Hoping/assuming Candles secret weapon is playing Boca Raton... Toledo could finish as MAC Champs and Bowl Victor's in an otherwise underwhelming season.

In 2018 UT came out with high but tempered expectations because we graduated an all time Qb and tons of offensive weapons. A debut of a future great rb against Kentucky was game 1. A tied halftime score was as good as it was going to look as our QB went down for the first time in 2 seasons in the 2nd half. Toledo stumbled up and down the schedule with a bad defense and inconsistent offense that year...

Candle needs to pair this season with a few off-season things:
1.) Fire the Oline coach. Dumont is transferring, and a center should be the biggest off-season piece priority as well as competent blocking schemes for a pocket passer AND down hill running game.
2.) Keep as many of our guys including our 2 QBs in midnight blue and gold. Finns health is not sustainable thru a 12 game season. Keeping the staff mostly in tact and looking to NOW compete with the top of a depleted G5 should keep our dudes invested.
3.) Get a rb or 2 in the HS class coming in. Guys who preferably have kickoff return experience that show good vision and the ability to juke at the 2nd level. Stewart finally showed some vs. Ohio, but we have had about 2 big runs outside of Finn in 2022. Also find a guy who never fumbles!! Kareem and Terry were sure handed guys. It doesn't feel like UT fb without a balanced attack and a scary guy in the backfield.
4.) Focus on Ball security. WRs can't be fumbling after one move after the catch.


A few more notes: Toledo should win every game at home in 2023! Toledo can't lose to BG again! It'd be cool to really dive deep into Illinois in June and July as well. This fanbase is sick of the underwhelming warm up FCS games. Illinois is beatable, but will be improved next season. It'd be a win that could immediately propel us to the spotlight. THIS is the schedule to Boise State it up. No UCF, Houston or UC in the G5 next year. This year showed improvement, but now it's time to shoot higher. We cleaned up the penalties incrementally, and achieved goal 1. The MAC. NOW we can pair success, experience and bigger expectations to 10+ wins and back to back West titles. The division outside of EMU shouldn't catch us if we keep our core in tact.

We should win the ones we're supposed to win, at home or not. Losing at home to a superior team isn't on the coach IMO. Losing with unforced poor performance is but losing generally? No.

Winning at home to a superior team is points in the coaching column.

(12-05-2022 02:23 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  We should win the ones we're supposed to win, at home or not. Losing at home to a superior team isn't on the coach IMO. Losing with unforced poor performance is but losing generally? No.

Winning at home to a superior team is points in the coaching column.

SJSU will be good. Illinois will be good. The problem with looking forward is predicting who will be on par, or superior to us. I think we showed when "On" we were the most talented roster when turnovers were tempered. SDSU is more talented but probably not better in 2022. Hard to say.

Coming in to 2022 we thought CMU, NIU and KSU was the best 3 teams and all in a row. We came out with a good game plan and smashed em all. It was the overlook game against UB which was unexpected. Then we knew that the West was shaking out to be us, EMU and Ball State. The "New" hardest stretch. And we won those two. BG and WMU were unforgivable for the fire Candle contingent, but it the end they didn't matter in the title race. We didn't lose a game that mattered, just enough to achieve the bear minimum/maximum depending on your own goals. It was better than 2021. The small step we haven't taken since 2016 to 2017.

I'd like to see us grab Miami OH in 2023. Somehow stay focused for every game and not limp in. But as Blair said in August, all seasons for every team has different circumstances. BG was coachless vs. Miss State because of a minor heart attack. Ohio lost its QB for the final 2 games. Toledo had one guy to cover their flaws offensively and lost the games he was affected. EMU being the obvious opposite outcome.

It's not apparent to me we had a better roster in 2021 than CMU (who ended up being the best power ranked team in 2021). Losing to NIU and EMU were misses. Also the game vs. CSU.
I think we got older and figured out how to win a close game in 2022. At least not 0-5 in that category.

Future scheduling, any chance we can drop games against UMASS, Tex Southern or Duquesne ? These home games don't do anything for UT, except easy victories. I have been harping on this for a long time, why not scheduled FCS games against the likes of N. Dakota State, Northern Iowa, or South Dakota St ?

not sure of the complexity or costs involved with braking those deals or whether the likes of N. Dakota State, Northern Iowa would even entertain ask to play in Glass Bowl, but a new AD with different contacts and approach certainly should be opportunity for fresh look at non conference games in future

(12-05-2022 02:41 PM)Springboromark Wrote:  Future scheduling, any chance we can drop games against UMASS, Tex Southern or Duquesne ? These home games don't do anything for UT, except easy victories. I have been harping on this for a long time, why not scheduled FCS games against the likes of N. Dakota State, Northern Iowa, or South Dakota St ?

The same reason B1G schools haven't scheduled us for 12+ years outside of OSU (the one who knows it will beat us). They're dangerous, and if you win it doesn't mean much. South Dakota State almost got out of Iowa City with a win this year. UB and BG lost to top half FCS teams.

But Texas Souther replaced Wagner a couple months ago as our new FCS opponent for 2023. It's an HBCU and Blair is making a statement and helping fund a school he and many feels deserve it.

Barring any losses in the transfer portal, every offensive skill player that contributed will be back except Jamal Turner. The entire defensive backfield is back too. Those areas all seem solid. Someone does need to replace turner, but they have a bunch of TEs on the roster, and you would think someone will step up to that task. I think RBs are fine, but they need a line to block for them. Stuart showed flashes of being really good toward the end of the year. I like what I have seen from Willie Shaw too, if he ever gets the chance to see the field.

First challenge will be shoring up the defensive front 7, as Hines, Des Johnson & Dy Johnson all graduate. Taylor, I think can still come back for another year if he is healthy but may not be able to count on that. Similar with Bolden. So, who is gonna replace the three stars to eat up all those minutes and that production is an open question.

2nd challenge is obviously O Line. Will lose Berg and Ateman to graduation, who were I think the only healthy tackles left at the end of this season. Should get Long back and that will help a lot with interior depth. Don't know if Ocasio can get another season or not, but if he does that will help more. But, without 2-4 quality tackles the OL is going to be a problem no matter what happens on the interior. In my mind, priority needs to be finding a couple solid OTs in the transfer portal. In the past, they were able to get Ruben Carter and Brock Ruble who were both experienced P5 linemen and were solid starters at UT. Does no one on the staff have any connections like that anymore? Staten should have connections into the B10 players, but we haven't seen that yield anything yet I don't think.

(12-05-2022 02:41 PM)Springboromark Wrote:  Future scheduling, any chance we can drop games against UMASS, Tex Southern or Duquesne ? These home games don't do anything for UT, except easy victories. I have been harping on this for a long time, why not scheduled FCS games against the likes of N. Dakota State, Northern Iowa, or South Dakota St ?

We're in the boat where we say the "big boys" won't schedule us. I think every couple years, it's a good thing to give a smaller program a shot at us. But not a couple every year, lol I like the Texas Southern one. I'd enjoy seeing some of the TOP FCS or HBCU programs you mentioned. An academy every couple years. Some of those teams we rarely see. There's one in Oxford I'm told. Oxford, OHIO.

(12-05-2022 06:07 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(12-05-2022 02:41 PM)Springboromark Wrote:  Future scheduling, any chance we can drop games against UMASS, Tex Southern or Duquesne ? These home games don't do anything for UT, except easy victories. I have been harping on this for a long time, why not scheduled FCS games against the likes of N. Dakota State, Northern Iowa, or South Dakota St ?

We're in the boat where we say the "big boys" won't schedule us. I think every couple years, it's a good thing to give a smaller program a shot at us. But not a couple every year, lol I like the Texas Southern one. I'd enjoy seeing some of the TOP FCS or HBCU programs you mentioned. An academy every couple years. Some of those teams we rarely see. There's one in Oxford I'm told. Oxford, OHIO.

I also believe that with the SEC / Big 12 / Big 10 going to 14-16 teams conferences they are going to schedule more in-conference leaving the opportunity for road games at the P5 less likely for the Toledo's of the world. I think Blair needs to get on the phone with the ACC/AAC and try to get some games scheduled with those leagues before the opportunities dry up.

But also, I do not think Blair is looking too far down the road because he is going to be out of here in 2-3 years.

(12-05-2022 06:07 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(12-05-2022 02:41 PM)Springboromark Wrote:  Future scheduling, any chance we can drop games against UMASS, Tex Southern or Duquesne ? These home games don't do anything for UT, except easy victories. I have been harping on this for a long time, why not scheduled FCS games against the likes of N. Dakota State, Northern Iowa, or South Dakota St ?

We're in the boat where we say the "big boys" won't schedule us. I think every couple years, it's a good thing to give a smaller program a shot at us. But not a couple every year, lol I like the Texas Southern one. I'd enjoy seeing some of the TOP FCS or HBCU programs you mentioned. An academy every couple years. Some of those teams we rarely see. There's one in Oxford I'm told. Oxford, OHIO.

Miami is supposed to happen in the rotation that came out. I thought 2024


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https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/toledo/

2026 and 2027 are the next openings


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(12-06-2022 03:18 PM)indianasniff Wrote:  https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/toledo/

2026 and 2027 are the next openings


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JMU looking for 2023 OOC opponent

https://fbschedules.com/2026-army-football-schedule/

Army looking for a game in October in 2026

Only 5 road games that year


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(12-07-2022 08:35 AM)indianasniff Wrote:  https://fbschedules.com/2026-army-football-schedule/

Army looking for a game in October in 2026

Only 5 road games that year


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Army would be a fantastic scheduling.

(12-07-2022 09:42 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(12-07-2022 08:35 AM)indianasniff Wrote:  https://fbschedules.com/2026-army-football-schedule/

Army looking for a game in October in 2026

Only 5 road games that year


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Army would be a fantastic scheduling.

Army - Navy this weekend. It was always on my bucket list but it's become very popular. Tickets up to $200.

(12-07-2022 09:42 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(12-07-2022 08:35 AM)indianasniff Wrote:  https://fbschedules.com/2026-army-football-schedule/

Army looking for a game in October in 2026

Only 5 road games that year


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Army would be a fantastic scheduling.

I tweeted it out to BB

I mean they might be looking for a buy game from a P5 school. More openings farther out. Buffalo on there a few times


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(12-07-2022 10:41 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(12-07-2022 09:42 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  [quote='indianasniff' pid='18649892' dateline='1670420109']
https://fbschedules.com/2026-army-football-schedule/

Army looking for a game in October in 2026

Only 5 road games that year


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Army would be a fantastic scheduling.

Army - Navy this weekend. It was always on my bucket list but it's become very popular. Tickets up to $200.

It would be well worth it.

(12-06-2022 03:43 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(12-06-2022 03:18 PM)indianasniff Wrote:  https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/toledo/

2026 and 2027 are the next openings


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JMU looking for 2023 OOC opponent

Scrap one of the two FCS opponents off the schedule next year, and replace that with a respectable new member of the FBS in JMU. That would be a good series where hopefully Toledo would have the edge with their historical FBS experience.