“COLUMBUS – For two quarters, The University of Akron controlled the game against Ohio State. For two quarters, the defense played with the now No.10 team in the country and for two quarters they hung with the national powerhouse. And a major reason was punter John Stec.”
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COLUMBUS – For two quarters, The University of Akron controlled the game against Ohio State.

For two quarters, the defense played with the now No.10 team in the country and for two quarters they hung with the national powerhouse.

And a major reason was punter John Stec.

Stec single-footedly set the tone for the game and allowed the Zip’s smothering defense to put points on the board when the offense couldn’t.

Stec’s first punt pinned the Bucks inside their own two-yard line.

The next snap, Brion Stokes wrapped up Chris Wells in the endzone for a safety that gave UA a 2-0 lead. Stec’s next punt put the Bucks at their eight-yard line.

They clearly won the field position game in the first half.

Stec is just one component of the Zips’ special teams unit that has come a long way. Last year, the Zips struggled on special teams. Coach J.D. Brookhart took it upon himself to change it.

He personally took over as the special teams coach and it’s paid off.

In the first week of the season against Army, kick returner Bryan Williams returned a kick 70 yards to open the game and that led to a field goal, again setting the tone for the game.

And just like against Army, the Zips defense took care of the rest.

They swarmed. They gang tackled and they went into halftime trailing by just one point. And they held the Buckeyes without a touchdown for the first 38 minutes of the game.

They also made big plays.

Top cover cornerback Reggie Corner picked off Todd Boeckman’s pass at the seven-yard line in the first quarter, which thwarted the Bucks best drive of the game to that point.

After the game, OSU coach Jim Tressel said the Zips pressure they were applying in the first half affected Boekman but other than that, the Zips had little to do with his team’s struggles than the fact they didn’t execute their offense.

That wasn’t the case. The Zips’ hit hard and caused five turnovers.

Defense in any sport is about heart and desire. The Zips have shown they have an abundance of both.

The only reason Tressel’s team was able to break through in the second half is because the Zips offense punted every single series, save for their final possesion, which they turned over via fumble.

The two things that win football games are special teams and defense and the Zips have displayed they have both to some extent.

If the field-goal kickers come around and get a little more consistent they’ll be able to compete in the Mid-American Conference.

And if they can hold the No. 10 team in the country to 20 points in front of 104,341 screaming, scarlet-clad fans, they’ll at least be able to do that against MAC foes.

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