Stadium ready for Akron football

By John Kovach

AKRON — The University of Akron football team, which includes seven Valley players, is looking forward to playing in a new, $61.6 million football stadium this season.

The Zips, who previously played their home games in the Rubber Bowl, open the season Sept. 5 at Penn State and then will christen 30,000-seat InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field, located on campus, on Sept. 12 against Morgan State at 2 p.m.

The following week, Sept. 19, the Zips play host their first Big Ten opponent, Indiana, at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

The Youngstown-area group that will get the opportunity to enjoy the new experience and surroundings is led by assistant coach Reno Ferri of Cardinal Mooney and starting senior running back Alex Allen of Ursuline.

Other area players waiting for the big day are Nate Burney, junior running back from Mooney; Marquinn Davis, sophomore defensive lineman from The Rayen School; Nate Schuler, redshirt freshman linebacker from Springfield; Nathan Cope, sophomore running back from Hardin University and Howland, and Jared Province, redshirt freshman defensive back from Warren JFK.

Construction on the InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field, which is synthetic turf, began in February 2008 and has remained on schedule. The field is part of a state-of-the-art multi-complex facility.

Ferri, a former running back for Mooney and the U.S. Military Academy, is in his fifth season on the Akron staff and his second year as running backs coach while also serving as recruiting coordinator.

He has had five roles in all with the program, the other three being as graduate assistant coach in 2005, director of football operations in 2006 and wide receivers coach in 2007.

As recruiting coordinator, he helped to build the MAC’s top-rated recruiting class in 2005, 2006 and 2007 — producing freshman all-americans in each class (Kevin Grant, David Harvey and Almondo Sewell).

Allen, meanwhile, is healthy again and the starter after being injured in the third game of last season against Ball State and missing the rest of the campaign.

In his three games last year, he rushed for 152 yards in 32 carries for a 4.8-yard average and three TDs.

In 2007 as a junior, he led the team in rushing touchdowns with seven. He rushed for a team second-best 420 yards in 102 attempts for a 4.1-yard average.

His best 2007 game was against Ohio when he scored a career-high three touchdowns and rushed for 96 yards in 14 attempts to be named MAC East player of the week. Prior to that game, the Zips had scored only had five rushing TDs.

He was redshirted as a sophomore in 2006 after suffering a knee injury during preseason practices.

In his freshman year in 2005, he played in all 13 games mostly on the punt return team.

While at Ursuline, Allen rushed for 2,455 yards on 299 carries and 21 touchdowns as a senior in 2004, to be named honorable mention All-Ohio by Ohio High School Magazine. In his junior year in 2003, he ran for 1,100 yards and caught 49 passes for 500 yards.

Meanwhile, Burney and Davis both are expected to be in backup roles this season. Burney may return kicks and/or punts while Davis is a defensive end who did well in spring drills.

Schuler has been battling injuries but is recovering this summer and may be a third-string linebacker.

Province also has been developing this summer and probably will see playing time at defensive back.

Cope is listed behind five others on the depth chart.

The future of the 31,000-seat Rubber Bowl, located about 3 miles southwest of campus, are uncertain.

“[There are] no specific plans for the Rubber Bowl. No high school games are scheduled there this fall, those will be played at InfoCision Stadium,” said Mike Cawood, Akron’s assistant athletics director for media relations.

The Rubber Bowl opened in 1940 and served as the Zips’ home field for 68 years until last season. It is built into a hill next to Akron Fulton International Airport, the Goodyear blimp hangar and the Soap Box Derby course.

In Akron’s final game there last November, the Zips lost a four-overtime game to Buffalo, 43-40.

The university bought the Rubber Bowl from the City of Akron for $1 in 1971. The facility declined into disrepair and the university decided not to renovate it, but instead build a new on-campus complex.

The Rubber Bowl has a storied history. It has hosted 324 Akron football games, 19 Cleveland Browns’ preseason games and an NFL regular season game.

In addition, the facility also has been home to more than 1,500 high school games, including several OHSAA playoff contests, as well as flag football tournaments, soccer matches, concerts and shows.

Prior to the Rubber Bowl, the Zips played at Buchtel Field.

kovach@vindy.com