Akron Zips explain how the “Offensive Coordinator of Game” contest took shape

The Akron Zips have been running an internal challenge that frames offensive improvement as a competition, and the program is now telling the story of how it began. In a report tied to the start of the 2026 season, Akron football coach Joe Moorhead, along with athletic director Andrew T. Goodrich and senior deputy athletics director and chief operating officer Matt Pottorff, described the moment the idea of the “Offensive Coordinator of Game” contest became real.

According to the team’s account, the practical spark came from Moorhead’s preparation for Zips practice in late July. During that stretch, Moorhead was scripting plays and running portions of the offensive work that reflected what he expected to see and what he wanted the unit to execute. The internal theme was not simply installation, but engagement, with an emphasis on turning preparation into something more immediate and measurable on the field.

The report says Goodrich and Pottorff then paid an unannounced visit to Moorhead’s office. The central detail described is that the two athletics leaders brought the idea to the table while Moorhead was still in the middle of planning. They reportedly slid a piece of paper across his desk, and from there the concept appears to have moved quickly from a talking point to a structured contest within the football building.

What Akron has built, at least in concept, is an award-style competition that assigns offensive ownership to a game-by-game standard. Rather than positioning offensive improvement as a vague, season-long goal, the program’s leaders say the “Offensive Coordinator of Game” format is designed to create a recurring focus point, a regular incentive, and a consistent way to talk about offensive decisions and execution. In that way, the contest functions as both a communication tool and a performance filter.

The story also highlights the unusual mix of football and athletics administration behind what might otherwise sound like a routine team-building exercise. Goodrich and Pottorff’s presence underscores that, for Akron, the contest is not just a coaching gimmick. It is presented as part of a broader effort to set expectations, reinforce roles, and build a culture where the offense is evaluated and discussed with urgency every week.

At the same time, the public details available so far are best viewed as the origin story rather than a complete explanation of the contest mechanics. The report’s framing focuses on the late-July practice planning and the follow-up conversation in the office, but it does not establish, in the available material, every rule about how “Offensive Coordinator of Game” is selected or how the contest impacts day-to-day play-calling responsibilities.

For Zips followers, the practical question now shifts to how the contest will play out once games begin. If the award is intended to sharpen offensive decision-making, the clearest test will be whether the unit shows consistent communication and execution, especially in moments where an offense must adjust on the fly. Akron’s next visible benchmark will be whether the contest becomes a durable part of weekly preparation rather than a short-lived novelty.