Mid-American Conference Preview
EAST DIVISION
AKRON
2001 record: 4-7
Coach: Lee Owens
Outlook: Sophomore Charlie Frye won a three-player quarterback battle last August and has become a building block for the offense. If RB Brandon Payne can return from a torn knee ligament, he can be one of the best players in the conference. New defensive coordinator Joe Tresey inherits a defense that allowed a league-worst 470.5 yards per game last season. DE Dwayne LeFall and CB Corvin Amos return after sitting out last season and should provide some relief.
Noteworthy: Do not be surprised this season if backup QB Nick Sparks sees more playing time than one might think. Akron's coaching staff likes Sparks' athletic ability and may use him as a wide receiver.
Schedule: The Zips face an extremely challenging non-conference schedule with visits to Iowa and Maryland at the start of the season and a Sept. 21 trip to Virginia.
BUFFALO
2001 record: 3-8
Coach: Jim Hofher
Outlook: The good news for the Bulls is that they return eight starters on offense and can only get better after ranking 11th in the conference in scoring, rushing and total offense a season ago. Sophomore Randall Secky is the only quarterback on the roster who has thrown a pass during a game. Defensively, Buffalo lost all four starters up front and three of its four linebackers.
Noteworthy: DE Rashad Clark was a Pac-10 recruit out of Ontario High School in Los Angeles but spent four years in the Marine Corps and the previous two seasons at West Los Angeles Junior College.
Schedule: Road games at Rutgers and Minnesota during the first four weeks await the Bulls. The toughest game is Oct. 12 at Marshall.
CENTRAL FLORIDA
2001 record: 6-5
Coach: Mike Kruczek
Outlook: The newest member of the MAC conference should make a big splash with a high-octane passing game that regularly ranks among the nation's best. Junior QB Ryan Schneider is once again at the controls and after just two years is on pace to break Dante Culpepper's career yardage and touchdown records with the school. Two of the team's best players roam the secondary. CB Asante Samuel is considered the best cover corner in school history and sophomore SS Atari Bigby is a fierce hitter who has blazing speed.
Noteworthy: LB Antoine Poe recently broke his left ankle and is expected to miss the entire 2002 season. Poe fractured his left fibula when he fell awkwardly during a voluntary workout.
Schedule: The Golden Knights will play the toughest non-conference schedule of any team in the MAC with visits to Penn State and Arizona State to open the season before hosting Syracuse on Nov. 2. Central Florida travels to Marshall on Sept. 20, opening MAC play.
KENT STATE
2001 record: 6-5
Coach: Dean Pees
Outlook: The Golden Flashes likely solidified the quarterback position for the next three years after Joshua Cribbs became a starter as a true freshman a season ago. Cribbs completed 55 percent of his passes last year and ran for 1,019 yards, fifth best in the conference. Kent State lost two of its four starting linebackers from last season, including James Harrison, who was one of best playmakers in the conference. However, Anthony Henriquez returns after leading the team with 101 tackles a season ago.
Noteworthy: Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1972 team that won the MAC Championship, Kent State is in search of back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1976-77.
Schedule: While the Golden Flashes have the luxury of playing Marshall and Bowling Green at home, a Sept. 7 visit to Ohio State and a trip to Central Florida the second-to-last week of the season are not enviable.
MARSHALL
2001 record: 11-2 (Beat East Carolina in GMAC Bowl)
Coach: Bob Pruett
OUTLOOK: All eyes this season will be on senior QB Bryon Leftwich, who established a MAC record with 4,132 passing yards a season ago. Leftwich threw 38 touchdown passes and was intercepted just seven times. His 67 percent completion rate was the second-best in conference history. Leftwich will not have to do it alone as his top three receiving targets are back. WRs Darius Watts, Josh Davis and Denero Marriott each have the potential for a 1,000-yard season. Davis established an NCAA freshman record with 79 catches a season ago. Defensively the Herd allowed 416.4 yards per game, a large reason they failed to win their fifth consecutive MAC title. The largest area of concern is a defense that ranked 106th nationally against the run. DT Orlando Washington is the only returning starter along the defensive line and the Herd lost four-year standout Max Yates at inside linebacker. The challenge of rebuilding the front seven falls on new defensive coordinator Bill Wilt.
Noteworthy: For the first time in Pruett's six-year tenure, the Thundering Herd will not enter a season as the defending conference champion.
Schedule: For the second consecutive season, Marshall will face a powerhouse early in the schedule. A year ago, the Herd opened the season with a 49-14 loss to Florida. Marshall visits Virginia Tech on Sept. 12 in a game it must win to have any shot at a BCS bowl berth.
MIAMI (OHIO)
2001 record: 7-5
Coach: Terry Hoeppner
Outlook: QB Ben Roethlisberger declined a scholarship offer to Ohio State and the RedHawks are glad he did. Only Heisman Trophy candidate Byron Leftwich of Marshall had better offensive numbers in the conference last season than the 6-5 sophomore. Miami's offensive staple in recent years has been a good running game but last year the RedHawks averaged just 134.1 yards per game. Miami must improve a defense that allowed 20 TD passes last season.
Noteworthy: Sophomore Matt Pusateri, originally was a walk-on last season and is now projected as the starting strong safety.
Schedule: If the RedHawks survive the bookends of the 2002 season, they may be decent shape. Miami opens the season with a Sept. 7 home game against Iowa sandwiched around visits to North Carolina and LSU. The RedHawks play Marshall on Nov. 12 and finish against Central Florida two weeks later.
OHIO
2001 record: 1-10
Coach: Brian Knorr
Outlook: Senior QB Dontrell Jackson is coming off the least productive season in his career, which was a large reason for the team's disappointing record. Despite Jackson's struggles in the triple-option offense, the Bobcats led the conference in rushing, but Jamal Patterson has graduated. LB Tom Weilbacher, who led the team in tackles two season's ago, had to give up football after suffering a neck injury last year. CB Bop White and SS Joe Sellers bring stability to the secondary.
Noteworthy: RB Chad Brinker gained 393 yards and was averaging 7.4 yards per carry after three games last season until he began experiencing severe headaches. A CT Scan revealed that an arachnoid cyst had to be removed via neurosurgery. Brinker's status for the upcoming season is still up in the air.
Schedule: The Bobcats open the season with visits to Pittsburgh and Florida in two of the first three weeks and finish the year at home against Akron and Marshall before a trip back to the Sunshine State against Central Florida.
WEST DIVISION
BALL STATE
2001 record: 5-6
Coach: Bill Lynch
Outlook: If there is one person that is happy the 2001 season is over, it's QB Talmadge Hill. Hill threw a league-high 15 interceptions a season ago and is averaging one pick every 19 pass attempts through his first two years. RB Marcus Merriweather needs 1,100 rushing yards to become the school's all-time leader. LB Lorenzo Scott may be undersized at 6-2 but he makes up for it with great speed and can make plays from sideline to sideline.
Noteworthy: If Merriweather reaches 1,000 yards mark, he will be the first player in Ball State history to reach that plateau in three consecutive seasons.
Schedule: The Cardinals play seven of their 12 games away from BSU Stadium, including trips to Missouri, Clemson and Connecticut plus a season-finale visit to Marshall.
BOWLING GREEN
2001 record: 8-3
Coach: Urban Meyer
Outlook: The Falcons switched from the two-tight end offense to a spread formation last season, which immediately added punch to the offense. Josh Harris became the team's starting quarterback with three games remaining a year ago and guided Bowling Green to three straight wins. The Falcons were seventh in the nation in rush defense last season behind a solid line. DT Alex Glantzis is the only returning starter up front but D.J. Owchar, who was a starter in 2000, could start at nose guard.
Noteworthy: Bowling Green is switching from the East to the West division to accommodate Central Florida joining the conference. That's good news for the Falcons as Marshall is the dominant force in the East.
Schedule: The Falcons open the season with home games against Tennessee Tech and Missouri before a Sept. 21 visit to Kansas. Bowling Green finishes the season with four of its last five games on the road.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
2001 record: 3-8
Coach: Mike DeBord
Outlook: Junior RB Terrence Jackson rushed for 1,194 yards last season and is a player the Chippewas can build their offense around. The passing game was dreadful a year ago with 14 interceptions. Derek Gorney returns as the starting quarterback but Derrick Vickers, who has starting experience, will push for the job. Central Michigan lost only three starters on defense and needs to improve on a group that allowed 4.6 yards per rush a year ago. The Chippewas were tied or ahead going into the fourth quarter of every game against Western Division opponents last year, but had just a 1-4 record to show for it.
Noteworthy: Central Michigan has six home games for the first time in a season since 1990 when it played in the California Raisin Bowl.
Schedule: After home games against Sam Houston St. and Wyoming at the outset of the season, the Chippewas have a three-game road trip to Akron, Indiana and Boston College.
EASTERN MICHIGAN
2001 record: 2-9
Coach: Jeff Woodruff
Outlook: The Eagles will look to build on a 62-point, 503-yard performance against Akron in the season finale last year. QB Kainoa Akina was forced to play as a true freshman in 2001 but provided a spark both passing and running. The receiving corps took a hit during the offseason when Terrance Lloyd opted not to return for his senior year. Four new starters will enter at linebacker after the graduation of Scott Russell and Kenny Philpot. The secondary had just six interceptions last year, next-to-last in the conference.
Noteworthy: Woodruff was busy during the offseason as four new coaches joined his staff. Al Lavan (running backs), Jim Bridge (offensive line), Kevin Wolthausen (linebackers) and Charley Molnar (quarterbacks) were hired.
Schedule: The non-conference schedule will be challenging for the Eagles, who open the season at Michigan State and travel to Maryland on Sept. 21. Eastern Michigan plays four of its final six games on the road.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
2001 record: 6-5
Coach: Joe Novak
Outlook: Much of the offensive load will fall on RB Thomas Hammock, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. The Huskies own an 8-3 record over the last two seasons in games where Hammock rushes for 100 yards or more. The question is who will replace Chris Finlen at quarterback. Sophomore Josh Haldi is the only veteran with experience, but he threw just seven passes a season ago. K Steve Azar set a school record with 20 field goals in 2001 and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Noteworthy: Novak says this year's defensive unit could be the best he has had in his six-plus years at the school. Northern Illinois returns nine starters on defense, including all four in the secondary.
Schedule: After opening the season at home against Wake Forest, the Huskies travel to South Florida and Wisconsin. Northern Illinois hosts division front-runners Bowling Green and Toledo in November.
TOLEDO
2001 record: 10-2 (Beat Cincinnati in Motor City Bowl)
Coach: Tom Amstutz
Outlook: Behind Amstutz and offensive coordinator Rob Spence, the Rockets switched to a spread offense last season and the result was the second-best offense in the MAC. The wide receiver corps may be the deepest and most talented position on the field. Manny Johnson is a speed burner, Carl Ford is the big-play receiver and Donta Greene was the most consistent pass catcher. DE Frank Ofili needs to bounce back after a rough sophomore season and LBs Tom Ward and David Gardner must continue their consistent play, which found them 1-2, respectively, on the team in tackles.
Noteworthy: RB Chester Taylor became the No.2 all-time rusher in MAC history last season when he finished his career at Toledo with 4,659 yards. The candidates to replace him -- Webster Jackson, Adam Cuomo and Trinity Dawson -- have combined for just 166 yards.
Schedule: The Rockets visit Minnesota and Pittsburgh in September. They will have their sights set on the season finale at home against Bowling Green, where they can exact revenge for a 35-point loss a season ago.
WESTERN MICHIGAN
2001 record: 5-6
Coach: Gary Darnell
Outlook: The biggest question mark for the Broncos this season is how well Jermaine Lewis can make the adjustment from safety to wide receiver. He is 6-4 and has 4.4 speed, making him a great target for QB Jon Drach. Western Michigan suffered a huge blow when DE Anthony Allsbury, one of the best pass rushers in the conference, suffered a season-ending knee injury at the start of training camp. There are concerns are the offensive line, where only C Jake Gasaway and G Kevin Kramer have seen action, and in the secondary as S Jason Feldpausch is the only returning starter.
Noteworthy: Western Michigan recently was recognized by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) for its success in graduating student-athletes. Western Michigan was one of nine schools that posted a graduation rate of 90 percent or better over a five-year period, beginning in 1996-97.
Schedule: Faced with one of the more challenging early-season schedules, the Broncos will need to come out of the gates quickly. Western Michigan hosts Indiana State, travels to Michigan and Purdue before closing out September at home against Virginia Tech.
