MAC (Eastern Division)

Well, here we are, back for another round. This is finally not the weakest conference in Div I-A thanks to the Sun Belt and the emergence of Ball St., Central Michigan, Buffalo and Northern Illinois over the last decade or so. Of course, we can't forget Toledo either, who played in the first ever OT game in Div I-A, winning the game over Nevada thanks to Wasean Tait. Anyhow, all that is not relevant now, it's about 2009. So, let's get on with the bigger, but possible lesser talented MAC East.

Akron- Well, the main question here is how much the loss of Dennis Kennedy at RB will hurt the Zips. QB Chris Jacquemain is an underrated player in a conference that is known for producing quality NFL QBs. Now, I'm not saying he will be the next Pennington or Roethlisberger, but at 58%, 20 TDs and over 2700 yards, he's keeping a once-fledgling program above water. Akron used to be at the bottom of the MAC but thanks to recent years they have become much more competitive and should remain so with Deryn Bowser, Jeremy Bruce and Andre Jones at WR. The only plus for whoever finds his way starting at TB is the return of 4 quality OL and a good passing attack to take the pressure off of him. The defense will be in trouble because the 2 DEs that do return are good, but not great and starting CB Miguel Graham is the only real standout. Mike Thomas is also a solid player, covering all areas of the field, but this defense wasn't a strength in 2008, so I have little faith for '09. The schedule is balanced with some tough road games and some gimmes at home, but I see 4-5 wins at best in this ever-improving MAC.

Bowling Green- The Falcons seem to be a program that consistently puts up good win totals but never quite gets into the territory Marshall rocketed to in the late 90s where they are consistently feared, year in, year out. Northern Illinois and Central Michigan have occupied the same position as of late, but BG only gets close, and that seems to be the case this season. If anything, BG may regress unless a defense that has two outstanding safeties returning and LB Jerett Sanderson being a leader by example is enough. Angelo Magnone could be a decent DE and productive enough, but the real pressure is on the offense. Tyler Sheehan has all the talent to lead BG back to a bowl game and his receivers are good, but need to produce more TDs. The loss of Corey Partridge, a dependable starter for a few years really hurts, but Freddie Barnes could be a breakout star. The only way for the passing game to gel however is for RBs Chris Bullock and Willie Geter to dominate games. Together, the two combined for about 5 yards a pop, which is very efficient, and if that continues, the Eagles will be explosive. The key will be how BG starts, playing Troy and at Marshall for two winnable games in their first 4. However, I see the toughest tests coming at home and no guaranteed road victories. I still think they could get to .500, maybe even 7-5, but 4 or 5 wins at best seems realistic.

Buffalo- You have to give Turner Gill credit. He took a program that didn't seem ready for Div I-A and turned them into winners the last two seasons. Now the question is whether or not they can maintain that success without QB Drew Willy. Sophomore Zach Maynard may not be ready for primetime at QB, but with TB James Starks and the explosive Naaman Roosevelt at WR, he has a great supporting cast that can only help his learning curve. The OL only has 2 returnees, so the running game will be a concern without a proven passer under center. One positive is the defense returns 8 starters, which could help them win games early while the offense finds its rhythm. Then again, the defense was hardly impressive last season, even allowing Temple, who seemed to be in a coma offensively most of the season, to put up good yards and points. Their sack total was borderline reprehensible, something Tedy Bruschi or Rob Waldrop would have had at Arizona in the mid-90s by mid-season. Anyways, that's enough badgering of the defense, because I can't say anything nice about them except hopefully another season will help. Anyways, the schedule is not bad, but a loss at UTEP could create a bad feeling and then Pitt at home and UCF on the road are not cupcakes. I think everything hinges on how they start the season and I don't see things going well. Plus, playing Central and Western Michigan from the MAC West does not help them. I see 4-5 wins, but the main wildcard is Maynard. If he grasps the offense quickly, the East is not very top-heavy, so 7-8 is realistic as well. Who knows really.

Kent St.- It seems crazy to think that the Golden Flashes could get better after losing do-it-all QB Julius Edelman, but that may just be the case. Giorgio Morgan is a reliable QB who should do well, as long as he doesn't forget how to hand the ball to All-America caliber RB Eugene Jarvis. I think Jarvis tops 1500 yards easy, maybe 2000 if he becomes the focus of the offense. The receivers will get plenty of help with Iowa transfer Anthony Bowman while the rest of the group may not be spectacular, they are reliable, which is all Coach Martin could ask for in this run-dominant offense. They also lose only one OL which means they should still be good offensively. The DL is a major strength as well with Kevin Hogan, Sam Frist and Aaron Hull returning. The secondary is dependable, mostly thanks to S Brian Lainhart, and will help them win more than a few games. I can see a 4-2 start for the Flashes if they upset either Iowa St. or Boston College, the latter of which has become a distinct possibility since QB Dominique Davis' departure. I could see 7 or 8 wins and probably a .500 record in their future. They may not make my surprise teams list, but good things could come to Kent this fall.

Miami (OH)- Yet again, the major story will be the QB play. However, this time a key figure returns under center in Daniel Raudabaugh, who has all the talent and experience, but needs to cut down on interceptions big-time. Chris Givens and Dustin Woods are highly-capable receivers and they return 5 or 6 weapons on the flanks, and with Thomas Merriweather at TB, the offense could be one of the best in the MAC if they come together early in the season. The defense is the confusing issue for the Redhawks as they didn't allow very many yards through the air, but then again, they played a lot of teams who had below-average passing attacks. Without a lot of experience on D, the real issue all season will be if they can hold their opponents enough and not get worn down late in games. I would bet on that being a negative and despite a potentially high-powered offense, I call for 3 or 4 wins at best. This is also due to a very tough non-conference schedule.

Ohio- Ok, so I was reading Phil Steele's magazine and he had Theo Scott as the starter which means either Frank Solich and his OC are high, or they are complete idiots (or Steele is making a dumb prediction). There is no way in hell the Bobcats should be deviating from the Boo Jackson plan at QB because he has been outstanding because he creates a lot of plays with his feet, can pass well enough and has turned around a program that has been used to losing (except for 2006) much like Juice Williams at Illinois. Donte Harden are two very good RBs and the passing game has enough weapons at wideout to make up for the loss of dangerous TE Andrew Mooney. Mooney became one of those players last season whose reputation for being a receiving threat opened up holes in the defense for other receivers, so he will be missed. On defense, Lee Renfro and Noah Keller are good LBs and CB Thad Turner and S Steven Jackson can make this a strong unit. The DL may have plenty of returning contributors, but they will need to make more plays if they hope to contend for the MAC East title. I see Temple, Kent or Ohio coming out of the division with the crown so, Ohio has the advantage getting both of them at home. The good news for Ohio is they avoid all the directional Michigan teams in the MAC and even games at Ball St. and Buffalo aren't too bad since they will both be losing starting QBs. This all boils down to the Scott/Jackson situation; if Scott starts I call for 6-6 or 7-5 and a wide open MAC East race, but if Jackson gets the nod, they go 8-4, possibly climbing up to 9 wins and cruise to the MAC title game.

Temple- The good news for the Owls is despite losing a very good QB, Vaughn Charlton is an experienced replacement and Jason Harper and Dy'Onne Crudup are steady, but not outstanding receivers. I believe Delano Green could be another contributor at WR but the most important part of the offense is getting the ground game up and running. Syracuse transfer, and former LB Lamar McPherson apparently has the inside track at RB, but Kee-ayre Griffin and Joe Jones are not bad. The problem is they need to focus on running more and that may happen with 3 of 5 OL returning. The defense is the real strength however, as anyone would know who watched an Owls game last year. In six games last year the Owls allowed 12 points or less. The problem is they lost two of those games, but nonetheless, Jamal Schulters, Dominique Harris and Jaiquawn Jarrett make up 75% of the best secondary in the MAC. Heck, the fourth starter could be a midget and the secondary would be damn good. DE Junior Galette is a fierce pass-rusher and the front seven is very experienced and can tackle very well, which is rare with smaller programs. I think Temple is the most capable, and most logical contender for Ohio, but their offense has to improve immensely to be a real contender. They have three winnable non-conference games, but playing at Toledo, Akron and Ohio will be a tough test. If they pass, I see as many as 8 wins and a MAC East title.

Ok, when I return we shall dissect the MAC West together. Come back again soon.