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Toledo vs Bowling Green November 21st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki It's Thanksgiving week. Turkey, pumpkin pie, spending time with family, watching the Detroit Lions lose another game on TV........all of that stuff can wait just a couple more days. This is also the week that Toledo and Bowling Green meet on the football field. A rivalry that dates back to 1919, the first year that Bowling Green played football. A rivalry that has seen scoreless ties, lopsided wins, fights on the field, accusations of cheating, suspension of the rivalry for a number of years, and three very close games in the last three games played in the rivalry. It's just about had it all. Full Story The Big Game! November 17th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
It's hard to believe, but it is already that time of year. It's the Big Game! The Battle of I-75! The Battle for the Peace Pipe! It's simply Toledo vs Bowling Green.What, you thought I was talking about another game? Too bad! Ask any member of the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University football teams what is the biggest game and they will tell you it is Toledo vs Bowling Green. It might not have the same national appeal and it might not have the same kind of following outside of Northwest Ohio, but this game means everything to these two schools. Full Story It's BG Week! November 16th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
It's known as the Battle of I-75, and this year it has a title sponsor in American Family Insurance. It's the University of Toledo versus Bowling Green State University in a battle of the two Division I-A football institutions in Northwest Ohio. It will be televised nationally on ESPN2, marking the 4th year in a row and 5th time in the last 7 years that this rivalry game has been televised nationally.ToledoRockets.Net wants to give you the chance to have your thoughts on this rivalry heard. Email us at brian@rocketfootball.net with your comments on the Toledo/Bowling Green rivalry, and your comments may be chosen to be added to a story about the rivalry later in the next few days. We will try to include as many comments as possible in the article. Show your spirit and your pride in the rivalry by emailing us your thoughts!  Rockets Suffer 20-17 Setback November 15th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Jalen Parmele rushed for a career high 173 yards and the Rockets amassed 378 yards of total offense, but they managed just 17 points in a 20-17 setback to Ball State. After scoring 14 points in the first half, the Rockets sputtered much of the second half and managed just a 39 yard field goal in the half.Trailing 20-17 with less than two minutes to play, Toledo was faced with a 4th down and 2 at the Ball State 31 yard line. Just a little bit out of field goal range for the Rockets, so Clint Cochran dropped back to pass and found an open receiver, at the Ball State 20 yard line, in tight end Chris Hopkins. The ball hit Hopkins right between the numbers, but he was unable to bring it in for a catch and the Rockets turned the ball over on downs. Ball State took a knee to end the game and earn their first victory at Toledo since 1991. Full Story -- Photo Gallery UT/BG Game has Title Sponsor November 13th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki American Family Insurance has signed a deal to be the title sponsor of the Toledo/Bowling Green football game played at the Glass Bowl on Tuesday, November 21st. “We are very pleased to have American Family join us as the title sponsor for the Bowling Green game,” said UT Athletic Director Mike O’Brien. “Our rivalry with Bowling Green is perhaps the biggest in the Mid-American Conference, and our football game with the Falcons is always a major event in our area. American Family’s sponsorship of this game will create even greater opportunities for us to promote this great game." American Family district sales manager Carter Belrose said, "American Family is proud to sponsor and support the University of Toledo Rockets and this rivalry game. All of us at American Family Insurance are excited to be a part of one of the biggest sporting events in Northwest Ohio.” Q&A with LB Steven Morrison November 12th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki  Steven Morrsion had 114 tackles and was and was 2nd team all-city as a senior at Christ the King High School in Queens, NY. He came to Toledo in 2004 and played in 13 games in a backup role, getting 27 tackles and forcing on fumble. Last year he played in 12 games, starting two of them, and had 31 tackles and one sack.After starting slow this season, Morrison has turned into one of the more dominant players on the defense. Against Northern Illinois he had 6 tackles, one forced fumble, and 2 sacks totaling in a loss of 19 yards. Full Story Just Another Toledo/Northern Illinois Game November 9th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Last season the Toledo Rockets headed into an early November matchup with Northern Illinois on ESPN2 needing a victory to get into the MAC Championship game. Unfortunately for the Rockets, Northern Illinois earned their first victory at Toledo since 1972. Northern Illinois went on to the MAC Championship game instead of Toledo. This year the Rockets travelled to Dekalb, IL for an early November matchup with Northern Illinois on ESPN2. But this time no division title was on the line. This time is was for pride and to avenge last year's loss. The Rockets prevailed 17-13 with a goal line stand in the final minute of the game. Full Story Q&A with QB Aaron Opelt? November 9th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki  True Freshman quarterback Aaron Opelt was leading Fremont Ross' high school football team last year at this time. Now he is the starting quarterback for the University of Toledo Rockets football team. Playing time against McNeese State and Pittsburgh for the first time in college was all of the experience he had when he stepped onto the Glass Bowl turf for his first collegiate start in Toledo's Homecoming game against Central Michigan. Full StoryCan Toledo Salvage its Season? November 8th, 2006 By Mike Sopher Random thoughts and questions from last nights game: • Big win in a disappointing season. Finishing 6-6 is not only likely but should be expected given Ball State and Bowling Green as our last two opponents this year in the Glass Bowl. Full Story Rockets Top Northern Illinois November 7th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The Toledo Rockets stopped Northern Illinois star running back Garrett Wolfe and they fought through the fog and a late rally by NIU to defeat the Huskies 17-13 in Dekalb, IL. Junior running back Jalen Parmele rushed for 131 yards on 31 carries as the Rockets rushed for 238 yards as a team. Garrett Wolfe rushed for just 54 yards on 16 carries against the Rocket defense. Toledo will host Ball State next Tuesday, November 14th, for a game scheduled to air on ESPN2 at 7:00pm. Photo Gallery Rockets Defeat Akron 35-20 October 28th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The Toledo Rockets put together one of their best efforts of the season as they defeated the Akron Zips 35-20 tonight at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, OH. Jalen Parmele rushed for 145 yards and one touchdown to pace a Rocket rushing attack that ran for 175 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns. True freshman quarterback Aaron Opelt was 8 of 16 passing for 97 yards with no touchdown passes and no interceptions. Nothing great, but nothing bad either as the freshman quarterback gave the Rockets a solid effort and even scored a 1 yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter to cap off a 98 yard drive by the Rockets. Full Story -- UT vs Akron Pre Game Photos -- UT vs Akron Game Photos Cochran or Opelt? October 24th, 2006 By Mike Sopher Who should start Saturday against the Zips? Last week’s game at Eastern Michigan had an eerie feeling to it. For three quarters the Rocket offense sputtered and slowly became nonexistent. I had seen a similar performance on the offensive side before. Being a Cleveland Browns fan, one gets used to an offense that brings little excitement to the game. But this is new territory for Toledo— a team expected to put up thirty plus points each game. For three quarters of the game the Rockets had squeezed out a mere 133 yards on 41 plays, or a little over 3 yards a play. Full Story OL Kevin Kowalski Commits to Toledo October 23th, 2006 By Staff Rivals.com is reporting that Nordonia offensive lineman Kevin Kowalski verbally committed to play football at the University of Toledo while on a visit to campus on October 7th. The 6-4, 270 pounder had been offered by Toledo last Spring, and felt a sense of loyalty to the first school to show interest in him. He is rated the #5 offensive lineman in the state of Ohio. He chose Toledo over an offer from Kent State. He was recruited by Coach Chris Hedden. Is it a Rebuilding Year? Part Two October 23th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Last week I talked about the unfortunate things that have been happening to the University of Toledo football team this year. Turnovers, penalties, dropped passes, suspect playcalling, injuries, and even bad luck. This past weekend some of those same things plagued the Rockets again as they lost 17-13 at Eastern Michigan. A touchdown with just 36 seconds left game Eastern Michigan the lead, and what looked like it would be the Rockets first MAC victory of the season turned out to be another disappointment for the Rockets. Full Story Signs of Trouble? October 18th, 2006 By Mike Sopher This is either a sign of the apocalypse or Toledo’s football program is in big trouble. Eastern Michigan is favored by two at home against Toledo. Eastern Michigan is actually favored to beat the Rockets. UUUUhhhhhh what???? Full Story Is it a Rebuilding Year? October 16th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki What is going on? The Rockets are just 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the MAC. The 0-3 conference start is the worst since 1985. Three straight losses after beating Kansas and McNeese State in consecutive weeks has the team searching for answers. Turnovers have killed this team. 18 total turnovers in 7 games! Toledo has fumbled the ball 17 times, losing it 8 times. With 17 fumbles they are lucky they have only lost the fumble 8 times. 10 interceptions thrown with just 10 touchdowns passes thrown. Full Story Toledo Loses to Kent State October 14th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Turnovers and mental mistakes continue to plague the University of Toledo as they fall to Kent State 40-14. Four turnovers by the Rockets in the first half put them in a 26-0 hole at halftime. Toledo is now just 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the MAC. The Rockets are 0-3 in the MAC for the first time since 1985. Photo Gallery Kent State Pre Game Notes October 10th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The Rockets travel to Kent, Ohio this Saturday to take on the Kent State Golden Flashes. It will be the first meeting between the two schools since a 47-7 Rocket victory in 1999. Toledo comes into the game 0-2 in conference play with losses to Western Michigan and Central Michigan. Kent State is 3-0 in conference play and in first place in the MAC's East Division. Last Saturday true freshman QB Aaron Opelt started his first game for the Rockets. He completed 31 of 52 passes for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns, but had 2 interceptions as well. One interception was not his fault though, and it was off of a receiver's hands and should have been caught. Opelt also ran the ball 20 times for 54 yards. Full Story Central Michigan Pre Game Notes October 4th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki This Saturday is homecoming and the Central Michigan Chippewas are in town. After dropping 11 straight to the Rockets, Central Michigan defeated Toledo 21-17 in Mount Pleasant last year. Toledo had a chance late in the game, but failed on a couple of 4th and goal conversions and then a last second pass was just a little to high for wide receiver Nick Moore to catch. Full Story Toledo Loses to Pittsburgh September 26th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The University of Toledo got off to a rough start yesterday against the Pittsburgh Panthers, and it did not get better as the game went on. Turnovers and bad field position put the Rockets in an early hole, in a 45-3 loss to a Pittsburgh football team that wanted revenge for a 35-31 loss at Toledo in 2003. True freshman quarterback Aaron Opelt came into the game mid-way through the first quarter and played the rest of the way, perhaps taking over the starting QB spot for the Rockets. Next Saturday Toledo hosts Central Michigan at 7:00pm in a game that will be televised on ESPNU. Photo Gallery Homecoming to be on ESPNU September 26th, 2006 By Staff The University of Toledo has announced that the homecoming game against Central Michigan will be televised live on ESPNU. The game will still be on Saturday, October 7th at 7:00pm. The Rockets will have at least six nationally televised games this year. Two games on ESPNU (Pittsburgh and Central Michigan) and four games on ESPN2 (Kansas, Northern Illinois, Ball State, and Bowling Green). Q&A with Running Back DaJuane Collins September 25th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki  Redshirt freshman running back DaJuane Collins had his first run of his college career last Saturday against McNeese State. By the time the game was over Collins had rushed the ball 8 times for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns.Collins, 5-10 and 200 pounds, is from Deptford high school in Westville, New Jersey. He ran for 1,841 yards and 19 TDs as a senior in high school. He was rated the #50 running back prospect in the nation and rated three stars by Rivals.com for the 2005 recruiting class. He had offers from Toledo, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maryland, Purdue, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Syracuse, and Louisville. He only took official visits to Toledo and Minnesota, before selecting the Rockets. Full Story Toledo at Pittsburgh Pre Game Notes September 25th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The Toledo Rockets travel to Pittsburgh this Saturday to take on the Pitt Panthers out of the Big East conference. The series is tied at 1-1 with Pitt defeating Toledo 37-19 in Pittsburgh in 2002 and the Rockets defeating Pitt 35-31 at the Glass Bowl in 2003. Pitt was ranked 9th in the country coming into that game in 2003. Toledo became the first MAC school to defeat Pitt. Full Story Toledo Defeats McNeese State 41-7 September 24th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki  The Toledo Rockets were without starting quarterback Clint Cochran last night due to an undisclosed injury. However, redshirt freshman Brandon Summers and true freshman Aaron Opelt guided the Rockets to 41 points as the Rockets got back to basics and did what they do best..........run the football.As a team, the Rockets averaged 5.0 yards per carry as they rushed for 219 and had four rushing touchdowns. Redshirt freshman running back DaJuane Collins led the way with 8 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown run of 31 yards was one for the highlights reel as he broke away from three defenders at about the 20 yard line and then broke another tackle near the 10 yard line and dashed into the end zone for his first career touchdown. Later, Collins ran it in from 9 yards out in another athletic run that made a guy miss at the 5 yard line. Full Story - Photo Gallery Barry Church on The MAC Report Radio Show September 19th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Toledo Rockets freshman safety Barry Church will be the special guest on the MAC Report radio show this week. The MAC Report is the only radio show dedicated to MAC sports. Dave Ruthenberg and Al Fellhauer are the hosts of the radio show. The show is available live over the web on Wednesday at 6:00pm at www.macreportonline.com and is also replayed on Thursday at 11:00pm on 1230AM (WCWA) in the Toledo area. McNeese State Pre Game Notes September 19th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The Toledo Rockets had four interceptions and one fumble recovery in a 37-31 double overtime victory over the Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12 conference. The win improved the Rockets to 1-2 on the season with a home game against McNeese State coming up this Saturday evening at 7:00pm. Toledo has won 35 of their last 37 games at home. Full Story Scooter McDougle Wins Appeal with NCAA September 18th, 2006 By Staff Rocket fans might remember running back Scooter McDougle running through opponents down the stretch in 2004 as he led Toledo to a MAC Title. However, in the title game he suffered a severe knee injury and missed the bowl game and virtually all of 2005. This August he suffered another setback when the NCAA declared him ineligible for the 2006 season. However, McDougle appealed the decision and has won that appeal. The NCAA have given him back his eligibility to play this fall and head coach Tom Amstutz has said that Scooter will be on the field and play some this Saturday against McNeese State. This could be a big boost to a Rocket offense that has struggled the last couple of weeks. Game at Pittsburgh set for ESPNU September 18th, 2006 By Staff The Toledo-Pittsburgh game on Saturday, September 30th has been picked up by ESPNU. Toledo now has at least five nationally televised games this year. Last Friday's game against Kansas was on ESPN2, the Pittsburgh game on ESPNU, the Northern Illinois game on ESPN2, the Ball State game on ESPN2, and the Bowling Green game on ESPN2. Kickoff for the game at Pittsburgh is set for Noon Eastern. Rockets Defeat Kansas 37-31 September 16th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The Rocket defense forced five turnovers and held the Kansas Jayhawks scoreless in two overtimes as the Toledo Rockets got their first win of the season by a score of 37-31 in double overtime. Toledo led 31-23 in the 4th quarter, but Kansas came back with a touchdown and two point conversion to tie the game at 31. Neither team could score the rest of regulation, sending Toledo to their second overtime game in just three games played this year. After the Rocket offense failed to score in the first overtime, Barry Church recovered a Kansas fumble to send the game to a second overtime with neither team scoring in the first. Bo Martin intercepted a pass in the end zone in Kansas' series on offense in the second overtime. Then Jalen Parmele took off on a 25 yard game-winning touchdown run on the first play on offense for Toledo, to win the game 37-31. The Rockets are now 4-0 at home against schools from BCS conferences since 2001. Toledo will host McNeese State next Saturday night at 7:00PM in the Glass Bowl. Photo Gallery Pack the Glass Bowl Friday Night September 12th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Yep, it's time for one of my attendance rants. This Friday night the Rockets play their first home game of the season against the Kansas Jayhawks and anything but a packed Glass Bowl will be disappointing. Full Story Don't Panic Yet September 12th, 2006 By Mike Sopher It’s amazing how a week changes the optimism of a season. Less than two weeks ago, Toledo fell in a triple overtime thriller to Big 12 opponent Iowa State. Toledo should have won that game, but it was just not meant to be. Full Story Kansas Pre Game Notes September 11th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The Kansas Jayhawks will be in town Friday night for a game to be televised nationally on ESPN2. Kansas, out of the Big 12 conference, is 2-0 on the season and coming off an impressive 42-13 blow out win in last year's Fort Worth Bowl. Full Story Marlin Parker Verbals to Toledo September 10th, 2006 By Staff Rivals.com is reporting that Warren Harding linebacker/defensive end Marlin Parker has verbally committed to play football at the University of Toledo. The 6-2, 232 pounder had offers from Toledo, Indiana, Boston College, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, and Akron. Parker was recruited by Coach Chris Hedden. Rockets Fall to WMU 31-10 September 9th, 2006 By Staff Turnovers can make a difference in a game, and they did tonight. The Toledo Rockets fell to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the MAC with a 31-10 loss to the Western Michigan Broncos. Toledo turned the ball over four times, and had a botched snap on a field goal attempt. Toledo had 306 total yards compared to 261 total yards for Western Michigan, but turnovers and other mistakes gave WMU a short field many times. WMU also had a 92 yard interception return for a touchdown. Toledo will host Kansas next Friday night at 8:00pm on ESPN2. Photo Gallery Hopkins Named Top Tight End for Week 1 September 6th, 2006 By Staff Congratulations to Toledo Rockets tight end Chris Hopkins for being named John Mackey Award Tight End of the Week by the Nassau County Sports Commission. Hopkins 13 receptions for 139 yards and three touchdowns were the most receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns ever by a Toledo tight end in one game. The John Mackey Tight End of the Week award is given out each week to the tight end that had the best performance of all tight ends in the country. Once again, congratulations Chris Hopkins on the performance against Iowa State and the award for week #1. Western Michigan Pre Game Notes September 4th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki After a tough 45-43 triple overtime loss at Iowa State, the Rockets travel to Kalamazoo, MI to open the conference season against the Western Michigan Broncos. Sophomore quarterback Clint Cochran was 39 of 49 passing for 367 yards (2nd highest single game mark in school history) and three touchdowns against Iowa State last week. Last week Western Michigan gave up 259 yards passing and 39 points in a 39-20 loss to Indiana. Full Story Rockets Hang Tough in Loss August 31st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Toledo wasn't supposed to win. Toledo hadn't played well on the road against a BCS opponent since 2002 at Minnesota. But this is a different team. With 5 minutes to play in the 4th quarter, the Rockets trailed Iowa State 23-15. Sophomore quarterback Clint Cochran led the Rockets down the field for a touchdown and 2-point conversion to tie the game with 3:28 left in the 4th quarter. Full Story - Photo Gallery Q&A with Offensive Tackle John Greco August 29th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Junior left tackle John Greco is one of the top players on the 2006 University of Toledo football team. The 6-5 and 318 pounder is from Youngstown, OH where he played his high school ball at Boardman High School.After redshirting in 2003, Greco became a start at right tackle as a redshirt freshman in 2004. He was the recipient of the Norman Cohen Award as the top freshman on the team. In 2005 he moved over to left tackle to replace All-MAC performer Nick Kaczur who is now playing for the New England Patriots in the NFL. John made the transition to left tackle without a problem, earning 1st Team All-MAC honors. Full Story Rockets Prepare for Iowa State August 28th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Only one more full practice remains before the Rockets take the field for the first time in 2006. Toledo opens the season Thursday night at Iowa State of the Big 12 conference. The Rockets will practice tomorrow afternoon, before heading to Ames, IA on Wednesday to prepare for the Thursday night game. Full Story Iowa State Game Preview August 28th, 2006 By Mike Sopher Just three days away from the season opener in Ames, Iowa, and the Cyclones appear to be the favorites for this highly anticipated matchup. But Toledo is used to being the underdogs in these situations. Full Story Our Winning Team! August 27th, 2006 By Mike Sopher Last season ended with a bang when the Rockets just flat out beat the UTEP Miners in the GMAC Bowl. Dominating on both sides of the ball, this game took a special meaning for all the seniors who were leaving school on a winning note. After all, this class of 2006 certainly knew how to win. Full Story Mike Alston Named Preseason Candidate for Butkus Award August 25th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Senior outside linebacker Mike Alston has been named a preseason candidate for the 2006 Butkus Award. The award is given annually to the nation's top linebacker.The list will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists on Thursday, October 19th. Then three finalists will be announced on Thursday, November 9th. Congrats to Mike for making the preseason list and good luck throughout the season! MAC Radio Show to Air in Toledo August 23rd, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
WCWA 1230 AM, a Fox sports radio station in Toledo, will begin airing The MAC Report on August 31st. The MAC Report is a weekly radio show that airs every Thursday evening at 11:00pm. The hosts of the show are Dave Ruthenberg and Al Fellhauer."We are very proud to know that one of the area's most respected sports radio stations will be carrying our show and we are pleased that MAC fans throughout the Toledo/Bowling Green area will be able to listen to the show on Fox Sports Radio 1230," said Ruthenberg. The show debuted last year as an Internet broadcast. It is the only broadcast show that is dedicated to coverage of the Mid-American Conference. Toledo and Arizona to Play Football Series August 22nd, 2006 By Brian Nowicki UT Athletic Director Mike O'Brien announced today that the Rockets have signed a deal to play the University of Arizona in a three game football series. The Rockets will travel to Arizona on September 6th of 2008. Then Arizona will travel to Toledo to take on the Rockets in the Glass Bowl on September 4th of 2010. Toledo will then travel back out to Arizona to conclude the series on September 1st of 2012. Full Story Akron, NIU, Toledo, or CMU? August 17th, 2006 By Mike Sopher It’s that time of year when Cleveland Indians baseball becomes too painful to watch (perhaps only this year) and Browns fans cling to far-fetched playoff hopes. No, we’re not talking about the #1 preseason ranked Ohio State Buckeyes- who really have no business being ranked that high- but rather one of Ohio’s best kept secrets: Mid American Conference football. Full Story Q&A with Quarterback Clint Cochran August 13th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
For the first time since August of 2003 the Rockets have a quarterback battle. Bruce Gradkowski won that battle in 2003 and went on to re-write the record books at Toledo. Now with him playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL, Head Coach Tom Amstutz must find the next quarterback of the University of Toledo. Sophomore Clint Cochran seems to have the inside track, and he is the only quarterback on the roster that has any collegiate game experience. Last season as a redshirt freshman, Cochran started one game and appeared five other games. The 6-3, 205 pounder completed 16 of 24 passes for 163 yards, one touchdown, and one interception is his only start at Fresno State. For the season, he completed 74.4% of his passes for 262 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Full Story Q&A with Wide Receiver Nick Moore August 12th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki  Sophomore wide receiver Nick Moore has a new jersey number, #1. Sound familiar? Remember another Moore that wore that number? That's right, Nick's older brother Lance Moore wore that number while he was rewriting the receiving record book at Toledo.Nick Moore, 6-4 and 192 pounds, was listed as one of the Top 50 receivers in the nation by Fab 50 Recruiting in 2003. As a redshirt freshman last season, Nick had 24 receptions for 335 yards and four touchdowns. Full Story Q&A with Running Back Jalen Parmele August 12th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki  Our preseason blitz continues with a look at junior running back Jalen Parmele. Parmele, 6-0 and 222 pounds, is from Dow High School in Midland, MI. Rivals.com listed Jalen Parmele with scholarship offers from Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and Western Michigan. After visiting Toledo for an official visit in December of 2003, Jalen cancelled visits to Central Michigan and Western Michigan and publicly committed to Toledo. Full StoryQ&A with Running Back DaJuane Collins August 11th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki DaJuane Collins was part of the Rockets' 2005 recruiting class. DaJuane is from Deptford Township, NJ. He was rated three stars and the 50th best running back in the country by the Rivals Recruiting Service. He had several offers from BCS schools. According to Rivals.com and Scout.com, he received over 50 offers. Schools like Penn State, Minnesota, Purdue, Boston College, Wisconsin, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina State, and North Carolina offered DaJuane. Only Toledo and Minnesota guaranteed to him that he would be a running back though, and that was where his heart was. He visited both schools, and eventually chose to attend Toledo. Full StoryRockets Name 2006 Captains August 8th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The University of Toledo has named four captains for the 2006 football season. On offense, senior wide receiver Steve Odom and junior offensive tackle John Greco have been named captains. Defensively, senior linebacker Mike Alston and junior free safety Tyrrell Herbert have been named captains. Full Story Q&A with Wide Receiver Steve Odom August 5th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Senior wide receiver Steve Odom needs just 53 more receptions to become the career receptions leader at the University of Toledo. He also needs just 574 yards receiving to become the career leader for receiving yards at Toledo. And with 17 career touchdown receptions, he needs just 8 more to become the leader in career touchdown receptions at Toledo.All three records are within reach. Odom also is the current NCAA leader for consecutive games with a reception. He has caught at least one pass in every single collegiate football game he has played in. That is 37 straight games. Full Story Q&A with Safety Barry Church August 4th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
I recently had the pleasure of conducting Barry Church's first interview at the University of Toledo. Church is a 6-3, 215 pound true freshman from Pittsburgh, PA. He played his high school football at Penn Hills SHS, the same school that junior free safety Tyrrell Herbert and true freshman inside linebacker Archie Donald attended.Church was highly recruited out of high school. He ran a 4.47 forty at the Metro Index camp and schools started to notice him. Rivals.com rated him the #42 safety prospect in the nation and gave him 3 stars. Full Story Rockets Open Fall Practice August 3rd, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The University of Toledo football program started fall practices yesterday in a sweltering heat. Today the Rockets fought threw raindrops in a morning practice. They are just a couple of practices into camp, but some of the players are already making an impact. "Jalen Parmele is really looking good so far," said Head Coach Tom Amstutz. "Keith Forestal is looking really good (at inside linebacker)." Full Story Rockets Picked 2nd in MAC West July 31st, 2006 By Staff The University of Toledo football team has been picked to finish in 2nd place in the MAC's West Division in the 2006 football poll voted on by the MAC Newsmedia Association. Toledo received 10 first place votes and 244 points. Northern Illinois was picked first in the MAC West Division with 39 first place votes and 286 points. Akron was picked first in the MAC East Division with 35 first place votes and 282 points. Northern Illinois received 37 votes to win the MAC Championship, while Toledo was next with 8 votes. Akron had 3 votes, while Miami Univesity and Western Michigan each received one vote to win the MAC Championship. "Building Champions" Athletic Campaign July 26th, 2006 By Staff Any of us Rocket fans can help the University of Toledo make that above video of a Savage Hall renovation and surrounding Athletic Complex a reality. The best way is to send a donation into the Rocket Fund. If you want your gift to be used solely for the purpose of this renovation project you can set that restriction on the donation. Please call Dave Nottke, the Assistant Athletic Director in charge of the Rocket Fund, at 419-530-2510. Full Story Q&A with UT Athletic Director Mike O'Brien July 25th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Last week University of Toledo Athletic Director Mike O'Brien announced a $5 million donation from Chuck and Jackie Sullivan that will be used to help finance the renovation project of Savage Hall. With that in mind, I figured it was time to pay a visit to Mr. O'Brien for another Q&A style interview. Full Story Greco Named to All-America List July 14th, 2006 By Staff The University of Toledo has a history of producing some great offensive lineman. Most recently was left tackle Nick Kaczur who was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 3rd round of the 2005 draft and became a starter for the Patriots as a rookie. That history didn't end with Kaczur though. Junior left tackle John Greco was named the top freshman on the Rockets squad in 2004. Last season he was first team All-MAC as a sophomore. And entering this season he is a preseason All-American. Athlon Magazine has listed John Greco on the 3rd team of their preseason All-America list in their annual college football preview. He is also on the 2006 Lombardi Award "watch list" for the nation's best down lineman or linebacker. Dr Jacobs Making an Impact July 14th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Dr Lloyd Jacobs became the President of the University of Toledo on July 1st and he is not wasting time. Just a few days after the July 1st merger, Dr Jacobs announced that UT would not move the law school to downtown Toledo to be near several law offices and the Lucas County Courthouse. Instead, he emphasized the importance of keeping it on the campus of the University of Toledo. Now Dr Jacobs has told the UT Board of Trustees that we need to keep UT basketball on campus and not move to a proposed downtown arena. UT fans that wanted to see basketball stay on campus can rejoice. UT students that wanted to see basketball stay on campus so they could easily attend the games can rejoice. UT Athletic Director Mike O'Brien can finally get down to business. Full Story GMAC Bowl Changes Date July 14th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Toledo made their first trip to the GMAC Bowl last year, with a 45-13 victory over UTEP on December 21st. If the Rockets make a return trip to the GMAC Bowl this season, it will be in January. This morning GMAC Bowl officials announced that this season's game has been moved to Sunday, January 7th at 8pm. This makes the game the last bowl game before the National Championship Game on January 8th. Also, no other games will be on at that time and a primetime spot should give the game a larger audience. The game will be aired on ESPN. Full Story The New University of Toledo! June 30th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Tomorrow the University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio officially merge into one great institution that will be known as the University of Toledo. At that point the University of Toledo becomes more than just your average institution. UT will have colleges of business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and pharmacy. Counting the University of Toledo, there are only 17 institutions in the country that offer each of those six colleges. Full Story We Are Your Team! June 12th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki  We are YOUR team! That is the marketing slogan for Rocket Football this year and never before have I been so excited about the marketing of the team. Billboards are popping up all over the city with a similar theme, representing that they are the city of Toledo's team. With a city the size of Toledo, I've been waiting for a campaign like this.It is an exciting time at the University of Toledo. The merger with the Medical University of Ohio adds to the prestige of the University and it also adds a new audience of potential fans. Announcing a home and home deal with Ohio State that has UT hosting one game against the Buckeyes in Cleveland Browns Stadium will catch the eye of someone that had not noticed before. Having a mayor in Toledo that is supportive of the Rockets, as Mayor Carty Finkbeiner has been, will help gain the attention of even more potential fans. And marketing the Rockets as the city's team just might help to gain the attention of others that have not paid attention in the past. Full Story The Man Behind the Deal June 8th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The University of Toledo has signed a two game series in football with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Wow! First game will be considered a "home game" for Toledo and played at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 19, 2009. Are you kidding me??? Let me stand in line to shake the hand of UT Athletic Director Mike O'Brien. Full Story Toledo and Ohio State to play in Football June 8th, 2006 By Staff The University of Toledo announced this morning that they will play a two game series against Ohio State, beginning in 2009. They will play at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, OH on September 19, 2009 in what will be considered a home game for Toledo. Then on September 10, 2011 Toledo will travel to Columbus to play the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe. The 2009 game at Cleveland Browns Stadium will be the first time in history that Toledo has hosted a neutral-site game. CBS holds 73,200 and will most likely be a sellout. "This is great for our football program," said UT Athletic Director Mike O'Brien. "This is a great opportunity to play one of the nation's great powerhouses," said UT Head Football Coach Tom Amstutz. "We're very excited to play a game in Cleveland Browns Stadium. We've got a lot of kids from Cleveland in our program, so this will be a great experience for them and their families," Amstutz added. 2006 Preseason Predictions May 13th, 2006 By Staff Our 6th annual preseason predictions are now online. This year the predictions are more in depth than ever before. Added this year are predictions for MAC Player of the Year and MAC Freshman of the Year. To access the predictions, Click Here! 2006 Special Teams Preview May 11th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Jason Robbins had one of the most successful seasons in terms of field goal percentage in school history last year. He was 13 of 13 with a long of 44 yards. He was also 54 of 55 on extra points and led the team in scoring with 93 points. He has graduated though and Toledo must find a replacement right away. There are a couple of players that will be battling for the job this summer. Full Story Rocket Golf Classic May 11th, 2006 By Staff The University of Toledo will host a Rocket Golf Classic at Stone Oak Country Club in Holland, OH on Monday, July 24. Proceeds from the event support the UT Athletic programs. There is a morning session and an afternoon session for this event. The morning session has a 7:30 a.m. check-in with a shotgun start of 8:00 a.m. The afternoon session has an 11:00 a.m. check-in with a 1:00 p.m. shotgun start. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. for both sessions. A dinner and awards presentation will begin at 6:00 p.m. For information about entering a fivesome or for information on hole sponsorships, contact Dave Nottke at 419-530-2510. 2006 Secondary Preview May 2nd, 2006 By Brian Nowicki One of the biggest knocks on the UT defense in 2004 was that they did not defend the pass very well, giving up 275.1 passing yards per game. Last year that category improved significantly behind the senior leadership of Keon Jackson and Antonio Malone. The Rockets gave up just 191.2 passing yards per game last season, over 80 yards per game less than the year before. Some key players from last year's secondary have graduated, but there is still a lot to be optimistic about in 2006. Full Story Malone, Jackson Sign NFL Free Agent Contracts May 1st, 2006 By Staff UT cornerback Antonio Malone and safety Keon Jackson signed free agent contracts with NFL teams after the draft concluded yesterday. Malone signed with the Detroit Lions and will attend a mini-camp this weekend. "I feel really good about signing with the Lions,” Malone said. “It’s close to my hometown (Portsmouth, OH) and close to my alma mater. My agent and I were looking at five teams but we felt Detroit gave me the best chance to play and they made a very fair offer.” Keon Jackson signed with the New England Patriots and will attend a mini-camp this weekend. “I’m excited about the opportunity to be a Patriot,” said Jackson. “I’m glad someone took a chance on me. I can’t wait to get out there and prove what I can do.” Gradkowski Drafted in 6th Round May 1st, 2006 By Staff Former UT quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was drafted in the 6th round (#194 overall) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “I’m very excited. I couldn’t have been picked by a better team than Tampa Bay,” said Gradkowski. “Learning under Coach (Jon) Gruden is going to be amazing.” Gradkowski will be heading to Tampa on Thursday for a mini-camp. He spoke to Gruden on the phone after he was drafted. Gradkowski said, “Coach Gruden told me they were excited to have me on the team, that it doesn’t matter what round I was drafted in, they wanted me and they have big plans for me.” 2006 Linebacker Preview April 24th, 2006 By Staff  Linebackers Anthony Jordan and David Thomas were the heart of the Rocket defense in 2005. Jordan led the team with 107 tackles and David Thomas was 3rd with 86 tackles. They also combined for 13 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery.There is no question that they leave a big void at the inside linebacker position. However, there is optimism in Rocket land. Even without Jordan and Thomas, and that is because everyone else at the inside and outside linebacker positions return in 2006. Full Story 2006 Defensive Line Preview April 18th, 2006 By Staff Toledo's defense made a significant improvement in 2005. After giving up 31.1 points per game in 2004, Tim Rose came in as defensive coordinator last year and re-energized the Rocket defense. The defense improved to just giving up 21.8 points per game, the best of any MAC defense. The rush defense was also #1 in the MAC, thanks to a change to a 3-4 alignment and an agressive defense. It all started with the defensive line, and everyone returns this fall. Full Story College of Business Administration Annual Picnic April 18th, 2006 By Staff Members of the Toledo Rockets football team will be chefs at the University of Toledo College of Business Administration annual picnic. Tight End Andrew Clarke, offensive lineman John Greco, defensive back Jason Flowers, offensive lineman Jerry Aguwa, wide receiver Steve Odom, and offensive lineman Chad Diggs will represent the football team as College of Business Administration student-athletes at the event, which will be held on the lawn between Stranahan Hall and University Hall on Wednesday, April 18th from 11:00am until 1:30pm. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, pop, and sandwiches will be served, free of charge to College of Business Administration students. There will be a raffle and prizes will consist of Bruce Gradkowski autographed footballs, autographed basketballs, and other UT items. Basketball players Justin Ingram and Tino Valencia, along with Head Basketball Coach Stan Joplin will also be chefs at the event. Track star April Williams will be a chef as well. Wheelchair Football Exhibition Game April 17th, 2006 By Staff Members of the UT Rockets football team will play in an exhibition game of Wheelchair Football against the Toledo Crash, The Ability Center of Greater Toledo’s wheelchair football team on Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at 6:00 p.m., in the UT Student Recreation Center on the campus of The University of Toledo. All participants will use wheelchairs during the game, which will be conducted in accordance with Universal Wheelchair Football rules. Full Story Final Spring Scrimmage April 14th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
The University of Toledo Rockets held their final spring scrimmage this morning. Sophomore quarterback Clint Cochran looked good in limited action. Redshirt freshman running back DaJuane Collins looked good as well. A couple of other running backs, Ray Williams and Jason Washington, got a lot of playing time and impressed coaches and fans. The Rocket defense played very well. The defensive line and linebackers were constantly putting pressure on the quarterback and running game. Senior linebacker Mike Alston was very impressive. Photo GalleryRocket Football Alumni Golf Outing April 14th, 2006 Courtesy of utrockets.com The sixth annual Rocket Football Alumni Golf Outing will be held at the Legacy Golf Club in Ottawa Lake, MI on Friday, June 2, 2006. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9:00 a.m. Golf will be followed by dinner and a reception with live auction and raffle prizes. The Rocket Football Alumni Golf Outing is a major fundraiser in which all proceeds benefit the Toledo Rocket Football program directly. Fans and supporters of the program are encouraged to come out and golf with former Rocket football players from all eras. For more information contact Katie Abdulovic at 419-530-3637 or Dave Walkosky at 419-530-3502, or go online at www.utrockets.com to obtain a printable brochure. 2006 Offensive Line Preview April 13th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Toledo's offensive line has always been a strength. Right now two former offensive lineman are playing in the NFL, center Andy McCullum and offensive tackle Nick Kaczur. Last year Toledo led the MAC in rushing (216.8 rush yards per game) and averaged 447.1 yards per game in total offense. The offensive line was a key reason for those stats.The bad news is that starting right guard Chris Wakeman has graduated. The good news is that everyone else on last year's offensive line is back. I'm not just talking about starters or even 2nd teamers. Every offensive lineman on the entire roster, except for Chris Wakeman. That's a very good thing. Full Story 2006 Tight End Preview April 10th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Tight ends are a very important part of the Rocket offense. The tight ends do much more than just block on running plays. They are used in pass patterns quite often. Sometimes they even line up in a wide receiver spot.So to be a tight end at Toledo you have to have a good mix of size and speed and not only be a good blocker, but also be able to run a good route and catch the ball. Tight end coach Chris Hedden has a number of tight ends that fit this description and they work on all aspects of the game at every practice. Full Story 2006 Wide Receiver Preview April 5th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Last year Rocket fans saw a lot of new faces at the receiver position. Guys like Nick Moore, Andre Redd, Trumaine Smith, and DJ Nichols took to the field as a Rocket for the first time. David Washington hardly played in 2004, so last year was new to him as well. The lone returner at wide receiver with good experience was Steve Odom and all the pressure was on him to produce. As a result, the Rockets had an up and down year at the receiver position. But as the young players gained experience, the unit came together are started to gel pretty well. The end result was a 44-41 OT victory at Bowling Green and a 45-13 thumping of UTEP in the GMAC Bowl.This year nearly everyone returns at the wide receiver position. The only loss to graduation is Pete Lepley, who did not start any games and caught just 7 passes last season. Everyone else is back. Full Story 2006 Season Tickets on Sale April 5th, 2006 By Staff Season tickets for the 2006 University of Toledo football season are now on sale. Toledo will have six home games this year, including marquee games against Kansas from the Big 12, defending MAC Champion Akron, and arch-rival Bowling Green. Season tickets for adults are available for $164 per seat. Children ages 12 and under, family section season tickets, and faculty/staff season tickets are just $82 per seat. Single game tickets are also available. Home games against McNeese State, Central Michigan, Akron, and Ball State have tickets for sale for the price of $24 per seat. Premium games against Kansas and Bowling Green are being sold for $34 per seat. UT students are admitted free with a valid student ID. For more information, please call the UT Athletic Ticket Office at 419-530-4653. 2006 Football Schedule Released April 4th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The University of Toledo has released its football schedule for the 2006 season. The schedule is highlighted by four nationally televised games on ESPN2. Three of those games will be played at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, OH. This is the first time that Toledo will play three nationally televised games at home in one season. If Toledo makes it to the MAC Championship game and to a bowl game, they will play a total of six nationally televised games. Three of the six home games will air on ESPN2. Friday, September 15th, the Rockets will host Kansas at 8:00pm in the home opener. Then the final two home games of the season, against Ball State and Bowling Green, will be on ESPN2. Other home games include McNeese State, Central Michigan (homecoming), and Akron. A game at Northern Illinois on November 7th is also scheduled for ESPN2. To view the 2006 football schedule, click here! Kansas Game to be on ESPN2 April 4th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The University of Toledo has announced that the home opener against Kansas has been moved to Friday night, September 15th, at 7pm and will be televised nationally on ESPN2. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, September 16th. However, ESPN asked to have the game moved to Friday night so that they could air the game nationally. Q&A with Offensive Line Coach Stan Clayton April 1st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki I recently had the opportunity to talk to University of Toledo Rockets Offensive Line coach Stan Clayton. Coach Clayton is in his first year at Toledo. He spent the last six seasons as the offensive line coach at Princeton, where he was very successful. Below is a series of questions and answers from when I meant with Coach Clayton. Full Story Spring Practice Update April 1st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Today the University of Toledo football team had their first scrimmage of the spring. Most of the student-athletes that signed with Toledo in February were also in attendance to watch the scrimmage. Toledo also held a "Junior Day" for high school juniors after the scrimmage, so many high school juniors and their parents and coaches were in attendance as well. Full Story -- Photo Gallery Q&A with Defensive Coordinator Tim Rose March 30th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki I recently had the opportunity to talk to University of Toledo Rockets Defensive Coordinator Tim Rose. Coach Rose is in his 2nd year at Toledo. Last year his defense led the MAC in several categories, a major improvement over the previous year's defense. This year he looks to build on that success with 8 returning starters from last year's squad. Full Story 2006 Running Back Preview March 30th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
Toledo is known for having a tradition of good running backs. Trinity Dawson, Chester Taylor, Wasean Tait, Casey McBeth, Eddie Harris, Arnold Smiley, and so on and so on. This year is a little different though. The Rockets are flat out loaded at running back. We are not talking about one or two guys that can share the load, we're talking about a bunch of guys.As Spring practices take place at the Glass Bowl, I can't help but look on the field and believe that we have four running backs out there that would be starters at most MAC schools. And what's even more amazing is that none of them are seniors so we get to watch these kids for at least two more years. Full Story Stan Clayton and Mark Rhea Added to Coaching Staff March 28th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki UT head coach Tom Amstutz has announced that Stan Clayton and Mark Rhea have been added to the Rockets coaching staff. Clayton will assume the offensive line coach position that Mike Devlin had previously held, while Rhea will take over as defensive line coach which was previously held by Randall McCray. Full Story Spring Practice Update March 27th, 2006 By Staff Spring practice for the Toledo Rockets football team continues this week. New OL coach Stan Clayton and new DL coach Mark Rhea are hard at work with the rest of the coaches at getting the Rockets ready for a new season. To view a photo gallery from Monday's practice, click here! UT Announces Football Reverse Raffle March 23rd, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Spring is here. The Rocket football team is working hard in Spring practices. It is also time to start thinking about the annual football reverse raffle and auction. The raffle is scheduled for Saturday, May 20th, at Savage Hall. The event will start at 7:00pm and run until Midnight. Full Story Spring Football Media Day March 21st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Today was Spring media day for the University of Toledo football program and I had the pleasure to attend the event, along with photographer Paul Nelson. We got to talk to a few of the players and Head Coach Tom Amstutz about Spring practices and the upcoming football season. Full Story Quarterback Preview March 20th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki For the last three seasons, Rocket fans watched QB Bruce Gradkowski re-write the record books at Toledo. After finishing a successful career at Toledo, Bruce was invited to the NFL scouting combine last month and performed very well. This April Rocket fans will be watching the NFL draft in anticipation to which NFL team will select him. Meanwhile, the Rocket coaching staff is currently concentrating on replacing a 3 year starter at the most pivotal position in college football. The position that was left vacant with Bruce Gradkowski's graduation. Full Story Spring is Here! March 17th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The University of Toledo Rockets football team begins Spring practices tomorrow morning at 9:00am. The Rockets are coming off a 9-3 season, that was highlighted by a 44-41 double overtime victory over arch-rival Bowling Green and a 45-13 thumping of UTEP in the GMAC Bowl. The Rockets return 16 starters from last year's squad, but all eyes will be on the battle to replace QB Bruce Gradkowski. Full Story Latest APR Affects Toledo March 1st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki The NCAA has announced that the University of Toledo football program has not met the standards of the Academic Progress Rates (APR) and will have scholarship restrictions because of it. The report says that Toledo will lose 6 scholarships and 3 initial scholarships. What does this all mean? The NCAA has a limit of 85 student-athletes on scholarship and a limit of 25 kids that can sign with a school in a given recruiting class. With these scholarship reductions, Toledo would be forced to a limit of 79 student-athletes on scholarship and a limit of 22 kids that can sign with a school in their recruiting class. This all sounds a bit confusing, right? Questions come to mind right away. When does this start? How long will it last? How will it affect Toledo? To answer these questions I talked to University of Toledo Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance, Brian Lutz. Full Story 2006 OOC Schedule Set March 1st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Toledo will play four non-conference games this fall, as the NCAA will allow 12 regular season football games. Toledo will open the season at Iowa State on Thursday, August 31st. Iowa State, from the Big 12 Conference, went 7-5 last year and played in a bowl game. They will then host Kansas on Saturday, September 16th. Kansas, also from the Big 12 Conference, went 7-5 and played in a bowl game last year. Toledo will then host I-AA power McNeese State on September 23rd, before playing their last non-conference game on September 30th against Pittsburgh of the Big East. That game will be played at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. The full Toledo football schedule will be made available when the MAC releases its conference schedule. Interview with Coach Tom Amstutz February 15th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with University of Toledo head football coach Tom Amstutz. We reflected on the 2005 season and talked about what goes on during the offseason to prepare for the next football season.2005 was the 12th straight winning season for Toledo, and it marked the 4th time in the last five years that the Rockets played in a bowl game. But without winning the MAC Championship, was it a successful season? Full Story Football Memories February 13th, 2006 By Mike Sopher I came to Toledo in 1998 with ambitions to make big money as a pharmacist after six years of schooling. I left six years later with a bachelors and masters in history knowing that I still could not get a decent job in this field without a PhD. Upon my arrival in 1998, my knowledge of Toledo sports could have been filled up on one line on an index card. I knew nothing except that the football team played in some championship game the previous winter. Full Story Two Assistant Coaches Resign February 8th, 2006 By Staff Offensive line coach Mike Devlin has resigned from his position at the University of Toledo and accepted the same position with the New York Jets in the NFL. Mike Devlin had been the offensive line coach at Toledo for the last two seasons. Defensive line coach Randall McCray has resigned from his position at the University of Toledo and accepted the position of safeties coach and recruiting coordinator at Rice. Randall coached at UT for three seasons, his first two as the linebackers coach and his last season as the defensive line coach. UT Head Coach Tom Amstutz said that a search to replace both positions will begin immediately. Former Rocket Breaks Super Bowl Record February 6th, 2006 By Staff 
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Kelly Herndon broke a record for the longest interception return in Super Bowl history when he picked off Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 76 yards, to the Steeler 20 yard line. Kelly Herndon was a cornerback for the Toledo Rockets from 1995-1998 and has bounced around in his professional career. Last year he became a starter for the Denver Broncos, but was a free agent at the end of the season. He signed with Seattle in the off-season, but only started a few games this year.When the starter went down in the 3rd quarter of yesterday's Super bowl, Herndon came in. Later on the drive, while Pittsburgh was threatening to score and put the game out of reach, Herndon stepped in front of the Pittsburgh receiver and put himself into the Super Bowl record book. Despite losing the game to the Steelers, congratulations to Kelly Herndon for the record interception. Which Recruits will Play this Fall? February 2nd, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Head Coach Tom Amstutz said that it is too hard to say which recruits will play right away in 2006. He said that it is a combination of areas we need help in the most and the talent and athletic ability of the recruits that will go into the decision process. Full Story 2006 Football Recruiting Class February 1st, 2006 By Brian Nowicki Head coach Tom Amstutz and his staff announced the signing of 23 players to the 2006 Toledo Rockets football recruiting class today. 13 of the players are from the state of Ohio. "Ohio had a really strong senior class this year, and were fortunate to sign a lot of the best players," said coach Tom Amstutz. "I feel really good about these kids. I feel like I know them, know their character. I'm very excited to add these young men to our program." Full Story UT to Host Recruiting Class Presentation January 31st, 2006 By Staff The UT football coaching staff will host a special presentation on the 2006 recruiting class on Wednesday, February 1st at 4:00pm. The presentation will be in the Grogan Room at Savage Hall and is open to the public. Soft drinks and snacks will be provided free of charge. CB Greg Harris Commits to Toledo January 30th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki According to the Toledo Blade Greg Harris, a 6-0 185 pound defensive back from Mount Vernon, NY, has committed to Toledo. Harris has 4.4 speed. He was named the 2005 All New England Class A Player of the Year by the Boston Globe. He had 3 interceptions as a defensive back and he also ran for just over 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns as a running back. QB Clayton Coomer to Toledo January 29th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki According to Scout.com, QB Clayton Coomer (6-2, 195 pounds) from Springboro, OH has decided to play football at the University of Toledo. Coomer, who has 4.68 speed, passed for 2,050 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior in 2005. He had a 62% completion rate, but just 181 pass attempts. He also rushed for 5 touchdowns. He has a 3.0 GPA and was on the principal's academic list at Springboro for the first semester this school year. Coomer will reportedly walk on at Toledo. LB Derrick Summers Chooses Toledo January 27th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki According to the Detroit Free Press, LB Derrick Summers (6-2, 235) has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. The Free Press lists him at #40 on their Michigan Recruiting Fab 50 list. Rivals.com lists Derrick's top three choices as Toledo, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. Derrick is the brother of current Rocket QB Brandon Summers. Brandon will be a redshirt freshman in 2006. Troy Macon the Next Future Rocket? January 26th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki According to rivals.com, WR Troy Macon (5-11, 194 pounds) from Bloomfield Hills, MI has decided to play football at the University of Toledo. "Toledo's program interested me the most and is a program I believe can win and a program I believe I will grow and succeed in," Macon said in an email to MichiganPreps.com. "I have a spot on the team as a wide receiver and my speed, size and quickness we believe will create a huge threat for opponents down the road." Macon will reportedly walk on at Toledo. Cleveland Glenville's Bruce Frieson Commits! January 26th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, RB/WR Bruce Frieson has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. Frieson rushed for 1,428 yards as a senior last year. He is just 5-9 and 195 pounds, but has 4.45 speed and is also a kick return specialist.He played at John Marshall High School in Cleveland before transferring to Glenville High School as a junior. He sat out his junior season because of transferring, but that didn't stop Toledo from pursuing him. "They called me during my junior year and I wasn't even playing," Frieson told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "That showed me a lot." It is reported that he will play running back and return kicks at Toledo. DT Nate Cole Commits January 25th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
According to ohiovarsity.com, defensive tackle Nate Cole (6-2, 270 pounds) has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. Nate received offers from Toledo, UCF, Louisville, Minnesota, Ball State, and Ohio. He runs a 4.8 forty.Scout.com has Nate Cole rated as a 3 star recruit and the 85th ranked defensive tackle in the country. Scout also has him listed as a Hot 100 player for the Midwest region. He is also listed as an Ohio Top 100 player, regardless of position. Cole can bench press 300 pounds at over 20 reps and he can squat over 500 pounds. He was recruited by Chris Hedden. Jared Dewalt Commits to Toledo January 23rd, 2006 By Staff According to rivals.com, offensive lineman Jared Dewalt has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. Dewalt was named MVP of his high school team, an unusual selection for an offensive/defensive lineman. He was also named 1st team all-state in Ohio Division I. Jared is rated 3 stars by rivals.com and ranked as the 60th best offensive lineman in the country. He received offers from Toledo, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Akron, Bowling Green, and Miami University. Levi George Commits to Toledo January 23rd, 2006 By Staff According to ohiovarsity.com, offensive lineman Levi George (6-2, 295) has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. He will play center at Toledo. George bench presses 475 pounds. He will play in the Big 33 game, which is the high school all-star game between players from the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. He verballed to Toledo after visiting the first weekend of December. Joe Underwood Commits to Toledo January 17th, 2006 By Staff According to ohiovarsity.com, DE/LB Joe Underwood has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. Joe originally committed to Miami in November, but he decommitted and committed to Toledo after visiting in mid-December. Joe Underwood (6-2, 245) is from Ursuline High School in Youngstown, OH. He was named 1st Team Division IV All Ohio this past season. He is rated 2 stars by both the Rivals.com and Scout.com recruiting services. He received offers from Toledo, Miami, Bowling Green, and Akron. Skylaar Constant Verbals to Toledo January 16th, 2006 By Staff According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, DE/TE Skylaar Constant has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. Constant, 6-4 and 265 pounds, was named 1st Team Division II All-Ohio and will play in the Ohio North-South All-Star football game this summer. Skylaar also plays basketball and throws the shot put and discus on the track team in high school. He received scholarship offers from Toledo, Miami, Bowling Green, Akron, and Ohio. He also received interest from Iowa, Kansas, and Indiana but did not receive scholarship offers. Matt Fought Picks Toledo January 11th, 2006 By Staff According to WNDH Radio, tight end/linebacker Matt Fought has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. Matt's high school coach, Ken Shriner, told WNDH in an interview that Fought has committed to Toledo. Matt was named to the AP Ohio Division IV first team as a linebacker this past season. He also had 7 touchdown receptions and caught a pass for a 2-point conversion. Matt is also a starting forward on the Ottawa-Glandorf basketball team this winter. He told OhioVarsity.com that he received offers from Toledo, Miami, Bowling Green, and Ball State before committing to Toledo in November. 2005: A Season to Remember January 10th, 2006 By Mike Sopher At the beginning of the 2005 season, how many Rocket fans would have accepted a 9-3 record with a bowl win? I know I would have. Full Story DB Mark Jackson Verbals to Toledo January 7th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki According to the Canton Rep, defensive back Mark Jackson has given a verbal committment to play football at the University of Toledo. Jackson (6-0, 195) will either play defensive back or safety for Toledo. Last year at Canton McKinley High School he intercepted 5 passes and was named first team all-district. His team went 10-0 during the regular season, and the previous year they played in the state finals. His high school coach said that he was the most consistent player on the team, both offensively and defensively. Full Story Florida Running Back Commits to Toledo January 4th, 2006 By Brian Nowicki 
According to Rivals.com, running back Dontae Jones has verbally committed to play football at the University of Toledo. Jones (6-0, 211) is from Orlando, FL where he played for Evans High School. He runs a 4.47 forty yard dash and has very good size.Scout.com had this to say about Dontae Jones, "Jones has the size and speed that could rival most NFL backs. He runs with excellent vision and is a load to bring down. He's shown flashes of being a big time back and blew some people away at a few camps this summer." Full Story |