"Other people have the chains and the thrones and the slot machines, and that's kind of a lot of pomp and circumstance and glitz and glamor, and that's cool," UA head football coach Joe Moorhead told the Akron Beacon Journal. "But the identity that I want this football team to kind of embody is what the Akron area is."
Akron—the city and football team—is gritty. It faces big challenges head on, preserves and works hard for its achievements, he said.
And the Akron football team, Moorhead said, should never be counted out. Look no further than the Zips' home opener against the Morgan State Bears for proof of that.
With less a minute left in regulation, Akron forced a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. That play turned what looked to be a season-opening loss into a 24-21 victory for the Zips.
That play also brought out the Turnover Tire. And it helped put the team's turnover celebration on the map.
" … There's still plenty of tread on the tires in this program," Moorhead said, "and we're going to find a way to make it work, put it on the car and drive this thing, drive this thing to success."
The other Akron connection to that celebratory tire? University photos show it's made by the only tire company that still calls the city home, even after 125 years—Goodyear.
