An early look at the MAC West

An early look at the MAC West

NCAA analyst Brock Murphy takes an early look at the MAC West and weighs in with his opinion on what we can expect from some of the teams in the West.

Ball State:  Only three teams finished with a better turnover margin than the Cardinals did in 2007 and most of that was due to their incredibly stingy offense.  Nobody turned the ball over fewer times than Ball State did last year (11; five fumbles, six interceptions) and those numbers reflected efficient game-management by returning quarterback, Nate Davis.  The nation's 14th-ranked passer, Davis threw for 3,667 yards and 30 scores last year and averaged 13.6 yards per completion. His spring game numbers (15-21, 251 yards, 3 touchdowns) showed that he is due for another impressive season

The spring game also revealed that last year's periodic offensive problem - capitalizing on short-yardage situations - could carry over into 2008. Linebacker Spain Crosby returned an interception inside the five-yard line but the Cardinal offense was unable to capitalize after four-straight goal-line plays.

In 2008, Ball State's first line of defense will be punter, Chris Miller. Miller was the nation's third-leading punter last season after averaging 45.4 yards per boot and he was recently named to Playboy's Preseason All-American team (his second-consecutive year to make that list).

The actual line of defense will be anchored by former United States Marine, Brandon Crawford (6-3, 260).  The 32-year old junior defensive-end is an obvious inspiration on and off the field.  Crawford posted 16 tackles for a loss and seven sacks in 2007 to go along with four forced fumbles and a block-kick against Navy. 

The main problem for the Cardinal defense is interior size; Crawford, an end, is not far from being the largest lineman. The largest tackle listed on the two-deep roster is 271-pounder, sophomore nose-tackle, Rene Perry (5-11, 271). Given the size issue, great effort will be required to improve last year's 106th-ranked rushing defense.

Ball State lost last year's middle linebacker, Mike Dorulla, who finished second in tackles, but Wendell Brown (6-0, 214), one of three fifth-year seniors likely to start at linebacker in 2008, will likely take Dorulla's place. Brown started every game in 2006 but an injury robbed him of his 2007 season. Bryant Haines (6-5, 223) returns to man the weak-side position from which he led the team with 125 stops (65 solo; seven for-loss) last year. Fellow fifth-year senior, Kenny Meeks (6-2, 230), returns to the strong-side after making 39 tackles and three sacks last year.

Cornerback Trey Lewis graduated and took five interceptions (including one for a score against Buffalo) and 18 career broken-up passes with him. Fortunately, though, the backfield can rally around former-tailback, B.J. Hill (5-7, 180), who posted five picks of his own in 2008 - his first season as a cornerback. Strong safety, Alex Knipp (6-0, 194), a junior, adds a hard-hitting style to the unit.  Knipp hauled in four interceptions last season and was the MAC defensive player-of-the-week near the end of last year after posting 15 tackles against Toledo.

Central Michigan: While notorious inside the MAC, Chippewa quarterback Dan LeFevour (6-3, 226) may be the best quarterback nobody else has heard of. The MAC Freshman of the year in 2006, LeFevour became the league's offensive player of the year last season. Merely a junior, he already holds school career records for total offense (8,326), passing yards (6,683), completions (602) and touchdown passes (53) but his status as the school's seventh all-time leading rusher (1,643) confirms his status as a "dual-threat."  In 2007, he threw for 3,652 yards and 27 scores while running for 1,122 yards and 19 more touchdowns. The only Division-I quarterback to top those combined figures happened to be another sophomore - the first one to ever win the Heisman Trophy (Florida's Tim Tebow).

The Chippewas produced two separate 1,000-yard receivers in 2007.  Bryan Anderson (6-5, 205) set the school record with 73 catches in 2006 but shattered his own record last year after hauling in 90 grabs for 1,132 yards and 10 scores. Curiously, Anderson did not end up with the new school record as last year's MAC Freshman of the Year, Antonio Brown (5-11, 175), finished with a dozen more catches (102 for 1,003 yards; six touchdowns).  Brown showed a retained threat status after posting two touchdown receptions in the spring game.

LeFevour's center, Colin Miller (6-3, 280), has been named to the Rimington Award watch list as only a sophomore. He anchors a line which returns three other starters.

The offense was powerful last year; it was the CMU defense that struggled. Only Rice gave up more passing yards each game than the Chippewas (303.5), which is a primary reason the team gave up an average of 37 points a game.  While producing a respectable 18 interceptions the team's pass defense also gave up 34 touchdowns.

The staff tried to move the pieces around to help the backfield and liked the results of moving Chaz West (5-11, 181) from cornerback to safety.  Josh Gordy (5-11, 190) has returned from injury and has looked good at his old cornerback spot - the one he manned when he picked off three passes against Army last season.

The average weight of the CMU linemen is below 250 pounds. Quickness, leverage and effort stand for a lot but the Chippewas may struggle to control the line of scrimmage late in close games. Certainly, junior defensive-end, Frank Zombo (6-4, 259), held his own last year while collecting 7.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss.

The Chips were not bad against the run last year but lost two of the linebackers who were largely responsible for that result - Thomas Keith (148 tackles) and Isaac Brown (106 tackles).

Eastern Michigan: The defense holds the greatest question and the greatest asset to this team.

Middle linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw gathered 125 tackles last season and is a pre-season Lombardi-Award candidate. He was one of three linebackers who tallied at least 98 tackles last season but he may be the only one of them to return in 2008. Darran Matthews graduated after collecting 107 tackles last season while Andre Hatchett (98 tackles) had to sit out this spring to focus on academics. It is not yet certain whether Hatchett will be eligible to play this fall but he will likely take over Matthews' strong-side position if he does.  Converted safety, Jermaine Jenkins (6-2, 207) took a lot of snaps on the weak-side this spring and is a likely starter.

Of course, linebackers tend to make more plays when the line keeps them uncovered by blockers and EMU loses two of the linemen who facilitated last year's fantastic linebacker play (Jason Jones and Eric Young). Freshmen and sophomores dot all but three of the two-deep roster on the projected 2008 defensive line though two returning seniors (tackle, Josh Hunt and end, Spenser Smith) figure to start on one side of the line. Hunt (6-4, 290) tallied 7.5 tackles for a loss and six quarterback hurries last year along with two interceptions from his tackle spot. Smith has starting experience but missed the spring with injuries.

Four players with starting experience return to the secondary though cornerback Arrington Hicks started all of two games.  Free safety Ryan Downard (6-1, 201) impressed as a freshman, collecting six interceptions last year.  Fellow -sophomore, Kevin Long (6-1, 196), has great size for a cornerback but has to become more opportunistic in 2008.

Junior quarterback Andy Schmitt (6-4, 238) had a fine completion-rate last year (64%) but averaged less-than ten yards per completion (164-1613). He has to produce a viable vertical threat to get defenses away from the line of scrimmage and to help the running game. His top-three receivers from last year (Jacory Stone, DeAnthony White and Tyler Jones) return.  Jones (6-2, 218), a converted quarterback, had a solid spring which punctuated the 100-yard effort he posted against Northwestern last year.
 
Pierre Walker ended his career on a high note last year (548 yards and seven scores in his last four games) but he has graduated. His likely successor is a big-bodied back (6-2, 226) with alleged 4.5 speed - Terrance Blevins. Blevins had an outstanding spring and head coach Jeff Genyk made clear he will be the "thunder" to Dwayne Priest's "lightning" next season. Clearly, one should expect Priest (5-11, 186) to be used as a speedy change-of-pace back next year to supplement Blevins' more physical style.

The left side of the line returns intact (tackle, T.J. Lang and guard, Andy Fretz) but two of last year's starters will be manning new positions this season. Lang and Fretz are two of the many EMU offensive linemen who started their careers on the other side of the ball.

Junior Zack Johnson averaged 42.1 yards per punt last year, helping EMU finish fourth in the nation in net-punting.

Northern Illinois: In 2007, the Huskies finished 2-10 after no fewer than 25 players missed action due to injury.  New head coach Jerry Kill has since arrived but had to alter his spring game format to accommodate the 22 players who were unavailable due to… injury. 

Kill has installed new systems on both sides of the ball. On offense, he implemented personnel sets which will often include a tailback and fullback. He also intends to use a number of shotgun snaps in 2008.

Given the system change, it is significant that quarterback Dan Nicholson missed all of spring while recovering from shoulder surgery. In his absence, young players took important snaps and redshirt freshman Chandler Harnish (6-3, 211) seemed to launch himself to the top of the chart with a solid spring. Watch out for DeMarcus Grady (6-1, 196), though.  Grady ran the ball for over 100 yards in the final, blustery scrimmage, including a 57-yard touchdown jaunt, and it would be no surprise to see a small package inserted for Grady to use his athleticism in specific spots next season. 

At 222 pounds, Justin Anderson can pack a wallop, which was part of the reason the junior was able to gallop for 1,245 yards in 2008 in place of the injured Montell Clanton (5-9, 185). Clanton is healthy again so the stable is set for a solid running game; particularly, since they will be running behind the experience of four of last year' starting linemen.

Defensive-end, Larry English (6-3, 254) is the Huskies' marquee defensive player.  A preseason Nagurski-Award candidate, English collected 17.5 tackles for a loss, including ten sacks, but, like 21 of his teammates, missed spring recovering from an injury.

Younger linebackers picked up valuable experience last year which makes the unit deep. However, Tim McCarthy is the guts of the group and it is hoped he can return to his 2007 form (111 tackles) in 2008 after all but four games last season due to… an injury.

Opponents threw 366 passes against NIU last year and completed a shade fewer than 60% of them. The pass defense picked off only seven passes but also allowed only 16 touchdowns - a somewhat paltry number.  Senior cornerbacks Melvin Rice and Chase Carter will try to help the Huskies be even stingier this year.

So many players missed all or part of spring that Coach Kill has refused to release a pre-season depth chart. The status of those players makes it difficult to predict what lineup will take the field for NIU when they open the season at Minnesota.

Toledo:  Injuries jumbled the quarterback position last season but receivers Stephen Williams (6-5, 197) and Nick Moore (6-4, 192) were solid targets no matter who was tossing the rock. Williams and Moore are back along with two of the quarterbacks who started games last year, Aaron Opelt (6-2, 205) and D.J. Lenehan (6-3, 190)

Junior tailback, DaJuane Collins (5-10, 216) will be the feature back in 2008. Last year, Collins tallied 636 yards and seven scores off of only 99 carries in relief of the nation's 9th-ranked tailback, Jalen Parmele.

 Gordon Warner (5-10, 185) will be Toledo's version of Florida's Percy Harvin as Warner will be asked at various times to line up as a tailback or, periodically, to break the huddle and line up as the slot receiver. The versatile speedster (as a Florida prepster, he finished 2nd in state in the 400) will confound defensive set-calls (shall he count as a tailback or receiver?) and should present match-up problems nearly every time he lines up in the slot.

The offensive line returns a great deal of experience but will certainly miss the services of All-MAC left-tackle John Greco, who was a four-year starter for Toledo. It appears that Mike VanDerMeulen (6-7, 290) will take over the left-tackle spot and the staff has issued their vote of confidence in his potential though he is but a redshirt freshman without any career starts.

Toledo's pass defense struggled badly last season.  Nearly 9% of the throws made against the Rockets went for a touchdown (31 of 349) and the defenders managed to pick off only 10 passes. The average completion went for nearly 14 yards.

Of course, pass-defense statistics reflect not only defensive backfield play, but also the presence (or absence) of an effective pass-rush.  Defensive backs are likely to give up more plays when quarterbacks are left with plenty of time to find open receivers or otherwise cycle through their progressions. With this in mind, it is noteworthy that the Rockets finished second-to-last, nationally, in sacks and tackles-for-a-loss. 

The pass rush is likely to improve in 2008 based on the return from injury of defensive-end Sean Williamson (6-2, 265) (24 starts, combined, in '05 and '06) as well as the suspected-development of JUCO-transfer Albertson Alexandre (6-5, 240). Still, the staff took affirmative action this spring to address the problem, moving two athletic linebackers [Derrick Summers (6-2, 235) and Terrell Willis (6-1, 220)] to defensive-end and the two did well enough that they will probably stick with their new positions.  There should now be depth and talent on the edges and Williamson will certainly bring experience and leadership.

 The backfield is led by junior strong safety Barry Church (6-3, 215), who is a preseason Nagurski-Award candidate following a 2007 campaign in which he posted 92 tackles (six for loss) and three interceptions. At free-safety, senior Tyrell Herbert (6-2, 188) is back from an injury which ended his season two games into last year. He has 25 career starts.

There are plenty of questions to answer next season but Toledo will have precious little time to answer them as they take their show on the road to Tempe, Arizona to take on Mike Stoops' Arizona Wildcats to open the season.

Western Michigan: The Broncos fielded the MAC's most efficient pass defense last season (opponents completed a miniscule 51% of their passes) and finished second in sacks with 28 (actually 18 fewer than they tallied in '06). The entire two-deep roster returns on the defensive line and newly-promoted coordinator Steve Morrison worked all spring on increasing their physical play. The line responded well; particularly, senior defensive-end, Zack Davidson (6-2, 239), whose 3.5 sacks in the spring game suggests he may very well build on the eight sacks he gathered last year.

JUCO-transfer Boston McCornell (6-1, 233) led the team in tackles last season (99) and will lead the linebackers this season from his weak-side position. Fellow senior Dustin Dulco (5-11, 225) will man the middle and the return from injury of Austin Pritchard assures the Broncos of an abundance of skill and experience every time they use their 4-3 front instead of the 4-2-5 scheme they often relied upon in '07 (due, in large part, to Pritchard's injury).

The premier defensive player for WMU is senior cornerback Londen Fryar (5-11, 192). Fryar has six career interceptions (including one returned for a score against Toledo in '06) but opened-eyes last year after posting an incredible 18 broken-up passes. Both safeties (C.J. Wilson and Louis Delmas) return from last year and bring 61 games of starting experience with them. Delmas (6-0, 196), the free-safety, received post-season conference honors after collecting 64 tackles in just eight starts.

As a sophomore last year, quarterback Tim Hiller (6-5, 228) separated from a pack of three contenders and ended with over 3,000 passing yards (3,021) and 20 touchdowns (15 picks). He hit a bit of a slump against Ball State and Eastern Michigan near the end of the season (five interceptions versus one score) but rebounded well by posting two-straight 300-yard games and a total of five touchdown passes against Central Michigan and Iowa. The staff praised his increased grasp of the system this spring but his spring-game numbers give pause (5 of 12 with one interception).

When Hiller turns to the air, he is likely to find two big receivers in Jamarko Simmons (6-2, 234) and tight-end Branden Ledbetter (6-5, 230). Both had six scoring catches last year though Simmons came from 84 total catches while Ledbetter squeezed his scoring out of only 38 grabs (550 yards).  JUCO-transfer Schneider Julien (5-10, 175) was highly-touted entering 2007 but posted a modest 120 yards off of 13 carries. Still, his spring play-making requires you to keep him in mind as 2008 unfolds.

Brandon West will be featured in 2008 and Glenis Thompson is the likely back-up.  West found space and yardage (848 yards; four touchdowns) with good moves and athleticism.  Thompson is short and stout and found some tough yards last season (36-127; one score).  Keep an eye on freshman Jamie Simpson (6-1, 224) out of Michigan. Injured for much of his senior year, insiders consider his commitment a bit of a coup and, once healthy, he could shake things up this fall.

The Broncos ambitiously scheduled a road-trip to Nebraska to open things up for 2008. Not exactly the way to help Hiller work his way back to confidence. While it should be noted that only seven teams allowed more yards last year than the Cornhuskers, such a stat is not likely to be repeated under the watch of the defensive-minded and aggressive-scheming, Bo Pellini.  Hiller should expect pressure from numerous positions when the season kicks off in Lincoln on August 30th.

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