Toledo 2012 Recruiting

Toledo Rockets 2012 ... Head coach: Matt Campbell

Toledo Rockets

2011 Record: 9-4

Sep. 1 New Hampshire W 58-22
Sep. 10 at Ohio State L 27-22
Sep. 17 Boise State L 40-15
Sep. 24 at Syracuse L 33-30 OT
Oct. 1 at Temple W 36-13
Oct. 8 Eastern Michigan W 54-16
Oct. 15 at Bowling Green W 28-21
Oct. 22 Miami Univ. W 49-28
Oct. 29 OPEN DATE
Nov. 1 Northern Illinois L 63-60
Nov. 8 Western Michigan W 66-63
Nov. 18 at Central Mich W 44-17
Nov. 25 at Ball State W 45-28
Military Bowl
Dec. 28 Air Force 42-41

2010 CFN Prediction: 5-7
2010 Record: 8-5

Sept. 3 Arizona L 41-2
Sept. 11 at Ohio W 20-13
Sept. 18 at Western Mich W 37-24
Sept. 25 at Purdue W 31-20
Oct. 2 Wyoming L 20-15
Oct. 9 at Boise State L 57-14
Oct. 16 Kent State W 34-21
Oct. 23 Ball State W 31-24
Oct. 30 at Eastern Mich W 42-7
Nov. 9 at Northern Illinois L 65-30
Nov. 17 Bowling Green W 33-14
Nov. 26 Central Mich W 42-31
LITTLE CAESARS BOWL
Dec. 26 FIU L 34-32
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The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

Top 5 Toledo Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. WR Corey Jones
5-10, 165, Scout.com 41st ranked, four-star receiver. He may not possess ideal size, but he plays bigger than he is. He likes to work the middle of the field where he can catch short passes and turn them into big gains. He can hit the seam and beat most defenders deep. He has very good hands and runs solid routes. He is very dangerous as a return man where he can make plays in the open field. He also rises up to the competition level as well as anyone. Size limits him to being a slot.

2. MLB Jaylen Coleman
6-0, 230, Scout.com 19th ranked, three-star middle linebacker

3. QB Brian Blackburn
6-6, 215, Scout.com 52nd ranked, three-star quarterback

4. RB Damion Jones-Moore
5-7, 175, Scout.com 61st ranked, three-star running back

5. S Chaz Whittaker
6-2, 170, Scout.com 100th ranked, three-star safety

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... New head coach Matt Campbell is getting most of the players former head man Tim Beckman went after, and he’s bringing in a huge class led by a great group of linemen. The lines hadn’t been addressed for a few years, and now Campbell is making up for it with plenty of offensive tackles to develop for the near future and some ready-made defensive tackles who can step in and contend for jobs right away. The Rockets need them.

Team Concerns For 2012: Both starting tackles are gone and three starters are gone from the secondary. Defensive back was the bright spot in the 2009 class, and now all the key prospects will get their chance to show what they can do. The offensive line will take a step back losing three starters, but the biggest problem on offense is the loss of Eric Page, the do-it-all weapon who left early for the NFL.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: New head coach Matt Campbell has some key replacements to make. Star receiver and returner Eric Page left early for the NFL, and top running back Adonis Thomas is done. Three starters are gone from the O line, but the quarterback combination of Terrance Owens and Austin Dantin return. The defense that was hit-or-miss loses three starters up front and three in the secondary. Dan Molls is a good middle linebacker, and he’s going to have to do it all.

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … Receivers. Last year might have been a success, but the offense struggled and the passing game was hit-or-miss. With four strong receivers, led by 6-4 instant-impact producers Justin Olack and Alonzo Russell along with JUCO transfer tight end Colby Kratch, the Rockets are looking to throw it around a bit more. This is the second straight huge class with plenty of prospects with a little of everything being addressed, and while the receivers are the stars, offensive tackle and defensive back also got a boost.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 75. That Class Was Heavy On ... Bulk. There was little specific targeting for Tim Beckman with a year to recruit, and he and his staff did a fantastic job of upgrading the overall talent level. RBs Cassius McDowell and David Fluellen provide a potential thunder and lightning tandem, and Taylor Miller will be an all-star blocker before he's done. Defense has been a huge problem over the last few seasons but LBs Jayrone Elliott and Zac Rosenbauer should shore things up soon while JUCO transfer Taikwon Paige and Keith Suggs bring more athleticism to the secondary.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 109. That Class Was Heavy On ... Defensive backs. There are several decent incoming defensive ends/linebackers, and the passing game got a boost for the future, but it’s the secondary that got the most help with four corner prospects, led by the lightning fast Byron Best, and safety Jermaine Robinson, who might be ready to play right away.

2011 Season

Military Bowl
Toledo 42 ... Air Force 41
- CFN Thoughts on the Game

Toledo: Rocket quarterbacks combined to complete 21-of-27 passes. … QB Terrance Owens completed 19-of-24 passes for 210 yards and three scores. … Adonis Thomas led the team with 108 yards and a score on 22 carries. … Eric Page caught 13 passes for 59 yards, and Bernard Reedy caught four passes for 126 yards and three score. … Page returned four kickoffs for 153 yards with an 87-yard score. … LB Dan Molls led the way with 12 tackles and a half a tackle for loss.

Air Force: The Falcons converted 5-of-6 fourth down plays. … Tim Jefferson completed 13-of-22 passes for 159 yards and two scores with a pick and ran 14 times for 61 yards and a touchdowns. … Jonathan Warzeka ran six times for 95 yards and caught three passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. … WR Zack Kauth made four catches for 77 yards and a score. … LB Brady Amack made 11 tackles.

(AP) WASHINGTON -- Back and forth they went. A kickoff return for 87 yards. A pitch around the left end for 60. Touchdown passes for 49 and 37 yards. Two touchdowns scored on fourth downs. A pair of botched onside kicks.

And that was just the first half.

Toledo and Air Force ran up the score early and often Wednesday at the Military Bowl and played to a wild finish, decided only when Air Force's 2-point conversion attempt went awry with 52 seconds to play to give Toledo a 42-41 victory.

Air Force lined up to kick the extra point after Zach Kauth's 33-yard touchdown catch on fourth-and-3 pulled the Falcons within a point. But holder David Baska ran the option instead and fumbled the ball toward kicker Parker Herrington, who chased it until it went out of bounds in the end zone.

Bernard Reedy's third touchdown of the game -- a 37-yard catch, spin and run on a pass from Terrance Owens -- gave Toledo a 42-35 lead with 5:01 to play and put the Rockets (9-4) over the 40-point mark for a sixth straight game.

The win also marked a successful debut for Matt Campbell, the youngest coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The 32-year-old Campbell, who has been the Rockets' offensive coordinator for three years, was promoted to the head job after Tim Beckman left earlier this month for Illinois.

Reedy had a career-high 126 yards on four catches and was named the game's MVP. Owens completed 19 of 24 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Adonis Thomas ran for 108 yards on 22 carries.

Tim Jefferson, the first quarterback in service academy history to lead his team to four consecutive bowl games, completed 13 of 22 passes for 159 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for Air Force (7-6).

The game matched two of the top 25 scoring teams in the country, and they wasted little time living up to their reputations. It was Mid-American Conference member Toledo's spread offense against Mountain West Air Force's triple option, and the idea of a huddle seemed a quaint, antiquated concept.

The Rockets, as expected, featured their Mr. Do-Everything, Eric Page. The junior Paul Hornung Award finalist caught 13 passes for 59 yards, but his biggest play was an 87-yard kickoff return in the first half. Page ran untouched as he followed Reedy's block up the middle of the field for his fourth career kickoff return TD and first this year.

Making big plays for Air Force was Jonathan Warzeka, whose career-best 60-yard run set up one touchdown, and whose 37-yard reception on fourth-and-3 tied the game 28-all heading into halftime.

The second half got off to slow start, with the teams exchanging punts before the game's only defensive score: Toledo safety Jermaine Robinson's 37-yard interception runback after he corralled a tipped pass deep in the secondary.

Mike DeWitt's 2-yard run, his second touchdown of the game, tied it again, this time at 35-35. Toledo went primarily with Owens at quarterback over Austin Dantin, who started the first 10 games of the season before sitting out the last two with a concussion. Both usually get plenty of playing time in each game, but Campbell stayed with the hot hand.

The game, in its fourth year on the bowl calendar, drew 25,042 to RFK Stadium, and large swaths of the upper deck were empty.

Nov. 25 Toledo 45 … at Ball State 28  

Nov. 19 Toledo 44 … at Central Michigan 17  

Nov. 8 at Toledo 66 … Western Michigan 63
CFN Analysis: With 804 yards of total offense, everything worked except for all the turnover. The Rockets could’ve hung 80 on the board if the offense could’ve hung on to the ball instead of turning it over six times. … Terrance Owens stepped in and was nearly perfect, completing 22-of-27 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns, awhile Adonis Thomas ran for 216 yards and two scores. … Alright, so the defense didn’t show up and didn’t have a prayer of slowing down the WMU passing game. It was still a win, a wild win, to keep MAC title hopes alive. It’ll take a Northern Illinois loss and wins over Central Michigan and Ball State to take the West. If nothing else, the Rockets gave the fans a show in the home finale.  

Nov. 1 Northern Illinois 63 … at Toledo 60
CFN Analysis: The loss will overshadow a special day from Eric Page, who caught nine passes for 150 yards and five scores and returned three kicks for 101 yards. The Rocket offense was dominant, but the special teams breakdowns in the first quarter, and a disastrous day trying to slow down Chandler Harnish and the NIU passing game, were enough to offset Austin Dantin’s shining moment. Dantin completed 20-of-33 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns, and ran 11 times for 60 yards and a score, while Adonis Thomas ran 25 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns. The Rockets need help now to win the West after losing the showdown, needing to win out and hoping for an NIU loss. If the offense keeps playing like this, getting by WMU, CMU, and Ball State won’t be a problem.

Oct. 22 at Toledo 49 … Miami Univ. 28  

Oct. 15 Toledo 28 … at Bowling Green 21
CFN Analysis: It took a while to get the offense going, but Morgan Williams and the running game kept working and kept pounding, and then it broke through. Williams ran for 136 yards and three touchdowns but the passing game didn’t provide a ton of help against a mediocre defense. Eric Page was kept under wraps, and while Bernard Reedy caught six passes for 108 yards, most of the yards came on one big play. It wasn’t the best of all-around efforts, but after two straight blowout wins, this was a bit of a letdown. Even so, it was still a win. With three straight home games, including dates with Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, it’s time to get the offense rolling. Getting more from the passing game again is a must.  

Oct. 8 at Toledo 54 … Eastern Michigan 16
CFN Analysis: And now the program has hit its stride. The offense is humming over the last two weeks, and while blowing away Eastern Michigan might not seem like any big deal, the win over Temple two weeks ago looks even stronger. The punt return game is amazing, with Eric Page taking one to the house, but the passing game was the star with Terrance Owens and Austin Dantin combining to completed 27-of-30 passes for 302 yards and four scores. Page was terrific and the 1-2 rushing punch of Morgan Williams and David Fluellen were terrific. This was a muscle flexing game, and if the Rockets can get by Bowling Green on the road, then it’s time to make big statements with three straight home games against some of the MAC big boys.  

Oct. 1 Toledo 36 … at Temple 13
CFN Analysis: Just when Toledo could’ve gone into the tank after tough, heartbreaking losses, it came up with a tremendous performance on both sides of the ball with a coldly efficient passing game and a tough day from the defense. The Rockets gave up yards, but they made Bernard Pierce work for everything and ended up forcing four turnovers. Austin Dantin was nearly perfect, completing 12-of-14 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, but it was the play of Morgan Williams who starred in place of Adonis Thomas with 20 carries for 121 yards and a score. This was the statement game that Toledo now might be the team to beat in the MAC, and with Eastern Michigan up next week, and with four home games in the next five, it’s time to go on a run.  

Sept. 24 at Syracuse 33 … Toledo 30 OT
CFN Analysis: Toledo had its chances in overtime. It might have gotten hosed on the missed extra point call that would’ve made Ryan Casano’s 20-yard field goal at the end of regulation for the win, but the defense only allowed a field goal and Austin Dantin, who was great all day long, didn’t need to force the throw into the end zone that got picked off to end the game. Dantin and Terrence Owens were both terrific, combining to throw for 300 yards, and the offense did a nice job of keeping the chains moving, but for a team that came so close to Ohio State and got blown away by Boise State, it would’ve been nice to have pulled this out before going off to face a Temple team that blew away Maryland.

Sept. 16 Boise State 40 … at Toledo 15 …
CFN Analysis: Boise State really is good enough to beat anyone in the country, and there’s no shame whatsoever to lose by 25. After the last two weeks, the Rockets have their learning experiences, and nothing else will come close. Syracuse next week? Whatever. A road trip to Temple or a date with Northern Illinois? They’re winnable if the Toledo passing game works like it did against the Broncos. Austin Dantin didn’t do enough to move the ball early, but Terrence Owens came in and did what he could to try to keep up the pace. Eric Page was kept under wraps after his big game against Ohio State, catching eight passes for 69 yards and never getting loose, Now the Rockets go on the road for three of the next four weeks, and while the last two losses were acceptable, 1-3 with a loss to Syracuse would add even more pressure to the MAC opener at Temple. Going forward, the Rockets can't make the mistakes or the turnovers they had against a team this good. 

Sept. 10 at Ohio State 27 … Toledo 22
CFN Analysis: Toledo looked like it belonged on the same field as OSU. The athleticism was there, the playmakers were there, and even in a loss, this needs to be seen as a confidence builder. Eric Page was the best player on the field with 12 catches for 145 yards and two scores, and Austin Dantin threw well until Terrance Owens came in late to throw a curve ball into the mix on the final drive. The Rockets couldn’t run the ball, and they committed 14 penalties for 109 yards, but they outgained the Buckeyes 345 yards to 301. They have to be perfect, though, to have any shot against Boise State. 

Sept. 1 at Toledo 58 … New Hampshire 22
CFN Analysis: With 591 yards of total offense, this was exactly what Toledo needed to do out of the gate. Will the success against New Hampshire mean anything against Ohio State or Boise State? No, but it showed that the offense is in midseason form already with Austin Dantin and Terrance Owens both excellent combining to complete 25-of-34 passes for 283 yards and five scores. Adonis Thomas got the holes to run through, and he took advantage with 115 yards and a score on just nine carries. The offense was explosive, steady, and complete for three quarters before taking its foot off the gas. Forget about the next few weeks; in MAC play, the Toledo team that showed up against UNH looks ready to be a major factor.