Akron vs. Ohio State Game Guide: Depth Charts, Matchups and Injury Reports

It isn’t the most high-profile game on this Saturday, but Ohio State’s game against Akron could be one of the most telling.

News of the suspension of three more players broke yesterday and the Buckeyes will be even further behind in terms of who can play.

Akron had one of the worst offenses in college football last season and a just slightly better defense.

The game should go in Ohio State’s favor but here’s a breakdown of the game including depth charts, matchups and injury/suspension reports.

Ohio State Defensive Depth Chart

DE (Leo)

43 NATHAN WILLIAMS: 6-3, 255, SR.

50 J.T. Moore: 6-1 252, RFr.

LT

54 JOHN SIMON: 6-2, 270, JR.

93 Adam Bellamy: 6-4, 302, RSo.

Nose

53 GARRETT GOEBEL: 6-3, 290, RJR.

68 Evan Blankenship: 6-3, 288, Sr.

RT

52 JOHNATHAN HANKINS: 6-3, 335, SO.

63 Michael Bennett: 6-3, 280, Fr.

WLB

42 ANDREW SWEAT: 6-2, 238, SR.

10 Ryan Shazier: 6-2. 212, Fr.

MLB

32 STORM KLEIN: 6-2, 230, SO.

41 Tony Jackson: 5-10, 225, Sr.

SLB

6 ETIENNE SABINO: 6-3, 242, RJR.

37 Chris Maxwell: 6-2, 220, RSr.

LCB

7 TRAVIS HOWARD 6-1, 190, RJR.

5 Dominic Clarke  5-10, 191, So.

LS

19 ORHIAN JOHNSON 6-2, 205, RJR.

2 Christian Bryant 5-9, 190, So.

RS

4 C.J. BARNETT  6-0, 190, RSO.

3 Corey Brown  6-1, 189, RSo.

RCB

25 BRADLEY ROBY 5-11, 185, RFR.

12 Doran Grant 5-11, 180, Fr.

Star

26 TYLER MOELLER  6-0, 210, RSR.

2 Christian Bryant  5-9, 190, So

Ohio State Offensive Depth Chart

QB 

 14 JOE BAUSERMAN OR: 6-1, 230, RSR.

5 BRAXTON MILLER: 6-3, 210, FR.

FB

 44 ZACH BOREN: 6-0, 252, JR.

49 Adam Homan: 6-2, 248, Jr.

TB 

 7 JORDAN HALL: 5-9, 195, JR.

34 Carlos Hyde OR: 6-0, 238, So.

24 Rod Smith: 6-3, 230, RFr.

TE 

 11 JAKE STONEBURNER: 6-5, 245, RJR.

88 Reid Fragel: 6-8, 280, Jr.

WR (X) 

 9 VERLON REED: 6-0, 195, RFR.

16 Evan Spencer: 6-1, 190, Fr.

WR (Z)

 10 COREY “PHILLY” BROWN: 5-11, 182, SO.

80 Chris Fields: 6-0, 180, RSo.

LT 

 78 ANDREW NORWELL: 6-5, 308, SO.

69 Eric Kramer: 6-4, 305, RFr.

LG 

 74 JACK MEWHORT: 6-6, 303, RSO.

72 Chris Carter: 6-6, 350, Fr.

C

 50 MIKE BREWSTER: 6-5, 305, SR.

51 Brian Bobek: 6-2, 280, Fr.

RG 

 79 MARCUS HALL: 6-5, 315, RSO.

64 Ivon Blackman: 6-3, 322, RSo.

RT 

76 J.B. SHUGARTS: 6-7, 300, SR.

73 Antonio Underwood: 6-3, 305, Fr.

Akron Defensive Depth Chart

DE            

58 Nico Caponi: 6-2, 266, So.

90 John Griggs: 6-5, 273, Jr.

DT

60 Dan Marcoux: 6-3, 275, Sr.

-or-         

97 James Harvey: 6-4, 284, Sr.

DT

80 Oren Wilson: 6-3, 295, Sr.

-or-         

97 James Harvey: 6-4, 284, Sr.

DE

96 Hasan Hazime: 6-5, 270, Sr.

-or-         

56 Isaiah Williams: 6-3, 271, Fr.

WILL

32 ShelDon Miller: 6-0, 210, So.

45 Justin March: 6-0, 215, Fr.

MIKE

34 Brian Wagner: 6-0, 235, Jr.

46 Blake Fraley: 5-10, 219, So.

SAM

5 Troy Gilmer: 6-1, 223, Jr.

50 Jamar Williams: 5-11, 215, RFr.

FCB

6 Manley Waller: 5-8, 170, Sr.

37 Seth Cunningham: 6-0, 184, So.

FS

30 L.T. Smith: 6-0, 199, RFr.

26 Devonte Morgan: 5-11, 179, Fr.

SS

33 Josh Richmond: 5-11, 190, Jr.

23 Bre’ Ford: 5-11, 215, Fr.

BCB       

31 Emmanuel Lartey: 5-11, 181, Jr.

4 Anthony Holmes

Akron Offensive Depth Chart

WR

81 Anthony Meriwether: 6-1, 199, Jr.

-or-       

15 Jerrod Dillard: 6-4, 199, So.

LT

76 Jarrod Pughsley: 6-4, 290, So.

64 Mitch Straight: 6-5, 300, Jr.

LG

70 Paul Simkovich 6-3, 293, Sr.

69 Patrick McCloskey 6-4, 300, Sr.

C

65 Adam Bice: 6-4, 287, Jr.

70 Paul Simkovich: 6-3, 293, Sr.

RG         

72 Zac Kasparek: 6-5, 308, Sr.

52 Vinnie Rizzo: 6-3, 285, Jr.

RT

73 Jake Anderson: 6-6, 305, Sr.

76 Jarrod Pughsley: 6-4, 290, So.

TE

84 Rhyne Ladrach 6-5, 247, Jr.

-or-          

18 Will Fleming 6-4, 240, So.

WR

35 Keith Sconiers: 6-1, 185, So.

15 Marquelo Suel: 6-3, 195, Jr.

FB

1 Nick Rossi: 6-0, 231, Fr.

40: Austin Bailey: 5-11, 244, So.

-or-          

36 Cody Grice: 6-0, 256, Fr.

RB

2 Broderick Alexander: 6-1, 221, So.

44 Jawon Chisholm: 6-0, 210, RFr.

QB

8 Clayton Moore: 6-1, 209, So.

7 Patrick Nicely: 6-4, 223, Jr

Ohio State Offense vs. Akron Defense

The Akron defense will be really, really bad. The question is whether or not Ohio State can move the ball without many of its starters.

Center Mike Brewster is far and away the best player on the field but everyone is rather inexperienced. Be sure to watch the quarterback battle continue between Braxton Miller and Joe Bauserman.

I’m sure the announcers will be doing enough of that, though, so watch how well the new offensive linemen perform.

Akron Offense vs. Ohio State Defense

The Akron offense will be really, really bad. The question, again, is whether or not Ohio State can stop them from moving the ball without many returning starters.

Defensive end Nathan Williams is one player to keep an eye on as an emerging star.

The position group to watch is the secondary, where only Orhian Johnson is the lone returning starter.

The Zips’ passing game last year was putrid so it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to shut them down but if they can’t, it could be a long year.

Injury Report

Akron’s Matt Little is the only injured and he is listed as probable.

Linebacker Etienne Sabino is listed as probable for Ohio State.

The rest of the players who won’t be playing are suspended. They are Mike Adams, Daniel Herron, DeVier Posey, Solomon Thomas, Jordan Hall, Corey Brown and Travis Howard.