Akron announces its 'Offensive Coordinator of the Game,' who will help Joe Moorhead script opening drive vs. Robert Morris
Martin Alan Whims II, a former Akron student and longtime Zips season-ticket holder, won the viral contest the program launched this month.
On August 25, 2026, Akron announced that Martin Alan Whims II had been named the Offensive Coordinator of the Game for their upcoming home opener against Robert Morris. Whims, a current Akron graduate and long-time season-ticket holder, won the opportunity through a random drawing among football season-ticket holders. A pool of nine contenders was initially formed, but the contest whittled this down to nine participants after a referral-based system.
The Zips' announcement of the winner garnered significant attention, with the initial post on X garnering 23.1 million views. Akron athletic director Andrew T. Goodrich revealed that the idea for the promotion emerged during a brainstorming session after a trip from the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Goodrich explained that they wanted to replicate the same excitement fans displayed during March Madness football season.
Despite initial reservations, head coach Joe Moorhead eventually agreed to the concept, emphasizing that he would guide the winner through the Robert Morris scouting report and incorporate their ideas where applicable.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
