College football fans usually have simple responsibilities on game day.
Show up, wear the team colors, scream loudly, and pretend you understand every play call.
But one University of Akron fan is about to get a much bigger job.
Akron Athletics has announced a new fan promotion called “Offensive Coordinator of the Game.” The promotion will give one football season ticket holder a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help script the opening drive of the Zips’ home season opener.
Yes, you read that correctly. One fan gets to help decide how the offense starts the game.
The promotion is a pretty creative way to bring fans closer to the action. Instead of simply watching the coaching staff prepare for the opener, one lucky season ticket holder will get a chance to see what goes into creating the opening offensive series. That sounds exciting.
The selected fan will work directly with Zips’ football head coach Joe Moorhead to help design the plays that open the game — a first-of-its-kind experience for the Akron program.
“We’re always looking for new ways to bring our fans closer to the program,” said Dr. Andrew T. Goodrich, Director of Athletics. “This is about giving one of our most loyal supporters a seat at the table, right alongside our coaching staff, on the biggest night of the season.”I’m looking forward to collaborating with the season ticket holder who wins this contest,” Moorhead said. “This will give our fans a behind-the-scenes experience that has never been done before anywhere, so I’m excited to show them how to put together the opening script and see what they can do.”
This also sounds slightly terrifying. Imagine sitting down with the coaches and being asked for your ideas.
How to Enter
All current UA season ticket holders are automatically entered into a random drawing for the promotion with every season ticket counting as an entry — e.g. 4 tickets equal 4 entries.
Season ticket holders will receive additional entries for every new season ticket holder they successfully refer. Reach out to the ticket office directly or add referral information into the comments section when purchasing tickets.
One winner will be selected at random from eligible entrants.
Drawing Date
The winner will be selected in a random drawing held on August 19. The winning fan will then meet with the head coach ahead of the season opener to help script the plays for the Zips’ opening drive.
Fans interested in becoming season ticket holders — or increasing their chances to win by referring others — can find more information through the University of Akron Athletics ticket office.
Of course, nobody should expect the winner to start calling plays from the sideline. The coaching staff still has the final say.
But getting a behind-the-scenes look at the process is pretty cool.
