MAC Quarterbacks in 2009

Update: I have had several Miami and Ball State fans tell me that perhaps I was too rough on Raudabaugh. So I'm getting my crow recipes ready in case they are right.

Much has been made this off season about the MAC coaching carousel, with more than a third of MAC teams sporting a new coach there was plenty to talk about on the sidelines. I have not yet seen anyone talk about the on the field changes in leadership (or potential leadership) with several Quarterbacks graduating, leaving for the draft and at least one Quarterback controversy brewing in Ohio I thought it might be nice to catch up around the conference:

Akron: (Chris Jacquemain)

The Zips are in a good place at QB; not only do they have a two year starter returning they also have someone who has shown good year over year improvement. Its quite reasonable to assume that if the running game does not fall off too much Jacquemain can hit 3,000 yards and perhaps upwards of 25 touchdowns.

Jacquemain lost his running back (and third favorite receiver) but he does return his two biggest targets.


Ball State: (Kelly Page)

I don't think any quarterback will be missed by their team as much as Ball State is going to miss Nate Davis. Leaving early for the draft was a predictable event after Hoke left but it still cut Card fans to the quick.

The good news for Ball State is that their Running game should be as strong as it was last year (minus the Dual threat Davis possessed) The bad news is that right now the odds on favorite Kelly Page is a Red Shirt Freshman though he is built as a dual threat in the mold of Davis somethings only come with game experience. He will compete against Tanner Justice, a senior who has taken a hand full of snaps in the five or so games he has seen any time in.

Bowling Green: (Tyler Sheehan)

Bowling Green brings back Tyler Sheehan for his final year but they are losing some real weapons on offense. How will he do having lost wideouts Corey Partridge and Marques Parks?

Sheehan has already shown he can get it done; throwing for more than three thousand yard his sophomore season. He did fall off a bit last year and there is no way guess if will improve on the twenty six hundred passing yards he put up. But you can probably count on him for upwards of 20 touchdowns and probably nearly half as many interceptions.

Buffalo: (Zack Maynard)

The only question for the Bulls on offense this year is what will they do without four year starter Drew Willy?

In Zack Maynard not only are the Bulls going to try to replace their leader they are going to have to reshape their offense. Maynard is a dual threat Quarterback and while this may hurt the numbers of Naaman Roosevelt it may take some of the pressure off of James Starks.

Maynard saw too little action last year for any kind of an idea how he will lead but he did show he has wheels and pretty solid arm strength. Turner Gill made his name in an option offense and I would not be surprised if he moved Maynard away from the spread and closer to that philosophy.

Central Michigan: (Dan LeFevour)

Perhaps the envy of all MAC schools right now the Chip's return Dan LeFevour for his final season. He is as likely to throw for three thousand yards as he is to run for more than five hundred. There is not a whole lot more to be said about LeFevour who might be the next Big Name QB to come out of the MAC.


Eastern Michigan: (Andy Schmitt)

Perhaps nobody in the MAC has been as good an athlete in as bad a position as Andy Schmidt. This year things might be looking up for him as a new coach and the potential for a somewhat respectable running game might help take the pressure off of him.

Even with the lack of a running game and as bad as EMU was Schmitt looked good last year. He does not turn the ball over too much, has a decent completion ratio and came on strong towards the end of the year. If he gets any kind of run support Schmitt can be a very dangerous weapon in 2009.

Kent: (Giorgio Morgan (photo) or Anthony Magazu)

Julian Edelman stepped up in a big way last year, while his passing numbers were, at best, pedestrian his rushing numbers were amazing (1,370). Losing him is up there with the losses suffered by Ball State and Buffalo if Eugene Jarvis can not stay healthy there is going to be allot of pressure on whoever wins the starting job.

Whoever wins the job is going to be a better passer than Edelman and Kent returns much of its offensive line so there is room for hope this year. There has been no word on who the 'favorite' to start is but Magazu has allot more game experience than Morgan so the job could be his to lose.

Miami: (Daniel Raudabaugh)

The poor performance of Miami was the surprise of the season last year and while there is no reason to expect this program to stay down very long this next year could be ugly.

Raudabaugh will have allot of familiar faces around him but if he performs as poorly as he did last year Clay Belton might get a crack at the job early in the season, if not win the job outright before 2009's first snap.

If CMU is in the most enviable position Miami is without doubt in the more pitiable position. Raudabaugh had a promising Sophomore year when the RedHawks won the east but the fall off last year may push coach Haywood to look to youth.

NIU: (Chandler Harnish)

When a sophomore takes away the QB job from one of the better quarterbacks in school history opponents and fans alike should keep their eye on him.

While the strength of the Huskies was on defense fifteen hundred yards passing and five hundred rushing are great numbers for a sophomore quarterback who is leading his team for the first time. There is no reason to think That Harnish wont improve and the the Huskies won't give a challenge to CMU and WMU for the MAC West Title. The only area that need significant work is ball ball control, throwing more pics than touchdowns is not going to fly on a team without Larry English.

Ohio: (Boo Jackson or Theo Scott (Picture))

Ohio has the potential for a very healthy quarterback controversy. Last year Boo Jackson benefited from Theo Scott going down. He took his opportunity and ran with it, and ran, and ran, and ran.

Hats off to Frank Solich for giving Scott a show of support by not endorsing either of his returning quarterbacks before camp; A starter should never lose his job due to an injury, Nor should Boo Jackson should not be expected to quietly go back to holding a clip board. Boo Jackson has to have the inside track after his performance last season but Scott did beat him out once, perhaps he can do it again. MAC defenses need to ask themselves, if Boo Jackson is the Second best QB how good is scott?

Temple: (Vaughn Charlton or Chester Stewart)

Temples loss of Adam DiMichele might be the biggest hurdle they have to overcome this year. Vaughn Charlton has been the go to guy when DiMichele went down starting a total of seven games over two years but Coach Al Golden, perhaps taking a note from Turner Gill and Frank Solich has given no indication who is the favorite to start this coming year.

Charlton was red shirted Charlton last year so he could get two years out of him as a starter meanwhile he burned away one of Chester Stewarts so if you have to put money on it expect to see Vaughn Charlton under center this fall.

Toledo: (Aaron Opelt)

Toledo returns almost their entire team, where they in the east they might very well compete for the title. Part of that strength is going to come from Opelt who is efficient, productive, and careful with the ball He won't blow you away but he does ont tend to give games away either.

He has not always had the tools around him to do serious damage but this year he will have an improved target at wide out and more support from the running game. About the only thing that will Keep Opelt from having a banner year would be an injury to either him or one of the other key components on offense.

Western Michigan: (Tim Hiller)

The Bronco's return one of the premier quarterbacks in the conference; Its likely that when the draft comes around next year Tim Hiller will get snatched up in the mid level rounds.

Aside from Ball State and Rice Hiller did not have a bad game last year, he is a solid pocket passer who is physically gifted and football smart. Its a toss up between Him and Dan LeFevour as to whom is the most impressive quarterback in the MAC and on who is more important to their team. They have such different styles a decent comparison is not possible. LaFevour has two MAC titles to his credit so give the nod to him.