Toledo Football Preview: Five Questions Entering 2015

We're just over one month away from college football returning. Therefore, it's time to start our predictions, season previews, and of course, it's time to start asking questions.

For the Toledo Rockets, the 2014 campaign was another consistent season - no MAC championship and still no victory over Northern Illinois. However, last year was a success nonetheless. After the 9-4 overall record last season and a 63-44 victory over Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl, the momentum is shooting upward for the Rockets. Despite last season's success, there are still some questions entering the 2015 season for Matt Campbell and Toledo, as always. These questions, if solved, could finally result in that MAC Championship that has been eluding the Rockets since 2004.



1) How does Toledo replace all five starters on the offensive line from last season?

Junior Storm Norton will lead the Toledo offensive line in
2015. (Courtesy: Whitmer Football)

Toledo had one of the most dominant offensive lines in all of college football last season, allowing just 17 sacks throughout the season. Last season, three of the five starters along the offensive line were All-MAC selections - now, they've all graduated. In my eyes, the biggest question standing over the Rockets right now is how to replace the offensive line, which was the best in the MAC a season ago. Toledo ranked 17th in the country with 6.55 yards per play, which is obviously a credit to runningback Kareem Hunt, but the offensive line deserves a large portion of that credit. Now, it'll be a fresh start in 2015.

Junior tackle Storm Norton, who filled in for three games last season for the Rockets, is the only offensive lineman with any experience on the roster for the Rockets. However, redshirt-freshman guard Bill Weber, a Dallas native, could be solid on the interior for Toledo. Weber has a large frame at 6'4", 325-pounds and was a highly sought after recruit out of Coppel high school in Texas.

At the other guard spot could be redshirt-sophomore, Nate Jeppesen. A 6'4", 292-pound body, Jeppesen won Toledo practice squad lineman of the year in 2013 before a season-ending injury ended his 2014 campaign. Another name to watch out for is junior Paul Perschon, who is solid in run protection and someone who should be a starter when week one rolls around. With no indications who will land at what guard spot or who will replace Greg Mancz at center, there is a lot of speculation. The one certain thing about the offensive line is: there will be big shoes to fill on that offensive line in 2015.

2) After an injury-plagued & dismal season in 2014, how will the secondary respond in 2015?
Dismal. Depressing. Unbearable. Mind boggling. Those are brutally honest words and descriptions of the Toledo pass defense in 2014. However, let's make it well documented that those struggles (let's hope) were due to the losses of veteran leaders Cam Cole and Cheatham Norrils in the secondary. There's nobody to truly blame for how bad the secondary was last season as we can attribute that to the youth and inexperience of the cornerbacks. True freshman Treyvon Mathis was pressed into duty right away at Toledo, not as a nickel or dime corner, but as the main lockdown defender, which clearly didn't work. Despite the youth and struggles last year, Mathis was still one of the biggest bright spots towards the end of the year for the Rockets. Aside from Mathis, sophomore cornerback Jordan Martin was also rushed into play in 2014 due to injury. The Toledo defense also ranked 126th in the country in passing yards allowed per game with 291, but let's move on from last year - there are brighter times on the horizon.

In 2014, true freshman Treyvon Mathis found himself starting
for the Rockets after an injury-plague first few games.

Forget about last year, it was defensive coordinator Jon Heacock's first season implementing his system and style of defense and with the young and inexperience, there were going to be some struggles. This season, Toledo will be without graduated safety, Jordan Haden who was All-MAC a season ago. Despite that loss, the Rocket defensive secondary should be much improved. With the return of seniors Cam Cole and Cheatham Norrils, expect more man-to-man coverage. Cole and Norrils will have help over the top as well as University of Alabama-Birmingham transfer, Rolan Milligan will take over safety duties aside senior Chaz Whittaker and junior Dejuan Rogers. This season, Jordan Martin and Treyvon Mathis will be the third and fourth corners for the Rockets rather than first and second, which is huge as well.

In the MAC, you get used to poor defense and offensive shootouts, but this season should be a solid one for the Toledo secondary. Yes I'm serious. With the injured veterans returning and transfer Rolan Milligan, who is eligible immediately after UAB shut down their program, the future is bright for Jon Heacock and his defense in 2015.

3) Can Kareem Hunt Remain Healthy for Big Games in 2015?

Toledo runningback Kareem Hunt is beginning to receive
well-deserved national attention.

The secret is out, Toledo has one of the most explosive athletes and one of the best runningbacks in all of college football in junior Kareem Hunt. Hunt rushed for 1,631 yards with nearly eight yards per carry and 16 touchdowns in just ten games. The 5'11", 215-pounder is quick and shifty but will run directly through opposing defenses as well. The only question with Hunt is his ability to remain healthy. Despite not having major issues last year, Hunt was still sidelined for three games with a foot injury. Obviously, that foot healed extremely well as we could see from the 271 yard, five touchdown performance in the GoDaddy Bowl on national television, but it could still be a concern.

The first few weeks of 2015, expect Kareem Hunt to be as good as advertised, but can he remain healthy for long amounts of time? For instance, Toledo's four biggest in-conference games are the final four weeks of the season, when everyone is banged up to some extent. The Rockets can't afford to have No. 3 sidelined for any reason when they take on Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, and Western Michigan. Those four games are as tough as it will get in the Mid-American Conference and without Kareem Hunt, Toledo is a different team. I'm not saying Toledo can't win without Hunt, but teams will adjust their defensive gameplans without Hunt running the football.

Runningbacks take more of a beating than anyone on a football field, which is why NFL runningbacks have an average of a three-year career. This is the reason why Rocket fans should be concerned about Kareem Hunt, we all know he's far from human, he's more of a monster on the football field than a human, but injuries happen to anybody.

4) How does Toledo replace the best kicker in MAC history, Jeremiah Detmer?

Honestly, the loss of Jeremiah Detmer could be Toledo's
biggest going into the 2015 season. Yes, seriously, a kicker.

You know who gets zero love? Absolutely none whatsoever? Kickers, punters, and snappers - otherwise known as specialists. Jeremiah Detmer was a tremendous specialist and was recognized as one of the best kickers in MAC history, if not the best. Detmer was 17-of-22 on field goals in 2014 but was a 84.4 percent career kicker, the best mark of any kicker in MAC history.

Not only kicking, but special teams in general are underrated. Several college football games are decided by kickers and whether they can, or can't, hit a clutch game-winning field goal from whatever distance. With Detmer, you absolutely had one of the best and most-clutch kickers in the nation, but now the questions will arise.

Toledo welcomed in Georgia-native, Jameson Vest in the 2014 recruiting class and while Vest will get a chance to earn the kicking job this fall, the Rockets are more likely to go with Sam Vucelich, a sophomore out of Powell, Ohio. Not only is the field goal job a major question mark, but kickoffs are as well. Nearly every kickoff Detmer kicked in 2014 went for a touchback if he truly wanted it to (sometimes it's a better strategy to pin an opponent deep rather than a touchback). Now, Toledo could be losing a lot of field position if Vucelich, Vest, and punter Nick Ellis or Michael Julian are unable to kickoff with the authority of Mr. Detmer. Pay attention to special teams in 2015, seriously - the difference between the opponents beginning at their own 25 yard line compared to their 35 yard line - is major.

5) With the graduations of Dwight Macon & Justin Olack, who steps up as No. 3 Receiver?

Toledo wide receiver Corey Jones is on the Hornung watch list
for the country's most versatile player in 2015.

It seems like this is a growing trend - who is going to step up at wide receiver? In 2013, the graduation of Bernard 'Speedy' Reedy had everyone wondering, so Corey Jones filled in for him in 2014. Now, it's happening again with the combined production of Justin Olack and Dwight Macon, both of whom graduated. Obviously, Toledo has senior Alonzo Russell, one of the best receivers in the MAC along with Corey Jones, who nearly led the MAC in receptions a year ago. With Russell and Jones leading the way, the third and fourth wide receiver roles will be a nice and easy position for whoever would like to fill it.

A year ago, Russell and Jones combined for 1,612 receiving yards, which was nearly 53% of Toledo's yardage through the air. Besides them, Justin Olack and Dwight Macon carried a lot of the slack as well. Olack was a big 6'4" possession receiver who the Rockets will dearly miss. Now, the Rockets will obviously be using a lot of junior, Kishon Wilcher in the slot. In fact, head coach Matt Campbell called Wilcher one of, if not the fastest player that he's every coached. Wilcher recorded 270 receiving yards a year ago and will be dangerous in the slot in 2015.

Aside from Wilcher, the tight ends are becoming more prominent in the Toledo passing game. Senior tight end Alex Zmolik could be a nice fourth option in the spread offense. Zmolik had just 204 receiving yards as a junior in 2014, but will grow this season. Digging deeper, sophomore Cody Thompson will certainly see the field frequently in 2015 along with redshirt freshmen Jon'vea Johnson and tight end Davion Riley, who could also be in the mix. Thompson, out of Huron, Ohio, played quite a bit his true-freshman season in 2014 despite not being a big name on the stat sheet. Despite the lack of stats, Thompson caught the Rockets' only touchdown in their spring game as well. All in all, Kishon Wilcher, Cody Thompson, and Alex Zmolik will most likely see the field the most aside from Russell and Jones, but look for the Rockets to use a big-time rotation at the fourth receiver slot in 2015 which could include Zach Rogers and Zach Yousey as well.





5A) One Last Question - Not One To Worry About

Toledo quarterback Philip Ely is ready to win
his job back in 2015.

Let's talk quarterbacks. Last year, it was a big quarterback competition between Alabama transfer Philip Ely and Logan Woodside. Ely won the job, but suffered a season-ending injury against Missouri in the second game, which opened the door for Mr. Woodside. In reality, Woodside played extremely well last season with 2,269 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Yet, I've heard that Philip Ely is a better overall fit in the offense and can run the offense a lot better. My mentality, however, is if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Woodside proved himself a year ago, but I'm not a Toledo football coach. In reality, either quarterback would do a tremendous job running the Rocket offense, which is why the quarterback battle really isn't a question and something to worry about.

Ely will be ready for fall camp as I've heard and Woodside has been training extremely hard, obviously not ready to give up his position just yet. In their shadows is true freshman quarterback, Mitch Guadagni. Let me tell you, Guadagni is a natural athlete and an absolute stud. In fact, don't be shocked if he's one of the best quarterbacks in Toledo history once his career is over. Expect him to redshirt in 2015, but once Ely and Woodside are gone, no worries. Now let's que the quarterback competition.

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