC foe Central Michigan in a buy game.
Akron did also bring in twin freshmen brothers Jahvon and Dahvon Frazier in from Lexington, Kentucky to potentially compete for time at the defensive end spot. Both brothers were three-star prospects and could figure into the Zips’ plans early if they show the ability to keep up at this level early.
Linebackers
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Departures:
- Jaharon Griffin (transfer to FCS Alcorn State)
- Camari Harris (transfer portal)
- Corey Thomas Jr. (graduation)
Arrivals:
- Rich Benege (incoming)
- Jason Hocker (incoming)
- Danny Nittoli (incoming)
Returnees:
- Shammond Cooper
- Antavious Fish
- Bryan McCoy
- Melvin Spriggs
- Austin Wondolowski
- Gage Summers
Not a lot changes here either, and that’s a good thing for a Zips team who needed steady leadership in the middle.
The two obvious starters here will be Bryan McCoy and Antavious Fish. McCoy was the best player in the group in 2023, earning third-team all-MAC honors after collecting 95 total tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, a sack, a fumble recovery and a fumble forced— including a defensive touchdown to win the game against FCS Morgan State to open last season.
McCoy led the team in assisted tackles (62), solo tackles (33) and total tackles in 2023, and was a Top-10 player in the conference in tackles-per-game (7.4.)
Joining McCoy in the middle of the 4-2-5 as a starter will be Antavious Fish. Fish accumulated 86 total tackles on the season in 2023, with four TFLs, a sack and four quarterback hurries alongside McCoy.
Shammond Cooper did an admirable job in rotation, finishing the season with 44 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, two sacks and a forced fumble. He should continue to function in that role in 2024.
Melvin Spriggs, Austin Wondolowski and Gage Summers were all redshirted in 2023, and should see their first reserve action this upcoming season, while Rich Benege, Jason Hocker and Danny Nittoli join the roster as true freshmen this season.
Defensive backs
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Departures:
- CB Tyson Durant (graduation)
- DB Nate Thompson (graduation)
- DB David Jester (JUCO transfer to Hutchinson CC)
- DB Judson Tallandier (graduation)
- DB Nate Thompson (graduation)
- DB KJ Martin (graduation)
- DB Zayden Laing-Taylor (unlisted)
- DB Cam Threatt (transfer to D-II Delta State)
- SAF MyJaden Horton (unlisted)
Arrivals:
- CB Paul Lewis III (transfer from FCS Cornell)
- CB Elijah Reed (transfer from Kentucky)
- CB Iesa Jarmon (JUCO recruit from Iowa Western CC)
- CB Justin Anderson (JUCO recruit from Foothills College)
- DB Malcolm DeWalt IV (JUCO recruit from Butte College)
- DB Aman Greenwood (transfer from Syracuse)
- DB Keyveon Johnson (incoming)
- DB Katory Henry-Shaw (incoming)
- SAF Roderick Hunter (incoming)
- SAF Daymon David (transfer from Oregon)
Returnees:
- CB Devontae Golden-Nelson
- CB Darrian Lewis
- CB Joey Hunter
- DB Terrance Thomas
- DB Davion Jennings
- DB Cattrell White
- DB Silas Proby
- SAF Sean Conroy
- SAF DiMarco Johnson
- SAF Darius Owens
- SAF Noel Roach
Four starters from last year’s secondary depart the roster for the 2024 season, which generally isn’t great news when trying to wi more than two games. Tyson Durant, Nate Thompson, Judson Tallandier and KJ Martin combined for 156 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, three interceptions and 19 pass break-ups in 2023, numbers which will be pretty hard to make up for with the lack of proven experience behind them.
Thankfully, they do return two of their starters at the corners, which should help a bit as an anchor. Darrian Lewis, a hometown prospect, finished third on the team in tackles (75) in the team’s hybrid back role, with four tackles-for-loss, three pass break-ups and two QB hits. Devontae Golden-Nelson, meanwhile, had 22 tackles and two interceptions as an outside corner, returning one of those scores for a touchdown vs. FCS Morgan State.
In terms of other rostered experience, former South Carolina transfer Joey Hunter could compete for a corner rotation spot after scoring eight tackles and two pass break-ups in seven contests last season, while safety DiMarco Johnson will also look for more playing time in 2024 after primarily playing special teams in 2023.
The coaching staff was aggressive in the transfer portal, bringing in seven new arrivals in the offseason, with four from other Division I programs and three from the JUCO ranks.
The most notable of the names is former four-star safety Daymon David, who joins the team from Oregon, where head coach Joe Moorhead coached the offense the three years ago.
David, a former Top 250 player, will be a reshirt junior for the Zips when he takes the field and figures to play a role as a hybrid back. At Oregon, David earned playing time from his true freshman season onwards, primarily on special teams. 2023 saw David play just two games and taking a redshirt before transferring, finishing with 13 tackles and a pass break-up.
The other name of intrigue is former Cornell Big Red Paul Lewis III, who arrives in Akron fresh off back-to-back placements on the all-Ivy League team. 2023 saw Lewis III finish with 38 tackles, two TFLs, one sack, one interception and five pass breakups en route to first-team honors.
Former Syracuse DB Aman Greenfield could also contribute right away at safety after picking up 32 tackles and four pass break-ups in 27 appearances (seven starts) for the Orange over four seasons, while Kentucky’s Elijah Reed looks to prove himself after 13 games as a special teamer. JUCO transfer Malcolm DeWalt IV could find immediate playing time after accumulating 38 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, four interceptions and 12 pass break-ups in the 2023 campaign.