Report: Joe Moorhead signs one-year extension to stay at Akron

The Akron Zips might not have won a lot in 2022, but they were certainly a lot more competitive in their first campaign with former Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead at the helm.

It was an effort which was reportedly rewarded with a one-year extension on Monday afternoon, extending his current deal to the 2027 season. The news wasfirst reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The extension was reportedly reached after Moorhead’s name was attached to a number of jobs in both the Power Five and NFL spaces, withCBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah reporting“清纯甜美的兴趣tless” suitors, including Notre Dame and the Baltimore Ravens, to be an offensive coordinator.

As of publication, the university has not released a statement regarding the transaction. Terms of the reported deal were not disclosed.

2022 was Moorhead’s first season as head man since 2019, when he was fired after his second year at Mississippi State after a 6-7 season with a postseason loss. Despite the record, the Zips were a punchy group, with six of their 10 losses coming by nine points or less.

Their offense was the focal point, really coming to life in conference play. The Zips defense led the conference in total passing, with 3,396 total yards and 283 yards per game on a 64 percent completion rate through the air. The program finished seventh in the league in offense at 372.6 overall yards per game.

The program also grabbed five spots on the all-MAC squads at season’s end, matching their previous two years combined, with wide receiver Alex Adams (first-team), linebacker Bubba Arslanian (first-team), quarterback DJ Irons (third-team), wide receiver Shocky Jacques-Louis (third-team) and offensive lineman Anthony Whigan (third-team) all receiving honors.

The Zips are set to kick off the 2023 season on the road against Temple on Saturday, Sept. 2, at a time to be determined.