OSG College Football 2009 Predictions: MAC

Akron Zips
2008 Season: 5-7, 3-5 in conference

What to Like About Akron:

The Offense: Nine starters return including WR’s Deryn Bowser and Andre Jones. QB Chris Jacquemain will, at least, have a lot of people to throw to in 2009.

What Not To Like About Akron:

Not enough people return on defense. Top tackler Kevin Grant is gone.

On offense, Head Coach JD Brookhart has to find someone to take over for Offensive Tackle Chris Kemme on the front line. What’s worse: the top two rushers, Dennis Kennedy and Andrew Johnson, are gone.

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Akron cannot have a defensive meltdown this year. The Zips have to put up some kind of resistance so the potent offense doesn’t have the pressure to win every game. If the Zips can some how stop someone they might be a factor in the MAC East. I’m not holding my breath.

Phil: All the offense in the world doesn’t matter if you can’t stop anyone. Losing so much on a bad defense might be a good thing…if the guys coming up are better. But that is the question now…isn’t it? Middle of the pack 6-6 if someone steps up on D.

Nelson: When you were having problems in 2008 stopping people (Rushing D- 100th, Pass Efficiency- 104th, Total Defense- 90th, Scoring Defense- 95th) and only half of your starters return, it’s not a good sign.

When you lose your top two rushers, that’s a worse sign…

Impact Akron will have in the MAC race in 2009- Zip…

Ball State Cardinals
2008 Season: 12-2, 8-0 in conference
Lost to Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl 45-13

What to Like About Ball State:

Leading rusher MiQuale Lewis returns. The offense will need every bit of the 1,700-plus yards he got last year. Briggs Orsbon should lead the charge again at receiver in 2009 after leading the team in catches and yards in 2008.

What about a 33-year-old Defensive End…? 5th Year senior Brandon Crawford served four years as a Marine from 1999-2003. Twin safeties Alex Knipp and 2008 MAC Freshman of the Year Sean Baker will need to be on severe patrol this year to keep the Cardinals in games. The entire front four is back.

What Not To Like About Ball State:

The fact they have to replace Nate Davis at QB for starters…
How about the idea of replacing four of the linemen that protected Davis…???

Head Coach Stan Parrish knows the defense will have to replace their top three cornerbacks. DC Doug Graber has his work cut out for him.

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Ball State should shoot out of the gate at 3-0 but then reality will set in. Closing the season with 2 of 3 on the road and all 3 against really good MAC teams at Northern Illinois, hosting Central Michigan then ending the year at Western Michigan is a chore for a team that went through a bevy of changes. Oh the Cardinals are still a class team but this year making a bowl game will be an accomplishment.

Phil: A good MAC team, not great, but good. Lewis will make up for the adjustments to a new Quarterback, but someone needs to step up. There is enough on Defense to think that they will be alright this year. Winning record and a bowl game, but not a conference title.

Nelson: Ball State should be 3-0 heading to their game with Auburn. They could be 8-1 heading into the games with Northern, Central, and Western. Depending on how well the young team develops, they could really be in the MAC title game. Or they could be shown just how young they are while everyone else gets to play in December.

Bowling Green Falcons
2008 Season: 6-6, 4-4 in conference

What to Like About Bowling Green:

Tyler Sheehan returns for his senior year at QB. The 2,610 yards and 20 TD’s will be looked for once more by first-year Head Coach Dave Clawson.

Three-fourths of the running game comes back for one more season.

One of the top secondary’s in the league returns, fairly much, intact for 2009- Jahmal Brown and leading tackler PJ Mahone will carry the flag.

What Not To Like About Bowling Green:

The out-of-conference schedule- Missouri, Boise State, and Troy to lead off…
The defense only returns four starters. Three D-Linemen are gone from the 2008 season.
Leading rusher Anthony Turner is gone. Receivers Corey Partridge and Marques Parks are gone as well. The starting right-side of the offensive line has to be replaced.

That’s a lot of “gone…”

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: New head coach Dave Clawson won’t get the customary honeymoon period at BGSU. Clawson is expected to win now and doing that with his first Falcon team, well good luck. Way to many if’s even in a weak division.

Phil: This is a definite middle of the pack team. The tough schedule will help the young guys develop and they will be better as the season goes. Having Sheehan at the controls will ease some of the transition, but they will be a middle of the pack team with there best years still to come.

Nelson: The Falcons should be 1-3 after the Boise game, and they’ll be happy to drift in to conference play at that point. But all the losses in personnel don’t add up to wins. It looks like a long year for Clawson and BGSU- middle of the pack at best.

Buffalo Bulls
2008 Season: 8-6, 5-3 in conference
Lost to UConn 38-20 in International Bowl

What to Like About Buffalo:

Turner Gill: Gill has taken the program from nothing, and has turned the UB program into one that’s no longer the doormat in the MAC. He won’t be long for the Bulls sideline if he keeps this kind of work up.

The defense: Eight starters come back. The experience the upperclassmen bring will be important for a successful early start. LB Justin Winters and DB’s Davonte Shannon and Mike Newton each registered over 110 tackles last season.

Running of the Bulls: Leading rusher James Starks comes back for his senior season. He’ll be relied on heavily for stability. The 1,300-plus yards will requested again for his final year.

What’s not to like about Buffalo:

Free Willy: QB Drew Willy is gone. Finding his replacement is Gill’s and OC Danny Barrett’s top priority. Zach Maynard played in 8 games last year, and should have the inside track.

Finding three big bodies that can protect Maynard and keep him from completing passes to the guys in the same-colored jerseys…

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Buffalo has already won since Turner Gill stayed. That means stability for this building program. Last year it seemed the Bulls go all the breaks en route to a MAC championship. The law of averages might catch up this year but the Bulls have the talent to challenge again but like last year, they have to make their breaks.

Phil: They will be a good team. There is some talent here. They’ll rely heavily on Starks early in the season and hope than Maynard or another QB emerges. Having the solid “D” will also make it easier. This is one of the better teams in the conference and they will contend for a title.

Nelson: The defense will be tested early in the season with UTEP, Pitt, and going to Orlando to play UCF. If the offense can keep the beat, the games in the MAC will be for another shot at division titles and bowl games. If they can’t, 500 at best…

Central Michigan Chippewas
2008 Season: 8-5, 6-2 in conference
Lost to Florida Atlantic 24-21 in the Motor City Bowl

What to Like About Central:

Dan LaFevour is back for, what seems like, his 8th college football season at QB. He’s on the short list for the Davey O’Brien award and has caused fits for far larger schools in Division 1. Last year, he completed two-thirds of his passes for almost 2,800 yards and 21 TD’s. He also ran for 6 more. LeFevour is top-15 all-time on the NCAA total offense list, and could finish his career as high as third if he maintains his career average.

Antonio Brown, Bryan Anderson, and Kito Poblah combined for 199 of LeFevour’s 251 completions. They’re back, too.

CMU also was credited, if you believe in those kinds of things, with the #1 recruiting class in the MAC.

And did we mention that 10 starters return on the defensive side…???

What Not To Like About Central:

Not that Head Coach Butch Jones cares, but they play at Arizona, at Michigan State, and at Boston College.

We’re trying to find something else…It might be the retooling of the offensive line that was wiped out from graduation.

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: I love to watch Dan LeFevour play, the next in the line of great MAC QB’s that might make an NFL impact. Central Michigan is perhaps the best team in the MAC. All they have to do is prevent the hiccups that bit them in the backside last year and CMU should be in the MAC title game, win it and plan another trip to Motown. The schedule maker though didn’t do any favors for the Chippewas.

Phil: I think Le Fevour is on the Freddy Weygand track to graduation. He is however the best player in this conference and arguably one of the best in the country. There is more than enough talent here to win this conference. They will struggle early because of the schedule, but expect them to win this conference barring a complete breakdown…or an injury to Le Fevour.

Nelson: This is LeFevour’s last shot at a MAC title, all the NCAA records, and another bowl game. They will be throwing a lot- again. The games against Buffalo and Ball State are on the road, but the game with Eastern is at home.

Looks like another 8-win season and another bowl game with a fun quarterback calling the shots.

Eastern Michigan Eagles
2008 Season: 3-9, 2-6 in conference

What to Like About Eastern:

Ron English becomes the top dog for the team, and 8 starters return on both sides of the ball in his first season.

They scored a lot behind QB’s Andy Schmitt and Kyle McMahon- they combined for over 3,200 yards passing. The top four rushers return. Terrence Blevins and Dwayne Priest combined for over 1,000 yards themselves.

What Not To Like About Eastern:

The out-of-conference schedule- at Michigan, at Northwestern, and at Arkansas

While 8 starters return on defense, when the team lost they only gave up less than 31 points once ((Army)). They gave up 40 or more three times and 50 or more twice.

Yikes…

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Ron English will just survive his first year with Eastern Michigan. Maybe 3 wins but that’s about it.

Phil: They won’t be horrible because they can score. But they won’t be good because they can’t stop anyone. There is not enough talent here to run with the big boys. They might win 4 or 5…max.

Nelson: Eastern scored 108 points in their last two games of the 2008 season. They’re going to have to do a lot more of that kind of offense to compete in English’s first season. I don’t think, however, the defense is going to be able to hold people off. It’ll be a long season- again- for Eastern.

Kent State Golden Flashes
2008 Season: 4-8, 3-5 in conference

What to Like About Kent:

A lot of people return- 8 on offense and 7 on defense.

Eugene Jarvis picked up 800 yards last season and caught 25 passes to go with it. He’ll be the workhorse for the offense in 2009. They look to be in the top-15 in the country in rushing offense for another year.

What Not To Like About Kent:

Head Coach Doug Martin has to find a replacement for QB Julian Edelson.
The receivers returning caught a total of 29 passes in 2008.

Having to find guys to fill in for LB’s Cedrick Maxwell and two-time All MAC Derek Burrell. Look for safety Brian Lainhart to get a lot of eyes for his junior season.

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Those in the know in the MAC say Kent State has really good talent just a very underachieving team. Do they get there you know what together this year? I doubt it. 4 wins is the max for the Golden Flashes.

Phil: There is some talent on this team, but there is something missing. There are too many returnees for them to be a bottom level team; the question is will they perform to their skill level? Look for them to be around .500 which will be enough to get into a bowl, but that is about it.

Nelson: I think a lot is going to come from the early part of the schedule. After BC, they host Iowa State and Miami (OH), and then head to Baylor. If they can escape in good shape, then they can look for a season close to 500. If they don’t look for more results closer to what went down in 2008.

Miami (OH) Redhawks
2008 Season 2-10, 1-7 in conference

What to Like About Miami:

A new Head Coach in Michael Haywood and all the coordinator firepower he’s brought in should foster a new attitude for success.

8 starters return on offense including QB Daniel Raudabaugh.

What Not To Like About Miami:

Losing LB’s Joey Hudson and Clayton Mullins is only a part of a defense that lost half of its starters due to graduation in 2008. Senior Caleb Bostic is now the team’s leading tackler- with 40.

And that defense gave up 30 or more three times and 40 or more three more times. Their only win out of conference was against Charleston Southern.

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Miami O won’t match their win total last year heck; the Redhawks might not win a game until late October. It’s going to be a long season.

Phil: The good thing…the future. The bad thing…the present. They won’t be very good this year. Time will determine if the new staff can bring in some talent. Bottom of the conference.

Nelson: The only chance for wins will come in the conference. Matching last year’s number will be a challenge for the first-year coaching staff.

Northern Illinois University Huskies
2008 Season: 6-7, 5-3 in conference
Lost to Louisiana Tech 17-10 in the Independence Bowl

What to Like About NIU:

It’s the second year for Head Coach Jerry Kill. There won’t be any adjusting on-the-fly like in 2008.

The top defense in the MAC brings some people back who will make an impact. Safeties David Bryant and Mike Sobol were 1-2 in tackles last year, and a lot of people think Bryant will be the next NIU player headed for the NFL.

What Not To Like About NIU:

The three starting corners from ’08 are gone along with DE Larry English and Craig Rusch. Mike Krause is the only starter returning on the D-Line.

How will QB Chandler Harnish react to being starter as a sophomore…? And not having five senior grads to throw to…?

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: The Huskies are poised to make a run at the MAC title. NIU must get by Western Michigan in their MAC opener and then win at Central Michigan in the season finale to make that bold move.

Phil: In this conference, they will compete because they have some defense. Some, but not a lot. There are still some holes on this team and I don’t see them being anything other than middle of the pack. If they are lucky a bowl game.

Nelson: Nothing like having questions on both sides of the ball going in to the season, but I still think there’s a bowl game in their future. Might be a return trip down south before New Year’s…

Ohio University Bobcats
2008 Season: 4-8, 3-5 in conference

What to Like About Ohio U.

Senior WR Taylor Price and Junior LB Noah Keller… Price is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list after a year of 51/694-5TD’s. Keller led the Bobcats in tackles last season with 104. He’ll have to have another year like that one again to keep the team in games.

The Bobcats get a year older at a lot of positions and they’re healthy.
Now, if only they could stay that way- unlike 2008 when they started out 0-4 and 2-8 before winning their last two games of the season.

The schedule- for a change... The Fighting Solichs could be 2-2 to start instead of last year’s 0-4. They get Miami at home for Homecoming this year.

What Not To Like About Ohio U.

The logjam at the middle of the division... A lot of close games last season showed the team they could compete in the MAC. A play here or there could get them close to .500

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Ohio has about as good as a shot to win the MAC East as anyone. Frank Solich’s offense is the flavor of vanilla ice cream but they get the job done. 7 wins and an outside shot of winning the East.

Phil: They should be competitive in this conference. A better start will keep them close to the other “Big Guns” in this league. If some kids step up they have a chance at a good, winning season and if that is the case, they get to go bowling.

Nelson: A year older- hopefully a year healthier. And I think the beginning of the schedule will give them an emotional boost. How they go from the expected 2-2 start should show how things swing. There’s an outside shot at a .500 season.

Temple Owls
2008 Season 5-7, 4-4 in conference

What to Like About Temple:

A lot of people returning- 17 starters, 8 on offense and 9 on defense. They bring back a lot of those people from the team that won the most games at TU in 18 years in 2008.

Did you notice who the wide receivers coach…is? Kevin Gilbride. You can read that one of two ways. How far has Gilbride fallen…? Or, the experience that Gilbride brings to the MAC…

What Not To Like About Temple:

The idea of replacing three-year QB Adam DiMichele… Vaughn Charlton will have the inside track since he started in 2007. All-MAC WR Bruce Francis is also gone. Jason Harper will have to be “the man.”

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Temple, yes Temple, has a shot at a bowl game. The schedule isn’t that bad. Yes the Owls will take their beating at Penn State but considering Temple won’t face Western Michigan, Central Michigan or Northern Illinois in conference play, the Owls are catching a break. Plus Buffalo and Ball State have to come to Philly. It’s a long shot but the Owls will take it.

Phil: Naw…not seeing a bowl game here. They have enough to be similar to last season but still have a few hurdles to overcome. There isn’t enough depth available yet to say “Bowl Team”. That day may be coming soon, but not this season.

Nelson: I think it’ll be tough sledding for the Owls to get back to the 5-win plateau in 2009. The schedule is a rough one- considering the idea that the last three games are on the road to finish.

Toledo Rockets 2-6, 3-9
2008 Season: 3-9, 2-6 in conference

What to Like About Toledo:
First-year head coach Tim Beckman comes over from Findlay for a fresh approach and attitude.

Practically, the entire offense returns. They’ll need it. Two-time All-MAC wide receiver
Stephen Williams and DaJuane Collins, a third-team All-MAC running back in 2008 come back. Quarterback Aaron Opelt is a three-year starter who has thrown for nearly
5,000 yards and 30 TDs in his career…

10 starters return on defense.

What Not To Like About Toledo:
The schedule: Purdue, Colorado, and Ohio State to start. Toledo could lose at FIU to start the year 0-4.

Those 10 starters that returned on defense…? They gave up an average of 31.4-points-per game.

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: The Rockets will fizzle off the launching pad with Purdue, Colorado and Ohio State to open the season. Toledo is staring at a 0-3 start. I’m willing to bet that eventually Toledo will recover from that beat down to have a decent season. 6 wins the max for the Rockets.

Phil: Not a bad MAC team, but that early schedule is a killer. There is a lot of talent on this team but not enough to win the MAC. They are a middle of the pack team at best.

Nelson: A long year- again… for the other UT in the MAC…

Western Michigan Broncos
2008 Season: 9-4, 6-2 in conference
Lost to Rice in the Texas Bowl 38-14

What to Like About Western:

Most of the offensive line returns to protect QB Tim Hiller one final time.

What Not To Like About Western:

The entire starting secondary graduated, and Hiller lost a lot of his targets from 2008.

OSG’s Take:

Wilkie: Western’s fate comes down to a pair of games in October. First the Broncos travel to Dekalb, Ill. to face Northern Illinois on the 3rd then a few weeks later WMU hosts Central Michigan. If Western wins those games then the MAC championship game is in the cards.

Phil: They are an “Above Average” team in this conference. The offense will be tough to stop but it will all depend on whether the “D” can stop anyone. They will compete for the conference title here, though they may need some help.

Nelson: The first two games, against Michigan and Indiana, should be interesting. Buffalo and Ball State have to come to Kalamazoo. I’m thinking another bowl game for these guys in December.

OSG’s Take On The MAC:

MAC Champion:

Wilkie: Central Michigan
Phil: Central Michigan
Nelson: Central Michigan

Best Offensive Player In The MAC:

Wilkie: Dan LaFevour – Central Michigan
Phil: Dan LaFevour – Central Michigan
Nelson: Dan LaFevour – Central Michigan

Best Defensive Player In The MAC:

Wilkie: Caleb Bostic – Miami
Phil: Barry Church - Toledo
Nelson: Davonte Shannon, Jr., Buffalo