University of Akron President R.J. Nemer is ready to get rid of the dark cloud that has been hanging over the Zips football team this week.
Nemer addressed the “bowl ban” news May 8 in a daily email distributed to faculty and staff.
Nemer acknowledged Akron is not eligible to compete in a college football bowl game at the conclusion of the 2025 season because the team’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) is below the required threshold set by the NCAA.
Nemer said “an action plan is in place to monitor the continuous academic improvement of the football program” and “the administration is committed to implementing a sustained solution.”
The 2023–24 APR report was released May 6, and Akron’s multi-year APR score of 914 is below the NCAA’s minimum of 930 for postseason eligibility.
This news came more than three months before Akron opens the 2025 season Aug. 28 at home against Wyoming.
What is APR in college sports?
The APR measurement calculates how effectively colleges are keeping their athletes on track to remain eligible and graduate. Akron’s football team scored an 885 during the 2021-22 school year, a 905 in 2022-23 and a 920 in 2023-24.
Akron is the first FBS team to be ineligible for a bowl for academic reasons since Idaho in 2014. FCS football teams Mississippi Valley State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff also are ineligible for postseason play in 2025 because of low APR scores. Florida A&M, Missouri State, Murray State and Utah Tech all received practice time reductions for the 2025 season because of low APR rates.
UA was given practice reductions during the 2024 season as an initial punishment and warning for poor APR scores.
The NCAA paused the rule for several years during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, and then reinstated the rule last school year. LSU and New Mexico State reportedly failed to meet the 930 score during the pandemic pause, but were not penalized.
The Zips are not a favorite to play in a bowl game in 2025 with a roster in flux because of the transfer portal. Several of Akron’s starters transferred to other colleges since last season and third-year coach Joe Moorhead is adding a host of transfers from other colleges and incoming freshmen from high schools.
Akron compiled a 4-8 record in 2024 under Moorhead, the Zips’ best record since the 2018 team went 4-8 under former coach Terry Bowden. The Zips were 2-10 in each of Moorhead’s first two seasons and were winless as recently as 2019 under former coach Tom Arth.
What did Akron President R.J. Nemer say in Thursday’s email?
Nemer said he wanted “to address concerns about this, to provide a brief explanation and to assure the community that an action plan is in place to monitor the continuous academic improvement of the football program.”
“As president, I want to ensure the campus that we prioritize the academic performance of our entire student body and likewise champion the learning of all student-athletes,” Nemer continued. “Failing to do so would simply be unacceptable.
“As an extra check, the classroom performance of all UA Athletics teams is assessed by the NCAA to ensure balanced priorities in sport and in academics. Annually, each athletics team receives an Academic Progress Rate (APR) score. For the overwhelming majority of UA sports, our student-athletes meet or far exceed expectations. In fact, during the most recent four-year evaluation period, teams achieved a perfect APR score of 1,000, twenty-five times.
“Unfortunately, during the 2021-2022 academic year, with a coaching change and necessary roster adjustments, UA Football’s APR dipped to an outlier score that irreparably damaged the four-year average for the most recent review period. While the team has dramatically improved its academic performance since AY 2021-2022, the aggregated score has led to the mandatory imposition of the bowl ban.”
Nemer said incoming Akron Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Andrew Goodrich is “aware of this situation and will immediately prioritize the academic performance of UA Football, while continuing to maintain the high standards set by the rest of the teams that have achieved adequate in-class performance.”
“In most cases, our student-athletes excel in both of their roles,” Nemer continued. “Nevertheless, Dr. Goodrich values academics and is committed to guiding the football program toward higher academic achievement. … I thank the UA community for the concern expressed over this situation and assure you that the administration is committed to implementing a sustained solution.”
When did Akron football last play in a bowl game?
Akron last played in a bowl game in 2017 when the Zips lost to Florida Atlantic in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Akron has not had a winning season since Bowden guided the 2015 team to an 8-5 season and a win over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Akron went 5-7 in 2013, 2014 and 2016, 7-7 in 2017 and the aforementioned 4-8 in 2018, Bowden’s final season.
Arth piloted Akron to records of 0-12 in 2019, 1-5 in 2020 and 2-7 in 2021 before interim coach Oscar Rodriguez Jr. finished the season with three more losses before Akron hired Moorhead.
When did Akron have winning football seasons?
Akron’s football team became a Division I-A program in 1987, and compiled winning seasons in 1989, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2015. The Zips won the Mid-American Conference championship in 2005, MAC East Division titles in 2000, 2005 and 2017 and made bowl game appearances in 2005, 2015 and 2017.
The glory days for UA football came under the Zips’ all-time winningest coaches: Jim Dennison (80-62-2 from 1973-1985) and Gordon K. Larson (74-33-5 from 1961-1972).
Gerry Faust went 43-53-3 from 1986-1994 and Lee Owens went 40-61 from 1995-2003.
J.D. Brookhart was 30-42 as Akron’s coach from 2004-2009, Rob Ianello was 2-22 from 2010-2011 and Bowden was 35-52 from 2012-2018.
Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com.
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