TOLEDO, OH - The 2016 senior class may go down as one of the most star-studded classes in Toledo Football history. But it also featured the kind of dedicated and unheralded team players that make up the backbone of every great football program.

A large and diverse group of 23 Toledo seniors will walk across the Glass Bowl field for the final time tonight. Six players from the class were named to the official watch lists for national awards, the most ever for any Rocket team. But the heart and soul of any class is also made of the guys who toiled behind the scenes without accolades, working together toward a common goal. The results have clearly showed up on the field.

In the past four seasons, the Rockets own a 34-13 record, 23-7 in the MAC, going into tonight's game with Ball State. They have gone to three bowl games in that period, winning two, and undoubtedly will be invited to another at the conclusion of this season. They are 4-0 against their rivals from Bowling Green, part of a seven-game UT winning streak in the Battle of I-75. They were co-MAC West champions in 2014 and 2015, and are still in the hunt for the MAC title this season.

"We have a great group of guys and great coaches," said offensive lineman Storm Norton, one of the 23 seniors. "We have really come together as one. We play for each other out there on the field and do what we can each week to go out, execute and win."

"The senior class has come together and we're a really tight group," added another senior, running back Kareem Hunt. "We've been a tight group since we came to campus our freshman year and we've been right by each other's side the whole time."

Norton and Hunt are two of many standouts in this class. Norton was a first-team All-MAC selection at left tackle last season, and is on the watch list for the Outland Trophy as the nation's best lineman. Hunt, is a Doak Walker and Maxwell Award candidate who has a chance to become Toledo's all-time leading rusher. Other stars include defensive tackle Treyvon Hester, an Outland Trophy candidate, as well as a candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Award, given annually to the nation's best defender. Safety DeJuan Rogers (Jim Thorpe), tight end Michael Roberts (John Mackey) and wide receiver/kick returner Corey Jones (Hornung) have also been candidates for national honors this season.  

But there are other, less-well known stories on the team, too.  There were walk-ons and transfers who worked their way into the lineup, or maybe just toiled in anonymity for the scout team, helping the starters get prepared for the next opponent. Almost all the seniors were enthusiastic community volunteers, visiting schools and hospitals, and participating in special projects like Victory Day, the Kids Marathon at the Glass City Marathon or the annual wheelchair football game vs. the Toledo Crash. 

Brad Spelman, who plays in perhaps the most hidden position in college football (long snapper), was a superstar when it came to helping others. His list of volunteer and community involvements could fill any stat sheet. Spelman's efforts have not gone unrecognized, either. He is a candidate for the Wuerffel Trophy, a national award given to the player with the greatest commitment to community service, and was named to the All-State AFCA Good Works team.

The 2016 seniors have done their job in the classroom, too. Ten of the seniors already have their bachelor's degrees, and most of the rest will receive their degrees in December or next May. They majored in engineering, business, communication, criminal justice and sports management, among other academic pursuits. Many have had to overcome serious injuries and other personal hardships in their careers.

But as successful as the 2016 senior class has been, they all would agree that there is still one thing missing from their legacy – a MAC Championship. The seniors are well aware that Toledo has not worn the MAC crown since 2004, and they would like to change that. 

"We want to be the team that wins that MAC Championship," said Norton. "It's been over a decade since we've won one. I think that would be a good way to leave a mark on the program for future teams."

2016 Rocket Seniors
Michael Blazevich, Northwood, OH – Graduate School *
Jaylen Coleman, Pittsburgh, PA – Communication*
Mike Ebert, Sandusky, OH - Mechanical Engineering
Nick Ellis, Pickerington, OH - Criminal Justice
Treyvon Hester, Pittsburgh, PA- Criminal Justice
Kareem Hunt, Willoughby, OH - Criminal Justice
Delando Johnson, Baltimore, MD – Communication
Corey Jones, Pittsburgh, PA – Interdisciplinary Studies
Damion Jones-Moore, Pittsburgh, PA – Interdisciplinary Studies
Zach Lozar, Willoughby Hills, OH – International Business*
Mark Meyers, Toledo, OH – Graduate School*
D'Vario Montgomery, Winter Park, FL – Graduate School*
Earl Moore, Tampa, FL – Graduate School*
Storm Norton, Toledo, OH – Graduate School*
Paul Perschon, Schaumburg, IL- Business*
Jeremi Powell, Largo, FL- Graduate School*
Marc Remy, North Olmstead, OH – Graduate School (MBA)*
Michael Roberts, Cleveland, OH – Criminal Justice
Josh Rode, Delphos, OH – Management
DeJuan Rogers, Detroit, MI - Interdisciplinary Studies
John Stepec, Willoughby Hills, OH - Criminal Justice
Connery Swift, Waynesboro, VA – Graduate School (MBA)*
Zach Yousey, Columbus, OH - Interdisciplinary Studies
*Already received bachelor's degree