Image via Eastern Michigan Athletics
Toledo Week?
At home?
For a chance to stay ahead in the league standings through the middle of October?
All in-conference football battles are must-win situations, but this is a massive opportunity for Eastern Michigan’s football team to keep inching closer to its first-ever MAC championship game berth.
After last week’s 25-23 victory at Akron, Eastern is 4-3 overall and 3-0 in MAC play — the team’s best start to its conference schedule since 1995, which had a 4-0 start against its MAC foes.
Toledo’s got a 4-2 record overall, but is 1-1 in MAC play with a road win over Ball State and a recent home loss to Buffalo.
As is tradition, EMU opened this week with a Monday morning press conference, which includes the chance to look at a somewhat updated depth chart through the Akron game. Below are the noted changes, along with some of my notes to begin the week.
Previous team depth charts: Preseason | Game 1 vs. Sac State | Game 2 vs. San José State | Game 3 at Michigan State | Game 4 at Wisconsin | Game 5 vs. Lindenwood | Game 6 at UMass | Game 7 at Akron |
OFFENSE
Bold = listed starter(s)
Italics = First-year freshman or transfer.
Notes:
Out last week: WR Nick Devereaux, OL Richardo Wourman, OL Joshua Anderson, OL Cole Dellinger, OL Elijha Payne
Limited last week: RB Amareon Blue
Right tackle rotation: Elijha Payne, after making his first start as an Eagle at right tackle against UMass, was absent at Akron. Instead, freshman Samuel Adjin re-entered the starting rotation since he left during the Wisconsin game.
First start for WR: Nick Devereaux was still sidelined to injury and Benson Prosper did not play in the first quarter after he was ejected during the UMass game for a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties against him. With their absences, Antonio Floyd made his first start at receiver Saturday at Akron. Kozy Isaac made his second start.
Quarterback
#1 Noah Kim (19 career starts with EMU/7 this year)
#12 Jace Stuckey (0/0)
#10 Brogan McCaughey (0/0)
Running back
#15 Amareon Blue (6/6)
#24 Joey Mattord (2/1)
#28 Braydon Bennett (1/1)
X Receiver
#85 Kozy Isaac (2/2)
#86 Dalin Wilkins (2/2)
Z Receiver
#5 Harold Mack (10/6)
#11 Antonio Floyd (1/1)
H Receiver
#3 Benson Prosper (6/4)
#89 Carl Jean-Bart (0/0)
Y Tight End
#9 Joshua Long (16/6)
#88 Tanner Lemaster (2/2)
#14 Armaad Sharp (0/0)
Left Tackle
#71 Tyler Brumfield (7/7)
#77 Cole Powell (0/0)
Left Guard
#55 Guzzy Kayed (6/6)
#50 Kevin Wojciechowski (0/0)
Center
#65 Nicholas Gallegos (16/7)
#56 Chad Troxler (0/0)
Right Guard
#78 Dennis Strey Jr. (5/5)
#76 Nily Taylor (0/0)
#72 Cole Dellinger (2/2)
Right Tackle
#70 Samuel Adjin (3/3)
#68 Tyler McMillan (3/3)
#75 Elijha Payne (1/1)
DEFENSE
Notes:
Out last week: LB Barry Manning (season), DB Jaivian Norman, DB Caleb Coley
Limited last week: LB Zach Mowchan
Career starts #20 for Evans, Llewellyn: Having returning talent is one thing. Having that returned talent stay on the field produce is another. Defensive end Carter Evans and safety Bryce Llwellyn each made their team-best 20th career starts Saturday.
Defensive End
#33 Carter Evans (20/7)
#90 Hector Gonzalez (2/0)
Defensive Tackle
#5 Makhi Gilbert (11/7)
#98 Joseph Oluwayemi (0/0)
Nose Tackle
#58 Peyton Christian (7/7)
#99 Warren-Stevens Tayou (0/0)
Maxx End
#54 Quincy Byas (10/7)
#88 Ronn Hardin (1/0)
#43 Marvell Eggleston (1/1)
Mike Linebacker
#51 Elgin McDuffey (4/4)
#42 Jonah Flowers (0/0)
Will Linebacker
#11 Zach Mowchan (16/7)
#40 Bryce Eliuk (3/1)
Bandit Safety
#9 Davion Williams (3/3)
#13 Jason Marshall (8/4)
Star Safety
#6 Bryce Llewellyn (20/7)
#8 Jaivian Norman (10/0)
Free Safety
#4 Juan Salas Jr. (11/5)
#10 Tylan Boykin (0/0)
Cornerback
#25 Rayquan Adkins (7/7)
#16 Caleb Coley (4/0)
Cornerback
#17 Caleb Dobbs (10/7)
#7 Jordan Toney (3/0)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
#39 Daniel Hull
#38 Van Krisiloff
Kicker
#46 Rudy Kessinger
#33 Adam Samaha
Long Snapper
#42 Jack Kautz
#43 Reeves Taylor
Kickoffs
#37 Nathan Dibert
#33 Adam Samaha
Kick Return
#3 Benson Prosper
#15 Amareon Blue
Punt Return
#4 Quinn Fracassi
#5 Harold Mack
Holder
#39 Daniel Hull
#38 Van Krisiloff
