Akron has fired coach Tom Arth after nine games into his third season, the university announced Thursday morning. Arth, 2-7 through nine games this season, was just 3-24 during his time with the Zips. Associate head coach Oscar Rodriguez will serve as the interim coach until the end of the season.
“We appreciate Coach Tom Arth’s work on behalf of our student-athletes and coaches and we wish him well moving forward,” said a statement from the university.
The university’s decision follows the Zips’ 31-25 loss to Ball State on Tuesday night, its third in a row on the year. Akron’s only two wins in 2021 have come against Bryant of the FCS ranks and Bowling Green.
Arth succeeded Terry Bowden, now the coach at Louisiana-Monroe, prior to the 2019 season. The Zips went 0-12 in Arth’s first season and 1-5 during a COVID-19-shortened 2020. The team’s 16-game losing streak was broken on Dec. 5, 2020, in a 31-3 win over Bowling Green.
Akron made two bowl appearances in the past decade, both under Bowden, and hasn’t recorded a winning record since 2015. During that span, the program has an average winning percentage of only .34.
Arth arrived to Akron after two seasons at Chattanooga, where he went 9-13 in two seasons, including a 6-5 effort in 2018. Arth also led his alma mater John Carroll, a member of the Division-III Ohio Athletic Conference, to a 40-8 record from 2013-16. The Blue Streaks made three playoff appearances during his tenure there, including a loss in the semifinals in 2016.
Rodriguez has served as the inside linebackers coach since Arth’s arrival in 2018 and was given the associate head coach title prior to the 2021 season. Akron’s next game will be at Western Michigan on Tuesday, Nov. 9.
