A bunch of recognizable names have departed the roster after last year’s title game loss, but the reload will be intriguing to watch.
The Toledo Rockets have been one of the Mid-American Conference’s most consistent teams of the last decade-plus, finishing with a .500 record or higher over the last 15 years.
Under previous head coach Matt Campbell and current head coach Jason Candle, the Rockets have qualified for the postseason every year dating back to 2012. The Rockets have only stayed home three times in that span, with early exits in 2013 (no invitation), 2019 (choice) and 2020 (COVID rules.)
Suffice to say they’re a standard-bearing program in the MAC.
The Rockets are once again favorites to take a spot in the MAC title game. As such, there will be a lot of eyes on them to perform up to their expectations once again— even despite the sheer amount of talent which departed over the offseason.
Thankfully for Rockets faithful, a lot of the players who are set to take the reins in 2024 are a lot of familiar faces, as Candle’s recruiting prowess has created a heavily-talented roster which has shown the ability to compete with power programs.
We take a look at what’s new in the Glass City as hype for the upcoming season is starting to reach its peak:
How do you succeed Dequan Finn and Peny Boone?
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For the better part of their current run, the Rockets have been an offensive dynamo, often relying on excellent backfield play and dynamic skill position players to set the pace. 2023 was no exception; Toledo was the best offense in the conference, finishing with 419.3 yards per game and 32.3 points per game on average. (For context, Northern Illinois, the second-place team in yards, had over 50 yards less per game.)
The quarterback and running back most directly responsible for a lot of the yards gained are gone for the 2024 campaign after both being recruited to new destinations via the transfer portal. Dequan Finn will signal-call for the Baylor Bears this season, while Peny Boone’s wild journey saw him wind up in Orlando with UCF via Louisville.
The offensive line will also see a complete re-do, as all five spots are up for grabs going into fall camps. (More on that in the future.)
The main question at the heart of the new-look offense is who will be the duo to most directly take the ball in their hands and guide the Rockets along in 2024? The answers are some familiar names to the Rocket faithful.
Tucker Gleason, the former Georgia Tech transfer, is the likely starter entering the season after showing himself well in relief of Finn over the past two seasons. Gleason finished 28-of-55 for 383 yards, four touchdowns and an interception passing last year, but the 2022 season (855 yards, eight passing touchdowns, three interceptions; three rushing TDs) showed his ability to lead over a longer term.
Jacquez Stuart will be familiar to most MAC football fans, even with his new role as the primary starter. Stuart has been on campus since 2019, contributing primarily on special teams and as a depth running back from his true freshman campaign onwards, sitting behind a lot of dynamic backs in that time. 2024 will be his turn at the top of the depth chart after a breakout 2023 campaign which saw him score six touchdowns on the ground and one through the air as the relief back to Boone. Stuart will seek to break his career-high in rushing yards (770) and carries (134) in 2024, while also continuing to be a danger on special teams and defend his first-team all-conference placement at kick returner.
Maxen Hook the next big defensive star?
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Quinyon Mitchell departs the roster after his selection in the first round of the NFL Draft in April, but the Rockets should be none the worse for wear in terms of leadership, with Maxen Hook coming back for his fifth year after some mid-season injury concerns brought him back into the fold.
Hook only played in nine games in the 2023 campaign, missing five games due to injury, but still had a career-best three interceptions and seven pass break-ups to pair with 69 tackles to earn first-team honors at the safety spot. It was the first time Hook had missed games due to injury in his collegiate career, making his placement all the more impressive.
Hook has been a part of the Rockets defensive efforts since his true freshman campaign in 2020, accumulating 249 tackles, including 6.5 tackles-for-loss, two sacks, five interceptions, 16 pass break-ups, a forced fumble, two recovered fumbles and a blocked kick.
For his efforts, Hook has earned all-MAC honors in every full season since 2021, with one third-team appearance (2021) and two appearances on the first-team roster (2022-23). His accomplishments to this point have put him on the professional radar, with the Senior Bowl placing him on their Watch List earlier this month.
It’ll be interesting then to track him going into 2024, as he’ll be the most experienced player in the defensive backfield this go-around. The cornerback room will be full of transfer players, including Zeke Smith (Youngstown State) and Jadarrius Perkins (Florida), with former Arkansas-Pine Bluff corner Andre Fuller (39 tackles, three PBUs in two seasons as a Rocket) expected to battle for playing time in the Rockets’ 3-2-6 formation.
Hook’s chemistry with junior safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (69 tackles, four TFLs, two interceptions, three PBUs) will be key to anchoring the defense in light of their departures.
Perry Elliano brought in as cornerbacks coach
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It’s not often we discuss an individual positional coaching change on its own, but this one is worth it on merit. The cornerbacks room, as mentioned prior, has seen a lot of turnover heading into 2024 and will have to form up some new contributors very quickly.
Enter former Ohio State safeties coach Perry Elliano, whose 2023 unit was number one in the country in pass defense.
His most notable and relevant tenure was with Luke Fickell at Cincinnati as cornerbacks coach, where their secondary propelled the Bearcats into the College Football Playoffs in 2021 prior to Cincinnati’s invitation to the Big 12. Under his tutelage, Ahmad “Sauce” Garner and Cobie Bryant were almost inarguably the best outside tandem in the country in 2022, with Bryant winning the Jim Thorpe Award for best defensive back and Garner earning first-team All-American honors before his selection as a first-round draft pick to the New York Jets.
Elliano’s secondary was also dominant the prior year, finishing third in the country in interceptions and pass defense efficiency.
This won’t be his first time in the MAC either; Elliano will be familiar to many Bowling Green fans as their former defensive coordinator under Mike Jinks from 2016-17.
Elliano’s hiring is an indication that Toledo does not want to be caught sleeping. The ability to find gems in recruiting and develop them over multiple years is important to head coach Jason Candle’s philosophy; snagging Elliano from Ohio State shows both recruits and rival programs the Rockets are serious about being perennial contenders.
Secondary is the most important position in Toledo’s exotic 3-2-6 defense, so Elliano being placed in charge of it will be a significant factor into the team’s performance this season, especially in light of all the turnover.