The University of Akron is aware its innovative “Offensive Coordinator of the Game” contest has raised eyebrows for several reasons.
The winner will be able to help Akron coach Joe Moorhead script plays for the UA football team’s opening possession of its 2026 home opener against Robert Morris on Saturday, Sept. 12, at InfoCision Stadium.
On Aug. 4, the Zips launched the promotion by announcing on social media a season-ticket holder selected through a random drawing would become “Offensive Coordinator of the Game.”
Season-ticket sales have soared since then, and the contest has become a national story.
In the meantime, the Akron athletics department has turned to UA’s College of Business and George W. Daverio School of Accountancy to manage the selection of the “Offensive Coordinator of the Game.”
Akron disclosed the identities of nine finalists during a news conference on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at House Three Thirty, and UA plans to reveal the winner on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Of the nine finalists, one is a well-known sports media personality, Dan “Big Cat” Katz, another is a popular YouTuber and gamer, James Bordeaux, and three are longtime Zips football season-ticket holders, Martin Alan Whims II, Mike Beck Jr. and Steve Moyer.
University of Akron College of Business backs legitimacy of the Zips football program’s ‘Offensive Coordinator of the Game’ contest
Willy Kollman, Akron’s vice president of university engagement and de facto emcee for events like the one held at House Three Thirty, displayed a sense of humor about the list of finalists as he announced it.
When Katz of Barstool Sports fame was unveiled as a finalist, Kollman said, “Just to reiterate, the school of accounting drew this name. Akron athletics has nothing to do with this.” And when Whims’ status as a finalist was announced, Kollman quipped, “Marty also has an accounting degree from Akron and is a little suspicious that the school of accounting rigged this in his favor. We’d love to say that’s the case, but it’s not.”
Akron officials are clearly having fun with the promotion while acknowledging at least some of the skepticism its selection process has received. Yet, on a serious note, they’re adamant the university, specifically its college of business, is committed to running a legitimate contest.
Terry Daugherty, dean of Akron’s College of Business, and Julianne Jones, a UA professor and director of the university’s Daverio School of Accountancy, spoke to the Beacon Journal about implementing and executing a process to determine the “Offensive Coordinator of the Game.” They also addressed fans who attended UA’s news conference at House Three Thirty.
Daugherty and Jones are vouching for the contest in no uncertain terms.
“We are honored to be entrusted with the important responsibility of certifying the selection process, ensuring that the winning fan is chosen with the highest level of integrity,” Daughterty said. “When thousands of fans participate and the eyes of the world are watching, not just in House Three Thirty, you need people you can rely upon to make sure the process is fair, accurate and credible. That is exactly the role of our Daverio School of Accountancy.”
Akron season-ticket holders were entered into the drawing for “Offensive Coordinator of the Game,” with every season ticket counting as a separate entry. For example, Katz tweeted on Aug. 20 he had purchased 18 season tickets, meaning he would have had 18 entries. There is another way a participant could increase his or her odds of winning. UA’s contest rules state, “Season ticket holders will receive additional entries for every new season ticket holder they successfully refer.”
How did the University of Akron form the list of finalists for the Zips football team’s ‘Offensive Coordinator of the Game’ promotion?
Jones shared what she told Akron athletics brass, including Zips athletic director Andrew T. Goodrich, when she was initially approached about assisting with the contest.
“This needed to be a random and independent draw to keep it fair for everyone who was entering in the competition,” Jones said. “How that was done is I’d accessed the files through athletics. Athletics had no idea who the ticket holders were. The files came to me. I had a file for ticket holders and a file for referrals.
“I looked at those files for completeness. They were reviewed to make sure the applicants’ eligibilities were complete following the guidelines. And then with two witnesses from the College of Business, one who’s with us here tonight, they reviewed the process, and I went through and did the process in Excel using a random generator.”
Daugherty and Jones explained the generator created a ranking. The top 10 people in the ranking were the finalists, and the individual filling the No. 1 spot in the same ranking will be unveiled as the winner on Aug. 25. At the time of the Aug. 19 news conference, Jones and only two other people knew who had won the contest, she said.
One of the contestants who landed in the top 10 withdrew from consideration for “Offensive Coordinator of the Game,” creating a list of finalists with nine names.
“I was surprised to be honest,” Daugherty said of the finalist who bowed out. “Some of these individuals may decide from now until then they don’t want to do it, either, because it’s a lot of pressure, and it’ll put a spotlight [on the winner]. But the intent, this is fun. This is fun and exciting.”
In addition to Katz, Pat McAfee and Jon Gruden are celebrities in sports media who indicated they purchased Akron season tickets to enter the contest. They are not finalists.
Still, Katz and Bordeaux being among the finalists has prompted some fans to posit Akron must have fixed the contest to further build buzz about the promotion.
“I am a former media and marketing person, so, yes, I get why you would want [celebrities or influencers to be finalists],” Daugherty said. “But I’m telling you when we sat down to do this and talk about and work out these procedures, [Jones] is a magnificent accountant, and accountants are about rules and compliance and policy. And this is what she followed, and she did a wonderful job. I just got to witness it and support her.”
When Katz, McAfee and Gruden were mentioned by the Beacon Journal, Jones didn’t hesitate to respond.
“If it helps, I don’t know any of those names. It didn’t mean anything to me,” she said with a laugh.
Akron announces nine finalists for ‘Offensive Coordinator of the Game’
Here is the complete list of finalists for Akron’s “Offensive Coordinator of the Game” promotion:
When does Akron Zips football start the 2026 season?
Akron is scheduled to open its 2026 season on the road against Wake Forest at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.
UA’s home opener featuring the input of the “Offensive Coordinator of the Game” contest winner is set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, against Robert Morris at InfoCision Stadium.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron’s College of Business vouches for offensive coordinator contest
Reporting by Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
