Football Set to Honor Senior Class Tuesday Versus Akron

Football vs. Akron
Date	Tuesday, Nov. 14 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	'The Factory' inside Rynearson Stadium (30,200) \| Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF) \| Press Conference Video
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	CBS Sports Network
Listen	WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) \| The Varsity Network App \| Eastern Insider Podcast
Twitter	@EMUFB \| @EMUAthletics
Fan Information	Purchase Tickets \| Gameday Guide \| Season Yearbook

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team is set for its final home game of the 2023 season Tuesday, Nov. 14, when the University of Akron comes to town for #MACtion inside Rynearson Stadium. Prior to the game, the Eagles will honor their 18 senior student-athletes and seven members of the support staff in Senior Night festivities on the field.
   Eastern (4-6, 2-4 MAC West) comes into the game looking to snap a three-game skid and rebound off a 49-23 loss at the University of Toledo, Nov. 8, while the Zips (2-8, 1-5 MAC East) will look to bounce back from a 19-0 road loss at Miami University, Nov. 8.
   The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network. As always, fans can hear the game for free on WEMU (89.1 FM) or the Varsity Network app with veteran broadcasters Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick calling the action from the press box.

SENIOR SENDOFF • PLAYERS
Senior Night will see the program honor its 18 seniors, including: Steven Bird, Luke Cameron, Londyn Craft, Brian Dooley, Dimitri Douglas, Hamze El-Zayat, Samson Evans, Adrian Gonzalez, Mikey Haney, Korey Hernandez, Alex Howie, Chase Kline, Tanner Knue, T.J. Peavy, Kempton Shine, Joe Sparacio, Dan Sunderman, and Elijah Williams. Collectively, this group elevated the standard for Eastern Michigan football as it accumulated 28 wins, including two over Power Five programs, and helping secure a Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Championship, a Michigan MAC title, and the MAC West Division Championship in 2022. On an individual level, the Class of 2023 produced the program's all-time touchdown leader (Evans), two of the top tacklers in the nation (Kline and Sparacio), the anchor of one of the top special teams units in the nation (Bird), and the most games played and started in program history (Dooley), just to name a few.

SENIOR SENDOFF • STAFF
Along with the 18 players, seven members of the support staff will be honored for their contributions as well, including six equipment assistants and one operations assistant. Those seniors include equipment assistants Sophia Birlson, Connor Howey, Samantha Kappel, Luke Lass, William Mount III, and Aiden Oldenburg, along with operations assistant Griffin Coffield. Each have put in long hours for the betterment of the program.

MAXX-IMUM IMPACT
Eastern Michigan football/current Las Vegas Raiders standout Maxx Crosby, along with his wife/former EMU soccer student-athlete, Rachel Crosby, have committed $1 million to the EMU Athletics Department, Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced Oct. 30. As recognition of the Crosbys' generosity, the football playing surface inside Rynearson Stadium will be named after him.

MIDWEEK MAGIC
Since taking over at Eastern Michigan and excluding the 2020 COVID season when all games were played mid-week, Chris Creighton's Eagles have played in 17 #MACtion games and sport an 11-6 record in those contests. The loss at Toledo, Nov. 8, snapped a three-game winning streak in such games. EMU can start a new streak while adding another as a win over Akron would mark back-to-back #MACtion wins over the Zips. Eastern captured a 34-28 victory in Akron, Ohio, Nov. 8, 2022, a win that secured bowl eligibility for the Eagles.

IRON MAN
With his start at home against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, Brian Dooley broke school records for both games started and games played with his then-56th and 58th games, respectively. Dooley surpassed the previous marks of 55 starts and 57 games played set by Sidy Sow (2018-22). Following the game at Toledo, Nov. 8, Dooley now has 57 starts from 59 games played.

LEADING THE WAY
Not only does Brian Dooley lead the program for starts in a career, he also leads the nation among active players in 2023. Dooley is currently one start ahead of Bo Nix of Oregon, who has started 56 times in his career.

57   Brian Dooley   Eastern Michigan   OL
56   Bo Nix   Oregon   QB
55   Dell Pettus   Troy   S
55   Sam Hartman   Notre Dame   QB
54   Josh Newton   TCU   CB
54   Jalon Calhoun   Duke   WR
54   Jacob Monk   Duke   OL
54   Mike Novitsky   Kansas   C

SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE
EMU boasts a 4-1 record at home this season, while in contrast, Akron enters the match up having lost its last seven consecutive away games, the fourth-longest active FBS streak. Meanwhile, EMU has averaged 25.0 points per game at home, while Akron concedes an average of 27.5 points per game in away contests. Furthermore, the Zips have allocated 40 of its 165 road points given up via the turnover this season despite allowing nearly 32 yards per game less away from InfoCision Stadium.

SPECIAL DELIVERY
Samson Evans is no stranger to the end zone as he has scored 37 touchdowns on the ground in his career. At Toledo, Nov. 8, he added his 42nd career touchdown accounted for as he hit Elijah Jackson-Anderson on a 28-yard pass play for Jackson-Anderson's first score with the Eagles. With the pass, Evans is now 6-of-6 passing in his career with five touchdowns to his name.

UNCOMMON CONNECTIONS
Samson Evans has scored eight rushing touchdowns this year and added one passing score at Toledo, Nov. 8. He is now the only active running back in the FBS to have run for at least one score and thrown for one in 2023. With five career passing touchdowns, Evans ranks second among active running back in the FBS with Frank Gore Jr. of Southern Miss leading the way with seven.

ACTIVELY SCORING
Samson Evans added a pair of rushing touchdowns against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, to bring his career total to 37. Through games played Nov. 8, Evans ranks tied for second among active players in rushing touchdowns, equaling Bo Nix of Oregon, while Blake Corum of Michigan leads the way with 47. Additionally, Evans' 37 career touchdowns also rank sixth on the total touchdowns scored with Corum in the lead at 49.

DYNAMIC DUO
Chase Kline and Joe Sparacio continue to be one of the best tackling tandems in the nation as the duo rank third and sixth in the national FBS rankings, averaging 12.1 and 11.1, respectively. The top two tacklers in the MAC, the EMU duo makes EMU the only school with two players in the top 8 and one of two in the top 10 with Old Dominion. Additionally, they are the only teammates who have recorded 100+ tackles this season.

BIG IN-KLINE
Chase Kline not only ranks among the top tacklers overall nationally, he also stands among the best in both assisted and solo stops. Through 10 games, Kline has tallied 73 assisted tackles, which rank second in the FBS, while his 49 solos are tied for ninth.

2 FOR 2(00)
Following the Toledo game (Nov. 8), both Chase Kline and Joe Sparacio added their names to the list of EMU players with 200+ tackles in their Eastern careers as the duo have registered 200 and 201, respectively. Overall, the duo are the 89th and 90th EMU players, respectively, to record 200 tackles in a career at Eastern. Additionally, Kline's 13 stops pushed him over the 100 mark for the season as he has accounted for 109 in 2023.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
For the first time since the 2019 campaign, EMU boasts a pair of tacklers that have exceeded the century mark. Joe Sparacio leads the way with 112 while Chase Kline sits just three back with 109. In the modern statistical era (since 1999), the feat has been accomplished just 12 times.

2023   Joe Sparacio (112); Chase Kline (109)
2019   Kobie Beltram (128); Vince Calhoun (108)
2016   Kyle Rachwal (109); Jason Beck (104)
2009   Andre Hatchett (113); Martavius Cardwell (105)
2007   Daniel Holtzclaw (125); Darran Matthews (107)
2006   Daniel Holtzclaw (114); Michael Richardson (108); Darran Matthews (100)
2005   Rontrell Woodruff (110); Michael Richardson (102)
2004   Kevin Harrison (146); Jerry Gains (112)
2003   David Lusky (143); Beyvon Barbee (109)
2001   Kenny Philpot (116); Scott Russell (115)
2000   Kenny Philpot (118); Scott Russell (104)
1999   Donald McCall (154); Scott Russell (115)

PITTANCE OF POINTS
Through 10 games in 2023, the EMU defense has surrendered 250 points (25.0 per game), a total that ranks as the 17th-lowest in the MAC Era (since 1976). In that 48-year span, a Chris Creighton-led team appears on the list three times with the 2017 team's 225 points allowed ranking 12th and the 2018 team's 237 points 13th. Since the NCAA allowed for a 12-game regular season ahead of the 2006 campaign, the 250 points rank fourth-fewest in that span is just the fourth squad to limit its first 10 foes to 250 points or fewer.

DON'T GO FOR IT
So far this year, opposing offenses have gone for it on fourth down 26 times against the Eagles, but have found success just 10 times for a 38.5-percent conversion rate, the 27th-best stop rate in the nation and third in the MAC. One of just seven teams nationally that have faced 25+ fourth-down conversion attempts, EMU ranks third in the FBS with 26 attempts faced, with Florida Atlantic (30) and Western Kentucky (30) having faced more.

STOP RIGHT THERE
The Eastern defense has allowed 394.0 yards per game, which ranks 84th in the FBS and 10th in the MAC. Despite the yardage, opponents have not been able to turn those yards into points as the Eagles rank 63rd nationally in points allowed (22.3) and 36th in red zone defense (78.6 percent), values that rank the team sixth and third, respectively, in the MAC.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY
The Eagles' offense is averaging 258.4 yards of total offense per game. One of eight teams nationally -- and one of four in the MAC -- that is averaging under 300 yards per contest, Eastern is one of four teams in the group with four or more wins, joining Iowa (7), BYU (5), and Northwestern (4). Additionally, of those teams, EMU and Iowa are the only teams that have not recorded 400+ yards of total offense in a single game this season.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Eastern has won or tied (36 wins, 7 ties) the turnover battle in 43 of its last 46 victories under Chris Creighton. The trend held in EMU's latest win, a 28-14 decision over Kent State, Oct. 14, as EMU recovered three fumbles while turning the ball over once. The three fumbles recovered also were the first three fumbles lost on the year for Kent State, who had led the nation entering the game.

WHO'S BALL?
A question Chris Creighton and his staff regularly ask the team is simply, "Who's Ball?" A call to the players and the team's desire to win the turnover battle, the Eagles currently rank 60th nationally in turnover margin and sixth in the MAC at 0.10, having taken the ball away 15 times while giving it away 14 times. Eastern is 34th in the FBS and fourth in the MAC with those 15 turnovers gained, eight of which are fumbles recovered.

TEAM EFFORT
EMU has recovered eight fumbles, which ranks second in the MAC and 10th nationally. Eastern has seen seven different players record at least one fumble, which rank as the third-most in the MAC. Bowling Green leads the way with nine different players having recovered at least one fumble followed by Western Michigan with eight.

FUMBLE!
While Justin Jefferson continues to lead the way with two fumble recoveries in 2023, which is tied for eighth nationally, six other Eagles have gotten in on the act with Chase Kline adding his name to the ledger with a recovery at Toledo, Nov. 8. Along with recoveries by David Carter Jr., Adrian Gonzalez, Peyton Price, Daiquan White, and Elijah Williams, the EMU defense's eight recoveries ranks 10th nationally and second in the MAC behind 11 recoveries by Bowling Green.

BREAKOUT SEASON
While ranking tied for eighth in the nation with two fumble recoveries in the 2023 campaign, Eagles' linebacker Justin Jefferson has added another layer to his game. The senior notched the second pass break up of his season and career against Northern Illinois, Oct. 21. Prior to this season, Jefferson had not recorded a PBU, forced fumble, or recovered fumble. Following the game with Western Michigan, Oct. 28, he added his first full sack recorded after being credited with 0.5 sacks at CMU, Sept. 30.

AIR DEFENSE
Eastern Michigan ranks 38th nationally and seventh in the MAC for passing yards allowed as the Eagles are limiting teams to 204.8 yards per game through the air. A big help to those numbers are the number of pass breakups (PBUs) the defense has recorded. Against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, EMU tallied eighth PBUs, tying for the most it has posted in one game this year with the eight breakups recorded against both Massachusetts (Sept. 16) and Kent State (Oct. 14). Six different players recorded PBUs against the Broncos, including three by Daiquan White, with 16 total players having recorded at least one this season.

SHINING STAR
Kempton Shine continues his march towards becoming the EMU all-time leader for passes defended in a career. He added one more against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, and sits just behind Daiquan White's 11 to lead the team lead. With 27 career breakups, Shine is one shy of tying DaQuan Pace (2013-16) for the most in program history. Shine, who is averaging 1.0 PBU per game in 2023, has recorded six in the past four games.

JACKSON OF ALL TRADES
EMU all-purpose back Jaylon Jackson has proved himself versatile on the gridiron week-in and week-out for the Eagles as he has reached 100+ all-purpose yards in 11-of-22 (50.0%) games played donning the Block E, including the 105 yards he accumulated at Toledo, Nov. 8. Against the Rockets, he rushed for 74 yard and added 31 yards on kick returns. Prior to arriving in Ypsilanti, Jackson notched just one contest where he reached 100+ all-purpose yards in his time with Lamar. This occurrence coincidentally came against Jacksonville State, who Eastern played this year on the road, where Jackson totaled 127 yards in the tilt against the Gamecocks, Nov. 13, 2021.

TARGETING TANNER
Tanner Knue led the team with three receptions at Toledo, Nov. 8, for 22 yards to help run his streak to 34 games in a row with at least one reception. Knue is one of 15 current active players nationally with a streak of at least 30 games in a row with at least one catch and tied for the ninth-longest active streak.

RISING IN THE RANKINGS
With 40 receptions and 393 yards in 2023, Tanner Knue has brought his career totals to 144 grabs and 1,780 yards. His 144 catches ranks as the sixth-most in program history and is 36 grabs away from tying former Eagle Jacory Stone (2006-09). On the yardage side of things, he currently ranks eighth all-time at 1,780 yards and is 220 yards shy of becoming the sixth EMU player to reach 2,000 career receiving yards.

KNUE SCORING IN THE AIR
Midway through the third quarter versus Kent State, Oct. 14, and with the Eagles leading, 14-0, Eastern drove down the field, covering 62 yards on 10 plays, culminating in Austin Smith hitting Tanner Knue in the back corner of the end zone for the touchdown. The score was Knue's third of the season and brought his career total to 17, which granted him the third most in program history. Knue needs three more scoring grabs to join Kevin Walter (1999-02) for second on the ledger behind Eric Deslauriers (2003-06), who leads the way with 27.

TOMASEK TAKING OFF
Mitchell Tomasek continues to help the Eagles flip the field as the punter has boomed a pair of 70+ yard kicks in 2023 while averaging 45.4 yards per kick, the 15th-best average nationally and the best in the MAC. Through the Toledo game, Nov. 8, Tomasek remains the only punter in the FBS to record multiple punts of 70-yards or more, including his 72-yarder at Jacksonville State, Sept. 23, and 70-yarder against Ball State, Oct. 7, kicks that rank tied for 7th and tied for 14th, respectively, by distance nationally in 2023. A two-time MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week this year, Tomasek's 45.4 average is a mark that would rank second for a single season behind Jake Julien's 45.9 average in 2021. Tomasek currently has amassed 4,2522 total yards on 101 career punts for an average of 44.6 per boot and is currently ranked 12th all-time for career punting yardage in program history. Tomasek became the 15th EMU player to record 4,000+ punting yards in a career when he totaled 186 punting yards against NIU, Oct. 21. Overall, his career average ranks first, just ahead of Julien, who averaged 44.0 per punt (2017-21).

GREAT RETURNS
EMU kick returners continue to rank highly this year as the Eagles rank first in both kick and punt returns in the MAC while ranking 22nd and 20th nationally, respectively. Through 10 games, EMU averages 23.8 yards per kick return while averaging 12.91 yards per punt return. Individually, Hamze El-Zayat is averaging 12.9 yards per punt return, which leads the MAC and ranks 10th nationally.

RETURN TO SENDER
Along with the yards in the return game, the Eagles also have taken three kick offs back to the house, making Eastern Michigan the only team in the nation with three or more kick return touchdowns in 2023. Individually, the trio of Hamze El-Zayat, Jaylon Jackson, and Kendric Nowling each have one return for a score, which leads the MAC and is tied for second in the nation. Additionally, of the 23 kick returns for TDs in 2023, only two have been brought back by non-offensive players with Nowling (DB) and Sam Martin of Temple (safety) making the list.

QUICK SCORE
The Eagles scored one of the quickest touchdowns it could against Kent State, Oct. 14, as the Golden Flashes tried an onside kick that not only did Kendric Nowling recover, but also ran back 44 yards to stake EMU to a 7-0 lead just six seconds into the game. The touchdown is the first of the defensive back's career and the quickest return to open a game this season in the FBS. It also is the first opening kick-off returned for a touchdown by Eastern in nearly 10 years after Tyler Allen ran the opening kick back 90 yards against Ohio, Oct. 19, 2013.

RECORD BREAKER EMU
Returners have accounted for three touchdowns this year, marking the fifth time in program history Eastern has had multiple return scores in the same season. Two returns for touchdowns have been recorded in 1955, 1974, 1993, and 2022. Additionally, the Eagles have now recorded five touchdowns on kick returns in 20 games, dating back to the start of the 2022 season.

TO THE HOUSE
Kendric Nowling's kick-off return for a touchdown not only was his first career score, but also stands as the third run-back of a kick-off this season after both Hamze El-Zayat and Jaylon Jackson took kicks to the house in the opener against Howard, Sept. 1. The only school with three returns for touchdowns this season, Eastern now has 20 kick-off returns for touchdowns in program history.

IN THE SERIES: AKRON
The Eagles and Zips will be meeting for the 35th time in the history of the series with Akron holding a 19-15 lead overall despite Eastern having won three in a row. The Eagles won the last two meetings -- both in Akron -- after starting the current streak with a 27-20 win at home, Nov. 10, 2018. All told, Eastern holds a 10-7 advantage when the game is played in Ypsilanti.

KEEPING THE STREAK GOING
Eastern has won three consecutive games over Akron, including a 34-28 road win, Nov. 8, 2022, in the last meeting. A victory for the Eagles over the Zips would not only extend the streak to four in a row, but also would tie EMU's longest winning streak against the Zips. The current record of four games began Nov. 5, 1994, with a 42-18 win by Eastern with the Eagles claiming a 49-29 road victory one year later, Sept. 2, 1995. After a narrow 20-17 win at home, Nov. 9, 1996, the Eagles won their fourth in a row with a 45-0 shutout at home, Oct. 18, 1997. Akron holds the longest winning streak in the series after taking six in a row from 1979-85.

HIGH SCORING AFFAIR
The game played between Eastern and Akron in Akron, Ohio, Nov. 24, 2001, goes down as the highest scoring game in EMU history. The three overtime affair saw the Zips collect a 65-62 win as the two sides combined for 127 points. Only one other game has come close to that for EMU; a 61-58, four-overtime defeat of Central Michigan at Ford Field, Nov. 6, 2004.

LAST TIME AGAINST AKRON
   EMU used an impressive defensive performance, highlighted by a season-high three interceptions, en route to a 34-28 victory over Akron, Nov. 8, 2022, inside InfoCision Stadium, in Akron, Ohio.
   The win was Eastern's sixth of the season and officially qualified the team for postseason play. It marked the sixth time in program history, and the fifth under Chris Creighton, that the team has qualified to play in a bowl game. Moreover, it marked bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive year (excluding the COVID-19, 2020 season), which is a program record.
   Austin Smith led Eastern Michigan's passing attack with 190 yards through the air, tossing two touchdowns and one interception. Elsewhere, junior defensive back Kempton Shine showed out for the Eastern Michigan defense, recording one interception.
   EMU won the turnover battle, forcing three turnovers and giving the ball away once, with Eastern Michigan turning those takeaways into 14 points. The Eastern Michigan offense did a good job prolonging drives, converting on 50 percent of third-down attempts.

LAST TIME AT HOME AGAINST AKRON
Eastern gave its 18-member senior class a memorable last game in "The Factory", becoming bowl eligible with a 27-7 win over Akron, Nov. 10, 2018, at Rynearson Stadium. Eastern's defense led the charge once again, this time not allowing an offensive touchdown as they limited the Zips to just 90 yards of total offense while forcing 10 three-and-outs.
   With the win, EMU became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2016 season. EMU had previously played in bowl games during the 1971, 1987, and 2016 campaigns, however, the team also had six-or-more wins in 1988, 1989, 1995, and 2011, but did not receive a bowl bid. In addition, the Eagles won four-straight MAC battles for the first time since the 1995 season.
   The Eagles' defense had an electric day to send their seniors off in style, racking up eight tackles-for-loss, three interceptions, and two sacks. Junior Maxx Crosby continued to show why he is one of the top defensive players in the nation, as he totaled a pick-six, a sack, and eight total tackles, including three tackles-for-loss, to lead the Eagles. In his last home appearance, senior Kyle Rachwal recorded a sack and 1.5 tackles-for-loss, notching seven tackles. His tackle efforts moved his season totals past the century mark, wrangling 102 total for the season. All of the Green and White's interceptions were gathered by juniors, as Vince Calhoun, Crosby, and Kevin McGill each snagged a pick on the day.

CLOSE CONNECTIONS
EMU Athletics has multiple staff members with ties to the Zips. EMU's Director of Sports Performance Deonte Mack had a one-year stint at Akron (2020), serving as the Zips director of athletic performance and strength and conditioning coach, working closely with the football program. Assistant Sports Performance Coach Bryce Richard also spent a season (2021) for the Zips as an assistant sports performance coach.

ON THE HORIZON
The final game of the regular season awaits the Eagles as Eastern is set to travel to face the University at Buffalo, Tuesday, Nov. 21. The Eagles and Bulls will meet inside UB Stadium with the opening kick-off coming at either 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., depending upon the television designation (ESPN2 or ESPNU), which will be announced next week.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Luke Cameron

David Carter Jr.

Londyn Craft

Brian Dooley

Dimitri Douglas

Hamze El-Zayat

Samson Evans

Adrian Gonzalez

Mikey Haney

Korey Hernandez

Alex Howie

Jaylon Jackson

Elijah Jackson-Anderson

Justin Jefferson

Chase Kline

Tanner Knue

Kendric Nowling

T.J. Peavy

Peyton Price

Kempton Shine

Austin Smith

Sidy Sow

Joe Sparacio

Dan Sunderman

Mitchell Tomasek

Daiquan White

Elijah Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics