Sep 5, 2007, 16:08 GMT
Columbus, OH - The 12th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten are set to host the Akron Zips of the Mid-American Conference in week two action of the 2007 college football season.
Akron got off to a solid start by beating Army in a 22-14 final. After winning the MAC title in 2005, the Zips put forth a disappointing showing in 2006. Now, with plenty of talent back on the defensive side of the ball, the club hopes to return to prominence.
As for Ohio State, everyone remembers last season when the squad was shocked by Florida in the BCS National Championship game. The Buckeyes lost several key contributors from that team, as only nine of 22 offensive and defensive starters are back in place. Still, the club is coming off a 38-6 victory over Youngstown State to open this new campaign and is clearly favored in this second contest.
Ohio State owns a 5-1 lead in the all-time series with Akron, including two straight wins over the Zips.
Last season, Akron averaged fewer than 20 points per game, and the fact that only four starters are back from the offense is certainly reason for concern. In the opener against Army, the Zips managed only three points in the second half after posting 19 points through two quarters of action. In all, Akron compiled 287 yards of total offense, not the figure that the coaches hoped for heading into the game. On a positive note, the Zips did not commit a single turnover in the clash. Without question, the most impressive performer for Akron was Jabari Arthur, a senior receiver who made 11 catches for 125 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown with only 31 seconds remaining on the first-half clock. The quarterback was sophomore Chris Jacquemain, who was seeing his first game action for the program. He completed 14-of-24 passes for 125 yards, and while those numbers aren't great by any means, the fact that he took care of the ball will keep Jacquemain in the good graces of the coaching staff.
Defensively, Akron deserves a great deal of credit for its strong play against Army. With eight defensive starters back in place for the Zips, it is no surprise that the unit played well in the opener. Last season, Akron finished with a low total of 17 sacks. Considering that the unit registered four sacks in the opener, there is reason to believe that applying pressure will be a strength in 2007 rather than a weakness. The run defense was strong against Army, permitting just 58 net yards on 29 attempts. As for the pass defense, it allowed a mere 184 yards on 23 completions. With a pair of interceptions, the Zips were obviously opportunistic on defense. Brion Stokes was all over the field for Akron, as he finished the contest with three of the club's eight TFLs.
Junior quarterback Todd Boeckman made his first start for Ohio State against Youngstown State last Saturday. Clearly, the level of competition will increase tremendously as the season rolls on, but the coaching staff has to be encouraged by what they saw out of the inexperienced signal caller. Don't forget that he is filling the shoes of departed Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, never an easy task. Boeckman completed 17-of-23 passes for 225 yards and a pair of touchdown passes with no interceptions against Youngstown State. The star of the receiving corps was Brian Robiskie, as he made nine catches for 153 yards. The fact that no other player for Ohio State finished with more than three grabs or 37 receiving yards suggests that Robiskie could be in for a huge season. As for the running game, starter Chris Wells was a bit disappointing. A big back with surprising speed, Wells managed only 46 rushing yards on 16 carries, and considering that he did have one 20-yard scamper, it is obvious that Wells was bottled up at the line of scrimmage on most carries. Don't be surprised if the Buckeyes make a clear effort to establish the run early against Akron.
Every year, Ohio State seems to have a strong defensive team. Judging by the results of the opener, this year will be no different. The Buckeyes allowed only 176 total yards to Youngstown State, permitting a mere 85 yards on the ground on 34 rushing attempts. Against the pass, Ohio State allowed only 91 yards on 11 completions, forcing the Penguins to settle for short throws. With no takeaways and a modest total of two sacks, the Buckeyes did not make a wealth of big plays, but the defense was solid from start to finish. The most important stat of all from the contest is that YSU only scored six points and failed to reach the end zone. Three players tied for the Ohio State team lead with seven tackles in the tilt, including standout linebacker James Laurinaitis.
© 2007 The Sports Network
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