catdaddyp

Coach Brookhart offered WR Kenzy West out of Mississippi. Only a matter of time before P5 offers come rolling in. HUDL FILM

There is a wealth of talent at WR in the 2024 class. I am certain some deserving players are being left off. Of note about Lang and Bostic, they are both raw coming out of high school and I believe they are better fits at defensive back. That being said, I cannot ignore their athletic ability and upside. HS/JUCO WRs: 1) TOLEDO - Zy’Marion Lang HUDL FILM 2) TOLEDO - Tashi Braceful HUDL FILM 3) TOLEDO - Jay’Quan Bostic HUDL FILM 4) AKRON - Kyan Mason HUDL FILM 5) BOWLING GREEN - Caleb Goodloe HUDL FILM Transfer WRs: 1) EASTERN MICHIGAN - Porter Rooks 2) BOWLING GREEN - Malcolm Johnson 3) OHIO - Coleman Owen 4) NORTHERN ILLINOIS - Andrew McElroy 4) BOWLING GREEN - RJ Garcia 2023 WRs and how they fared: 1) OHIO - Chase Hendricks = 11 Receptions, 108 Yards. 2) EASTERN MICHIGAN - Joe Walker = 3 Receptions, 22 Yards. Redshirted. 3) BUFFALO - Jevell Ferguson = N/A Went JUCO. 4) AKRON - Paul Davis = N/A Redshirted. 5) WESTERN MICHIGAN - Logan Lester = N/A Redshirted. Who I may have missed on: AKRON - Adrian Norton = 9 Receptions, 71 Yards. I thought Norton was underrated coming out of high school. I also wasn’t sure how quickly he would develop as a collegiate wide receiver after spending his senior year at QB. After watching him this past season, there’s a legitimate chance he turns out to be the best of the bunch.

I’m not going to post every offer like I have the past two years, but will update occasionally. Here are two recent QB offers made by our new QB coach. Chris Denson (FL) HUDL FILM Charlie Johnston (AL) HUDL FILM

Here’s how I view the 2024 RBs: HS/JUCO RBs 1) BOWLING GREEN - Nakai Amachree HUDL FILM 2) AKRON - Sean Patrick HUDL FILM 3) MIAMI - D’Shawntae Jones HUDL FILM 4) MIAMI - Tito Glass HUDL FILM 5) EASTERN MICHIGAN - JT Bronaugh HUDL FILM TRANSFER RBs 1) MIAMI - Dylan Downing 2) OHIO - Anthony Tyus 3) AKRON - Jordon Simmons 4) EASTERN MICHIGAN - Delbert Mimms 5) AKRON - Marquese Williams 2023 RBs and how they fared: 1) EASTERN MICHIGAN - Deion Brown = N/A Redshirted. 2) OHIO - Rickey Hunt = 23 Attempts, 134 Yards, 4 TDs. Redshirted (majority of stats amassed in bowl game) Redshirted. 3) BUFFALO - Jamari Ford = N/A No longer on team. 4) BUFFALO - Lamar Sperling = 4 Attempts, 17 Yards. Redshirted. 5) WESTERN MICHIGAN - Tre Hartwell = N/A Redshirted. Notable Post Spring Additions: BUFFALO - Jacques Barksdale (JUCO)= 52 Attempts, 248 Yards, 2 TDs.

Offer out to OL from NC Central.

Right before spring ball kicks off too. Seems like an odd move. Wonder if he’s expecting something to open up there soon.

I don’t know if UMASS will ever get back to their glory days in MBB, but they should be solid as long as Frank Martin is there. Frank is excellent at developing talent (especially big men), assuming he is able to retain his players. He struggled at times recruiting at Carolina, which is no surprise as Carolina is bottom third in the SEC when it comes to investing in MBB (although that will soon change). Frank typically targeted (and this a generalization) athletes with length over skill and then developed those players. In his later years at Carolina he started targeting more pure wing shooters through the portal. His coaching style does not sit well with some people, but he is as genuine a person as there is and is not afraid to speak his mind to anyone in any position. Don Brown has his work cut out for him with football, but has the program headed in the right direction. His first recruiting class at UMASS was not good and that’s putting it kindly. He hit the portal hard in the second class and is attempting to turn over the roster as quickly as possible. The 3rd class is a blend similar to ours in the terms of transfers/juco/hs allocation. High school football in the northeast is rapidly improving and UMASS is starting to tap into that. They also hit the state of Florida hard. There is already plenty of overlap in recruiting between MAC schools and UMASS. So in that regard, it’s a natural fit. I know there is a lot of focus on how bad UMASS has been in football and their recent lack of success in basketball, yet that could quickly change with the right staff in place. And it seems that’s happening. I’m not someone who cares about the name across the front of the jersey or previous records. I look at recruiting and when the talent level increases and is eventually developed, good things happen. My only concern for UMASS is how much longer will Frank and Don continue to coach?

How so?

I’d guess UMASS’ intention, at least at this stage, is to be here for a while. Being independent in football did them no favors. Seeing speculation on social media Western Kentucky may be next to join, but I don’t know if there’s any validity to it.

A decade ago I would have agreed with the same confidence. Now with the landscape changing at a rapid pace, it’s impossible to know how the pieces will fall. Just recently the PAC12 stuck their nose up at what ESPN offered. Now they are almost defunct and likely will be soon. Maybe the last two members work some magic? If FSU manages to leave the ACC, that will cause more dominoes to fall and who knows what happens to the bottom tier of that league. Some may eventually make their way to G5s. I honestly don’t know, just pointing out nothing is certain.

I know UCONN is holding out hope for a P5 bid, but I wonder if they eventually end up in the MAC as well.

Time to rank the top 5 HS/JUCO prospects at each position. Will also add transfers this year. Still too early to tell on many of the 2023 recruits, but a handful did have the opportunity to play significantly this past year. The late JUCO signees (like CJ Nunnally) I missed because they signed after spring ball. I’m sure a few will fall into that category again. HS/JUCO QBs 1) CENTRAL MICHIGAN - Jayden Glasser HUDL FILM 2) TOLEDO - Kalieb Osborne HUDL FILM 3) MIAMI - Thomas Gotkowski HUDL FILM 4) EASTERN MICHIGAN - Jace Stuckey HUDL FILM 5) AKRON - Brayden Roggow HUDL FILM TRANSER PORTAL QBs 1) AKRON - Ben Finley 2) CENTRAL MICHIGAN - Joe Labas 3) EASTERN MICHIGAN - Drew Viotto 4) NORTHERN ILLINOIS - Jalen Macon 5) KENT STATE - JD Sherrod Finley is the only transfer QB to have multiple spurts of legitimate success at the FBS level. Others on the list may have more physical ability or higher upside over the next few years, but they have little FBS production. 2023 QBs and how they fared: 1) AKRON - Steele Wasel = N/A Redshirted 2) CENTRAL MICHIGAN - Tyler Jefferson = N/A Redshirted 3) OHIO - Jacob Winters HUDL FILM = N/A Redshirted 4) EASTERN MICHIGAN - Ike Udengwu (JUCO) = Passing - 13 of 31, 100 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs. 5) TOLEDO - RJ Johnson HUDL FILM = N/A Redshirted Who I may have missed on: BALL STATE - Kaden Semonza = Passing - 50 of 82, 480 yards, 3 TDs, 5 INTs. Redshirted.

Pretty sure the QB coach is Michael Shuster, but he hasn’t been added to the website for whatever reason. Edit: I can’t get the link to work properly. Anyway, look him up on twitter and his profile should pop up.

I laugh, but out of frustration. I definitely believe we left some games on the table last year by limiting his touches. 7 carries against Temple, 9 against Buffalo, 10 against CMU. Also 7 against Morgan State, but we somehow pulled that one out.

Out - QB/OC (Fess) Out - WR (Gilbertson) Out - ST (Tucker) In - QB (Shuster) In - WR (Brookhart) In - ST (Matviko) All spots are filled except no OC listed. Maybe JoeMo is officially taking that back over? Also odd that Housewright does not have an active twitter account (unless I missed it). Edit: Maybe Housewright will be listed as a co-position coach and OC? From the outside looking in it doesn’t seem like this is happening.

I’m guessing #10 can be scratched off the list. All the position coaches seem to be filled. Not sure where Housewright would fit in at this point.

Some end up going JUCO and some go to lower levels of football. For a large portion, if they aren’t on a new team by summer, their football playing days are over.

Great article. Thanks for posting. Like someone in the article mentioned, I don’t think the competitive divide at the top of G5 is as great as the monetary divide. At least, not yet. Purely speaking to the instances of P5 players wanting more playing time, we have some instances of that ourselves - Anthony Whigan, Alex Adams, Daniel George, Lorenzo Lingard, Shockey Jacques-Louis, KJ Martin, Curtis Harper. There are others that have contributed, but 5 of the 7 listed went on to be All-MAC. I was just talking with someone the other day and mentioned this has been the oddest offseason I’ve ever seen. Between an incredibly lackluster National Signing Day in February (that might as well be scratched at this point) to several head coaches willingly leaving their posts for either coordinator or positional jobs at P5s. I’m guessing this is just the beginning of what will soon become the new norm.

You may be right. I know he spent much of his time there at Cornell. Could be a situation where he was labeled incorrectly like Judson Tallandier last year.

12 Questions Going Into Spring Ball 1) Who will be the starting QB? Chances are California grad transfer Ben Finley will be the starter upon completion of spring ball. He has proven experience at the P5 level and has been brought in to compete for the starting job. However, he has also been turnover prone and that particular issue could hold him back. Tahj Bullock has all the physical traits to be an elite QB in the MAC (if he ever puts it all together). That being said he must dramatically improve his decision making and accuracy. Otherwise, Bullock will continue to be a situational player. Will Steele Wasel be ready to toss his name into the conversation? He’ll have a chance to display his development going into his 2nd full spring. If none of the QBs are up to par, the staff may venture back into the portal. Keep in mind, Bullock was not signed until after spring was completed last year. 2) How will the carries be divided at RB? It’s almost a complete overhaul in the RB room. Gone are Lorenzo Lingard, Drake Anderson, and CJ Price. Only redshirt sophomore Charles Kellom and senior Blake Hester return (although, Hester is mostly used on special teams). Michigan State grad transfer Jordon Simmons has the most experience and will likely start. This may be the year Charles Kellom receives significant snaps. He will be pushed by Minnesota transfer Marquese Williams. Talented freshman Sean Patrick will not arrive until after spring concludes. 3) Is the WR room complete? After originally thinking this room was complete, it would not be a surprise to see more player movement due to staff changes. Veteran coach JD Brookhart knows what he wants from his players. That, coupled with a new offensive coordinator, may lead to some changes being made after the spring. As it stands, Alex Adams could be All-Conference again if fully healthy. Adrian Norton is set for a breakout year. There is plenty of returning talent, plus incoming JUCOs, to potentially make this a highly productive group. 4) Who will emerge at TE? Redshirt sophomore Jake Newell has All-MAC potential and will be the starter going into the spring. Mizzou transfer Max Whisner was running with the Tigers’ 2nd team at this time last year. The staff has kept snaps fairly balanced at TE, so it’s safe to expect both of the aforementioned to see plenty of snaps. Redshirt freshman Conner Cravaack redshirted, but has high upside and may carve out a role. 5) What does the OL look like? The offensive line usually takes the longest to develop in turnaround situations and it has been no different here. There is far more talent on the roster than when Joe Moorhead arrived and only one holdover from the previous staff (Colin Lyons) going into 2024. A number of combinations could take place, but best guess going from left to right will be Blanchard, K. Davis, T. Williams, Seymore, Kindred. Coach JRod is going to play 8-10 linemen per game and the depth is easily the best it has been. Regardless of what the starting lineup looks like, the OL will have size and athleticism. This should be the year the OL takes a significant leap. 6) Who will step up on the DL? The only major loss on the interior of the DL is Terray Jones to graduation. Lama Lavea is back, as is true sophomore Marcus Moore. Grad transfer Nathan Kapongo will immediately push for starting snaps as well, giving the Zips an impressive rotation of interior DL. CJ Nunnally returns, but may be hard pressed to replicate his 7 sacks due to the increased attention by offenses. Bennett Adler is back for his senior year and will be pushed by LaJoshua Jackson, Kabbash Richards, and Kam Cheatom. When asked about Cheatom last season, Moorhead said “Cheatom is going to be a star in this league.” 7) Is this the best LB corps in the MAC? Almost all of the linebackers that were voted All-MAC in 2023 are gone, while the Zips have their most productive players returning. Miami can probably lay claim to best linebacking corps going into the season, but Akron is not far behind…if behind at all. Former JUCO Antavious Fish finished the season with 94 total tackles, while junior Bryan McCoy collected 95 total tackles and was voted All-MAC Third Team. Former Illinois transfer Shammond Cooper became a vital piece of the defense and proved to be an excellent blitzer. Former JUCO Gage Summers, redshirt freshman Melvin Spriggs, and freshman Rich Benenge will see if they can lay claim to significant snaps. This room is flat out loaded. 8} How will the secondary shake out? The secondary is wide open with the only returning starter as Nickelback Darrian Lewis. Redshirt juniors Joey Hunter and Devonte Golden-Nelson should get first crack at the Cornerback spots. However, they have both yet to play a full season due to injuries. JUCO transfers Iesa Jarmon and Justin Anderson will arrive physically ready to contribute. Silas Proby, Zayden Laing-Taylor, and Catrell White redshirted last season and will have an opportunity to compete for snaps. Terence Thomas looked the part in the spring last year, yet did not see any defensive action as Darrian Lewis and Corey Thomas collected all the snaps at Nickel. All the starters are gone from Safety, meaning this will be a revamped group. Senior transfer Paul Lewis will likely be one starter as he was voted All-Conference at Cornell. Aman Greenwood was a part-time starter at Syracuse and will likely fill Corey Thomas’ role splitting snaps between Safety and Nickel. Oregon transfer Daymon David will also have an opportunity to collect starting snaps. This will be an important spring for redshirt juniors DiMarco Johnson and Neal Roach to find their footing on the depth chart. They will have redshirt freshmen Darius Owens and David Jester pushing them. 9) Which kicker will lock down the starting spot? Noah Perez has the most game experience and was 9 for 9 on PATs, but struggled with FGs beyond 30 yards. Owen Wiley was perfect down the stretch going 3 for 3 on FGs and 7 for 7 on PATs. His only two misses on the season came from beyond 40 yards. Ideally Dante Jackson will be left to just kicking off and punting. Competition is a great thing, but what cannot happen again is the musical chairs act that occurred last season. 10) How much different will the offense look in 2024? Probably not substantially different, but new offensive coordinator Taylor Housewright will certainly bring some new elements. Last year’s offense struggled through much of the season and was a disappointment compared to the year before. If a change was going to occur, this off-season was the right time to make it. 11) Can the defense continue to improve? The defense has improved in nearly every statistical category since Tim Tibesar’s arrival and all coaches on the defensive side of the ball return. The defensive front 6 (7) should be just as good, if not better, in 2024. If the secondary gels quickly, there is reason to believe the 2024 defense will be the best we’ve seen under the current staff. 12) How many wins should be expected? To start out, I’m guilty of ramping up expectations for what turned out to be a disappointing 2023. It’s hard to win many games without an adequate quarterback. DJI never returned to form, while Bullock and JU were inconsistent. 7 games were decided by one score and we only managed to win 2 of the 7. That’s tough. I’m not sure if there’s another team in the nation that has played, and lost, as many one score games as we have over the last two seasons. It’s time to get over the hump. Almost every team in the MAC will role out a new starting QB in 2024. If there was ever a year the MAC was wide open, 2024 would be it. Playing at Ohio State, South Carolina, and Rutgers seem like 3 losses on paper. If that turns out to be the case, 9 wins would be the max. On the flip side, I believe 6 wins and a bowl appearance should be the minimum.

I can’t read it as I don’t subscribe to the Beacon. Is there a reason the other 11? players aren’t mentioned?

Bump for update. For the most part PWOs are not on this list. There are a handful of players on the departures list that may have earned scholarships by the time they left. There are so few in that scenario that I’m not going to reach out and ask. All signings should be scholarship players. I’m also still waiting on some type of confirmation on the verbal commitments. As of now, we are tied for 3rd place in Rivals Comprehensive Rankings. We finished tied for 1st last year. In my opinion, bare minimum expectations should be a bowl game in 2024.

Seems like this would be a no brainer and a way to build some excitement. Outside of the first class, there hasn’t been much of anything like that.

Yes, outside of a few exceptions. I’ve seen far more PWO commitments, and FCS or below, than anything at the FBS level today.

This has been the most uneventful national signing day I can recall. The first signing day, along with the portal, has really changed recruiting. In any case, it’s another great class and I assume we’ll fill the last handful of spots with JUCO and/or portal guys.