2009 MAC Lookaheads
East
Akron
|
Bowling
Green
|
Buffalo
|
Kent St
|
Miami Univ.
|
Ohio
| Temple
West
Ball State
|
Central
Mich
|
Eastern
Mich
|
No Illinois
|
Toledo
|
West
Mich
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2008 CFN All-MAC Team |
2008 CFN Preseason All-MAC Team
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2007 MAC Lookback/Recaps |
2008 MAC Lookaheads
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2008 MAC Lookbacks/Recaps
Akron
CFN Preseason Prediction: 4-8 Final
Record: 5-7
Why to get excited: Two of the
three starters are back on the defensive
front with Almondo Sewell and Joe Rash
heading the outside. The secondary gets
back three key players in the 3-3-5
while Mike Thomas, the second-leading
tackler, is back on the strongside. The
offense gets four starters back on the
line to protect senior-to-be QB Chris
Jacquemain.
Why to be grouchy: Two key
starters from the linebacking corps are
gone, including leading tackler and
All-MAC star, Kevin Grant, from the
middle. Dennis Kennedy is gone from the
running game along with second-leading
receiver, Andre Jones.
The number one thing to work on is:
Generating a pass rush. The 3-3-5
defensive alignment is supposed to get
more speed and athleticism on the field,
but it didn’t translate into production
in the backfield as the Zips finished
115th in the nation in sacks
and 100th in tackles for
loss. The secondary held up well despite
the lack of help, but the team can’t be
a player in the MAC without a dramatic
improvement.
Biggest offensive loss:
RB Dennis Kennedy
Biggest defensive loss: LB Kevin Grant
Best returning offensive player:
WR Deryn Bowser, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
NT Almondo Sewell, Jr.
Ball State
CFN Preseason Prediction: 6-6 Final
Record: 12-2
Why to get excited: The defense
was tremendous up until the final two
games of the season, and seven starters
return. The safeties, Alex Knipp and
Sean Baker, will be among the best in
the MAC while everyone returns to a
strong defensive front that was great at
getting into opposing backfields.
Why to be grouchy: Losing QB Nate
Davis to the NFL a year early hurts, but
losing head coach Brady Hoke to San
Diego State is a killer. Stan Parrish
will need to prove himself early on for
a program that’s coming off such a
remarkable regular season, but he’ll
have to do it with a few key
replacements on the offensive line, two
new outside linebackers, two new
corners, and a new punter as Chris
Miller, one of the nation’s best, is
gone.
The number one thing to work on is:
Getting the mojo back. After all the
great things that happened last year,
and after such a disastrous ending,
it’ll be tough to gear the program back
up and be anywhere near the level it was
at throughout 2008. Getting QB Tanner
Justice comfortable will be step one. If
he’s above-average, the Cardinals have a
chance to be players in the MAC race.
Biggest offensive loss:
QB Nate Davis
Biggest defensive loss: CB B.J. Hill
Best returning offensive player:
RB MiQuale Lewis, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
LB Brandon Crawford, Sr.
Bowling Green
CFN Preseason Prediction: 5-7 Final
Record: 6-6
Why to get excited: Depending on
the formation, seven starters return to
the offense led by veteran QB Tyler
Sheehan. The defense welcomes back a
nice pair of safeties in P.J. Mahone and
Jahmal Brown. Bowling Green won’t be on
anyone’s list of preseason conference
favorites, but there are enough decent
players in place to have a good year.
Why to be grouchy: Lots of work
is needed on the defensive front with
star end Diyral Briggs just one of three
lost starters while linebackers Erique
Dozier and John Haneline are also gone.
While Freddie Barnes is back, Corey
Partridge and Marques Parks are gone
from the receiving corps.
The number one thing to work on is:
Getting more explosive on offense.
Barnes is a good place to start, and RB
Willie Geter has nice flash to go along
with pounder Chris Bullock. The offense
was decent last year and was able to put
up points, but cranking out long,
productive drives throughout the season
was a problem.
Biggest offensive loss:
WR Corey Partridge
Biggest defensive loss: DE Diyral Briggs
Best returning offensive player:
QB Tyler Sheehan, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
SS P.J. Mahone, Sr.
Buffalo
CFN Preseason Prediction: 3-9 Final
Record: 8-6
Why to get excited: Turner Gill
is still the Buffalo head football
coach. He’s probably only around for one
more year, but as long as he’s at UB,
the program has a chance to be special.
On the field, getting all seven starters
back in the linebacking corps and
secondary should ensure another year of
takeaways. UB was third in the nation in
turnover margin.
Why to be grouchy: Willy will be
missed. Zack Maynard brings good running
skills, but can he be the leader and
passer that Willy was? Three starters
are gone off the offensive line that did
such a great job of paving the way for
RB James Starks, but it was mediocre in
pass protection.
The number one thing to work on is:
Generating a pass rush. For all the good
things the Buffalo defense did when it
came to forcing turnovers, the lack of
solid play from the line was a problem.
UB only came up with 14 sacks on the
year and struggled to make any plays in
the backfield. The secondary struggled
because of it as too many of the MAC’s
good quarterbacks had time to throw.
Biggest offensive loss:
QB Drew Willy
Biggest defensive loss: DE Mike Thompson
Best returning offensive player:
RB James Starks, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
SS Davonte Shannon, Jr.
Central Michigan
CFN Preseason Prediction: 6-6 Final
Record: 8-5
Why to get excited: Dan LeFevour,
Bryan Anderson, Antonio Brown, Kito
Poblah, and Rocky Weaver. LeFevour and
his receivers are all back, along with
three starters on the line, while the
defense gets everyone back. Everyone. If
this isn’t the preseason favorite to win
the MAC title, it’ll be everyone’s No. 2
team.
Why to be grouchy: Do-it-all RB
Ontario Sneed is gone along with backup
Justin Hoskins. The defense is all back,
but the defense is all back … it didn’t
come up with enough key stops last
season. For good and bad, the pressure
will be out of the realm of realistic.
It’s MAC title or bust.
The number one thing to work on is:
Tightening up the pass defense … again.
This has been the constant problem for
CMU over the last few years, but it
would be a huge help if it could slow
down one of the decent MAC passers.
Oddly enough, one of the best games the
secondary had was against Ball State’s
Nate Davis, giving up only 175 yards,
but it allowed four touchdown passes.
The secondary only came up with eight
interceptions with five coming against
Temple and Northern Illinois.
Biggest offensive loss:
OT Andrew Hartline
Biggest defensive loss: LB David Archer
Best returning offensive player:
QB Dan LeFevour, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
LB Nick Bellore, Jr.
Eastern Michigan
CFN Preseason Prediction: 4-8 Final
Record: 3-9
Why to get excited: QB Andy
Schmitt returns to revolve the offense
around, while the defense has a few
decent players to work with like DT
Brandon Slater and DE Brad Ohrman up
front, and corners Kevin Long and
Arrington Hicks in the secondary.
Getting English as the head man was a
coup for a program in need of a big-time
makeover. Four starters return to the
offensive line
Why to be grouchy: The defense
can’t be much worse, but it’ll have to
replace several of its key players
including LB Daniel Holtzclaw and
safeties Dwayne Harrison and Jacob
Wyatt. The top four tacklers of last
year are gone. The offense will be
without starting RB Terrence Blevins, WR
Tyler Jones, left tackle T.J. Lang.
The number one thing to work on is:
The defense, in all phases. There was no
push into the backfield from the line,
the run defense was among the worst in
America, allowing close to 200 yards per
game, and the secondary was the worst in
the MAC in pass efficiency defense.
English has to come in and make the
defensive more productive from the day
he first sets foot on the practice
field.
Biggest offensive loss:
WR Tyler Jones
Biggest defensive loss: LB Daniel Holtzclaw
Best returning offensive player:
QB Andy Schmitt, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
LB Andre Hatchett, Sr.
Kent State
CFN Preseason Prediction: 4-8 Final
Record: 4-8
Why to get excited: The offensive
line has the potential to be among the
best in the MAC, even without LT
Augustus Parrish. The defense struggled
throughout last year, but eight starters
return with a defense defensive front
that should be far better in all areas.
Of course, having a back like Eugene
Jarvis to work the team around is always
a plus.
Why to be grouchy: Are the
receivers in place to start throwing the
ball more? One of the MAC’s worst
passing attacks with Julian Edelman at
the helm needs to be better, and it
could be with Anthony Magazu throwing.
However, Shawn Bayes, the team’s best
receiver, is gone. The defense might
have plenty of returning experience, but
it loses its best player by far, LB
Derek Burrell.
The number one thing to work on is:
A more balanced offense. The return game
needs a major overhaul after finishing
115th in the nation in punt
returns and 116th in kickoff
returns, but the team needs to get the
passing attack moving again. When Julian
Edelman was under center, it was all
about getting him and Jarvis moving on
the ground. But to make more MAC noise,
there has to be some semblance of an air
attack.
Biggest offensive loss:
QB Julian Edelman
Biggest defensive loss: LB Derek Burrell
Best returning offensive player:
RB Eugene Jarvis, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
FS Brian Lainhart, Jr.
Miami
University
CFN Preseason Prediction: 7-5 Final
Record: 2-10
Looking Ahead: New head coach
Mike Haywood inherits a veteran team,
but can anyone play? The RedHawks have
ten miles to go before they can even
think about playing for a MAC title, but
with the right attitude adjustment, and
better play from the lines, a turnaround
and a winning season might not take all
that long.
Why to get excited: The top skill
players are back … for good and bad. The
offense might have struggled last year,
but QB Daniel Raudabaugh, RBs Thomas
Merriweather and Andre Bratton, and
receivers Dustin Woods, Eugene Harris,
and Chris Givens are all back. Six
starters return on defense.
Why to be grouchy: Both kickers,
PK Nate Parseghian and P Jake
Richardson, First Team All-MAC
selections, are gone, as are the great
linebackers. The offensive line that
struggled so much last year will have to
deal with a lack of experience with
three starters gone.
The number one thing to work on is:
Scoring. The defense might not have been
a prize, but the offense did nothing to
help the cause with few long drives and
little in the way of scoring pop.
Nothing worked. The passing game came up
with yards, but that was mostly because
of the need to go into comeback mode.
The running game averaged a paltry 109
yards per game, and the offense averaged
a MAC-worst 18.42 yards per outing.
Biggest offensive loss:
PK Nate Parseghian
Biggest defensive loss: LBs Joey Hudson and Clayton Mullins
Best returning offensive player:
RB Thomas Merriweather, Jr.
Best returning defensive player:
NT Martin Channels, Sr.
Northern Illinois
CFN Preseason Prediction: 4-8 Final
Record: 6-7
Why to get excited: Eight
starters return to an offense that ran
well throughout last year, finishing
third in the MAC, while both safeties
are back to the league’s top pass
defense. Alex Kube is one of the MAC’s
best all-around defenders, and he’ll be
back to anchor the back seven. Mike
Salerno is one of the league’s best
placekickers.
Why to be grouchy: The offensive
line has to rebuild on the right side
with guard Dan Keller and tackle Jon
Brost gone. The defense isn’t going to
be better without MAC Defensive Player
of the Year Larry English off to the
NFL, and it also loses top corners
Melvin Rice and Chase Carter.
The number one thing to work on is:
Get the passing game going. It’ll be
Chandler Harnish’s offense now, or at
least he’ll be in a good battle with
DeMarcus Grady for the job. Whoever wins
it has to start throwing better. NIU was
dead last in the MAC in passing offense
and 11th in the league in
passing efficiency. The running game
should still work, that’s what head
coach Jerry Kill is good at cranking
out, but there’s a ceiling on what the
team can do without being able to throw
the forward pass with some semblance of
consistency.
Biggest offensive loss:
OT Jon Brost
Biggest defensive loss: DE Larry English
Best returning offensive player:
C Eddie Adamski, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
LB Alex Kube, Jr.
Ohio
CFN Preseason Prediction: 5-7 Final
Record: 4-8
Why to get excited: Veterans. QB
Boo Jackson is back along with six other
starters including almost all the key
skill players. The defense loses CB Mark
Parson and SS Michael Mitchell, but gets
back eight starters. The return game was
among the best in the MAC, and all the
key returners are back.
Why to be grouchy: The offensive
line needs work. It wasn’t great last
year, and now it has to replace three
starters. The defense has to start
generating more pressure into the
backfield without top tackle Jameson
Hartke. Losing CB Mark Parson will be a
problem; he was a nice shut-down
coverman.
The number one thing to work on is:
Turnover margin. The Bobcats turned it
over 31 times and only came up with 19
takeaways. More importantly, the
turnovers ended up coming at the worst
times. While finishing 110th
in the nation in turnover margin was a
big part of the problem, consistent
kicking was another thorn averaging a
mere 30.8 yards per punt.
Biggest offensive loss:
LT Josh Leuck
Biggest defensive loss: DE Jameson Hartke
Best returning offensive player:
QB Boo Jackson, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
LB Noah Keller, Jr.
Temple
CFN Preseason Prediction: 5-7 Final Record: 5-7
Why to get excited: Eight
starters return to an offense that
struggled last year, but will be much
more experienced, and nine starters are
back to a defense that should be among
the MAC’s best. Making the team even
more exciting going into next year is
the return of all the top return men.
The pieces are there to do what Buffalo
was able to.
Why to be grouchy: The offense
was held together by QB Adam DiMichele,
who managed to fight through injuries to
help the attack overcome a miserable
running game. DiMichele is gone. Yeah,
plenty of starters are back on offense,
but the ground game is starting from
scratch production-wise after finishing
last in the MAC. Terrance Knighton was
the anchor of the defense; 291-pound,
active defensive tackles don’t hang
around Temple too often.
The number one thing to work on is:
Scoring, scoring, scoring. The defense
has always been good under Golden, but
he needs to get his offense rolling
without DiMichele. A new quarterback has
to emerge, Chester Stewart could be the
one, while Key-ayre Griffin and Joe
Jones have to provide some pop to the
running attack.
Biggest offensive loss:
QB Adam DiMichele
Biggest defensive loss: DT Terrance Knighton
Best returning offensive player:
WR Jason Harper, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
NT Andre Neblett, Sr.
Toledo
CFN Preseason Prediction: 7-5 Final
Record: 3-9
Why to get excited: Ten starters
return on defense, and while the one
loss is a big one, CB Tyrrell Herbert,
SS Barry Church leads an athletic group
that should be far better. The offense
gets nine starters back including four
offensive linemen and QB Aaron Opelt. If
that wasn’t enough experience returning,
both kickers, PK Alex Steigerwald and P
Bill Claus, are back.
Why to be grouchy: Can any of the
returning players actually play?
Experience is one thing, but will that
mean the team can improve after such a
nightmare of a season? Yeah, 21 overall
starters are back, but losing Herbert is
big and WR Nick Moore was fantastic.
Overall, it’s a lot to ask of a defense
to suddenly find ways to get into the
backfield and for the offense to start
putting up points in bunches.
The number one thing to work on is:
Hitting the quarterback. Toledo came up
with a mere ten sacks last year and a
pathetic 52 tackles for loss. The rest
of the defense struggled to pick up the
slack, even though the secondary tried
its best, and 2009 won’t be much better
unless a pass rusher emerges.
Biggest offensive loss:
WR Nick Moore
Biggest defensive loss: CB Tyrrell Herbert
Best returning offensive player:
WR Stephen Williams, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
SS Barry Church, Sr.
Western Michigan
CFN Preseason Prediction: 8-4 Final
Record: 9-4
Why to get excited: QB Tim Hiller
is back to lead the MAC’s best passing
attack. Top receiver Jamarko Simmons is
gone, along with Schneider Julien, but
Juan Nunez is back along with a few
other decent prospects who should be
ready to step up. The offensive line
gets four starters back and should be
able to keep Hiller upright after a good
year in pass protection.
Why to be grouchy: The entire
secondary needs to be replaced including
future NFLers Louis Delmas at strong
safety and Londen Fryar at corner. While
there are some decent receivers coming
back, losing Jamarko Simmons and
Schneider Julien will hurt after the two
combined for 164 catches for 1,990 yards
and 13 touchdowns. Also gone is tight
end Branden Ledbetter, who caught 45
passes for 464 yards and six scores.
The number one thing to work on is:
The pass defense. Considering the talent
in last year’s secondary, allowing 255
yards per game was appalling. Now the
Broncos have to come up with four new
starters, and while the pass rush should
be decent, it’s asking a lot to be able
to do more considering the lack of star
power. Getting a bit more out of the
punting game would be nice.
Biggest offensive loss:
WR Jamarko Simmons
Biggest defensive loss: SS Louis Delmas
Best returning offensive player:
QB Tim Hiller, Sr.
Best returning defensive player:
LB Austin Pritchard, Sr.