2009 College Football Preview: MAC

The Mid American Conference, also known as the MAC, also known as the Mildly Amazing Club is one of the smaller conferences in the FBS. The conference is divided into the East and the West, and features some really okay, and some really awful FBS schools.

The East looks to return the Turner Gill led Buffalo Bulls to the conference championship, while the Ball State Cardinals will struggle to make it from the West. The conference is nowhere close to developing a BCS Buster of a team, and is theoretically the Sun Belt of the North. Picking conference rankings is not an easy thing for these small/bad conferences, especially since the MAC has 13 teams, all of which might not finish in the top 50 this year.

Of course this is the best 2009 MAC football preview on the internet, and the detail used below ought to say something about the dedication of this site…  I mean come on, this conference is struggling

EAST

7) Temple Owls

The Temple owls won five games in 2008, and are looking to get a winning record in 2009. The problem is that the team lost the greater portion of its offense last year, and will struggle to produce with the unproven talent surrounding the team. If the Owls want to have that winning record, they are going to have to lean on their veteran defense that returns nine starters.

On Offense:

The Owl offense was not pretty in 2008 and will likely face a much harder time this year as only three starters will be returning to the team. The team will likely struggle, but the player talent is the best offensively than it has been in recent times. There is a quarterback battle between Junior Vaughn Charlton and sophomore Chester Stewart. Both players have looked decent as backups, but there is no saying that either will be able to excel in 2009. The RB battle could feature four different young backs who have their own say to the spot, but most expect sophomore Ahkeem Smith to take the spot.

On Defense:

The best thing going for the Temple Owls is the potential that returns at defense. The Owls return nine starters from last year, including six of the front seven. While the team was in the bottom third in just about every defensive statistic, returning nine to the defense will almost ensure them to have one of the better defenses in the MAC. Interestingly enough though is that if you look at the entire defense, you will see a ton of MAC playmakers. Andre Neblett is the MAC’s version of Mount Cody, and Jaiquawn Jarrett is a stud at safety. The entire LB core is back, and should be deep for the year.

So you might be asking why the Temple Owls are ranked last this year. The Owls just don’t come off as a team that is going to plain out beat up a team. The defense can keep them in the game, and they will sneak a few wins out, but they need at least another year for a big run in Philly. The best goal for the team this year is to beat a team with a winning record, because Coach Al Golden hasn’t done it since becoming the head coach 3 years ago.

6) Kent State Golden Flashes

This is the team that will likely finish last. The Flashes unfortunately have not been the football team that they could, and unfortunately are remembered more about the Kent State shootings than the football team. The only thing it has going for it is a phenom of a rushing attack. They also return 6 on each side of the ball, but it could be a long year for this wide school in Ohio. That’s right folks; Kent doesn’t stand for Kentucky, but for the city and area in Ohio. Not only are we educating you in sports here at Draftzoo, but also in Geography and History. But enough DZ plugging (at least until the next team), and more about the G-Flashes.

On Offense:

There are two major strong points for the team. The most obvious would be the rushing attack that finished 11th in yardage in 2008. But 11th is an understatement for the team, as the team’s biggest star Eugene Jarvis ran for 800 yards less than he did as a sophomore. Jarvis is an amazing player who has reportedly looked stellar in the preseason, so look for that top-11 to break into the top-8 easily. It also helps that 4/5 starting OL is back and ready to attack. The only newcomer just happens to be a freshman Kent Cleveland (coolest Ohio school name out there) who the coaches believe will start at LT. If the line can get going like the experience and potential could, and if the run game can do the things it should, then they might be decent.

On Defense:

The team has good young potential in the defense, and six starters return to from all parts of the field. The team returns Brian Lainhart, the safety who brought in six picks to the team, and LB Kevin Hogan brings five sacks back as well. Overall however the team struggled to stay consistent on the field, and were in the bottom third in defense in just about every statistic. If the defense can get it going, just like the offense, then Kent might have something to talk about, but unfortunately the team has averaged less than four wins a year since Coach Doug Martin joined the team five years ago.

5) Miami (OH) Redhawks

This is another Draftzoo classic call for the Redhawks in 2009. Ok, so maybe it’s not a major prediction, but I think that the team might be getting a very good makeover, and one that could bring the team back to glory. This all starts with new coach Mike Haywood who has promised change in Oxford. Haywood who is the former offensive coordinator for Notre Dame has promised a new way of attack for the Redhawks and is ditching the former finesse method for more of a smash mouth attack. Look for a Mike Singletary kind of team to make its debut this year against Kentucky.

On Offense:

Maybe Big Ben Roethlisberger can suit up for the team again, because if not the Redhawks have a lot to prove on the field this year. Lucky for them though, the team has more talent than it needs at QB. Actually the team has been recruiting well the last couple of years, and a ton of transfers will be able to play over the next two years. Super senior Daniel Raudabaugh will be returning to the team ready to strike with two returning tackles and two returning wide outs for the team. If Raudabaugh can’t the things done that coach Haywood wants then expect either freshman Zac Dysart or talented redshirt freshman Austin Boucher to get the snaps under center. Remember those transfers that I mentioned? Well no player has more potential to become a MAC stud than Quincy Landingham who transferred from Wisconsin. The team that had a bottom-15 rush attack last year will be significantly improved with Landingham rushing the rock.

On Defense:

There are three sides to the defensive story in 2009, and two of them are good. The worst part for the team is the fact that only three starters from last year return to the team, and the best tackler only had 40. The good news is however that the team has a long shot to reach the playoffs anyways, and there are only seven seniors on the first and second string of the defense. The team will return a ton of talent for 2010, and the new smash mouth football program will be ready to explode. The final good point for the defense is that formerly retired Carl Reese will become the defensive coordinator for the Redhawks, and his final goal in football is to debunk the spread offense. That’s right traditional football fans; there is still hope that the Jedi’s and Carl Reese will develop an end to the Dark Side and his minion group of Big-12 team.

4) Bowling Green Falcons

Here is another one of those teams that might be over valued here because of a new coach, a new scheme, and a lack of talent. Dave Clawson did a great job reviving FCS and D2 teams as a head coach, but was an absolute disaster as the offensive coordinator last year at Tennessee. If he wants to turn around the BG team’s former success, he had better do some of the things he did in the past. His other big knock is that it takes him a few years to succeed, and many Falcon fans are ready for wins now.

On Offense:

As noted above, the Falcons are going to be shying away from their old spread scheme, and going with a more pro styled WCO scheme. The team will likely be running a two-back system that should confuse the defenses and help to spark the pass game. It doesn’t hurt that the team returns QB Tyler Sheehan to the field, and the team’s best receiver in Freddie Barnes. Sheehan might have major difficulties adjusting to a WCO style of play, especially since he played a spread shotgun style before. One final lucky note for both sides of the offense is that the entire right side of the line returns three great, stable linemen.

On Defense:

The Falcons might end up with the worst overall defense in the MAC as they are only returning three starters to the field, including six of the front seven. There is no doubt that the team has one of the best safety tandems in the conference (as both of them will likely be either 1st team or 2nd team MAC players). The entire DB will have great depth, but it’s hard to justify a great year for the Falcons when you return only three members of a team that wasn’t amazing last year on defense.

3) Ohio Bobcats

How many Ohio teams does the MAC East have? And why the heck does the one with the lamest name of them all (Ohio) being labeled as one of the teams that could easily win the East. The Bobcats had a 4-8 record in 2008, and were insanely inconsistent on both sides of the ball. In fact, it would be a blast to talk about how the Ohio Bobcats could beat Akron or Buffalo on their way to losing the in the MAC championship game, but maybe next time. Oh, now I’d be a great time to mention the Draftzoo Forum! CLICK HERE to join the forum and tell Hunter and I why we suck. Or why we are the most creative and fun guys in sports!

On Offense:

The Bobcats are lucky to have a duo of quarterbacks that will be competing a great deal for their starting spot. Boo Jackson filled in for Theo Scott last season after he went down with a broken clavicle. Jackson became a scary threat during the season and set the school record in TD passes, while also having also adding a dynamic and athletic threat to the field. Theo Scott will look to take his job back, but it may be difficult for him. The team also returns RB Chris Garrett, and two good receiver targets in Taylor Price and LaVon Brazill. If the team wants to take that next big step that they showed glimpses of brilliance in last year, they must prevent dumb turnovers and they also must be able to rebound from their losses in the trenches.

On Defense:

This is where the team is going to have to be great. The defense returns 7 members of a top-60 defense, including five of the front seven. The team returns the great Noah Keller, who is the MLB who brought in 104 tackles last year. Overall the D-Line must start stopping the run better, and the DB’s must stay strong with their top-35 pass defense. The LB core looks to be decent, and overall the defense could make great strides for the team.

I didn’t mean to knock the Bobcats, but they just don’t seem to have that dark horse feeling to them. The team has averaged just under a 6-win season since Coach Frank Solich joined the team, but a 4-win season last year just doesn’t send shockwaves of fear to the nation.

2) Akron Zips

The Zips are a team that only won five games last year, but are also a team that lost many of their games, including a 2-point loss to Big East Champs Cincinnati. The team returns good talent and have a very experienced offense for the 2009 season that includes eight senior starters. The team has a good chance to take the East from Buffalo, but might still be missing a little bit too much to do so.

On Offense:

Andre Jones, Jeremy Bruce, Deryn Bowser, and Dashan Miller are all returning senior starting receivers for the team! There is so much experienced depth for receivers that either Bruce or Miller will have to take significant snaps from the TE position, unless freshman TE Rhyne Ladrach has something to say about it. The team also returns the entire left side of the line, which is good news for senior QB Chris Jacquemain. Overall however, the team was balanced on offense last year as the rush game finished one spot ahead of the pass offense did in yardage. The team may have to throw a little bit more in 2009 as Alex Allen or former OSU commit DeVoe Torrence will need a little time to establish their games on the field.

On Defense:

The defense returns only five starters from the struggling defense that it had last year, but that might be an ok thing. The team plays with a very unsuccessful version of a 3-3-5, which definitely lowers the passing yardage. The problem however though is that the extra deep protection help from an extra safety creates a crappy run defense, especially with three DL and three LB. The extra help in the backfield also didn’t help the team to stop any points scored, as they ranked 95/119 in 2009. In my opinion, the team should adjust their defense to a 4-2-5, or something a little bit crazier and better fitting for the conference like a 5-2, hell LB’s are the coolest, so why not just run a 0-11-0? Anyways, the team will get talented NT transfer Ryan Bain from Iowa, and the defense as a whole should improve.

1. Buffalo Bulls

No major surprise here. The Buffalo Bulls won the East title for the second time in a row last year, and were even able to upset the undefeated Ball State in the MAC championship. The team did lose former QB Drew Willy to the NFL, but there is plenty of talent on both sides of the ball to believe that the Bulls will get their MAC East hat trick in 2009.

On Offense:

As noted, QB stud Drew Willy has left the team, leaving sophomore Zach Maynard who completed one pass last year to take center. Maynard is a more athletic QB than Willy was, and should be able to grow into a decent enough duo threat for the team. James “Proto Man” Starks returns as one of the, if not the best RB’s in small-time football, and he is one a senior mission to destroy the MAC. He isn’t alone though as Mario Henry, a shifty back that will get yardage any way he can, and the thumper Brandon Thermilus will be there to help. Overall the team has three starting caliber MAC-Backs and only so many carries to give them.

On Defense:

The defense might not statistically be good, but overall it is one of the better MAC defenses. The defense keeps the team in most games, and they make a lot of smart plays on the ball. LB Justin Winters returns as the leading tackler (125) and the leading sacker (2) on the team, and will likely become one of the best small-school prospects for the 2011 draft. Overall the defense is packed full of diverse talent in just about every way. The defense has some young and some old, some big & strong and some small & quick, and some playmakers and some play stoppers.

WEST

It’s time for the MAC West Preview. Just a warning to all of the huge MAC fans, the West isn’t as interesting to write about as the East. The West features a ton of Michigan talents, and the best small school QB East of the Mississippi in Dan LeFevour.

6) Eastern Michigan Eagles

Just about all of these early MAC West teams could break out to the higher parts of the conference, especially since they all have some ok talent and a ton of returning starters. The team has also grabbed Ron English, one of the best African American coordinators in college and made him their coach. English becomes on of the seven FBS black coaches, and the only knock is that he’s never been a head coach before. Lucky for him he joins a team that has been awful and looking for the next great college coach to bring them back.

On Offense:

The Eagles bring back a total of 15 starters from last year, including QB Andy Schmitt a senior QB that is a little boring yet very efficient. English is planning to take the team into a more conservative pro-style, and will do so with a very experience returning OL that brings back 4 of the starting 5. The team will need to find some down field weapons for Schmitt, but they are lucky enough to bring back RB Terrence Blevins and junior back Dwayne Priest.

On Defense:

The defense brings back eight starters to the team that was one of the worst in college. The team not only allowed 410 yds/g, but also a terrible 35.6 PPG. The team also only tallied 18 sacks and eight total picks for the year. You never want to have a defense that doesn’t make plays, doesn’t stop points, and doesn’t stop yards. That’s maybe why the Eagles got one of the better defensive minded and tough coordinators as their head coach!

5) Ball State Cardinals

The Cardinals are one of the more intriguing teams in college. After starting 12-0 the team lost a shoe-in game against buffalo and then in the GMAC bowl to Tulsa. QB great Nate Davis left for the draft and head coach left for San Diego State. The team then hired the OC Stan Parrish as head coach, which turned even more heads! Parrish is great at teach QB’s to play, with a resume that includes Nate Davis and Tom Brady, but the last time he coached a team, he went 2-31-1, and that was 20-years ago!

On Offense:

The Cardinals will have to replace Nate Davis, and Parrish doesn’t sound too worried as athletic and strong armed freshman Kelly Page. Page will be hoping for some major help as he only has four returning starters on offense, however two receivers, a top notch RB, and a good LG can’t hurt. MiQuale Lewis is a tiny Darren Sproles type of player, but was able to rack up 1,736 yards and 22 TD’s. Don’t be surprised if his stats drop off because of the other losses on the offense, but MiQuale is more than a capable back for the great offensive potential.

On Defense:

The defense was filled with smart, playmaking players last year, and will return the greater portion of a team that ranked 29th in scoring D, despite the yards allowed which were in the bottom 60. The entire DL is back, and so are both starting safeties. The problem will be replacing both corners and two of the three LB’s that left the team. SS Alex Knipp returns 96 amazing tackles to the team, while sophomore FS Sean Baker returns six interceptions. If the team wants to excel like the can, they need to stop more yardage, and be able to replace the losses in the middle

4) Toledo Rockets

Another MAC West school and another new coach. The Rockets choose to take a slightly controversial man in Tim Beckman, former defensive coordinator of Oklahoma State. OK State’s defense got statistically much worse when Beckman joined the school, but his potential is great. There is no doubting though that the Rockets could start out well for Beckman as he gets 16 starters back to the team.

On Offense:

When you think of OK State, one of the things that comes to mind is the spread. Well Beckman will start by implementing a speed, and fast paced action with the ball. And coach Beckman should be excited about returning nine members of the offense, including the entire line. Three year starter Aaron Opelt will have to learn the new scheme in a hurry, but has been regarded as one of the smartest and quickest learners on the team. He won’t be alone on the offense though as DaJuane Collins a beastly back that had an injury filled season in 2008. If the team can grasp the spread, and if Collins can rebound and stay healthy, look for a good Toledo year in offense.

On Defense:

The defense is happy to return seven starters to it’s altered 4-2-5 defense, and there is a good core that needs Beckman’s touch. The team returns a good deal of smart tacklers, but unfortunately one of the worst pass rushes in college. In fact, the team was only able to bring in 10 sacks last season, and also struggled to bring in many picks. In fact the team leading ball hawk is also the leading tackler, LB Archie Donald. But the team’s best player is the three time all-MAC safety Barry Church. If the team wants to compete in 2009, it’s going to have to improve the pass rush. Simple as that.

3) Northern Illinois Huskies

Finally a team that doesn’t have a new coach! And finally a team that doesn’t have 2/3 of its starters returning! However, it does seem like the Huskies might be in for longer season than most expect, and don’t be surprised to see a painful year for the NUI team from DeKalb.

On Offense:

The team that ranked 36th in rushing last year will be hurting for stars to run the rock. The hope for the team is that Me’co Browns and Chad Spann will be able to show the talent that the Huskie backs have recently shown. The other hope is that the team can finish better than the disappointing 100th place in yards. Sophomore QB Chandler Harish has show flashes of brilliance but also has shown flashes of disappointment.

Defense:

The top-20 defense that helped rule the MAC last year unfortunately will only be returning four starters, not including the MAC’s best player Larry English. The team does bring back great depth, but it would be ludicrous to believe that the team will have the 5th best passing defense, and the 14th best team in scoring defense. The team will have only three starting seniors which means the defense will be able to rebound and excel in 2010.

2. Western Michigan Broncos

This would be the team to win the MAC, had they been able to have a defense ready for 2009. But the fact of the matter is that the team will be good on offense and awful on defense. The team has one of the best small-school QB’s out there in Tim Hiller, and he brings back a decent team to try to keep his top 12 pass offense alive.

On Offense:

Hiller was already mentioned, but he won’t be alone. Hiller will be ecstatic to see that his entire OL will be back in action and ready to strike and defend. The team did lose good depth in the receiver spot, especially after losing Jamarko Simmons. The team will have good young potential to catch, but only Juan Nunez is proven. The team did not have a dominant rushing attack, but they do return 1,000 yard rusher Brandon West to the team. If the team can get catch the ball, they will be hard to stop offensively.

On Defense:

The defense returns 1, that’s right one starter to the team, and what better place to return than at LB. The team was in the bottom 60 at most statistical spots last year, and might be info an even longer year. The team does have potential in all of the spots as Doug Wiggins, a Miami transfer will be playing FS. Overall the team will likely need to be focus on improving the pass defense that ranked in the bottom 20 last year, and to help improve the pass rush as well.

1. Central Michigan Chippewas

Dan LeFevour is one of the best players in the WAC, and some people think he is a cleaner version of Tim Tebow. The Chippewas return LeFevour who brings back his 21 aerial scores last year, and not to mention his 600 running yards. If that wasn’t great enough the team also brings back 10 on defense.

On Offense:

The offense brings back six players including all three starting receivers, and one of the best QB’s in MAC history. Dan LeFevour(or Fever Dan as I like to call him) is a two-way threat that passes first with decent accuracy, and then runs when he needs to. Fever Dan will be the key to the offense both ways, but don’t knock the potential that RB Bryan Schroder brings to the team. Overall expect Fever Dan to throw for 25+ TD’s and 3,000+ yards while running the rock for another 500 yards and 5 scores.

On Defense:

The defense was not an impressive one last year, and fielded one of the three worst pass defenses, while having one of the 50 best run defenses. The defense is also able to produce well in the pass rush, as Frank Zombo brings his nine total sacks from last year back to the team. The team was also decent at getting turnovers, and have a ton of potential to rule the MAC. If the team can continue with what they did last year, and if they can improve the pass defense through experience, the team should destroy the MAC West, and then can hopefully hold up the East in the title game.