TOLEDO, Ohio – One of the strengths of the Toledo Rockets football program is its consistency of success. When a football program loses its all-time leading rusher and passer in program history in a span of two consecutive years, then sees its starting quarterback miss the final five games of the regular season due to an injury, it would normally spell doom for a program.  However, Toledo witnessed running back Kareem Hunt (2016) and quarterback Logan Woodside (2017) graduate to the NFL, while last year starting quarterback Mitchell Guadagni missed the final five games of the season with an injury and the Rockets ended the season with a 7-6 overall record and an invitation to the Bahamas Bowl.  That’s a compliment to fourth-year head coach Jason Candle and this Toledo Rocket football program.
 
Candle will have 50 letterwinners and 14 starters (7 offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists) returning from last year’s team that finished 7-6 overall, including 5-3 record for second place in the MAC West Division.  The Rockets once again have a challenging non-conference schedule as they open at Kentucky (SEC) on Aug. 31, before returning home to the Glass Bowl to host Murray State on Sept. 7.  The Rockets will travel to Colorado State (Mountain West) on Sept. 21 and host BYU at the Glass Bowl on Sept. 28. 
 
Among the top returning veterans on the offense are All-MAC Second Team senior tight end Reggie Gilliam, who caught just six passes last season and three were for touchdowns. In addition, Gilliam is a excellent blocker and led the nation with four blocked kicks on special teams. At quarterback, both senior Guadagni and junior Eli Peters saw significant action last season. Guadagni started seven games and threw for 1,053 yards and 13 touchdowns, while completing 57.5% of his passes and led the MAC in passing efficiency.  Peters stepped in and started six games and threw for 1,837 yards and 18 touchdowns, while completing 55.1% of his passes. The running game features sophomore Bryant Koback and junior Shakif Seymour in the backfield rotation. Koback led the Rockets with 917 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2018, while Seymour added 565 yards and five scores, giving him 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons.
 
On defense, nine players with at least 30 tackles are back, led by senior safety Kahlil Robinson, who totaled 69 tackles last season and senior linebacker Jordan Fisher, who added 60 tackles and four tackles for loss in 2018.  Senior safety DeDarallo Blue, who posted 41 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss last year, and sophomore defensive end Jamal Hines, who collected 49 tackles and four sacks in 2018, will add to the leadership mix on defense for the Rockets.
 
Aug.
31         at Kentucky, Noon ET (SEC Network)
Sep.
14         Murray State, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
21         at Colorado State, TBA (ESPN Networks)
28         BYU
Oct.
5          *Western Michigan, 3:30 pm ET (12-day selection)
12         *at Bowling Green
19         *at Ball State, 2:00 pm ET (12-day selection)
26         *Eastern Michigan
Nov.
5          *Kent State, 7:00 pm ET or 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)
13         *NIU, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
20         *at Buffalo, 7:30 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29         *at Central Michigan, TBA