Toledo 2018 Roster | Toledo 2018 Media Guide | Toledo 2018 Schedule
TOLEDO, Ohio – For the first time in 13 years, Toledo enters a new football season preparing to defend the MAC Football Championship. But third-year Head Coach Jason Candle and his team will neither by looking back nor looking ahead to what could be on the horizon in December. The focus is on what is in front of them right now.
The Rockets were 11-3 in Candle’s second season as head coach, defeating Akron in the Marathon MAC Football Championship game and then advancing to the Dollar General Bowl vs. Appalachian State. Toledo did lose some key players on both sides of the ball but returns 53 lettermen and 14 starters (6 offense, 6 defense, 2 special teams) from last year, plus two other starters who missed most of 2017 due to injury. Two-time All-MAC quarterback Logan Woodside is gone but Toledo’s new signal-caller will have three All-MAC wide receivers to target, as well as other experienced receivers, two veteran running backs and a solid core on the offensive line.
Seniors Cody Thompson and Jon’Vea Johnson, along with junior Diontae Johnson, comprise one of the finest receiving corps in the country. All three have earned All-MAC honors and have caught at least 10 touchdown passes in a season, marking the first time in the history of the NCAA that a team returns three all-league wide receivers with at least 10 TD receptions.
On defense, the Rockets return eight players with starting experience, including safeties Kahlil Robinson (67 tackles, four interceptions) and Josh Teachey (56 tackles). Despite Toledo’s winning credentials, Candle is taking nothing for granted. As far as he is concerned, 2018 will be business as usual for his program.
September
1 VMI, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
15 Miami (Fla.), Noon ET (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU)
22 Nevada
29 at Fresno State, TBA (ESPN Networks)
October
6 *Bowling Green, 3:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
13 *at Eastern Michigan
20 *Buffalo, Noon ET (ESPN+)
25 *at Western Michigan, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)
31 *Ball State, 7:30 pm ET (ESPN2)
November
7 *at NIU, 7:00 pm ET/6:00 pm CT or 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT (ESPN2/ESPNU)
15 *at Kent State, 6:00 pm ET (CBS Sports Network)
23 *Central Michigan, TBA
