Eric Page is the best wide receiver you’ve never heard of. He’s the Toledo Rockets’ main weapon and MVP, and probably the best talent in the MAC. Page is one of the most underrated players in all of college football, and it’ll be interesting to see how the conference’s best team gets him the ball in their potential two-quarterback system.
So when it’s all said and done, will the Toledo Rockets be the MAC Champion?
2010 was: good, but not great. They went 8-5, 7-1 in a VERY WEAK conference. Coach Tim Beckman knows there’s work to be done, as they didn’t reach the MAC title game, and lost their bowl game to FIU. And losing to FIU feels just as bad in real life as it looks on paper.
BMOCs: Page, of course. RB Adonis Thomas, who will carry the mail for the Rockets, but they do have some decently talented backs to complement him. QBs Austin Dantin and Terrance Owens. Very few teams do the two signal caller system, but Toledo could. WR Kenny Stafford, LBs Dan Molls and Desmond Marrow.
2011 will be fruitful if: Illini fans, remember Cordale Scott? The 6-4, 220 WR from Ohio who Ron Zook plucked away from Jim Tressel’s reach? Well he never did anything in Champaign, but his rocket ship has now landed in Toledo, much closer to his home. If he can take the double teams off Page, the passing game will indeed “take off like a…” sorry it was just too obvious to do this metaphor, given the mascot.
2011 will be awful if: The two-QB policy blows up in Beckman’s face and the special teams struggles again like it did last year. The return units are great (Page again) but the punting and kicking were terrible. The defense has nine starters returning, so don’t expect any issues there.
Bottom Line: This is the best team in the MAC on paper. Given how terrible 2/3 of the conference is, that statement may sound a bit “tallest midget,” but this team is still very solid. Eric Page leads the way, but he has a decent supporting cast.
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Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports You can follow him on Twitter
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