The University of Akron Department of Athletics is proud to announce that former NFL quarterback and Ohio native Tom Arth has been named the Zips' head football coach.
The hiring is pending approval by the University's Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, UTC Athletic Director Mark Wharton said, “Earlier this evening Coach Arth informed me of his intention to resign from UTC and become the head coach at the University of Akron. Coach Arth and his staff did an outstanding job during his two seasons with the Mocs. This is a great opportunity for him to further his career close to his hometown. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.
“We have already begun the search for a replacement and the work our student-athletes and staff have done has attracted an outstanding candidate pool. We plan to work diligently to make sure we identify the best person to lead Chattanooga Football.
“Coach Arth has fostered a culture of success in the classroom, in competition and in the community, and we look forward to welcoming the next individual to continue the upward trajectory of Chattanooga football.”
He will be introduced at press conference on Monday at 4 p.m. on the Huntington Club level (5th floor) of InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field. The public is invited to meet the newest Zips' coach. The press conference will also be streamed live on www.GoZips.com as well as Facebook Live on the Akron Zips' main page.
"We are excited to welcome Tom Arth to The University of Akron," Director of Athletic Larry Williams said. "Tom's experience in leading two programs, his ties to Northeast Ohio, his tremendous football IQ, and his passion for developing student-athletes for their future endeavors made him the perfect candidate to elevate our program."
Arth is the Zips' 28th all-time head coach and just the eighth person to hold the position since 1960. He is also just the sixth head coach for the Zips since moving up to Division I in 1987.
Arth takes the reins at Akron after two seasons at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
In four seasons at John Carroll University, his alma mater, Arth owned a 40-8 overall record while guiding the Blue Streaks to three postseason appearances.
A native of Cleveland, Arth earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from John Carroll in 2003 where he played quarterback. A unanimous All-American as a junior and senior, he set 18 school records. As a senior in 2002, he guided JCU to a 12-2 record, and East region championship, and a berth in to the NCAA Division III national semifinals for the first time in program history. He is a graduate of Cleveland's St. Ignatius High School.
After graduating from JCU in 2003, Arth spent three seasons as a backup quarterback to Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts. He spent part of those years playing in NFL Europe and was on the preseason roster with the Green Bay Packers in 2006.
Arth, 37, and his wife Lauren have five children– Caroline, Tommy, Kate, Patrick, and Elizabeth.
Akron, which returns 51 letterwinners, opens the 2019 season at Illinois on Saturday, August 31.