Akron RB Dennis Kennedy (official thread)

[NJ-Buckeye]

Word around says Dennis is looking downright awesome for the Zips...
with very good hands out of the backfield as well..
positioned to do very well this year...

happy for the young man

[el mastiff]

That's awesome to hear. I hope to get a chance to see him a little bit in their game against Penn State.

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Running back's play better than his statistics

Coach: Dennis Kennedy is best offensive player

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal sportswriter

At first glance, Dennis Kennedy's rushing statistics against Penn State weren't that impressive.
He had 59 yards in the University of Akron's 34-16 loss to Penn State last Saturday.
But Zips coach J.D. Brookhart said Kennedy's play was noteworthy, considering the 5-foot-11, 200-pound sophomore went up against a physical and athletic defensive unit that had four players back from last year's Big Ten championship team.
Brookhart was most pleased that Kennedy showed durability. He carried 25 times and had a few plays where he needed power and strength by turning several would-be tackles for losses into positive yardage.
``Dennis was our offensive player of the game,'' Brookhart said. ``He played extremely well. He was good on pass protection, ran the ball well, caught the ball and just made some things happen. Overall, Dennis played a great game.''
Kennedy originally signed a national letter of intent with Ohio State but never played for the Buckeyes. He ended up at UA before the 2004 season and sat out the year. Last year, he played behind Brett Biggs but took advantage of his limited playing time. In the spring, he solidified himself as the starter.

[NYBuckeye]

Dennis has 16 rushes for 86yds and a TD in the first half against NC State. Akron leads 7 - 0. Chuck sucks.

[WoodyWorshiper]

Dennis = $$

Great job and a great win for Akron.

Wish you were here DK, but keep it roll'in at Akron.

[Taosman]

Great to see DK doing well.

[buckzip]

He scored 3 TD's against NCSU, and also threw a nice halfback option pass to the QB. It was nice to see him run right over Justin King last week at PSU for a TD too.

He doesn't have a lot of speed, but he has some power and finds the hole quickly.

[jlb1705]

Great job Dennis, and way to go Zips!

I'm still rooting for him, as are many others here at BP. I still think of him as a Buckeye.

[osugrad21]

ESPN

Helmet Stickers Go To:
? Dennis Kennedy, RB, Akron
117 rushing yards, 3 TD vs. NC State

[osugrad21]

Canton Rep

Akron?s Kennedy gains MAC honor
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 AKRON - University of Akron sophomore running back Dennis Kennedy was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Offensive Player of the Week.
Kennedy scored the winning touchdown from 1 yard out on the final play of the game in Saturday?s 20-17 victory at North Carolina State.
He rushed for 117 yards on 30 carries and three touchdowns, caught four passes for 28 yards, and passed for 24 yards.

[buckeye247]

Go ZIPS.

[osugrad21]

CPD

After OSU said no, Akron quickly said yes to Kennedy


Friday, September 15, 2006Elton Alexander
Plain Dealer Reporter
Akron football coach J.D. Brookhart says working at Ohio State's 2004 summer camp helped bring tailback Dennis Kennedy to Akron.
A Florida coach who worked at the camp called Brookhart late in the summer to tell him Kennedy no longer had the scholarship he was offered that spring by Ohio State.
"We immediately jumped on it, got him up here on a visit," Brookhart said. "Came up in July and made a quick decision. I don't know that anybody else was even aware of it. He became available and we were on it, quickly."

That has proven to be a sweet ending to a bittersweet courtship between the Buckeyes and Kennedy.
Kennedy took a redshirt year at Akron in 2004 and was a backup in 2005. This season, the starting job is all his. In his second start Saturday, the sophomore delivered 117 yards rushing and three touchdowns in Akron's 20-17 upset victory over North Carolina State. In two games for the Zips (1-1), he has 55 carries for 176 yards and four touchdowns.
But back in high school, Kennedy looked forward to joining the college football home of a couple of his neighborhood friends, Nate Salley and Chris Gamble.
"I think about it, playing in front of 110,000 like we did at Penn State," Kennedy said. "It would be great to play in front of that many people. But like I say, God has a plan for me, and his plan was for me to be in Akron."
Or, maybe the plan was Ohio State's.
Kennedy signed his national letter of intent in February to attend OSU, but three weeks before the start of football camp, he was told he did not meet eligibility standards for Ohio State -- although he did meet NCAA eligibility standards. Kennedy's scholarship offer was taken back.
Several years ago Ohio State began raising admission standards, which means a prospective athlete can meet NCAA requirements but fall short of OSU's standards.
According to Kennedy, the problem was easily solved. His high school originally credited a chemistry class as an elective, not a core class. "I went back and got it fixed," Kennedy said.
But that apparently didn't satisfy the Buckeyes, who told Kennedy he could enroll at a branch campus, then later switch to Columbus to start his football career -- a recommendation that resulted in the call to Brookhart.
Keith Skinner, Kennedy's coach at Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said he believes there was another running back just slightly ahead of Kennedy that OSU also wanted.
"They didn't think [the other back] would get the scores, but he got the scores, and that knocked Dennis out," Skinner said. "They tried to say it was an academic thing with Dennis, but it wasn't. I just think it was more than that. But they [Ohio State] let him go. Sometimes things happen for a reason."
The 2004 recruiting class, headlined by Ted Ginn Jr., included running backs Antonio Pittman from Buchtel and Erik Haw, and fullback Dionte Johnson. Pittman is in his second year as a starter for the Buckeyes and Haw decided to transfer before this season.
Kennedy did not have the gaudy high school numbers of a typical Ohio State recruit. As a junior, he rushed for 882 yards. As a senior he gained 967. With a 5-11, 209-pound physique, he certainly could have switched positions.
Brookhart, who formerly coached at Pitt in the Big East, was asked if Kennedy had Big Ten talent.
"I didn't know, watching him on the scout team, if he was really that," Brookhart said. ". . . But I knew he had it last year in the first game against Northern [Illinois]. He caught a ball on the swing pass and neither corner caught him. He's good enough."
Ohio State is in the past now, and Kennedy does not cling to what could have been. He said he watched last week's Ohio State-Texas game with no ill feelings.
"Everything happens for a reason, and this happened for a reason," Kennedy, an architecture major, said. "The Ohio State thing happened pretty fast. I'm happy I made the decision to come here."

[CleveBucks]

Dennis is probably better off at Akron where he could showcase his talents. Best of luck to him this season and the future.

[NJ-Buckeye]

Originally Posted by CleveBucks

Dennis is probably better off at Akron where he could showcase his talents. Best of luck to him this season and the future.

No probablies about it... He made a GREAT choice... and Saturday made it look like the smartest decision of his life... The country knows of Dennis Kennedy... very happy for the young man

Fear The Roo

[BuckFanAtAkron]

Kennedy got hurt in their game today
not sure but something with his left shoulder maybe a stinger
Akron lost and they killed themselves in the red zone.