Page 32 - Toledo Football Media Guide - 2012

32 2012 OUTLOOK

Rocket Notebook

ROCKETS RETURN KEY PLAYERS FROM LAST SEASON’S 9-4 TEAM

Toledo returns 12 starters from last year’s 9-4 squad, as well as numerous key reserves. A total of 48 letterwinners are back, 22 on ofense, 23 on defense and three specialists.

Three All-MAC players are back in the fold, senior defensive endT.J. Fatini-kun, senior linebacker Dan Molls (2010 All-MAC) and junior center Zac Kerin.

ROCKETS HOLDING A PAIR OF ACES

The Rockets enjoy the luxury of having two accomplishedquarterbacks at their disposal, senior Austin Dantin and junior Terrance Owens. The two split time in the first 10 games last season before Owens took over when Dantin went down with an injury. Owens threwfor 18 touchdowns vs. just three interceptions, and broke the MAC recordby completing72.2percent of his passes. Dantin threw for 15 scores and relinquished just four picks.

DEFENSE RETURNS THREE OF TOP FIVE TACKLERS

Among the returning players on Toledo’s defense are three seniors who were among the team’s top fve tacklers in 2011. Linebackers Robert Bell (78 tackles) andDanMolls (70 tackles), and safety Jermaine Robinson (55 tackles) are all back. Also, fve of the top nine leaders in tackles for loss are back in the lineup in 2012.

ZAC KERIN NAMED TO RIMINGTON TROPHY AND ROTARY LOMBARDI WATCH LISTS

Junior Zac Kerin was named to the ofcial watch lists for both the 2012 RimingtonTrophy and the Rotary Lom-bardi Trophy. The Rimington Trophy is given annually to the nation’s best center, while the Lombardi Trophy goes to the nation’s top down lineman or linebacker.

Kerin was a second-team All-MAC selection in 2011, keying an ofense that ranked eighth in nation and frst in

MAC in scoring ofense (42.2), and 10th in the nation and frst in MAC in total ofense (481.3). Toledo’s ofensive line also ranked tied for sixth in nation and frst in MAC in fewest sacks allowed (10).

Kerin, a civil engineeringmajor, also was anAcademicAll-MAC selectionand a nominee for Academic All-America.

ROCKETS OPEN AT HOME VS. BGSU ON SEPT. 15

For the first time in school his-tory the Rockets will open their home schedule against their arch-rivals, the Bowling Green Falcons.

After road games at Arizona on Sept. 1 and Wyoming on Sept. 8, Tole-do will host BGSU at the Glass Bowl on Sept. 15, the 77th meeting between the schools.

The two schools will be playing the “Battle of I-75” trophy for the frst time. The trophy was started in 2011 but the sculpture was not completed in time for the game.

ROCKETS HOST CINCINNATI FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1993

Among UT’s six home games is an Oct. 20 battle with Big East opponent Cincinnati, the frst appearance by the Bearcats in the Glass Bowl since 1993. The Rockets and Bearcats last played in 2001 at the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, a 23-16 Rocket victory. Cin-cinnati leads the all-time series, 4-2.

HELLO AGAIN

Toledo’s season opener at Arizona will mark the debut of Rich Rodriguez

as the head coach of the Wildcats. The Rockets knocked of a Rodriguez-coached Michigan team in 2008, con-sidered one of the biggest upsets in UT history.

In week No. 2, the Rockets head to Wyoming, which is coached by former Rocket assistant Dave Christensen. The Cowboys won the only other matchup between the two schools, a 20-15 de-cision in Toledo in 2010.

MATT CAMPBELL WINS DEBUT AS HEAD COACH

Matt Campbell will enter the 2012 season with a perfect 1-0 record as head coach.

Campbell, who assumed the head coaching position on Dec. 12, 2011, won his debut as head coach inToledo’s 42-41 victory over Air Force in the 2011 Military Bowl. Campbell coached the game from the coaches box, his cus-tomary spot during three seasons as UT’s ofensive coordinator.

Campbell replaced Tim Beckman who resigned on Dec. 9 to become the head coach at the University of Illinois. Campbell was the interim coach for three days before UT athletic director Mike O’Brien gave him the permanent title.

Campbell is the 26th head football coach in the 91-year history of Toledo football.

CAMPBELL THE YOUNGEST HEAD COACH in the country

Matt Campbell, 32, is the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I (FBS) and it isn’t even close. Campbell is

Rockets on National TV Four Times in 2012

Toledo football fans around the country are in luck this year as at least four Rocket games can be seen on national TV this year. Other games may be added later to the Rockets’TV slate.

Sat. Sept. 1 at Arizona ESPNU 10:30 p.m. ET

Tue. Nov. 6 BALL STATE ESPN2 8:00 p.m. ET

Wed. Nov. 14 at Northern Illinois ESPN2/U 9:00 p.m. ET

Tue. Nov. 20 AKRON ESPN2 7:00 p.m. ET