2011 College Football Preview: MAC

As usual, my 2011 College Football Preview includes information compiled from a variety of sources, most notably the work of Phil Steele. Check out his preview publications and material on his website. I also scour local newspapers and school websites for updated information, but it should be noted that all information contained in team and conference previews is only current up to the date of that post's publication.

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Predicted Order of Finish
East Division
1. Ohio
2. Temple
3. Kent State
4. Miami
5. Bowling Green
6. Buffalo
7. Akron

West Division
1. Northern Illinois
2. Toledo
3. Western Michigan
4. Central Michigan
5. Ball State
6. Eastern Michigan

Top Storylines to Watch in the MAC

New regime, same Huskies? Jerry Kill may be gone to Minnesota (with both coordinators going with him), but Northern Illinois is still loaded for another run at the MAC title. The Huskies return eight starters on offense for new coach Dave Doeren, the former co-defensive coordinator at Wisconsin. One of them is quarterback Chandler Harnish, who stands to set the school's all-time passing yardage record if he stays healthy. Senior back Jasmin Hopkins hopes to pick up where departed star Chad Spann left off. Spann scored 22 touchdowns on the ground and ran for nearly 1,400 yards, so his shoes are going to be tough for Hopkins to fill. Doeren's challenge comes on defense, where NIU loses nine starters, but projects to start eight juniors and seniors. The schedule is tough, with Army (home), Kansas (road), and Wisconsin (neutral) in back-to-back-to-back weeks before the MAC season starts.

How good will Western Michigan be? The Broncos went 6-6 last year, but Bill Cubit returns 15 starters, including eight on a defense that got better throughout last season. It culminated in the Broncos yielding just ten points in the last two games (both wins). The key to Western's further improvement this season is junior quarterback Alex Carder, who threw for 30 touchdowns last year. Leading receiver Jordan White (94 catches, 1,400 yards, ten touchdowns) is back. With so many bodies back, it will be hard for Western not to run the ball better. Sophomores Tevin Drake and Brian Fields lead the running game this year. Middle linebacker Mitch Zajac and Miami transfer Doug Wiggins, a safety, are the key players on that defense, one that will be tested right away with games against Michigan and Illinois, along with Central Michigan, in the first month of the season. Road trips to Northern Illinois and Toledo will make it a tough division to win this season.

Ohio might be a quarterback away. Since taking over at Ohio, Frank Solich is 40-36, but his Bobcats have made three bowl games in five years. This year might be the best team he has fielded there, meaning it could be the best team Ohio -- a school currently sporting an all-time bowl game record of 0-5 -- has ever had. The Bobcats return their linebackers intact, have loads of potential on the defensive line with senior Curtis Meyers and junior Carl Jones, and have all five starters back on the offensive line. Senior Donte Harden and Iowa State transfer Beau Blankenship should at least be able to match what Ohio got out of their running backs last year. The question is at quarterback, where Boo Jackson graduates third on the school's all-time passing yardage list. Sophomore Tyler Tettleton and redshirt freshman Kyle Snyder appear to be the top two quarterbacks on the depth chart. Tettleton is probably a slight favorite to start, thanks in part to his athleticism. The schedule isn't terribly meaty, so Ohio should be favored in the East and should get to another bowl this season.

Temple in transition. No more Al Golden at Temple, as the young prodigy ended a very impressive five-year run at what had become one of the worst programs in the country and moved on to Miami. Former Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio takes over. Golden didn't leave the cupboard bare for Addazio, as the Owls won eight games last year (inexplicably did not get a bowl invite), and they return 12 starters. The offense should be energized by the return of running back Bernard Pierce, whose 2010 season was washed away by injuries. Quarterbacks Mike Gerardi and Chester Stewart are back, with Gerardi possibly favored to start because of his advantage over Stewart in accuracy. All-MAC defensive end Adrian Robinson is back, as is senior cornerback Kee-Ayre Griffin, who should contend for all-league honors. Temple is an interesting team because they have so much talent, and the key to their season being a success will be how quickly they adjust to Addazio.

The Rest of the Story

Even with a new coach in Darrell Hazell, Kent State could be a real darkhorse contender this year. The Golden Flashes had a great defense last year, but couldn't score points. Look for improvement there, and possibly Kent State's first bowl since 1972. ... No more Mike Haywood at Miami, and the RedHawks try to build off a ten-win season with new coach Don Treadwell. His experience tutoring the offense at Michigan State -- where Sparty has been a pretty good running team over the years -- should help at Miami, where the RedHawks averaged 98 yards per game rushing last year. ... 14 starters return for Dave Clawson at Bowling Green. The Falcons won twice last year, but should at least double that as sophomore quarterback Matt Schilz grows up. ... It was rough for Buffalo last year, but you can expect the offense -- a huge problem last year -- to get significantly better in the second year of Jeff Quinn's spread attack. ... Akron won once last year, and losing the entire rushing attack from last year won't help them improve immediately. Look for coach Rob Ianello to play a lot of freshmen and sophomores, something that will help him in a year or two, but not as much in the here and now. ... Don't spend a lot of time overanalyzing their heartbreaking bowl loss to Florida International, because Toledo will be a MAC contender. Tim Beckman gets 18 starters back, had virtually his entire offense intact, and the Rockets project to start four seniors in the secondary. Those are good things, for sure. ... Central Michigan struggled last year with Mike Enos as the new coach. His second year will be smoother, with junior Ryan Radcliff set at quarterback, junior receiver Cody Wilson back, and some impact players on defense. ... Former Elon head coach Pete Lembo is going to try to turn things around at Ball State, where Brady Hoke's departure led to two awful seasons under Stan Parrish. This might take some time, but Lembo did good things at Elon, and he should get the job done here, too. ... Eastern Michigan hasn't had a winning season since 1995. They haven't won more than four games in a season once since then. Ron English is 2-22 in two seasons, and while the Eagles appear to be improved on paper, there is still a long way to go for English to get EMU caught up in terms of talent with the rest of the MAC.

College Football 2010: MAC

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Mid-American Conference
East Division
1. Temple
2. Ohio
3. Bowling Green
4. Kent State
5. Buffalo
6. Akron
7. Miami (Ohio)

West Division
1. Northern Illinois
2. Western Michigan
3. Toledo
4. Central Michigan
5. Ball State
6. Eastern Michigan

Stories to Watch in the MAC

Central Michigan moves on without star. There was no better player in the MAC last season than Dan LeFevour. The record-setting Chippewas quarterback moves on after a stellar career at CMU in which he did virtually everything a MAC quarterback can realistically do. He finished his CMU career at just a shade under 13,000 passing yards, became the first college quarterback ever to pass for 12,000 yards and run for 2,500 in a career, and became the MAC's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. He led the team in rushing last year. Yeah, good luck replacing him. It's not the end of the world, because inexperienced sophomore Ryan Radcliff spent two years (including a redshirt year) learning under LeFevour. While coach Butch Jones is gone to Cincinnati, it's unlikely that new coach Dan Enos will change much. The offense will still have some wide-open feel to it, even if it's not like it was with LeFevour. CMU also loses top receivers Antonio Brown and Bryan Anderson, who moved on to the NFL. The defense has some young talent, but lacks experience, so it could be a rough year for Enos, even if his stated goal is to turn Central Michigan into a Boise State-type program.

LeFevour is not the only missing star quarterback. Lost in all the LeFevour love is the loss Bowling Green is dealing with. Well, it's actually two huge losses. Quarterback Tyler Sheehan graduates second on the Falcons' all-time career passing list (missed the top spot by 163 yards). Sheehan was a steady, accurate thrower in an offense that demands such. He wasn't a productive runner like LeFevour, and he didn't win any conference titles or bowl games at Bowling Green, so he's more easily forgotten, unless you're a Falcon fan. Also gone is receiver Freddie Barnes, who smashed the college record for receptions in a season by catching 155 of Sheehan's 373 completions last year. Barnes reached 1,770 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, and finishes second on the Falcons' all-time receiving yards list. Redshirt freshman Matt Schilz is favored to take the quarterback job, while senior Tyrone Pronty and juniors Ray Hutson and Adrian Hodges should be prominent receivers in a more spread-out attack. Bowling Green could make some noise if coach Dave Clawson can find a way to overcome a severe lack of experience all over the roster, along with a schedule that includes trips to Troy, Tulsa, and Michigan in the first four weeks.

Can Temple improve again? Al Golden has been the Owls' head coach for four years. In each season, the team's record has improved from the year prior. Temple has gone from 0-11 before Golden arrived to 1-11, 4-8, 5-7, and 9-4. It would be a stunner if Golden made an improvement for a fifth straight year, but it can't be ruled out. Temple hasn't won ten in a season since 1979, so the challenge is daunting. The Owls have 16 returning starters, including star running back Bernard Pierce, who shocked many with a super freshman season. Junior Chester Stewart is expected to start at quarterback, and leading receivers Michael Campbell and Joe Jones both return. Plenty of starting experience returns to the defense, especially the secondary. The schedule is a bit friendlier than usual, with only the sorta-annual road trip to Penn State looking like an unattainable goal. Outside of that, Temple should have at least a puncher's chance to win each game, meaning a ten- or 11-win season is a real possibility for a program that was a total laughingstock in college football just a few years ago.

The struggles continue. No end in sight to the issues at Eastern Michigan or Miami, thought progress is coming. At EMU, coach Ron Prince is trying to fill the program with his type of players, and it's going to take time. The Eagles have plenty of it, however, because they're 41-119 since a 6-5 season in 1995 that marks their last winning season. English has a ton of experience back from last season, but the impact is coming from the players he's recruited. As a defensive coach, his first priority is getting a more competitive group on the defensive side of the ball. Last year, the Eagles allowed nearly 40 points per game, over 275 rush yards per game, and were outgained by an average of 150 yards per game. Miami won last year, but that home win over Toledo shouldn't confuse anyone. They were awful. For Mike Haywood to get anything better this year, it won't take as much work as what English has ahead of him, but it is still a significant hill. From a recruiting, talent, and experience standpoint, Miami is significantly behind the top teams in the East -- Temple and Ohio. If Miami is to get a lot better, it may rest on the shoulders of senior running back Thomas Merriweather, who has only started 13 games and run for 981 yards in his Miami career. He was a talented recruit who has been through a lot at the school, so we'll see if he can stay on the field and make that long-awaited impact.

Best of the rest
For Ohio, there's a real shot at a repeat in the MAC East. Frank Solich has another solid team led by first team All-MAC linebacker Noah Keller, who was all over the field defensively last year. The Bobcats have a road date with Ohio State, but an otherwise manageable schedule. ... Sixth-year senior running back Eugene Jarvis and quarterback Spencer Keith return for Kent State. The Golden Flashes lost their last three to miss out on bowl eligibility last year, but they should be able to top the .500 mark this year thanks to a ton of talent in their offensive backfield. ... Former Cincinnati assistant Jeff Quinn is the new boss at Buffalo. He's been an interim coach for two bowl games in his career, both following Brian Kelly. Now, he runs his own program for the first time. Former coach Turner Gill left this team in a good place, even though they had a losing season last year. The challenge for Quinn will be integrating new skill-position starters while installing the spread offense. ... There's reason for hope at Akron, thanks to a shiny new stadium and a talented young coach. Rob Ianello has an impressive resume that includes a stop at Notre Dame as their recruiting coordinator. He has a solid staff with him that brings loads of big-school experience. The expectation here is that Akron will rebuild from a stretch of four straight losing seasons, but Ianello has his work cut out for him short-term while he builds a more competitive roster. ... Northern Illinois keeps building and building. This is a good team that will contend for a MAC title this year. The Huskies have juniors and seniors all over the place, including junior quarterback Chandler Harnish and senior running back Chad Spann, both of whom will have big seasons this year. On defense, end Sean Progar was awesome as a freshman, and he will only get better. ... If sophomore quarterback Alex Carder steps in for the graduated Tim Hiller at Western Michigan, the Broncos might emerge as a true threat. Carder has a ton of experience around him, especially at wide receiver. Also impressive is a defense that could feature a stout secondary. Safeties Mario Armstrong and Doug Wiggins should lead the way. ... Tim Beckman surprised some by getting five wins out of a transitional year at Toledo. The Rockets will improve this year, especially if Beckman -- a defensive coach by trade -- can make this team's defense better. Toledo allowed nearly 40 points per game, offsetting a surprisingly effective offense in 2009. ... Stan Parrish might only be 4-41-1 as a Division I head coach, but half of those wins came last season, as Ball State finished 2-3 after an 0-7 start. I know it doesn't sound like much, but the Cardinals can bank on further improvement this year now that they've solved the quarterback puzzle. Sophomore Kelly Page is going to be a really good one in this program.

Preseason MAC Superlatives
Best QB: Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois
Best RB: Bernard Pierce, Temple
Best WR: Eric Page, Toledo
Best offense: Temple
Best defense: Northern Illinois
Best coach: Frank Solich, Ohio
Coach in the most trouble: Ron English, Eastern Michigan
Best non-conference game: Connecticut at Temple, Sept. 18
Worst non-conference game: Nicholls State at Western Michigan, Sept. 11

Ron English Puts Foot in Mouth

Eastern Michigan went 0-12 last year. That's not very good.

Worse yet, Phil Steele's College Football Preview notes that EMU drew a whopping 5,016 fans per game, likely placing them behind many Division II schools in attendance.

As you can tell, second-year head coach Ron English has a lot of work to do.

Most of that involves recruiting, as English tries to quickly overhaul a program that hasn't had a winning season since 1995, hasn't been to a bowl game since 1987, and hasn't won more than four games in a season since that magical 6-5 record 15 years ago.

Getting off to a poor start in that recruiting effort is unacceptable, which is why English's decision to insert his foot inside his oratory tool just doesn't make a lot of sense.

"We wanted to recruit football players that love football," he said at Mid-American Conference media day at Ford Field on Friday. "I felt like we had a lot of guys who really didn't love football."

All right. That's cool. Nothing wrong with this.

Stop talking, Ron.

Once English found his guys, he said he looked for student-athletes with strong family backgrounds that would make them coachable.

"We wanted guys that had a father in their background," English said. "A guy that's raised by his mom all the time, and please don't take me wrong, but the reality is that you've got to teach that guy how to be taught by a man."

Aargh.

This is why I asked you to stop talking.

See, the idea here is to make your program attractive to potential recruits. It's bad enough that you're relying -- for the most part -- on kids already overlooked by the major programs in Michigan (you may have heard of Michigan, since you used to work there, Michigan State, or even Central Michigan and Western Michigan, both of which have lapped Eastern Michigan when it comes to recruiting).

In order to win the war, you have to keep your foot out of your mouth. Let a guy who coaches high school football in Detroit set you straight.

"That's insane," said Rod Oden, head coach at Detroit Crockett High School. "What he's asking for, we don't have. A lot of the kids are from broken homes. We kind of fill that void for a lot of these guys as far as being a father figure. It's disheartening to know that he said something like that."

The bottom line: English's stupid comments set his rebuilding effort back. It's perfectly fine to hope that players grow up with a defined father figure in their lives (or, better yet, an actual father, but that's neither here nor there). But you can't articulate it as if kids from broken homes have no place at Eastern Michigan.

It's an incredibly elitist thing to say when your football program is 41-119 over the last 14 years. Don't make me do the math to show you exactly how bad that is.

College Football 2009: MAC

EAST DIVISION
1. Temple
2. Ohio
3. Bowling Green
4. Buffalo
5. Akron
6. Kent State
7. Miami (Ohio)

WEST DIVISION
1. Central Michigan
2. Western Michigan
3. Toledo
4. Eastern Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Ball State

Fab Four: Top Storylines in MAC

Temple's time. In 2005, Temple went 0-11 and got rid of head coach Bobby Wallace. The Owls hired Al Golden from Virginia, hoping a young coach who was known for his recruiting acumen could lead Temple to the postseason for the first time since 1979. While Golden has fallen short of those hopes in his three years on the job, he has brought the program to the point that it is a serious bowl contender. After a 4-8 season in 2007, many thought Temple had the goods to go bowling last year. However, senior quarterback Adam DiMichele missed three games, the running game never got going, and an improved defense wasn't good enough to get Temple over .500. Heartbreaking losses to Connecticut, Buffalo, Western Michigan, Navy, and Kent State relegated Temple to another losing campaign. Nine starters -- including senior end Junior Galette (pictured) -- return on a defense that should be among the elite in the MAC. Syracuse transfer Lamar McPherson and sophomore Kee-ayre Griffin need to step up in the backfield in support of junior quarterback Vaughn Charlton. Thanks to that defense, the new faces on offense shouldn't have to do much for the Owls to contend in the East.

LeFevour's swan song. For a conference that has produced guys like Byron Leftwich and Ben Roethlisberger, there's some high praise coming for Central Michigan senior Dan LeFevour. Already CMU's all-time career passing leader, now LeFevour has a chance to take the Chippewas to a fourth straight bowl game and cement his status as a high NFL draft pick with another strong season. LeFevour has all the physical tools, and the big question will be how little he gets to play against top competition. Of course, similar fears didn't stop Leftwich or Roethlisberger from being top ten picks. The Chippewas have a very tough schedule, but a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. LeFevour has top receivers Antonio Brown, Bryan Anderson, and Kito Poblah available, and the defense returns ten starters. Among the leaders there are middle linebacker Nick Bellore and defensive end Frank Zombo. If the Chippewas can survive road trips to Arizona, Michigan State, and Boston College in non-conference play, they're a serious threat in the MAC.

Time of transition at Ball State. Brady Hoke came out of nowhere to become a coaching star. Ball State went from 2-9 in 2004 to steady improvement through 2007, then a meteoric rise in 2008. Quarterback Nate Davis and running back MiQuale Lewis led the Cardinals to an amazing 12-2 season, one that was capped by disappointment, both in the MAC title game against Buffalo and the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa. Those two losses, by a combined 87-37, put the brakes on an unbeaten run, and may have signaled the start of a fall. Hoke is gone, having escaped Muncie for the sunnier weather at San Diego State, and coaching veteran Stan Parrish (2-31-1 in his career as a head coach, thanks to a disastrous stint at Kansas State before Bill Snyder revived the program) takes over. Davis is gone, but Lewis remains. However, a defense that was strong against the pass for most of the season is missing nearly their top cornerbacks, and it appears the Cardinals may be starting a redshirt freshman (Kelly Page) in place of Davis. The schedule is easy early on, but Ball State draws Temple, Bowling Green, and Ohio for non-divisional play.

Buffalo tries to follow up on the magic. Turner Gill joins Golden as the up-and-coming stars of the MAC coaching ranks. Gill was a finalist for the Nebraska job in 2007, then Auburn last year. Last year, the Bulls started 2-4, but won six of their last seven games, including the MAC title game over Ball State, to earn a trip to the International Bowl in Toronto. Included in those were three overtime wins -- Army, then Akron in four OTs, and Bowling Green. Donald Brown and Connecticut waxed Buffalo in the bowl game, but UB has some solid players returning. Replacing quarterback Drew Willy is a huge challenge, but the Bulls should still be able to play defense. Linebacker Justin Winters and safeties Davonte Shannon and Mike Newton lead the defense, which does need to get after the quarterback more effectively. If running back James Starks can become the unquestioned leader of the offense, Buffalo should find itself back in the postseason.

Best of the rest

Can Frank Solich lead Ohio back to a bowl game? The Bobcats have 14 starters back, including a two-headed monster at quarterback. Expect Theo Scott and Boo Jackson to share time at the position, with Jackson having gained some real experience last season. They need a big year from the ground game to solidify the offense. ... Bowling Green replaced Gregg Brandon with former Tennessee assistant and Richmond head man Dave Clawson. If he can keep the offense going with senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan, it should buy him some time to renovate a defense decimated by graduation. ... Quarterback Chris Jacquemain (photo) has established himself as the top guy at Akron. Coach J.D. Brookhart now has to find someone to run the ball. Dennis Kennedy departs after a 1,300-yard season, leaving the reins to freshman DeVoe Torrence. The Zips have to plug some leaks on defense, but Jacquemain could lead them to surprise contention in the East. ... For Kent State, losing Julian Edelman could be disastrous. Or maybe it won't be. It could be argued that the Golden Flashes relied too much on their quarterback, and didn't get the ball in the hands of diminutive playmaker Eugene Jarvis nearly enough when he was healthy. That should change now that Edelman is gone, and coach Doug Martin hopes to develop a multi-faceted offense. ... Former Notre Dame assistant Mike Haywood takes over at Miami after a 2-10 season, the RedHawks' second such finish in three years. To avoid a repeat, Haywood has to find a quarterback and clean house on defense, where Miami was awful a year ago. ... A blowout loss in the Texas Bowl didn't destroy the season for Western Michigan, but it was a bad way to end things. The defense that Rice shredded will look completely different this fall, thanks to at least eight new starters. Luckily for the Broncos, quarterback Tim Hiller and running back Brandon West return on the other side of the ball. ... Tom Amstutz is done at Toledo after 30 years with the program, and former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Tim Beckman takes over. There is some talent to work with after a tough 3-9 season, but nothing will matter if the Rockets can get that defense going. Beckman will play a huge role in this. ... Ron English moves from Ann Arbor to nearby Ypsilanti, as he is the new head man at Eastern Michigan. Quarterback Andy Schmitt and eight other starters are back on offense, and English -- a defensive coordinator by trade -- gets to try to rebuild a defense that has been simply awful for many years. ... Youth ruled at Northern Illinois, as freshman quarterback Chandler Harnish and freshman running back Me'co Brown helped the Huskies go bowling. The defense was stellar, allowing just 18 points per game, but they have to replace seven starters.

Preseason Mid-American Conference Honors and Notables
Offensive Player of the Year: Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bellore, LB, Central Michigan
Coach of the Year: Al Golden, Temple
Coach on the Hot Seat: Doug Martin, Kent State
Best non-conference game: Colorado at Toledo, September 11
Worst non-conference game: Alcorn State at Central Michigan, September 19

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: MID-AMERICAN

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

EAST DIVISION
1. Miami (Ohio)
2. Bowling Green
3. Buffalo
4. Temple
5. Kent State
6. Ohio
7. Akron

WEST DIVISION
1. Ball State
2. Central Michigan
3. Western Michigan
4. Toledo
5. Northern Illinois
6. Eastern Michigan

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN MID-AMERICAN
Temple and Buffalo. There's no better way to describe this storyline than by simply saying "Temple and Buffalo". By themselves, and without any attached context, this means nothing to most of you. Temple hasn't had a winning season for 17 years. They haven't even won more than four games in a season since 1990. On its surface, a four-win season isn't anything special. But for Temple, who endured a myriad of injuries, started a slew of freshmen, and started 0-5, a 4-8 finish is something to build on. The Owls are the only Division I-A team to return all 11 starters on each side of the ball. A bowl game is not out of sight, believe it or not. The same could be said for Buffalo. The Bulls don't have 22 starters back, but they do have 18. They won five MAC games a year ago, matching their total from the previous four years combined. The Bulls have a senior QB in Drew Willy (pictured) who has started 28 games over three years. Coach Turner Gill appeared to be a favorite for the Nebraska job (his alma mater) before deciding to stay in Buffalo. He should reap the benefits of his decision this year, as the Bulls have the tools to at least be bowl-eligible, and they'll challenge Miami and Bowling Green for the league title.

LeFevour fever. A 1-3 start, featuring blowout losses to Kansas, Purdue, and North Dakota State (!), left the Chippewas reeling under first-year coach Butch Jones. CMU rallied, winning five of six, claiming the West Division title, and blowing by Miami in the MAC title game. Despite a porous defense, the Chips gave Purdue all they could handle in the Motor City Bowl thanks to QB Dan LeFevour (right), who is the latest in a long line of elite MAC QBs. He threw for 300 or more yards in four games, topped 3,600 yards passing, and chipped in over 1,100 yards on the ground. LeFevour's 46 total TDs included 19 scores on the ground, placing him only behind Tim Tebow among Division I-A quarterbacks. LeFevour has already started 26 games, and he's mastered the Chippewas' spread offense. Expect more big numbers this year, as CMU returns all their top skill-position players and four starters on the offensive line.

QB experience all over the MAC. While many of the MAC's 13 teams struggled to generate a consistent passing game last year, they'll all have a great opportunity to improve in 2008. 12 of the league's 13 teams return their starting quarterback from 2007. Among them are West Division stars LeFevour and Nate Davis (Ball State). Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) disappointed coaches with some of his decision-making, but he returns for another season. Toledo's Aaron Opelt needs to stay healthy. Tyler Sheehan (Bowling Green) should become an Omar Jacobs-like star this year. Willy and Adam DiMichele (Temple) both have the chance to continue their teams' respective surges. Daniel Raudabaugh (Miami) may have to fend off a freshman (Clay Belton) to even keep his job. Ohio is the only team that has to replace last year's starter.

Ball State's offense should continue to shine. Off their first winning season since 1996, the Cardinals have the goods to make the leap atop the MAC West this season. QB Nate Davis has room to improve (completion percentage around 57), but he takes care of the football (nine picks in over 700 career attempts). He's the triggerman for an offense that is as formidable as any in this league. Ball State gets all eleven starters back, including 100-catch WR Dante Love, a TE in Darius Hill who scored 11 times last year. The Cardinals need to get more consistency out of the running game (held under 100 yards in four of their last six regular-season games), and they're banking on the idea that seven returning starters will bolster a defense that was flat-out abused against the run (204 yards per game, including over 200 yards in six of 13 games). Phil Steele wants to point out that the Cardinals were plus-17 in turnover ratio last year, meaning they're likely in for a less fortunate season, too. That said, they're ready to make the leap, and this year might be their best chance.

MAC woes continue. Despite some on-field success and more exciting offenses, the MAC continues to struggle against the big boys. In 2007, the MAC went 5-37 against teams from BCS conferences, but didn't win a single game against a BCS team that finished with a winning record. They also went 0-3 in bowl games, including Bowling Green's 63-7 waxing at the hands of Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl. This year doesn't look good, with such doozies as Miami at Michigan, Miami at Cincinnati, Temple at Penn State, Bowling Green at Pittsburgh, Ohio at Ohio State, Akron at Wisconsin, Boston College at Kent State, Central Michigan at Georgia, etc. Good luck, MAC. Hopefully, your improved football teams can spring an upset or two.

BEST OF THE REST
I mentioned the potential QB controversy at Miami, as Belton tries to snatch some snaps away from Raudabaugh, who struggled mightily at times last year. Whoever gets the job has talent to throw to, led by sophomore Eugene Harris and junior Dustin Woods. The RedHawks will battle Bowling Green for the East Division title again. Sheehan (right) is an accurate thrower in an offense that demands accuracy. The Falcons' spread attack does rely on the ability to run the ball and keep the offense diverse, and they didn't do such a good job of that last year, averaging 40 pass attempts per game (50 or more in four of their first five games). Kent State won their opener at Iowa State last year, started 2-1, and finished the season 3-9 thanks to a scattershot passing game and a secondary that seemed to get worse throughout the season. To improve, it would be super if they could stay healthy at QB, where four different players started games last year. Frank Solich seems to have the offense tuned up at Ohio, as the Bobcats topped 30 points a game last year. A defense that allowed 30 or more points in five of six losses sunk their bowl hopes. Solich hopes senior LB Michael Brown will lead an improvement. A rebuilding process is underway at Akron, where the Zips will play in the Rubber Bowl for the last time this year. Coach JD Brookhart seeks improvement from QB Chris Jacquemain, who leads a passing game that has to get something positive going without leading receiver Jabari Arthur. There are too many losses on defense for the Zips to be much of an East Division factor. If Hiller doesn't watch out, sophomore Drew Burdi might wrestle the QB job away from him at Western Michigan. He has a top target in Jamarko Simmons to go along with the emerging Schneider Julien. The Broncos are another team that needs to show improvement on defense. A late-season upset at Iowa last year may help propel WMU to the bowl picture. Tom Amstutz has hit a bump in the road at Toledo for the first time. Injuries have ravaged the QB position, and now they have to deal with the loss of leading rusher Jalen Parmele. Amstutz knows the run defense has to improve after finishing last in the MAC (215 yards per game allowed), and his team also has to survive a brutal schedule (at Arizona, vs. Fresno State, at Michigan in non-conference play). Jerry Kill comes from a successful Southern Illinois program to take over at Northern Illinois. The cupboard isn't bare with the departure of Joe Novak, as the Huskies have a staggering 21 starters back. If Kill can guide this team through the first five games (four on the road) without their confidence taking a hit, they could be a surprise team. The seat is warming quickly for Jeff Genyk at Eastern Michigan. Genyk is very optimistic about the upcoming year, but the odds of EMU earning their first postseason trip since 1987 are not good. If they're going to build a winner, expect it to be done with an improved offense. QB Andy Schmitt needs to stay healthy and improve his consistency. If he doesn't, sophomore Kyle McMahon has the edge in mobility and may steal the job.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois
Coach of the Year: Turner Gill, Buffalo
Coach on the Hot Seat: Jeff Genyk, Eastern Michigan
Best Non-Conference Game: UTEP at Buffalo, August 28
Worst Non-Conference Game: Northeastern at Ball State, August 28

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '07: MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE

MAC EAST
1. Kent State
2. Miami (Ohio)
3. Bowling Green
4. Ohio
5. Akron
6. Temple
7. Buffalo

-->TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN MAC EAST

5. How far back up the ladder will Miami climb? After 12 straight winning seasons, the RedHawks crashed hard in 2006, winning just two games and losing five games by double digits. The run game and run defense were both atrocious. Shane Montgomery has 14 starters back for another shot, including senior quarterback Mike Kokal, senior running back Brandon Murphy, and top tacklers Joey Hudson and Craig Mester. The schedule is daunting, with trips to Minnesota, Colorado, and Vanderbilt, but it's hard to imagine that Miami won't be at least three or four wins better than a year ago.

4. Is Kalvin McRae capable of carrying an entire football team? He may have to. The Ohio back topped 1,250 yards last year, despite scattershot quarterback play (combined 8 TDs and 15 picks). McRae's task might be taller this year. The steadiest of last year's quarterbacks, Austin Everson, is gone, leaving Brad Bower, an Illinois transfer who hasn't lived up to his potential in multiple shots at Ohio. Three of the top four pass-catchers are gone as well. To make matters worse, a defense that kept things together most of last year lost five top players, including leading tacklers Tyler Russ and Matt Muncy. McRae is one of the few remaining stars at Ohio, and it's up to him to keep this team above water in 2007.

3. How much of an impact will Freddie Barnes make at Bowling Green? Barnes was the starting quarterback in the Falcons' opener last year, a loss to Wisconsin. He kept the Falcons in that game for a half by running away from defenders, but was never a passing threat as a quarterback. In addition to his time there, Barnes caught 20 passes and two touchdowns last year. He's a great athlete, having run for over 400 yards. This year, head coach Gregg Brandon has a three-headed monster at quarterback, and Barnes is available as a receiver. Expect to see him work there, but don't be surprised if Brandon finds other ways to get him the ball, too. Barnes is one of those kinds of players.

2. Who will be competitive first, Temple or Buffalo? At Temple, Al Golden has 14 starters back, he played a slew of freshmen last year, and recruiting is already looking better. Buffalo's Turner Gill had one more win last year (2-10 versus 1-11), and appeared to make a few more strides as the season wore on, especially on offense. He has 18 starters back this year, and didn't have to play as many freshmen last year. Neither is likely to threaten to have a winning season this year, but both should be better. Temple's schedule isn't as tough in the early going of the season, but Buffalo may have a bit more talent this year. Call it a wash for 2007, with Temple's location giving them a bit of an upper hand in the long-run, especially if Golden is as energetic as advertised.

1. Can Kent State fix their broken special teams? The Golden Flashes were awful last year, going 2-for-10 on field goals (they hit just one of five inside 30 yards!), and averaging a pathetic 33 yards per punt. The defense will be good again, but Kent State can't afford to have poor field-goal kicking cost them easy points, and they can't afford to have poor punting cost them field position.

MAC WEST
1. Western Michigan
2. Toledo
3. Ball State
4. Central Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Eastern Michigan

-->TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN MAC WEST

5. How hot is that seat, Jeff Genyk? Eastern Michigan took a huge step back last year, getting poor play at quarterback, an often-absent running game, and no luck in close games (1-6 in games decided by 10 points or less). Genyk is just 9-25 in three years. The good thing is that he returns 39 of 48 lettermen. The bad thing is that not many offensive skill players stood out last year, and the ones that did (receivers Eric Deslauriers and Trumaine Riley) are gone. Opening with road trips to Pittsburgh and Northern Illinois in the first three weeks won't help matters much, and EMU also travels to Vanderbilt and Michigan in non-conference play. A home game against Northwestern will be played at Detroit's Ford Field, presumably to help with attendance problems. So, yeah, that seat? Hot.

4. Who will win the wide-open quarterback job at Toledo? For such a traditionally strong offense to struggle like UT did last year, you know that something was up. Injuries slowed Clint Cochran and opened the door for youngster Aaron Opelt. Opelt didn't exactly light things up, hitting just 54 percent of his throws in an offense designed to rely on completion percentage. Coach Tom Amstutz will name a starter during the week of the first game, after this preview goes online. It looks like it will be Opelt, a sophomore who has been taking the majority of the snaps on the first team. Whoever does win the job will have to be more accurate with the football. The Rockets have 16 total starters back, including a slew of skill-position talent on offense. Getting that offense clicking again will be a huge priority for Amstutz.

3. Does the old Bill Simmons Ewing Theory apply at Northern Illinois? On the surface, you would assume that it's impossible for a mid-major football school to replace a guy who ran for over 5,000 yards in his college career, including 1,928 last year on a team that regressed for the most part on offense. It might become harder to think that said mid-major school could replace that guy when they also lose their starting quarterback. Replacing Garrett Wolfe and Phil Horvath will be tough for NIU. New quarterback Dan Nicholson has his top three receivers back from last year, and it looks like junior Montell Clanton will get the first shot at being the feature back. Losing star LT Doug Free to the NFL may be as big a blow as any, but junior Jon Brost moves over from RT, and appears capable of at least not collapsing at his new position. All in all, it's a season of transition for NIU, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility to suggest another winning season.

2. Can a ton of talent overcome a coaching transition? On paper, Central Michigan appears to be one of the MAC's best. But you can't deny that Brian Kelly made a heckuvan impact on this program in three short seasons. How the players respond to new coach Butch Jones' staff is a key. The talent is there on both sides of the ball, with seven starters back both on offense and defense. Sophomore QB Dan LeFevour and junior RB Ontario Sneed key the offense, which figures to at least approach last year's 29.7 points per game average. Senior LB Red Keith leads the way on defense, with help from senior DT Steven Friend, who flashes some solid pass-rush ability from the middle. Opening with Kansas (road), Toledo (home), and Purdue (road) make the transition all the more important. A slow start could doom the season. Even a 1-2 start could flash promise for the road ahead.

1. Will Tim Hiller keep a QB controversy from blowing up at Western Michigan? Hiller was outstanding as a freshman, hitting 65 percent of his throws for 20 TDs and just three picks. A knee injury shelved him last year, and Ryan Cubit, son of head coach Bill, led the team to a bowl game. Hiller is back, but so is senior JC transfer Thomas Peregrin, who was very good in limited duty last year. For now, it looks like Hiller is the starter, but if he struggles, Bill Cubit probably won't be slow with the trigger. He has feature back Mark Bonds returning, along with star receiver Jamarko Simmons and tight end Branden Ledbetter. The Broncos won eight last year, and if Hiller can do the job, they could surpass that this year. WMU looks like the safest bet among the MAC teams to have a very strong 2007 season.

CISKIE BLOG PRESEASON MID-AMERICAN AWARDS AND NOTABLES

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Nate Davis, QB, Ball State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Hudson, LB, Miami (Ohio)
Preseason Coach of the Year: Brady Hoke, Ball State
Coach on the Hot Seat: Jeff Genyk, Eastern Michigan
Bowl Bound: Western Michigan
Bowl Bubble: Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Toledo, Ball State
Best Non-Conference Game: Purdue at Toledo, September 1
Worst Non-Conference Game: Central Connecticut State at Western Michigan, September 22