Robb Akey

Last updated

Robb Akey
Robb akey jan 2010.jpg
Akey in January 2010
Current position
Title Defensive coordinator
Team Central Michigan
Conference MAC
Biographical details
Born (1966-07-24) July 24, 1966 (age 57)
Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Playing career
1984–1987 Weber State
Position(s) Defensive lineman, linebacker, tight end
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1988–1994 Weber State (DL/ST)
1995 Northern Arizona (ST)
1996–1998Northern Arizona (DC)
1999–2002 Washington State (DL)
2003–2006Washington State (DC)
2007–2012 Idaho
2014 Minnesota Vikings (ADL)
2015–2016 Washington Redskins (DL)
2017 Florida (DA)
2017Florida (interim DL)
2019–present Central Michigan (DC)
Head coaching record
Overall20–50
Bowls1–0

Robb Alan Akey (born July 24, 1966) is an American football coach. He is the defensive coordinator at Central Michigan University, a position he had held since 2019. Akey served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho from 2007 to 2012.

Contents

Early years

Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Akey graduated from Roy J. Wasson High School in 1984, having lettered in three sports. [1] [2] Akey played at outside linebacker, defensive end, and tight end for head coach Mike Price at Weber State, where he was an all-Big Sky and honorable mention All-American at defensive end in his senior season of 1987. [3]

Coaching career

Akey was a college assistant coach for 19 seasons, beginning in 1988 as assistant defensive line coach at Weber State. From 1989 to 1994, Akey was defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, and special teams coordinator at Weber State. [1] From 1995 to 1998, Akey was an assistant at Northern Arizona, first as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in 1995 then as defensive coordinator from 1996 to 1998. [1]

In 1999, Akey reunited with Mike Price and began an eight-year stint as an assistant at Washington State. After being defensive line coach from 1999 to 2002, Akey added defensive coordinator to his duties in 2003 under new head Bill Doba, who was previously defensive coordinator under Price. [1]

Akey became Idaho's fourth head coach in 37 months when he was hired on December 20, 2006, by athletic director Rob Spear. He was the first Idaho head coach since Jerry Davitch (197881) without previous ties to the Vandals, either as a former player or assistant coach. [4]

Akey succeeded 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. Tom Cable was fired in late 2003, after four disappointing seasons (11–35, .239).

When hired as the Vandals' new head coach, Akey stated that he was opposed to holding the Battle of the Palouse rivalry game with Washington State every year. He said he preferred it as a "once-in-a-while thing," to minimize possible "off-field" problems between rival programs only eight miles apart. [5] The annual game was revived in 1998 and played for ten consecutive years; it was last played in Akey's first season of 2007 and was renewed for a game in 2013. [6]

Akey led the Vandals to victory in their first bowl game in more than a decade in December 2009, but his tenure ended in 2012 on October 21, when Idaho fired him following a 70–28 loss to Louisiana Tech, moving the team's overall record to 1–7 for the season. [7] [8] He achieved a 20–50 (.286) record while head coach at Idaho, and the Vandals lost their final four games in 2012 after his termination.

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Idaho Vandals (Western Athletic Conference)(2007–2012)
2007 Idaho 1–110–89th
2008 Idaho 2–101–79th
2009 Idaho 8–54–44thW Humanitarian
2010 Idaho 6–73–56th
2011 Idaho 2–101–68th
2012 Idaho 1–71–2
Idaho:20–5010–32
Total:20–50

Related Research Articles

William Anthony Doba is a former American football coach. He is the former head coach at Washington State University, where he led the Cougars for five seasons, from 2003 through 2007, and was fired on November 26.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Erickson</span> American football coach (born 1947)

Dennis Brian Erickson is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach for the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) league. He was also the head coach at the University of Idaho, the University of Wyoming (1986), Washington State University (1987–1988), the University of Miami (1989–1994), Oregon State University (1999–2002), and Arizona State University (2007–2011). During his tenure at Miami, Erickson's teams won two national championships, in 1989 and 1991. His record as a college football head coach is 179–96–1 (.650).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Linehan</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Scott Thomas Linehan is an American football coach who is an offensive analyst for the University of Montana, a position he has held since 2024. He was the passing game coordinator for LSU in 2020. He was previously the head coach of the St. Louis Rams and the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Prior to becoming an NFL coach in 2002, Linehan was a college assistant coach for 13 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Holt</span> American football player and coach (born 1962)

Nicholas Holt V is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of Skorpions Varese of the Federazione Italiana di American Football. Previously he was co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Purdue University for three seasons from 2017 to 2019. Before that he was the defensive coordinator at Western Kentucky from 2013 to 2016. Earlier in his career, Holt was defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Washington Huskies, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach of the USC Trojans, and head coach of the Idaho Vandals from 2004 to 2005.

Edward Ross Troxel was a high school and college football coach in Colorado, Idaho, and eastern Washington. His most notable coaching stops were at Borah High School in Boise, the University of Idaho in Moscow, and Kennewick High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Cougars football</span> Football team of Washington State University

The Washington State Cougars football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Washington State University, located in Pullman, Washington. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the FBS and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12). Known as the Cougars, the first football team was fielded in 1894.

Christopher Joseph Tormey is a former American football coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Washington State Cougars football team</span> American college football season

The 2002 Washington State Cougars football team represented Washington State University as a member of Pacific-10 Conference the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was led by Mike Price in his 14th and final season as head coach, and played its home games on campus at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington.

The Battle of the Palouse refers to an athletic rivalry in the northwest United States, between the Vandals of the University of Idaho and Cougars of Washington State University.

Jason John Gesser is an American college football former player and assistant athletic director who is currently the offensive coordinator at Seton Catholic High School in Vancouver, Washington. He played quarterback for Washington State Cougars, Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League (AFL), Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). After his playing career ended, Gesser went into coaching. In 2012 he was the interim head coach of the Idaho Vandals. From 2014 to 2018 he was the assistant athletic director at Washington State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho Vandals football</span> Football team representing the University of Idaho

The Idaho Vandals are the college football team that represents the University of Idaho and plays its home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho. Idaho is a member of the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Vandals are coached by Jason Eck.

The 2007 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Idaho competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and played their home games on campus in the Kibbie Dome. The Vandals were led by first-year head coach Robb Akey, hired following the departure of Dennis Erickson for Arizona State in December 2006.

The 2005 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. Idaho competed as a first-year member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and played their home games in the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach Nick Holt, and finished their first season in the WAC with a 2–9 overall record and 2–6 in conference play, the sixth consecutive season with a losing record.

The 1982 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1985 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by fourth-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1989 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 2012 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Vandals were led by sixth-year head coach Robb Akey for the first eight games and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome. This was Idaho's final season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference; the WAC ceased to support football after the 2012 season, and Idaho played as an independent in football in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Criner</span> American football player and coach (born 1966)

Mark Criner is an American football coach. He currently serves as the outside linebackers coach for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team. At the college football level, he served defensive coordinator for six seasons at the University of Idaho, and also held the same position at Middle Tennessee, Cincinnati, Portland State, the original XFL's Las Vegas Outlaws, and CSU–Pueblo. He has also worked as a defensive assistant at Minnesota, Eastern Michigan, Utah State, Lamar, LSU, the Alliance of American Football's Atlanta Legends, and Tulane. He was also the linebackers coach and assistant special teams coach for the Seattle Dragons.

The 1995 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Chris Tormey, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho. Idaho finished the regular season at 6–4 and 4–3 in the Big Sky, their final season in the conference for more than two decades.

The University of Idaho's football program, nicknamed the "Vandals", began in 1893.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Head Coach Robb Akey". Idaho Media Information 2012. University of Idaho. 2012. pp. 10–12.
  2. "Robb Akey, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line" (PDF). 2006 Washington State Cougar Football. Washington State University. 2006. p. 50.
  3. "Robb Akey". Minnesota Vikings. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  4. Meehan, Jim (December 21, 2006). "Akey a change of pace". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C1. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  5. The Seattle Times – Akey talks of commitment – December 21, 2006
  6. "Cougars add Idaho to 2013 football schedule". Washington State University Athletics. May 1, 2012. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  7. Coleman, Scott (October 21, 2012). "Robb Akey 'relieved of his duties', Jason Gesser interim coach". SB Nation. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  8. Murphy, Brian (October 21, 2012). "Vandals fire Akey after 1–7 start". Idaho Statesman. Boise. Retrieved October 22, 2012.