Paul Peck's Bull Session: Akron
11/20/2015 12:00:00β―AM | Football
Each week, Voice of Bulls Football Paul Peck will preview the upcoming game.
Buffalo (5-5, 3-3) vs. Akron (5-5, 3-3)
The records are even. The goal is the same. The Bulls and the Zips are playing their biggest game of the year. It may not be the MAC Championship, but it's a title game for the two East Division rivals. The winner reaches a big goal and keeps the loser an arm's length away from the same goal. The winner moves into a second place tie in the division. The loser falls back to the middle of the pack. The winner gets bragging rights. The loser licks their wounds. But what's really at stake in this "playoff" is a bowl game. Both are one win away from bowl eligibility. That's a big deal for both programs. The Bulls have only been to two bowls in school history. The Zips haven't been to a postseason game since 2005. The winner could be basking in the Bahamas sun in December. The loser could be trudging off to class bundled up against the cold Lake Erie winter.
Bullseye on: Buffalo Offense
The challenge for the Bulls offense will be facing a Zips defense that ranks 3rd in the MAC. Against the run, the Zips are the conference's best, giving up only 93.7 yards per game. That figure actually ranks 3rd in the country. The Akron defense has allowed only one 100 yard rusher all season. They are the only team in the MAC giving up less than 100 yards per game on the ground. Despite that, the Bulls need to try and run the ball. It's how their offense works best. UB's three lowest rushing performances this season have all been losses. Plus, the big plays lately have come from the running game. Jordan Johnson's had at least a 39 yard run in three of the last four games. Against NIU, Johnson' long run came off a direct snap. The Wildcat has been a big and effective part of the Bulls running game. We'll see if that wrinkle, and extra blocker, can create some holes against the Zips defense.
Johnson has scored six TD in the last four games. He is now ninth in the MAC. Anthone Taylor is eighth in the league. The Bulls offensive line has been effective, even with a lot of moving parts. For most of the comeback against NIU, Robert Blodgett was playing left guard with Tyler O'Henly at right tackle. Other times, Blodgett was at right tackle with Andy Fidler at left guard. With Brandon Manosalvas getting healthier, there could be more maneuvering this week.
Joe Licata, after passing Drew Willy for the career passing yardage record, is 64 yards shy of 9,000 yards. Only 16 other MAC QB's have reached that milestone. Licata's favorite target continues to be Matt Weiser. He leads the team with 53 catches, and leads all NCAA tight ends with 514 yards. Weiser had 8 catches against Northern Illinois , the third time this season he's had eight catches in a game.
While he has just five catches, freshman receiver Brandon Smiley has started the last three games as the Bulls have opened up with four wideouts. Marcus McGill had seven catches against the Huskies. He's caught 33 passes in the last six games. While the Zips are great against the run, they also have two of the MAC's best pass defenders.
LB Jatavis Brown leads the conference with 10.5 sacks. He had two in their last win against Miami, breaking the school season record that had been held by NFL standout Jason Taylor. Brown also leads the conference in tackles for loss with 16. Zips cornerback DeAndre Scott is second in the MAC with six interceptions. It's the third straight week the Bulls receivers have faced one of the top interceptors in the conference. Scott is the player who had a pick-six against Licata for the first score of last year's 55-24 UB win.
Bullseye on: Buffalo Defense
The amazing run of UB defensive scores continued last week with Cameron Lewis' interception return, the Bulls seventh defensive score of the year. He's the seventh different player to reach the end zone. UB leads the nation, although Arkansas State is one behind with six defensive scores.
The Bulls tackle numbers were incredible against the Huskies. Because NIU ran so much, there were lots of chances to wrap up. Nick Gilbo (19), Ryan Williamson (16) and Okezie Alozie (14) all had career highs. Gilbo leds the Bulls with 95 tackles. He's five away from being the first Bulls since Khalil Mack to reach the century mark. With an injury to Brandon Crawford, Randy Anyanwu saw more snaps at defensive end. He responded with his first career sack, and also forced a fumble of NIU QB Ryan Graham. The Zips are a much better running team than the one the Bulls saw last year. That's in part due to the running back Connor Hundley and #2 rusher, QB Thomas Woodson. Hundley is seventh in the MAC with 761 yards, coming off a 110 yard, three TD performance against Miami. Woodson has 430 yards on the ground. But his passing numbers are interesting. He's completing just 52%, with 11 TD & 10 interceptions. But he's #2 in the MAC in yards per completions, averaging 13.6 yards per connection.
Akron is a deep ball throwing team, and sometimes those connect. Receiver Jerome Lane is #4 in the NCAA at 22.9 yards per reception. He's had three touchdowns of 50 yards or more. Lane is in his first year as a receiver, after moving from defense. Yes, he is the son of former NBA first round pick, Pitt Panther, and backboard smasher Jerome "Send it in Jerome!" Lane…Woodson did not start the first two games. Tra'Von Chapman, a transfer from Pitt, got that call but gave way to Woodson, who has started the last seven games. Woodson was actually the #3 QB at the start of the season. The folks in Akron say Woodson's career blossomed when he stopped eating Pop Tarts. Yes, Pop Tarts. He was overweight, and the coaches told him he needed to lose weight in order to play. So he stopped eating his favorite breakfast snack, and it's career that's popped. Last year's starter against UB, Kyle Pohl, is the backup who has yet to start. Backup running back Donnell Alexander is the son of KC Chief Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas.
The Bulls have three receivers with 40 cathes. The Zips have none. Imani Davis leads the team with 39. The Zips start an offensive line that features five seniors. On short yardage and goal line plays, Akron will use starting nose tackle Cody Grice. The 275 pounder has four touchdowns on 12 carries.
Bullseye on: Second Half Adjustments
We saw it against Northern Illinois, but we've seen it all season. The Bulls are a second half team. They outscore their opponents 162-86 in the final 30 minutes. That includes outscoring them 71-27 in the third quarter. Why are the Bulls so good after halftime? Some of it is adjustments, a true sign of good coaching. Some of it is players settling in. Head Coach Lance Leipold, when asked about the second half prowess, praised his coaching staff for being able to make the right kind of changes to get the best out of their units. Some of it is desperation, as we saw in comeback wins against FAU and Kent State. For comparison, Akron is better in the first half and gets outscored 111-78 in the second half. Bottom line, don't lose faith in the Bulls regardless of the halftime score….and don't plan on leaving early.
Please join me, color analyst Jim Kubiak, sideline reporter Scott Wilson, game host Brad Riter and postgame host Bob Gaughan for the broadcast on the Bulls Football Network. Our pregame show starts at 2:30pm. You can hear it in Buffalo on ESPN 1520 (www.espn1520.com), in Rochester on Sports 1280 WHTK (www.foxsports1280.com).
