TOLEDO - The more things change, the more they stay the same. At least that's what fans of the Toledo Rockets are hoping this year.

        The Rockets have a new head coach, an almost completely new coaching staff and many new faces in key positions on the field, especially on defense. But first-year head coach Jason Candle, an assistant at UT since 2009, is confident that the 2016 brand of Rockets will live up to the proud legacy of the program—with an eye on achieving something that has narrowly eluded UT in the past decade.

    "We have a solid foundation, so our challenge is to build from that foundation," said Candle. "We are going to be diligent to continue the success we've had here. At the same time, I know what the expectation is here. We haven't won a MAC Championship since 2004. I know that's what the people of Toledo are starving for, and so are our players and coaches. That's always going to be our primary goal."

    Toledo was 10-2 in 2015, its sixth consecutive winning season, including a 37-7 victory over Arkansas State, its season-opening opponent. The Rockets meet the Red Wolves in Jonesboro for a Friday night battle (9:10 ET/ESPNU). This will be the third game between the two schools in the last three seasons. The Rockets won both contests, a 63-44 win at the GoDaddy Bowl in January of 2015 and a 37-7 triumph in the Glass Bowl last season.

    The Rockets did lose some key players from last year's squad but plenty of talent remains. On offense, the Rockets return a pair of All-MAC running backs (senior Kareem Hunt and junior Terry Swanson), All-MAC wide receiver and return man Corey Jones, four starters from the offensive line and junior Logan Woodside, the starting quarterback from 2014. The losses were greater on defense, but 21 letterwinners return, including senior All-MAC safety DeJuan Rogers, two-time All-MAC senior defensive tackle Treyvon Hester and junior linebacker Ja'Wuan Woodley, the 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Defensive MVP.


Head Coach Jason Candle previews the Arkansas State game


  Junior quarterback Logan Woodside previews the Arkansas State game


Senior safety DeJuan Rogers previews the Arkansas State game