Football Adds Eight to 2023 Signing Class | The University of Akron
Football Adds Eight to 2023 Signing Class | The University of Akron
The University of Akron football program, under the leadership of second-year head coach Joe Moorhead, has added eight members on Wednesday, Feb. 1, to complete its 24-member signing class for 2023.
Moorhead and his staff have assembled a decorated and talented 2023 signing class. The 24-member group is one comprised of exciting mix of veteran players, as well as a group of 17 newcomers.
Akron will kick off its 2022 campaign traveling Philadelphia, Pa., to battle Temple on Sept. 2 before welcoming Morgan State to InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field for the Zips' home opener on Sept. 9.
The Akron schedule also includes non-conference road contests at Kentucky (Sept. 16) and Indiana (Sept. 23) before Akron opens Mid-American Conference play.
MAC Eastern Division rivals Buffalo, Kent State and Ohio as well as a cross-divisional foe Northern Illinois will visit InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field this fall, while the Zips will travel to Bowling Green, Miami and MAC Western Division opponents Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. Dates for league games will be released at a later date.
Season tickets are available now by calling or texting the Akron ticket office at 888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting The C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the corner of E. Exchange and S. Union streets) Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Ticket office will be closed from Dec. 23 through Jan. 1 as the campus will be closed for the holiday break.
| SCHOLARSHIP TRANSFERS | HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES | HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES |
| Ben Frank 6-5 | 310 | Offensive Lineman Cuba, N.Y. Cuba-Rushford HS Hobart College | Paul Davis 6-0 | 185 | Wide Receiver Bowman, Ga. Hart County HS | Delvin Morris 6-5 | 285 | Offensive Lineman Caldwell, Texas Caldwell HS |
| Joey Hunter 6-1 | 200 | Defensive Back Atlanta, Ga. Sandy Creek HS South Carolina | David Jester 6-3 | 195 | Safety Homestead, Fla. Homestead HS | |
| Judson Tallandier 6-2 | 190 | Safety Hyattsville, Md. DeMatha Catholic HS Pittsburgh | ||
| Dakota Thomas 6-0 | 160 | Wide Receiver Atlanta, Ga. Shiloh HS Western Kentucky | ||
| Terence Thomas 6-0 | 190 | Safety Boardman, Ohio Boardman HS |
Ben Frank (6-5 | 310 | Offensive Lineman | Cuba, N.Y. | Cuba-Rushford HS | Hobart College)
• Appeared in 23 games at Hobart College on the offensive line
• Garnered All-Liberty League second team accolades as a junior in 2021
• A two-time Liberty League All-Academic selection
• Played in nine games as a senior in 2022
• Started all 11 contests as a junior in 2021 and helped Hobart rank third in the nation in fewest sacks allowed, 10th in fewest tackles for loss allowed and 20th in rushing offense, while offensive line did not allow a sack in seven of 11 games
• Saw action in three games as freshman in 2019 helping offense gain a season-high 504 yards of total offense in the win over Rochester without allowing a sack
• Three-year varsity letter winner at Cuba-Rushford High School where he played offensive and defensive tackle
• A team captain and two-time team defensive most valuable player, he earned all-conference honors, while also being tabbed a Big 30 All-Star
Joey Hunter (6-1 | 200 | Defensive Back | Atlanta, Ga. | Sandy Creek HS | South Carolina)
• Appeared in nine games over three years at South Carolina
• Played in a pair of contests as a sophomore in 2021 seeing time against Tennessee and Vanderbilt
• Saw action in four games as a freshman appearing versus Florida, Auburn, Georgia and Kentucky
• Rated by Rivals as 56th-best player in Georgia and 51st-rated cornerback in the country
• Ranked as the 69th-best player in Georgia, the 49th-best cornerback in the country in the 247Sports Composite
• Helped Sandy Creek High School post a 12-2 record and spot in the state AAAA semifinals in 2019
Judson Tallandier (6-2 | 190 | Safety | Hyattsville, Md. | DeMatha Catholic HS | Pittsburgh)
• Appeared in 42 games at Pittsburgh
• Played in 12 contests as a senior in 2022 en route to registering 15 tackles, including eight solo stops, one sack and a tackle for a loss
• Played in all 14 games as a junior, making one start at safety and totaled 27 tackles and one pass breakup
• Played in all 11 games in 2020, serving on special teams and as a reserve safety totaling eight tackles on the year
• Appeared in four games in special teams' capacities as a redshirt freshman in 2019
• Rated Maryland's No. 13 overall prospect by Rivals, No. 17 by 247Sports and No. 22 by ESPN
• An All-Conference selection, he helped DeMatha Catholic High School to a combined 18-5 record (.783) over his final two varsity seasons
• Compiled 39 tackles, 15 pass breakups and an interception as a senior
• His junior year, DeMatha finished 12-0, capturing the WCAC title and finishing No. 4 in the USA TODAY Super 25 high school rankings
• Selected to play for the Team USA Under 19 National Team, which defeated Canada, 47-7, in International Bowl IX at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium
Dakota Thomas (6-0 | 160 | Wide Receiver | Atlanta, Ga. | Shiloh HS | Western Kentucky)
• Appeared in 13 games over three seasons at Western Kentucky
• Played in seven games as a redshirt freshman tallying nine receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns
• Saw action in a pair of contests as a true freshman in 2020, while starting in the LendingTree Bowl
• Recorded eight receptions for 104 yards, including a season-high five grabs for 78 yards at Charlotte in 2020
• Rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals
• Recorded 34 catches, 475 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior at Shiloh High School
Terence Thomas (6-0 | 190 | Safety | Boardman, Ohio | Boardman HS)
• Member of Purdue's 2022 football signing class
• Consensus three-star athlete at Boardman High School
• Rated as the No. 14 prospect from the state of Ohio according to ESPN
• Saw snaps at wide receiver, quarterback, defensive back and kick returner
• Totaled 1,162 all-purpose yards with 17 touchdowns
HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES
Delvin Morris (6-5 | 285 | Offensive Lineman | Caldwell, Texas | Caldwell HS)
• Two-star recruit by 247Sports at Caldwell High School
• Named a First-team 11-3A selection as a senior
• Also tabbed a D1 all-district defensive honoree
David Jester (6-3 | 195 | Safety | Homestead, Fla. | Homestead HS)
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports at Homestead High School
• Helped lead Homestead High School to a 12-3 record as a senior
• Recorded 47 tackles as a senior, including 35 solo stops, while recording a team-best four interceptions, pulling in five fumble recoveries and garnering 10 pass break-ups
Paul Davis (6-0 | 185 | Wide Receiver | Bowman, Ga. | Hart County HS)
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports at Hart County High School
• A 2022 first-team all-region honoree and preseason all-state selection
• 2021 Georgia Elite Classical All-Star selection
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