Western Illinois at Toledo Preview

By John Onan  |   Wednesday, August 31, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

College Football
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The Toledo Rockets are the defending MAC Champions and they return seven starters on offense, including quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. Gradowski helped lead the Rockets to a 7-1 conference record, an offense ranked 11th nationally and a birth in the Motor City Bowl. Unfortunately, their leader was injured in the previous game versus Miami of Ohio in the MAC Championship Game and Toledo was defeated by UCONN in their Bowl appearance. The defense return mostly intact for head coach Tom Amstutz with eight starters, namely the hard-hitting linebacker crew of Anthony Jordan, David Thomas, and Keon Jackson. Toledo should once again be among the cream of the crop in the MAC.

The Division I-AA Western Illinois Leathernecks look to rebound from a disappointing 4-7 season in the Gateway Conference, but first they must travel to Division 1-A Toledo to face the Rockets. Head coach Don Patterson begins his seventh year at the controls of a school who suffered their first losing season under his guidance, but his squads have defeated the big boys before. He has led his team to victories over Northern Illinois, Ball State, and in 2003, Eastern Michigan. That win propelled them to the No 1 ranking in all of Division 1-AA football. The Leathernecks will be led into battle by All-American candidate running back Travis Glasford, who has rushed for 3137 yards and 36 touchdowns in his career.
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