Robb Akey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Robb Akey | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title | Head Coach | |
| College | Idaho | |
| Sport | Football | |
| Team Record | 0-0 | |
| Born | July 24, 1966 | |
| Place of birth | Colorado Springs, Colorado | |
| Career Highlights | ||
| Overall | 0-0 | |
| Awards | ||
| None To Date | ||
| School as a player | ||
| 1984-87 | Weber State | |
| Position | Defensive Line | |
| Coaching positions | ||
| 2007-Present | University of Idaho Vandals | |
Robb Akey (born July 24, 1966) is an American football coach, named the head coach at the University of Idaho on December 20, 2006, by athletic director Rob Spear.
Akey succeeds Dennis Erickson, who left his second stint at Idaho after just ten months for Arizona State of the Pac-10. Erickson was preceded by Nick Holt, who voluntarily departed after only two seasons, compiling nine losses in each. The Idaho Vandals joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2005.
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[edit] Assistant coach
Robb Akey was a college assistant coach for 19 seasons, the last eight at neighboring Washington State, eight miles to the west on the Palouse. He was hired as a defensive line coach under WSU head coach Mike Price following the 1998 season, and added the defensive coordinator duties in 2003 under new head Bill Doba, who was the defensive coordinator for Price.
Before moving to Pullman for the 1999 season, Akey was an assistant coach for 11 seasons in the Big Sky Conference in Division I-AA. He was at Northern Arizona in Flagstaff for four seasons (1995-98), and at his alma mater, Weber State in Ogden, Utah, from 1988-94.
[edit] Early years
Akey grew up in Colorado Springs, and was a three-sport athlete at Wasson High School, where he graduated in 1984. Akey played on the defensive line for head coach Mike Price at Weber State in the mid 1980s. He was an all-conference (Big Sky) selection at defensive end in his senior season of 1987, earned honorable mention honors on the All-American team (Division I-AA), and was the Wildcats' career sack leader. During his college career he also played at linebacker and on the offense at tight end.
[edit] Break with ties
Robb Akey is the first head coach since Jerry Davitch (1978-81) without previous ties to the University of Idaho, either as a former player or assistant coach. But Akey definitely has familiarity having lived within eight miles (13 km) of the Moscow campus for the last eight seasons, and with Idaho as an opponent in each of those seasons. In addition, Akey either played or coached against the Vandals for a dozen seasons 1984-95 while in the Big Sky.
[edit] Contract
On February 22, 2007, the Idaho State Board of Education approved a five-year, $1.2 million contract for Akey, or $240,001.60 per year. Akey would make $155,001.60 in base salary and $85,000 for media/public appearances. This is the largest contract in Vandals' history and includes a $1 million buyout clause if Akey leaves before January 2, 2009.[1]
The figure drops to $750,000 if he leaves before January 1, 2010 and $500,000 for the remainder of the five-year deal. The large buyout is the result of former coach Dennis Erickson leaving for Arizona State after one season and facing only a $150,000 buyout.
A number of incentives could boost Akey's income, including: $5,000 for being conference coach of the year; $5,000 for academic achievement and team behavior; 1/13th of annual salary ($11,923.20) for a Top 25 ranking; and 1/13th of annual salary for conference championship or the Vandals playing in a bowl game.
[edit] The WSU game
The Idaho Vandals are scheduled to play at Washington State on 15-Sep-2007.
As the Vandals' new head coach, Akey doesn't think the Idaho-WSU game "is something that needs to be played every year." He said he preferred it as a "once-in-a-while thing." He stated one reason was possible off-field problems because of two rival programs only eight miles apart[2] .
The game was revived as an annual event in 1998. (Following the 1978 game, the neighboring teams met just twice in the next two decades ('82 & '89) while the Vandals were in Division I-AA and both games were easily won by WSU. Oddly, the '82 game was played in Spokane).
Through 2006, the two universities' football teams have met 90 times, starting with three games in 1894 (May, June, and November), with WSU holding a 69-18-3 (.794) edge. Beginning with the 1926 game, the record is an even more dominant 54-5-2 (.902). Idaho's wins came in 1954, 1964, 1965, 1999, & 2000 (with ties in 1927 and 1950). The last time the game was played east of the border in Moscow was in 1966.*[3]
In the first year of the renewed rivalry game in 1998, Idaho lost a close game to the Cougars, losing by eight points with possession at midfield as time ran out. That year the Vandals would go on to win the Big West title and the Humanitarian Bowl with a victory over Southern Mississippi, finishing with a 9-3 record in their third season in Division I-A.
Idaho won back-to-back contests in 1999 and 2000 against two extremely poor WSU teams, giving the Vandals a 2-1 edge in the renewed series. But since that 2000 Vandal victory, the games have not been competitive. The Cougars have dominated the last six meetings (2001-'06), winning each game handily and posting an aggregate score of 253-65.
Since the renewal in 1998, all the contests have been held in Pullman, except for the 2003 game, which was played 300 miles west in Seattle at the Seahawks' new stadium.
[edit] Trivia
- Former Idaho head coach Ed Troxel (1974-77) was also a native of Colorado Springs.
[edit] External Links
- University of Idaho athletics - Robb Akey hiring - 20-Dec-2006
- The Idaho Statesman - Vandals hire WSU assistant - 20-Dec-2006
- The Seattle Times - Vandalism: WSU's Akey to Idaho - 20-Dec-2006
- The Seattle Times - Akey talks of commitment - 21-Dec-2006
- The Idaho Statesman - Akey era begins at Idaho - 21-Dec-2006
- University of Idaho Argonaut - Vandals excited about Akey - 22-Dec-2006
- Tacoma News Tribune - "Can Akey make jilted Vandals true Believers?" - 26-Jan-2007
- The Seattle Times - "Akey's energy keeps WSU defenders..." - 24-Oct-2003
- The Idaho Statesman - Akey's contract approved - 23-Feb-2007
- College Football Data Warehouse - Idaho vs. Washington St. - results - 1894-2006
| Preceded by Dennis Erickson |
University of Idaho Head Football Coach 2007–Present |
Succeeded by current Head Coach |
Higgins • Morse • Herbold • Griffith • Middleton • Grogan • Griffith • Rademacher • Bleasmaster • Hutchinson • Kelley • Mathews • Erb • Calland • Bank • Schmidt • Brown • Howell • Curfman • Stahley • Andros • Musseau • McNease • Robbins • Troxel • Davitch • Erickson • Gilbertson • Smith • Tormey • Cable • Holt • Akey
