This is the final installment of the MAC Preview series. Hopefully you found them as helpful and fun to read as I did in writing them...
It’s almost unthinkable to say the following: “Toledo” Tom Amstutz may be feeling a little hot in the pants. I won’t necessarily say he is on the official hot seat, yet, but he’s darn close after back to back 5-7 seasons. This is a program that got to three MAC Championship games in four years earlier this decade, a program that dominated the line of scrimmage and passed their way to huge wins each and every week. The defense was solid, though never spectacular. That all changed in 2007. The Rockets allowed no fewer than 34 points in each of their first eight games, twice giving up more than 50, four more games of over 40. They had some of the worst sack numbers in the country and couldn’t stop the run, effectively eliminating any positive steps the offense took towards winning a game. Ok, maybe Tommy is on the hot seat!
Amstutz has always been considered a great coach with great assistants that can elevate a QBs game. Aaron Opelt has come along a little slower than some had hoped but I think they all see good potential in him. Opelt has decent size and can move outside the pocket when needed, always a trait of Toledo Tom’s best at the position. This program has been thought of as an offensive juggernaut in his tenure here and last year he produced a unit that averaged more than 500 yards a game and 36 points. They can keep their status as one of the better attacking MAC teams. Stephen Williams and Nick Moore are both extremely solid WRs, DaJuane Collins showed flashes of brilliance in his sophomore year at RB and should get the bulk of the load this year. For all of those guys to succeed though the Rockets will have to fill in enormous holes left on the offensive line by two departing four-year starters.
As mentioned earlier, the defense was this team’s major undoing, allowing a league worst 450 yards and 38 points per game. The focus will be improvement along the line and stopping the rush. To be fair this team lost a ton of starts to injury last year and at one point had to fashion a patchwork unit from seven underclassmen with little to no experience. That, in theory, should help them this year. Not only do nine starters return but three impact players (Sean Williamson, Tyler Herbert, Archie Donald) come back from redshirt seasons. Williamson in particular should add some much needed pass rushing ability to a team that had just nine sacks last year, as well as some disruption behind the line against the run. DC Tim Rose has shuffled a couple of guys fro LB to DE in an attempt to bring that much desired speed rush. A real chance to see improvements in the pass game is there. Barry Church is a two time All MAC safety and Herbert (one of the returnees) is a three year starter at free.
The Rockets just don’t lose very often at home and even in down years the last two are 9-4 SU and 7-4 ATS. They do welcome in Fresno, Ball St, Central Michigan, Miami (OH) and BGSU all of which should be competitively lined, so look to back them at the Glass Bowl if the market decides to dump on them. As far as a return to the MAC Championship? Won’t happen. The Rockets play all five of the toughest teams in the conference and even at home probably don’t have enough to run the gauntlet.
