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MAC East Football Preview
By Nick Gerogosian | July 12, 2008
AKRON ZIPS
Coach: JD Brookhart, 5th year (22-26)
2007 Record (MAC): 4-8 (3-5)
Not much for fantasy owners at QB as Chris Jacquemain who threw 11 TDs with 10 INTs in 2007. Coach Brookhart made no secret that this area must improve and be more productive. On a positive note, former Akron star-QB Luke Getsy is back as a graduate assistant coach to work with the QBs.
Dennis Kennedy ran for nearly 1,000 yards in 2006 and appears to be fully recovered from an injury-riddled 2007 campaign. Alex Allen is a proven backup but Miami (FL) transfer Andrew Johnson will certainly be in the mix this fall. Byran Williams, the team’s leader rusher a year ago, has moved over to become a DB.
Gone is Jabari Arthur, the schools all-time leading receiver. So while six of the top seven receivers return (although RB Bryan Williams moved over to defense), Arthur made up half of the receiving production last season. The TE prospects are solid but Akron uses three so it’s difficult to gauge who will produce game in and game out between Merce Poindexter, Jose Cruz and Brian Flaherty. All have good size and talent but none appear to be fantasy prospects.
K Igor Iveljic did an admirable job as a freshman last season connecting on 15 of 18 FGs. Bryan Williams is one of the top kick returning specialists in the country.
By MAC standards, Akron has a solid defense, but that’s not saying much. If you have a league that rewards total tackles, look to ILB Kevin Grant as a tackling machine. If your league rewards QB sacks, look to defensive linemen Almondo Sewell and Iowa transfer Ryan Bain as solid picks.
Notes:
Akron is building a new on-campus state-of-the-art football stadium that will be by far the best in the MAC for next season. JD Brookhart & company are under heavy pressure to produce this year after two-straight losing seasons. Akron averaged just 21-points per game last season and the offense doesn’t look much better this year for much of a turnaround within a very even and competitive MAC East division.
BGSU FALCONS
Coach: Gregg Brandon, 6th year (38-24)
2007 Record (MAC): 8-5 (6-2) - lost 63-7 to Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl.
QB Tyler Sheehan returns after a solid sophomore campaign that saw him complete 64% of this passes for over 3,200 yards and 23 TDs. He earned 3rd team all-conference honors and is set for an even more productive 2008 season.
The Falcons do not have a real feature running-back but they have a nice group to choose from in converted QB Anthony Turner along with Willie Geter and Chris Bullock. Toss in Eric Ransom and this group rushed for 1,396 yards last season and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. If the revamped offensive line can jell, this unit will easily surpass 1,600 yards this season. According to Phil Steele’s 2008 College Football Preview, BG’s returning offensive starters have just 36-career starts between them, which ranks 103rd nationally. This could affect the output of this RB unit.
Corey Partridge and Freddie Barnes are splendid receivers. When BG opens at Pitt on August 30th - the players responsible for 300 of last season’s 332 receptions will be on hand. Do your homework on the entire Falcon WR unit since at least five different players could have at least 50 receptions this year in the revamped offense under new OCs Matt Campbell & Troy Rothenbuhler. BG does not use a TE focusing almost exclusively on a four-receiver set.
A glaring weakness in the past was stabilized last season. PK Sinisa Vrvilo and punter Nick Iovinelli each had solid 2007 campaigns. Vrvilo was perfect on his PATs and 15-19 on FGs with a long of 49 while Iovinelli downed 12 punts inside the opponents 20.
BG’s defensive backfield is quite good and safety PJ Mahone, VanDelaySports.com’s #7 incoming MAC recruit in 2006, is one of the top defensive players in the league. Mahone was a second team all-conference pick last season and is one of the MAC’s best defensive backs. He had seven INTs in 2007. With corners Antonio Smith and Kenny Lewis returning, along with FS Jahmal Brown, the Falcons have the MAC’s #2-rated DB unit (behind Western Michigan) entering the season. Erique Dozier is one of the most under-appreciated players in the MAC. He led the Falcons with 112 tackles and year ago and his fellow LB John Haneline added 96 despite missing four games due to injury.
Notes:
Due to a scheduling glitch, the Falcons do not play MAC East rival Temple this season. That means that all five of their divisional games will have an even greater importance. BGSU plays the most demanding non-league schedule of anyone in the MAC (at Pitt, Minnesota, at Boise State and at Wyoming). Look for a lot of offensive production for Sheehan & Company and Anthony Turner can certainly produce big-time numbers as he lines up as a RB, WR and QB in just about every game.
BUFFALO BULLS
Coach: Turner Gill, 3rd season (7-17)
2007 Record (MAC): 5-7 (5-3)
Drew Willy is the best QB to ever wear a UB uniform - he has quietly gotten better each and every year and if there was a “most improved player of the year award” in the MAC, he would have won it 2007. Willy completed 68% of his passes and had 15 TDs with just 6 INTs. His favorite target is Naaman Roosevelt, a 3rd team All-MAC selection a year ago. A downside to this position is that Willy does not have a backup. If he goes down to a serious injury, so will UB’s season.
James Starks (right, Jerome Davis/Icon SMI) had a break out season for UB last fall rushing for 1,103 yards and 12 TDs. Brandon Thermilus and Mario Henry add to make this a very efficient and effective rushing team. Look for Thermilus to have more of a role in the offense this year.
Naaman Roosevelt - see the Quarterbacks section above. This has become a much deeper area for UB. Ernest Jackson is coming off of a 53-catch 645-yard season that included 6 TDs. Brett Hamlin added 38 catches for 415 yards. Look for more production from the entire UB receiving corps this fall. The TE position is another story since this area hasn’t been featured much in the offense to date under Turner Gill, the Bulls offensive coordinator as well as head coach.
K A.J. Principe pleasant surprised Coach Gill and his staff. Principe was a walk-on last year who earned a scholarship after going 15-20 in FGs. He will have more production this year.
As a true freshman, Davonte Shannon became Buffalo’s 1st all-conference first-team selection ever. Shannon had 123 tackles, more than any other freshman in the country last season. Losing all-league defensive end Trevor Scott to the NFL will certainly hurt. Scott had 15 tackles for loss and 10 QB sacks last season. To put that in better perspective, Scott had more QB sacks then the entire Toledo defense did (nine) in 2007.
Notes:
Eighteen starters return from a 5-7 team that finished 5-3 in MAC play and owned a share of the divisional title. Among the returning starters are four all-conference selections. To truly understand the mountain of that accomplishment is to look at UB’s football past. Prior to last season the Bulls were just 9-56 in MAC games since joining the league in 1999. This year’s team is by far the best the program has ever produced and Drew Willy and James Starks should have monster seasons. While UB set a school record scoring 291 points in a season, that 24-point per game output average ranked 82nd nationally. If Drew Willy stays healthy there is too much talent on offense with 10 returning starters not to average close to 30 points per contest in 2008.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES
Coach: Doug Martin, 5th year (15-31)
2007 Record (MAC): 3-9 (1-7)
At five-foot four, Eugene Jarvis (right, Icon SMI) is the smallest player in college football, but he played big last season ranking 5th in the country in rushing averaging at 139 YPG. With an offense that struggled much of the season, Jarvis rushed for 1,669 yards averaging almost 6 yards per carry. He alone accounted for 38% of the entire Kent State offensive production in 2007. For Jarvis to take his game to the next level, the coaching staff is finding ways for him to increase his 13 TD output from last year. His backup is Andre Flowers who is becoming a special player since he brings more power to the rushing attack. Don’t be surprised to see true freshman Sal Battles on the field right away.
Julian Edelman had a very good 2006 season and promising 2007 campaign ahead of him. After leading Kent State to a rare BCS victory at Iowa State to begin the season, QB Edelman was injured in the Kentucky game the following week and was never the same player. At 5-10 he may be the shortest QB in IA football. He is a very good running quarterback with limited passing skills. Giorgio Morgan emerged as a solid backup after throwing for 247 yards and three touchdowns in a close loss to the MAC Champions Central Michigan. Morgan may see more playing time is the senior Julian Edelman struggles.
The weak link to the offense is its receiving corps - KSU was dead last in the MAC and 111th nationally in passing offense. Some of that was due to the instability of the quarterback last year, but most was on the receivers themselves. There are no fantasy options from this group. However, TE is a different story. DE Jameson Konz, the team’s best overall athlete, was moved during the spring to give the weak KSU passing attack some much needed lift. While unproven, he is expected to have a huge season since the 2008 Golden Flash passing game will be built around him.
The Golden Flashes have been haunted by a dreadful kicking game through the years finally found a dependable kicker in Nate Reed. Reed converted 18-24 FGs with a long of 52-yards. The rest of the special teams play hasn’t been so special. Punter Jake Kilroy ranked last in the MAC in net punting. Help is needed as well for all kick return specialists after finishing 104th nationally in punt returns and 60th in kick off returns.
KSU has the MAC’s best set of LBs in Kevin Hogan, who also lines up as a rush DE, Cedrick Maxwell, Stevon Moss, Michigan transfer Cobrani Mixon and Derek Burrell. The defensive line has potential and Kent State signed the MAC’s top rated recruiting class in 2008 led by three all-star DB prospects that will see playing time this fall. KSU ranked 111th in turnover margin last season which killed them in 2007. Kent must learn to protect the ball, especially since they are much better at running (22nd nationally in 2007) than passing (111th nationally in 2007).
Notes:
Kent State proved last year that they are a team that has yet to learn how to deal with success. Perhaps that is why this program has only had two winning seasons since 1980. Coming off of a .500 season in 2006 and picked by most publications to finish first or second in the MAC East, the Golden Flashes plummeted back to their familiar position of last place. Much of that had to due with the injuries at quarterback. This season the offensive line and running backs are as good as there is in the conference but big questions remain at wide receiver. Defensively Kent State should be one of the better teams in the MAC, especially at linebacker. So when you consider that this team lost four MAC games by a touchdown each, KSU is not that far away from being competitive in the MAC East immediately and may surprise everyone by going from worst to first
MIAMI REDHAWKS
Coach: Shane Montgomery, 4th year (15-21)
2007 Record (MAC): 6-7 (5-2) MAC Title Game Loss to Central Michigan - no bowl
Who will be the starting quarterback, Daniel Raudabaugh or Clay Benton? Miami ranked 108th nationally in scoring offense in part because of inconsistent play at QB. Benton was my #1 MAC recruit two years ago and was a true steal for the RedHawk program. He has all the physical tools to succeed. Raudabaugh had a disastrous first career start at Colorado last season (11-32 for 95 yards) but ended the season as the starter. Clay Benton should emerge as the starting QB on August 28th for the home opener against Vanderbilt.
Miami was decimated with injuries at running back last year and this fall they must replace their top three rushers from a year ago. For an offense that ranked 85th nationally in rushing, that’s not good. There is a lot of potential with guys like sophomore Thomas Merriweather, Jamel Miller and Andre Bratton, but none are proven.
While none of the Miami receivers cracked the MAC’s top-ten list in receptions or yards, there is a lot of budding talent in Chris Givens, Jamal Rogers and Dustin Woods. 5th year senior Tom Crabtree returns at TE and is a solid player. It’s difficult to gauge the receiving unit at this point in time due to the uncertainly at QB.
Miami has a terrific punter in senior Jake Richardson, a Ray Guy nominee, who has gotten better each and ever year. Miami is historically one of the least-penalized teams too, evident by last seasons #2 ranking in the MAC with just 47 yards per game in penalty yardage. If the placekickers (Nathan Parseghian or Trevor Cook) can get their acts together after combining for 18-30 in FGs, the RedHawks’ special teams should be quite solid.
Miami has arguably the best defense in the MAC and it’s led by a trio of LBs, Clayton Mullins, Joey Hudson and Caleb Bostic. Together they form the MAC’s best LB unit and this group is as good as almost any in college football. Mullins is the reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year, ranked 10th nationally in total tackles at 143. Overall nine starters return on defense. DE Joe Coniglio leads an aggressive D-line that led the MAC in QB sacks last year. Look for NT Martin Channels (6-0, 333) to have a break out season. SS Robbie Wilson is a preseason Jim Thorpe Award nominee.
Notes:
For once, Miami is not playing a killer non-conference schedule. Last year MU played Minnesota, Cincinnati, Colorado, Syracuse and Vanderbilt. In the nearly 60-years of the MAC, no conference team has ever played five BCS schools during a single season. This year Miami gets Michigan, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati, but their final OOC game is I-AA (FCS) Charleston Southern. After going from ‘worst to first’ (2-10 in 2006 to MAC East Division champs in 2007), Miami is the team to beat in East Division in 2008. While the RedHawks did get to the MAC Championship Game, there is still the sting of not earning a bowl bid and finishing the season at 6-7. This season MU will once again feature a solid defense but the difference is the offense should be much better than last year. In 2007 Miami averaged just 19 points per game, ranking 109th nationally. That will change, especially if Clay Benton wins the starting QB role and gets the ball to the playmakers like Dustin Woods and Chris Givens. Expect Miami to win the East and earn their first bowl birth since the 2004 Independence Bowl.
OHIO BOBCATS
Coach: Frank Solich, 4th year (19-18)
2007 Record (MAC): 6-6 (4-4)
Who is going to run the ball this year in Athens? The Bobcats will be searching for a new identity after career rushing leader Kalvin McRae (4,398 yards) graduated. McRae was dependable and durable producing 21 games with 100 yards or more throughout his career. Chris Garrett and Donte Harden are listed on the spring two-deep roster but that could and probably will change before the season opener at Wyoming.
There may be a lot of questions at quarterback but Ohio certainly has more athleticism at QB than last year. Theo Scott makes plays with his legs while JUCO transfer Boo Jackson threw for over 2,300 yards and 23 TDs at El Camino College in California. Scott, a former JUCO, is quickly becoming a dual-threat signal caller.
TE Andrew Mooney has been a terrific addition since he transferred from New Mexico State. Mooney led the team in receptions last year and has all-conference honors awaiting him this season with continued development. Vanderbilt transfer David Carter and Zac Clark add solid depth to the TE position. At WR, Taylor Price is the best of the bunch but Ohio doesn’t pass the ball very well.
A major concern in close games will be placekicking. For OU, this area went from the most reliable position on the team to the area of most uncertainty. PK Michael Braunstein hit a school record 20 field goals in 2007 and all 38 PATs. True freshman Matthew Weller takes over those duties this fall.
The defense needs to pick it up this season after ranking 81st in scoring defense and 74th in total defense last season. Gone from this year’s schedule are offensively challenged teams like Gardner-Webb and UL-Lafayette and replaced with offensive machines like Central Michigan, Western Michigan along with a very physical Ohio State team. With the return of Ernie Hodge, All-MAC Jameson Hartke could have an even better 2008 campaign. Look for LB and Nebraska native Noah Keller to have a breakout season.
Notes:
OU will play six of their first eight games on the road. Before hosting Buffalo on October 28 (just their third home game of the season at that point), the Bobcats will have already traveled to Wyoming, Ohio State, Northwestern, Western Michigan, Temple and Kent State. This looks to be a transitional year for Ohio football after last season’s disappointing 6-6 record. The 2007 team certainly did underachieve with close losses to Wyoming, Kent State and Toledo. All of those contests should have been victories. Beating rival Miami in the final game of the season should have been the kicker into the MAC Championship Game with a 9-3 record instead of a .500 effort. This year there is uncertainly at several key positions. The Bobcats also got a bad draw of MAC West teams playing both Central and Western Michigan. Now toss in the fact that East division rivals Temple, Kent State and Buffalo will each be improved and it will be difficult for Ohio to finish with a 6-6 record this year
TEMPLE OWLS
Coach: Al Golden, 3rd year (5-19)
2007 Record (MAC): 4-8 (4-4)
Adam DiMichele is a good leader and a terrific athlete at QB and returns after an injury-riddled 2007 campaign. With DiMichele Temple was 3-5, without him they were 1-3. The offense is much better with him running the show. There is little proven depth behind DiMichele as Vaughn Charlton has yet to prove himself consistently
The rush offense was not good last year ranking 108th nationally at 93 yards per game. Jason Harper, last year’s leading rusher (49 yards per game) has been moved to receiver. Jared Williams was a high school sprinter, will be going up against Marquise Liverpool (a converted receiver to RB) along with Joe Jones. Of added note - the entire offense needed help last season scoring just 16 points per game ranking 116th nationally. Four times last season Temple scored seven points or less in a game.
WR Bruce Francis led the Owls in receptions (47) and yardage (731) last season while scoring six touchdowns. He has a chance to be really special this season. Francis looked terrific in the spring game as well scoring a 75 yard TD. Do not forget Travis Shelton, an electric return man.
K Jake Bronwell struggle much of last season and finished 13-21 in FGs with a long of just 41 yards. Other than Temple being among the national leaders in kickoff coverage, TU’s overall special teams rank low.
Defense & Special Teams
Temple may have the MAC’s top defense this year. Last season the Owls led the MAC in total defense and led the nation in red-zone defense. Both DTs, Terrance Knighton and Andre Neblett, will contend for all-conference honors. There are solid defensive ends as well in Junior Galette and Brian Sanford. Toss in interior LBs Alex Joseph and Amara Kamara and Temple easily has the MAC’s best ’seven in the box.’ Travis Shelton was splendid in kick returns in 2006 but tailed off in 2007.
Notes:
Temple has not had a winning season since 1990 (7-4) and there has been no winning tradition of any sorts since the late 1970s. While it is encouraging that the Owls went 4-8 last season and 4-4 in MAC play, it should be noted that their eight losses were by an average of 17.5 points per game - so it’s not like TU lost many heartbreakers (outside of the UConn game 22-17). However the Owls return all 22 starters from a year ago and have some high quality recruits entering the program this fall. For the first time in nearly two decades, there is actually excitement around the program and a true sense of building a program that can succeed. There is quality depth and experience too which is a first during the Al Golden era but having a winning season may still be a stretch in 2008.
Nick Gerogosian truly is the MAC Daddy, check his continuous updates of the major sports at www.VanDelaySports.com throughout the year.
Topics: MAC, Nick Gerogosian, Preview |
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