MAC West Division Preview
August 4th, 2009 by Nick Gerogosian
BALL STATE CARDINALS
OFFENSE: With all-everything Nate Davis leaving early for the NFL, hotshot Kelly Page steps into the starting QB role. Page was one of the MAC’s top overall recruits two years ago out of the state of Texas and chose the ‘Cards over offers from Tulsa and Oregon. One thing the Page can count on is RB MiQuade Lewis. Lewis had a phenomenal season in 2008 rushing for 1,736 yards and 22 touchdowns. Briggs Orsbon leads a talented receiving along with proven commodities Myles Trempe and Dan Ifft. Madaris Grant and Kevin Steinhaus are two of the better tight-ends in the league. How good was BSU’s line last season? Consider this; with thirteen teams in this league, three of the five first team all-conference linemen were Cardinals. That area of strength now becomes a concern as Michael Swtizer is the lone returning starter.
INTANGIBLES: Ball State always seems to have excellent kickers and 2009 should be no different with PK Ian McGarvey and punter Scott Kovanda. The return units are very good too as BSU ranked 2nd in the MAC in punt returns and 3rd in the league in kickoffs. Coach Brady Hoke has left for San Diego State leaving this vacancy to 62-year old Stan Parrish, the former O-coordinator. Ball State opens the season with four non-conference games with three of these looking like sure wins (North Texas, New Hampshire and Army).
OUTLOOK: If Ball State was in the east they would probably contend for a divisional title but that seems highly unlikely given the strength and talent of Central and Western Michigan in the west. The ‘Cards recruited extremely well under Hoke so there is definitely talent to keep this program on top but what was disheartening was the play of this team after Hoke left. Ball State looked terrible under his guidance in the MAC Championship Game (42-24 loss to Buffalo) and in the GMAC Bowl (45-13 loss to Tulsa). Parrish has an abysmal 2-31-1 record as a DI-A head coach. Of all of the MAC teams, Ball State will be the hardest to figure considering their talent level is as good if not better than almost everyone in the league but until this new coaching staff can prove they can make them execute in the same manner as Coach Hoke did, this could be a very frustrating year for the Cardinal faithful.
2009 Schedule & Predictions
Date Opp. W / L
9/3 North Texas W
9/12 New Hampshire W
9/19 at Army W
9/26 at Auburn L
10/3 Toledo L
10/17 at Temple L
10/17 BGSU L
10/24 at Eastern W
10/31 Ohio W
11/12 at NIU L
11/18 Central L
11/24 at Western L
MAC Record 2-6
Overall Record 5-7
CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS
OFFENSE: There is no question who is the leader of the CMU offense and that is Dan LeFevour. The two-time first team all-MAC signal caller and MAC poster boy had another solid season completing 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,784 yards and 21 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. In addition he is the ‘Chips leading returning rusher (592 yards in ’08) and this dual treat is clearly and All-American candidate. On the receiving front, there may not be anyone better than Antonio Brown who had 93 catches for 998 yards with seven touchdowns last fall. Brown is also a dangerous kick returner who led the MAC last season in both punt and kickoff returns. Two other teammates are just as lethal within the receiving corps – Kito Poblah and Brian Anderson. CMU will be breaking in some RBs but the line will once again be solid behind Jeff Maddux & Colin Weaver. Central does need to replace both starting OTs.
INTANGIBLES: Central has played in three straight Motor City Bowls. Last season six of CMU’s games were decided by three points or less with the Chippewas winning five of them. Only ten teams in DI-A history, including the 1991 Central Michigan team, have had that many close calls. Both of Central’s kickers, PK Andrew Aguila and P Brett Hartmann, return. Central has three very difficult non-conference road games in 2009; Arizona, Michigan State and Boston College. The ‘Chips draw Akron, Buffalo and BGSU in their cross-over games.
OUTLOOK: It’s hard to pick against the team that has the MAC’s best QB, best overall group of receivers and returns ten starters on defense. For Central Michigan, just winning the MAC this fall won’t be enough. This program needs to take the next step forward and not only win the league, but win a notable non-conference game (Arizona, MSU or BC) and then win their bowl game over a ‘name’ team and not lose to someone like Florida Atlantic. The 2009 ‘Chips have the ability to win ten or eleven games. Anything short of that has to be considered a disappointment.
2009 Schedule & Predictions
Date Opp. W / L
9/5 at Arizona L
9/12 at Michigan St L
9/19 Alcorn St W
9/26 Akron W
10/3 at Buffalo W
10/10 Eastern L
10/17 at Western W
10/24 at BGSU W
10/31 at Boston College L
11/11 Toledo W
11/18 at Ball St W
11/27 NIU W
MAC Record 7-1
Overall Record 8-4
EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES
OFFENSE: QB Andy Schmitt may be the best kept secret in college football. All he did last year was to complete 62.6 percent of his passes for 2,644 yards and 15 touchdowns. When EMU finally committed to the spread offense during the final two weeks of the season, he threw for a 1,000 yards and eight TDs. It will be interested to see what the new coaching staff does with this talented 6-4 240-pounder during his senior year. The running game will feature who averaged 4.3 yards per carry last year and scored 12 TDs. While Blevins offers the “thunder” at 6-1 235 pounds, speedy Dwayne Priest provides the “lightening.” The Eagles return all but one of their top receivers from 2008 led by Jacory Stone who caught 88 passes for 943 yards and three touchdowns. Josh LeDuc may be the league’s most complete TE. The features four returning starters and only gave up 19 sacks last year on an offense that threw the ball more than 300 times.
INTANGIBLES: EMU is the only team in the MAC to have beaten Central Michigan two straight years. The Eagles bring both of their kicking specialists back in 2009 in PK Joe Carithers and P Zach Johnson. This is Ron English’s first head coaching position. He previously was an assistant at Louisville and was a long-time assistant coach at nearby Michigan. Eastern got off to shocking slow starts in 2008 as they only scored 35 points in 1st quarters all season.
OUTLOOK: The previous coaching staff did recruit some players Jeff Genyk just could never get this program over the hump. If EMU played their entire season with the same effort and desire like they have against Central Michigan the past two years, Genyk would still be in Ypsilanti and the Eagles would be a MAC force. The new coaching staff inherits a very good offense and a tremendous senior QB but for Eastern to make any noise the defense needs major improvement. Consider this, here are EMU’s total defensive stats over the past seven seasons; 409 in 2008; 424 in 2007; 388 in 2006; 409 in 2005; 470 in 2004; 393 in 2003 and 520 in 2002. Until the defense does something, this is a team that will only win three or four games per year. That’s the tough task ahead for Ron English and his staff. Playing Northwestern, Michigan, Arkansas, Central and Western Michigan will not help.
2009 Schedule & Predictions
Date Opp. W / L
9/5 Army W
9/12 at Northwestern L
9/19 at Michigan L
10/3 Temple W
10/10 at Central W
10/17 Kent St W
10/24 Ball St L
10/31 at Arkansas L
11/5 at NIU L
11/14 Western L
11/20 at Toledo L
11/27 at Akron L
MAC Record 3-5
Overall Record 4-8
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES
OFFENSE: One of the biggest surprises among the MAC quarterbacks in 2008 returns in 2009 with Chandler Harnish behind center for the Huskies. While he completed just 56% of his passes for 1,528 yards (with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions) he did lead NIU in rushing with 539 yards and four scores. DeMarcus Grady athletic ability will provide Northern some options at QB. Where the previous coaching staff had 1,000-yard rushers annually, the new coaching staff used a platoon or RBs led by Me’co Brown and Chad Spann to carry the load. Nathan Palmer returns and will be the feature receiver but this unit lost five seniors who produced a total of 1,090 of receiving yards graduated. The offensive line only gave up 17 sacks last year and should be even better this fall.
INTANGIBLES: Mike Salerno has become a do-everything type of specialist, from placekicking duties to punting. Josh Wilber may assist on the punting this fall. A game breaker is needed on the return side. NIU is 1-32-1 all-time versus the Big Ten; playing Wisconsin and Purdue this year. NIU is 20-17-1 versus Western Illinois but has lost three straight in this series.
OUTLOOK: No one should have been surprised with NIU going from 2-10 in 2007 to 6-7 in 2008. Jerry Kill inherited a very good program that Joe Novak had built up with the Huskies producing 10 wins in 2003, nine in 2004 and seven in 2005 and 2006. Now NIU must sustain the momentum brought back last year and continue to move forward in the very difficult west division. The non-conference slate is quite manageable compared to other MAC schools this year with Wisconsin being the only nationally ranked preseason team. Still, having just four returning starters on defense could pose a problem. NIU could finish anywhere from third to fifth in the west this fall.
2009 Schedule & Predictions
Date Opp. W / L
9/5 at Wisconsin L
9/12 Western Illinois W
9/19 at Purdue L
9/26 Idaho W
10/3 Western L
10/17 at Toledo L
10/24 at Miami L
10/31 Akron W
11/5 Eastern W
11/12 Ball St W
11/21 at Ohio L
11/27 at Central L
MAC Record 3-5
Overall Record 5-7
TOLEDO ROCKETS
OFFENSE: Aaron Opelt has shown flashes of being something really special for Toledo. He has the tools to lead this team and with backup QB Alex Pettee, UT has good depth but will miss DJ Lenehan who recently departed the program. Toledo features the deepest and most talented group of RBs in the league with DaJuane Collins and Morgan Williams. Williams ran for a school record 300-yards against Miami (O) last year and finished the season with over 1,000 yards rushing – as a backup. Stephen Williams has all conference abilities at WR and the Rockets have several quality options at TE. Toledo’s offensive line has the ability to be one of the league’s best. Overall Toledo returns nine starters from an offense that under-performed in 2008.
INTANGIBLES: Toledo returns both of their kicking specialists in senior PK Alex Steigerwald whose game-winning kick helped the Rockets defeat Michigan in Ann Arbor (the first time a MAC team ever won at Michigan Stadium) and sophomore P Bill Claus. Beckman was the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State prior to his arrival in the glass city but has deep Ohio roots. From 2000 through 2005 Toledo posted an overall record of 55-19; from 2006 through 2008 that record plummeted to 13-23.
OUTLOOK: Outside of Miami (O), no MAC program needed a coaching change more than Toledo. Not long ago Toledo was the face of MAC football on ESPN but the program turned very stale under Tom Amstutz over the past three seasons with frequent blow-out losses, poor discipline and overall lack of detail or preparation. Enter Tim Beckman, a guy with strong ties to UT’s arch-rival (BGSU) and a disciple of Urban Meyer & Jim Tressel. This year Toledo should be fun to watch and will most certainly be a better team. But playing a challenging schedule that includes Purdue, Colorado, Ohio State & Central Michigan won’t be easy for this new coaching staff. Don’t be surprised if UT jumps to six, seven or even eight wins in 2009. Winning the MAC west is not an option this year but is a strong possibility in the not to distant future.
2009 Schedule & Predictions
Date Opp. W / L
9/5 at Purdue L
9/11 Colorado W
9/19 Ohio St L
9/26 at FIU L
10/3 at Ball St W
10/10 Western L
10/17 NIU W
10/24 Temple W
10/31 at Miami (O) W
11/11 at Central L
11/20 Eastern W
11/27 at BGSU L
MAC Record 5-3
Overall Record 6-6
WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS
OFFENSE: Tim Hiller returns for his senior season after producing 3,725 yards passing and 36 TDs with just 10 INTs last year. He should be one of the finalists for the 2009 MAC Offensive MVP Award. He is highly accurate too completing 65% of his passes in ’08. The rushing attack returns Brandon West who rushed for 1,026 yards and eight scores. The receivers lost a lot of talent to graduation but Hiller still has Juan Nunez to count on, who was a 3rd team all-conference choice last year. WMU returns five players who each had at least eight starts last season so this will be pillar of strength up front. Leading the way is Phillip Swanson.
INTANGIBLES: Western Michigan’s kicking game is young but do have experience in sophomores in PK John Potter and P Ben Armer. Head Coach Bill Cubit is building a strong program in Kalamazoo after going 9-4 a season ago and a berth in the Texas Bowl. WMU begins the season with two straight Big Ten road games. Here’s an amazing stat, Western graduated 208 receptions from their receiving corps last year.
OUTLOOK: Western Michigan’s run of prosperity continued last year with a second bowl appearance in the last three seasons and just the third nine-win campaign in school history. With eight returning starters on offense the high-flying Broncos will score points in bunches. Defensively there could be some concerns as only one starter returns. Still, there is some budding talent on that side of the ball and Western has recruited very well over the past few seasons. If Western does well during their three-game mid-season stretch of NIU, Toledo and Central, the Broncos will be on their way to their first MAC title since 1988. Realistically, they will be a bridesmaid once again.
2009 Schedule & Predictions
Date Opp. W / L
9/5 at Michigan L
9/12 at Indiana L
9/19 Miami (O) W
9/26 Hotstra W
10/3 at NIU W
10/10 at Toledo W
10/17 Central L
10/24 Buffalo W
10/27 at Kent St W
11/7 at Michigan St L
11/14 at Eastern W
11/24 Ball St W
MAC Record 7-1
Overall Record 8-4
Related posts:
- MAC East Division Preview
- MAC West Preview
- MAC Daddy: Nick’ Picks for MAC, more Stone Temple locks!
- MAC Weekly Re-Cap: Week #7
- MAC News Notes and Previews – The MAC Daddy Nick’s Picks for Week 12
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