The Akron Zips football program is a college football team that represents the University of Akron (formerly known as Buchtel College). The team has had 27 head coaches since it began playing organized football in 1891. Among those coaches, only Gordon K. Larson, Jim Dennison, J.D. Brookhart, and Terry Bowden have led Akron to postseason appearances. Brookhart is the only coach to win a conference championship with the Zips; he won the Mid-American Conference in 2005. Dennison is the school's all-time leader in games won and seasons coached.
Key
| General | Overall | Conference | Postseason [A 1] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Order of coaches [A 2] | GC | Games coached | CW | Conference wins | PW | Postseason wins |
| DC | Division championships | OW | Overall wins | CL | Conference losses | PL | Postseason losses |
| CC | Conference championships | OL | Overall losses | CT | Conference ties | PT | Postseason ties |
| NC | National championships | OT | Overall ties [A 3] | C% | Conference winning percentage | ||
| † | Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame | O% | Overall winning percentage [A 4] | ||||
Coaches
| No. | Name | Season(s) | GC | OW | OL | OT | O% | CW | CL | CT | C% | PW | PL | PT | DC | CC | NC | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | No coach [A 6] | 1891 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0.250 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| 1 | Frank Cook | 1892 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0.429 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| 2 | John Heisman† [6] | 1893–94 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0.750 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| N/A | No coach | 1895 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0.600 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| 3 | Harry Wilson | 1896 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| X | No team [A 7] | 1897–98 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | Archie Eves | 1899 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.667 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| N/A | No coach | 1900 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0.417 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| X | No team [A 7] | 1901 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | Forest Firestone | 1902 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0.286 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| 6 | Alfred W. Place [A 8] | 1903 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| X | No team [A 7] | 1904–07 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Dwight Bradley | 1908 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0.429 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| 8 | Clarence Weed | 1909 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0.500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| 9 | Frank Haggerty | 1910–14 | 41 | 22 | 16 | 3 | 0.573 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| 10 | Fred Sefton | 1915–23 | 71 | 34 | 33 | 4 | 0.507 | 25 | 27 | 3 | 0.482 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 11 | James W. Coleman | 1924–25 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 12 | George Babcock | 1926 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0.667 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0.625 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 13 | Red Blair | 1927–35 | 78 | 43 | 30 | 5 | 0.583 | 34 | 28 | 4 | 0.545 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 14 | Jim Aiken | 1936–38 | 27 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0.722 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | — |
| 15 | Thomas Dowler | 1939–40 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 0.444 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | — |
| 16 | Otis Douglas | 1941–42 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 0.361 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | — |
| X | No team [A 9] | 1943–45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 17 | Paul Baldacci | 1946–47 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0.412 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | — |
| 18 | William Houghton | 1948–51 | 35 | 7 | 27 | 1 | 0.214 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 0.206 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 19 | Kenneth Cochrane | 1952–53 | 18 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0.472 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.591 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 20 | Joe McMullen | 1954–60 | 61 | 30 | 28 | 3 | 0.516 | 28 | 23 | 2 | 0.547 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 21 | Gordon K. Larson | 1961–72 | 112 | 74 | 33 | 5 | 0.683 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0.765 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 22 | Jim Dennison | 1973–85 | 144 | 80 | 62 | 2 | 0.563 | 30 | 22 | 1 | 0.637 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
AFCA College Division Coach of the Year (1976)
[11] Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year (1982) [12] |
| 23 | Gerry Faust | 1986–94 | 99 | 43 | 53 | 3 | 0.449 | 14 | 18 | 0 | 0.438 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| 24 | Lee Owens | 1995–2003 | 101 | 40 | 61 | 0 | 0.396 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 0.443 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 25 | J. D. Brookhart | 2004–09 | 72 | 30 | 42 | – | 0.417 | 22 | 26 | – | 0.458 | 0 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 0 | MAC Coach of the Year (2004) [13] |
| 26 | Rob Ianello | 2010–11 | 24 | 2 | 22 | – | 0.083 | 1 | 15 | – | 0.063 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 27 | Terry Bowden | 2012–2018 | 87 | 35 | 52 | – | 0.402 | 23 | 33 | – | 0.411 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 28 | Tom Arth | 2019–2021 | 27 | 3 | 24 | – | 0.111 | 2 | 17 | – | 0.105 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Int |
Oscar Rodriguez [A 10] |
2021 | 3 | 0 | 3 | — | .000 | 0 | 3 | — | .000 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 29 | Joe Moorhead | 2022– | 24 | 4 | 20 | – | 0.167 | 2 | 14 | – | 0.125 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Notes
- ^ Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played. [1]
- ^ A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "—" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
- ^ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since. [2]
- ^ When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss. [3]
- ^ Statistics correct as of the end of the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season.
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse lists an additional loss in 1891, a forfeit to Denison due to inclement weather, that is not included in the University of Akron's records. [4] [5]
- ^ a b c The absence of football teams in 1897–98, 1901, and 1904–07 has sometimes been attributed to a general lack of interest in athletics at Butchel following John Heisman's departure as coach and athletic director in 1894. Support for the program was considered to be contingent on the hiring of a head coach for the season. This problem also affected the school's baseball team, which did not participate in 1896, 1898, or 1900. [7]
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse credits an 11-0 victory over Ohio Northern to Place's team that is not recorded in the University of Akron's records. [5] [8]
- ^ The University of Akron suspended the football program from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II. [9] [10]
- ^ Oscar Rodriguez was named interim for the final three games of the 2021 season after Tom Arth was fired on November 4, 2021. [14]
References
General
- Staff (2014). "Akron Coaching Records". Akron History. College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- University of Akron Athletics Communications (2017). "2017 University of Akron Football Media Guide" (PDF). Akron, Ohio: University of Akron. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
Specific
- ^ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011). Bowl/All-Star Game Records (PDF). Indianapolis, Indiana: NCAA. pp. 5–10. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- ^ Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. McLean, Virginia. Archived from the original on November 24, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- ^ Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987). "Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
- ^ Staff (2015). "1891-1894 Yearly Results". Akron Yearly Results. College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
- ^ a b 2017 University of Akron Football Media Guide, Records, p. 158.
- ^ Staff (2016). "Member Biography: John Heisman". College Football Hall of Fame. National Football Foundation. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ Spanton, A. I., ed. (1922). "Chapter XIII: Athletics". Fifty Years of Buchtel (1870 — 1920). Akron, Ohio: Buchtel College Alumni Association. pp. 250–251. ISBN 978-1-171-52113-6. OCLC 944350698.
- ^ Staff (2015). "Rev. Alfred Place Records by Year". All-Time Coaching Records. College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Akron Drops Football". The Newark Advocate. Newark, Ohio. Associated Press. July 28, 1943. p. 8. OCLC 11498850.
- ^ Staff (2018). "About Us–History". The University of Akron Bands. University of Akron. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
- ^ "Majors, Dennison Claim Coach of Year Honors". Idaho State Journal. Pocatello, Idaho. Associated Press. January 14, 1977. p. 7. OCLC 8801227.
- ^ Nold, Bob (November 23, 1982). "Akron U gets its share of respect in the OVC". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 9. OCLC 9666962.
- ^ Staff (2018). "MAC Coach of the Year Winners". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ Sallee, Barrett (November 4, 2021). "Akron fires coach Tom Arth in midst of third season following loss to Ball State". CBS Sports Digital. Retrieved January 16, 2022.