Right now, the most impressive part of the Akron football program is the Zips' InfoCision Stadium, but the school's goal is to eventually put a perennial winner on the field. Coaches and administrators say it is a realistic goal despite Akron's 17-31 record the past three seasons.
Akron's year-old InfoCision Stadium is an impressive facility. The team that plays its home games there has been less than impressive in recent years but hopes the stadium can help forge a turnaround.AKRON, Ohio — "We have the best football facilities in the Mid-American Conference."
University of Akron Athletic Director Tom Wistrcill says that in the same matter-of-fact tone as he would mention that his Zips play host to Syracuse at 6 p.m. today at sparkling InfoCision Stadium.
The Zips also have a terrific fieldhouse. The campus has exploded in terms of growth and beautiful buildings. There are new dorms, new classrooms and an entirely new look. It has turned this once yawner of an urban commuter college into a true urban university that has helped bring downtown Akron alive. The transformation is remarkable.
The football team is not. The Zips are coming off a 3-9 season (2-6 in the Mid-American Conference) in which there were some minor NCAA violations and the coaching staff was fired. The football team's goal is to be worthy of its stadium.
Watching the team practice in its new stadium under rookie coach Ron Ianello, it's not hard to imagine there coming a time when the Zips consistently win more than they lose, when they duel for a bowl bid each season.
"The campus, the stadium, the fieldhouse -- all of it says commitment," said Ianello, a former Notre Dame assistant. "It's a great place to play for anyone."
Former Athletic Director Mack Rhoades did his part, bringing the Indiana Hoosiers to Akron, drawing 18,340. This year, Syracuse comes to town -- a payback for the Zips playing the past two seasons at the home of the Orange.
It's called a 2-for-1. A non-Bowl Championship Series league school such as Akron plays two road games in exchange for one home game against a name opponent such as Syracuse. New MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher has been pushing his schools to find ways to upgrade their home football schedules.
It's common for MAC schools to play nationally ranked teams on the road -- in 2011, the Zips play at Ohio State and Cincinnati. They opened the 2009 season at Penn State. That's why it's significant that Syracuse is coming to Akron.
New coach Rob Ianello, left, will try to succeed where his precedessors have failed as he tries to turn the Akron Zips into a winning football program."Even with a 2-for-1, it still takes a nice facility to convince a BCS team to come to your place," Wistrcill said. "Even then, it's hard. The big schools want at least seven [games], and some prefer eight, at home. They'll pay you $750,000 to $1 million to come to their place -- but they won't play you at home."
In their first season at InfoCision, the Zips averaged 18,886 in their 30,000-seat facility, second in the MAC. Wistrcill is hoping to average 20,000 this season -- but that seems optimistic. They don't have Kent State at home (20,802 in 2009), and everyone in the Zips' program knows it will take Ianello a few years to build a winner.
In 2005, the Zips were 7-6 overall, won the MAC East and played in the Motor City Bowl -- the Zips' only postseason appearance in their Division I-A era.
But they are 17-31 since -- 11-21 in the MAC.
Ianello might play as many as nine true freshmen this season. Several veteran players transferred or quit the team, which is common after a coaching change. The talent level is thin, no surprise for a team that has had four consecutive losing seasons and added a new coach.
After Thursday's practice, Ianello had the team kick a long field goal -- an imaginary game-winner. Then the players rushed to midfield, a practice celebration. There have not been many victories the past few seasons, and he wanted to reward them for a good practice.
He brought the players together and said: "On Saturday, remember that you can't do everything. But everyone can do something. You know what you are supposed to do, then do it. Don't worry about anything else. Ask yourself what is your job . . . then do it. Dial in on what you need to do, that's all I expect."
Ianello is trying to build team unity. He brought the players together Dec. 10, the day he was hired, and insisted, "You are my guys!"
He has had players at his home. Each assistant has a sign reading: They won't care what you say until they know you care. He is stressing the personal touch, along with accountability.
The rules are basic: "Do what you are supposed to do . . . when you are supposed to do it . . . Be early for everything . . . Communicate."
"If you are late for a class or a team meeting, you get up at 5 in the morning and meet the strength coach," Ianello said. "But if you are late for a job, you get fired. We want our guys to learn that."
So what is the future for the Zips?
"Akron has had a few good seasons here and there, but never really sustained it," Wistrcill said. "We want to change it. We want to compete for the MAC East title each season and be in position for a bowl game. We know that there will be some growing pains, but those are realistic goals given our facilities and what has happened on this campus over the last 10 years."