Zips are looking for a boost on offense

Akron returned to the Mid-American Conference championship game for the first time since 2005 after capping one of its most successful seasons in league play despite struggling on both sides of the football.

There’s plenty of talent returning on the defense, making it one of the strongest groups on the team, but there’s room to improve on offense.

The Zips are No. 97 in Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel’s preseason 2018 college football rankings. Murschel ranked all 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 129 to our projected No. 1 team. Akron Terry Bowden

COLLEGE SOFTBALL (31-44, entering year; 171-106-2) 5 2

6 seventh

7-7, 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference; first in East Division

Akron finished atop the MAC East Division for the first time during Terry Bowden’s tenure with the Zips, making their first trip to a conference championship since 2005. The team started out 1-3 in nonconference play before running through a weak division schedule.

QB Thomas Woodson, RB Manny Morgan, OL Stephen Ericksen, OL LaVonne Gauthney, OL Jovann Letuli, WR Fransohn Bickley, WR Tra’Von Chapman, WR A.J. Coney, WR Austin Wolf, DT Ibrahima Camara, DL Darius Copeland, LB Andrew Hauser

OL Trevor Brown, OL Brandon Council, OL Kyle Ritz, WR Kwadarrius Smith, DL Brock Boxen, DL Jamal Davis, DL Brian Reinke, LB Brian Bell, LB Ulysees Gilbert, DB Kyron Brown, DB Darian Dailey, DB Alvin Davis

Chuck Amato retired in February after six seasons as the program’s defensive coordinator. Amato’s successor hasn’t been announced yet, but whoever steps in will work with nine returning starters, including first team all-conference linebacker Ulysees Gilbert (140 tackles) and second team all-conference defensive back Alvin Davis (83 tackles).

The offense returns just six starters in 2018, with half of those coming from the offensive line.

The Zips struggled with a ground game that ranked last in the conference in rushing offense, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry in 2017.

This is one of the most talented groups of returning defensive players Akron has had in years. Meanwhile, the offense has some question marks that could make it hard to post a winning season.