A real college football team is letting one fan call plays in an actual game this season
The Akron Zips have announced that they will let a member of the public call plays during the team's opening offensive series of the 2026 college football season, in an unusual publicity stunt aimed at engaging fans. The move gives an "armchair quarterback" the rare chance to direct real play-calling in a live NCAA game, a novelty likely to draw attention to the programme ahead of the new season.
The fan-called drive will take place during Akron's home opener on 12 September, though full details of how the fan will be selected and how the plays will be relayed to the team have not been specified in initial reports. The initiative marks an unconventional approach to fan engagement in college football, allowing a supporter to test their tactical instincts against a genuine opponent under game conditions.
- Akron Zips will let a fan call plays in a real game.
- The stunt happens during their 12 September home opener.
- It offers fans a rare shot at real in-game play-calling.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This is a harmless, limited engagement opportunity that adds entertainment value without meaningfully affecting the outcome. Restricting the fan-called plays to a single opening drive allows the coaching staff to direct nearly the entire game, making this a creative way to build community connection and generate positive publicity for the programme. Modern sports increasingly blend competition with fan engagement, and this represents an imaginative approach that creates a memorable experience whilst keeping the actual contest largely intact.
The case against
Competitive sport relies on teams fielding their best decision-making to win fairly within agreed rules. Allowing a random fan to call plays—even for one series—compromises that principle and demonstrates disrespect for athletic integrity. The opposing team prepared to face Akron's actual coaching staff, not to participate in a publicity stunt. This trivialises the athletes' preparation and sets a troubling precedent where games become vehicles for entertainment gimmicks rather than genuine sporting competition.