For the first time in 13 years, the University of Toledo enters a new football season preparing to defend the Mid-American Conference Championship.

     But third-year Head Coach Jason Candle and his team will neither be 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.

    "It's a long process to even have a chance to play for a championship, and we are certainly a long way away from that right now," said Candle, the 2017 MAC Coach of the Year. "But I'm pleased with how we are doing to this point. We are doing a good job of honing in on the details that lead to success. Our guys are coming together as a team. At this point, that's all you can really ask for."

    The Rockets were 11-3 in Candle's second season as head coach, defeating Akron in the MAC title 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 14 starters, plus two other starters who missed most of 2017 due to injury. Two-time All-MAC quarterback Logan Woodside is gone but UT'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.

    "The challenges remain the same as we approach this year," said Candle. "You can't get caught up in the great seniors we had on last year's team. They're gone, they're not coming back and we're well aware of that. We've planned for this for a long time. You don't project your program or your team a year out. You project it as you recruit, you project it as you develop scheme and how you are going to develop players years in advance. The possible shortcomings we might have felt our team would have moving into this year were identified a long time ago. So now the fun part is to get the moving pieces in the right place to keep all the arrows in your program headed in the right direction."     

    The following is an overview of the Rockets by position heading into the 2018 season.

Quarterback
    All eyes are on the quarterback position, as the Rockets must replace 2017 MAC Player of the Year Logan Woodside, who set just about every Toledo passing record in the books.

          The leading candidates for the position would seem to be junior Mitchell Guadagni and sophomore Eli Peters. Guadagni saw limited action as Woodside's backup last year. Peters has yet to see collegiate action. Candle and his staff are continuing to evaluate their progress before making a decision who will lead the team this fall. Going into game week vs. VMI, Candle has given no indication of who the starter might be.

    "The number-one characteristic I'm looking for in a quarterback is the ability to make the other 10 guys around him better," said Candle. "Whichever player we feel gives us the chance to do that will be our guy. There is a lot of evaluation time between now and the season opener. One thing those guys can't get caught up in is what the depth chart looks like, or what a rep chart looks like. They just have to stay in the moment and be the best player they can be. I think whichever guy comes out of the pack after fall camp, we will be very confident in him."

Running Back
     Toledo's tradition of dangerous running backs looks to be in good hands.

    Following up on the recent exploits of former Rockets Kareem Hunt and Terry Swanson are sophomore Shakif Seymour and junior Art Thompkins. Seymour rushed for 702 yards and 12 touchdowns  as a redshirt freshman in 2017, while Thompkins added 629 yards and two scores. At 5-11, 225 pounds, Seymour is a power back with the velocity to hit the hole. Thompkins is a speedster who has the ability to take it to the house at any time.

    Sophomore Nevone McCrimmon  and redshirt freshman Nicholas Sims will have a chance to shine this fall, as well. Sophomore Ronnie Jones also is in the mix following his move from safety during spring ball. Bryant Koback, a redshirt freshman transfer from Kentucky, could be a factor. 

    "The standard of running back play here has been set very high for the last five or six years, and even a couple decades before that," said Candle. "So these guys know what that means and what the expectations are. Art and Shakif have the most snaps and the most experience. They are very talented in their own individual way. We're trying to find a complete three-down back; if not, then it will be by committee. In addition to Art and Shakif, we have some other guys we are looking at. Ronnie Jones moved over from safety to play running back, and he looked very good during the spring. Nick Sims is a very talented young player coming off of his redshirt season. Bryant Koback was very impressive during spring ball. He's a change of pace guy. Very good vision, quick feet. He can hit the big one, too. He brings a lot to the table. " 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
    Toledo's new starting quarterback will have the luxury of throwing to an explosive receiving corps. Three All-MAC receivers return for UT. In fact, Toledo is the first team in NCAA history to return three players who have earned all-league honors and caught at least 10 TD passes in a season.

    "We have three tremendous playmakers back in Cody Thompson, Diontae Johnson and Jon'Vea Johnson," said Candle. "But there are also four or five other guys who are waiting in the wings to show what they've got. Danzel McKinley-Lewis, Desmond Phillips, Andrew Davis, Bryce Mitchell, Nick Kovacs, Neru N'Shaka are all guys who could play a big role for us. It's a highly competitive group; reps are at a premium. They are pushing each other, which will ultimately benefit us."

    Senior Cody Thompson is back for his fifth season following a leg injury that cut short his 2017 campaign. Thompson has established himself as one of the top big-play receivers in the country. In 2016, he caught 64 passes for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns. He earned first-team All-MAC honors and set the school record for receiving yards in a season. He was averaging 126.3 yards per game and 18.7 yards per catch going into the EMU game on Oct. 7 last year in which he suffered an injury on UT's first series. He was granted an injury hardship waiver by the NCAA, giving him another chance to complete his senior season. The impact his return could have on the Rockets cannot be overstated.

    "Anytime you're trying to build a championship program," said Candle, "the best players have to set the standard in the room for what the pulse of the team should be. They need to show how everyone should communicate with one another how they should approach practice, how they should approach team meetings, how they should act off the field and so on. Cody is a perfect example of that. He was voted as a team captain for the second time, he has a 3.7-plus GPA and has done countless things to help out in our community. The great thing is, you can say all those things and he's an All-American level player, too. He embodies everything we want in our program."

         Junior Diontae Johnson, who sat out the 2016 season with an injury, stepped up and had a huge sophomore campaign last year. He caught 74 passes and scored 13 touchdowns, setting the school record previously held by Thompson with 1,278 receiving yards. Johnson was versatile too, earning first-team All-MAC honors at wide receiver and punt returner, as well as second-team honors at kickoff return.

    Toledo's third big-play receiver is senior Jon'Vea Johnson. Johnson caught 42 passes for 689 yards in 2017. In 2016, he grabbed 40 passes for 773 yards and 10 TDs, earning second-team All-MAC accolades.

    Toledo's receiving corps does not end with the "Big Three." Junior Danzel McKinley-Lewis caught 23 passes for 319 yards last season, while sophomore Desmond Phillips added 12 receptions. 

    Toledo will have a slightly different look at tight end this year. Junior Jordan Fisher, who caught 20 passes last year, has moved to linebacker, opening the door for sophomores Reggie Gilliam and Drew Rosi, who should both see increased playing time this fall.

Offensive Line
    Toledo's offensive line has been the consistent key to its superlative offensive play over the last few years. Candle expects that to continue in 2018.

    Returning players with starting experience include seniors Yazeed Atariwa and Sami Kassem, along with juniors Bryce Harris, Brandon Heidecker and Chandler Cotterman. Atariwa and Heidecker are looking to bounce back following season-ending injuries in 2017.

    Junior Cameron Bell, sophomore Luke Doerger and redshirt freshmen Mitch Berg and Kelvin Ateman will also be competing for starting spots this fall.

    One newcomer who could make an impact is Florida State graduate transfer Brock Ruble. Ruble played in 19 games for the Seminoles in the past three seasons, 13 of them as a starter.

    "It's about finding the right five who play the best together, as well as a couple of reliable backup guys who can come in whenever they're needed," Candle said. "We're searching for the right combination. We are still a long ways away from what the line will look like when we kick off against VMI on September 1st. But we have good reasons to be optimistic."

Secondary
    Toledo's secondary returns the most veterans on the defense, including four starters.

         Senior cornerback Ka'dar Hollman, senior free safety Josh Teachey, junior strong safety Kahlil Robinson and junior star safety DeDarallo Blue all return to the backfield.

    Robinson led the Rockets with four interceptions in 2017 to go with 67 tackles and four breakups. Teachey had 56 tackles and four breakups, Blue had 36 stops and Hollman added 35 tackles and seven breakups.

    Other defensive backs with experience who are fighting for starting positions include sophomore cornerback Justin Clark, who had 32 tackles and five breakups in 2017, and sophomore safety Tycen Anderson (30 tackles).

    "We are very experienced in the secondary," said Candle. "Josh Teachey, Kahlil Robinson and DeDarallo Blue were  all full-time players for us at safety last year. Tycen Anderson is coming along as a very promising young player that played a lot for us as a freshman. Ka'dar Hollman and Justin Clark are back at cornerback. Mix in that talent with the young guys coming along, Victor Williams, DeAmonte King, Sam Womack and Jordan Hendy, a junior college kid who has come in here and done a very good job. Dakari Carter, a young guy who enrolled in January, is another player who is very talented. That's a strong group of cover guys."

 Defensive Line 
    The defensive line is a mix of experienced players and newcomers. Both groups will need to step up this fall.

    Toledo's most experienced down lineman is junior defensive tackle Nate Childress, who started 11 games in 2017, making 29 tackles. Defensive ends with significant playing experience are junior Willie Ross (19 tackles, two sacks) and senior Reggie Howard (18 tackles, 5.0 TFL). Senior defensive end Tuzar Skipper is back for his fifth season of eligibility following an injury-shortened 2017 campaign. Skipper had 22 tackles as a junor in 2016 and was a starter last year until suffering an injury in week three.

    "We have some players who are ready to take the big stage," said Candle. "We get Tuzar Skipper back from injury last year. He'll be a big plus. Nate Childress has been a very solid player for us at tackle.  We're looking for him to take the next step and have a big year for us. And obviously we're excited for the young guys coming up, as well."

    Other defensive tackles looking to make their case for playing time this spring are sophomores Tyrone Chambers, Edrick Mathews and David Hood, as well as redshirt freshman Devonte Dunn.  At defensive end, juniors Andrew Boczar and Lucas Maynard, redshirt freshman Obi Anunike, and junior college transfers Jake Hudson and Melvin Johnson will all be competing for playing time.

Linebackers
    The linebackers are led by senior Tyler Taafe, who has started 27 consecutive games over the past two seasons, racking up 118 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss. Senior Richard Olekanma is the other experienced Rocket linebacker. He played a key role as a reserve last year, picking up 45 tackles.

    Other linebackers in the mix are sophomore Tre'Shun Wilson, who missed all of last year following an injury in the season opener, and juniors Connor Lancia and Chris Norwood. Junior Jordan Fisher moved from tight end to linebacker during the spring and showed he is ready to compete for playing time there. Junior college transfer Evander Craft is also in the mix.

    "We definitely have experience at linebacker," said Candle. "Tyler Taafe started in every game last year and Richard Olekanma also played a lot. We get Tre'Shun Wilson back after coming off of a knee injury last year. Jordan Fisher is moving over from tight end to linebacker. He looked very good in the spring. We've got Evander Craft, a junior college transfer who has been impressive in preseason workouts. Dan Bolden, an early enrollee, is a potential name to look out for. Saeed Holt is an outside backer who is playing DeDarallo Blue's spot as well." 

Special Teams
    The Rockets return one of the most prolific placekickers in the country in senior Jameson Vest, a first-team All-MAC choice in 2017. Vest connected on a school-record 25-of-30 field-goal attempts and 56-of-58 PATs. He was 5-of-6 from beyond 40 yards, with a long kick of 49 yards, and ranked fifth in the country in field goals made.

    Sophomore Bailey Flint returns at punter. Flint averaged 38.0 yards per boot as a freshman. He saved his best for last, averaging 42.5 yards in eight attempts in the season finale at the Dollar General Bowl.

    "Jameson has become a very fine placekicker," said Candle. "He works really hard at it. The time he has spent developing his skills is second to none. I think he's brought Bailey Flint along with him. Bailey is now in his second year as our punter. We are expecting a very high level of production from both of those guys." 

    Toledo is stacked at the return positions, with juniors Diontae Johnson and Danzel McKinley-Lewis, and sophomore Desmond Phillips. Johnson earned first-team All-MAC honors at punt returner and second-team all-league at kickoff return. He only returned four punts, but took one for an 87-yard TD. He averaged 22.8 yards per kickoff return, including one score. McKinley-Lewis returned 20 punts for an impressive 8.1 yards per return and was named Special Teams Player of the Game at the MAC Championship Game vs. Akron. Phillips was Johnson's partner on kickoff returns, taking back nine kicks for 137 yards.

2018 Schedule
    Highlighting the 2018 home slate is a Sept. 15 matchup with Miami (Fla.). The Hurricanes finished the 2017 season ranked No. 13 in the country and could potentially be in the top 10 when they visit the Glass Bowl this fall. 

    The Rockets will also host the Battle of I-75 against arch-rival Bowling Green on Oct. 6. That game will also be Homecoming for Toledo. The Rockets have won eight consecutive games vs. the Falcons, evening the all-time series at 39-39-4.
    Four games on Toledo's 2018 schedule are set for national TV broadcasts, with additional TV contests to be added later. The four national TV games are: Oct. 25 at Western Michigan (ESPN2 or CBS Sports Network); Oct. 31 vs. Ball State (ESPN2); Nov. 7 at Northern Illinois (ESPN2 or ESPNU); and Nov. 15 at Kent State (CBSSN).

    Toledo opens its season with three consecutive home games, beginning with the season opener vs. VMI on Saturday, Sept. 1. Following a bye week, the Rockets host Miami on Sept. 15 and Nevada on Sept. 22. UT closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule with a trip to Fresno State on Sept. 29. 

    In addition to Bowling Green, MAC opponents coming to the Glass Bowl are Buffalo (Oct. 20), Ball State (Oct. 31) and Central Michigan (Nov. 23). UT will hit the road to face Eastern Michigan (Oct. 13), Western Michigan (Oct. 25), Northern Illinois (Nov. 7) and Kent State (Nov. 15).