(MAC) Eastern Michigan Preview
Eastern Michigan had no choice but to end the Ron English. This time they are going a different route grabbing a big time winner from a lower level instead of a hot coordinator from a Major program.
Only time will tell if it will work but I like the chances of Chris Creighton at least being willing to stick it out long term. It doesn’t take much improvement to move from the bottom to the middle of the MAC.
Eastern Michigan Eagles
- Coach: Chris Creighton
- 2014 record: 2-10
- Gambling Odds to win BCS championship: 75/1 (field)
- Gambling Odds to win (MAC) conference: 110/1
Strengths
These are all going to be relative but it is a nice place to start with three returning starters on the offensive line. By comparison this is a much better running than throwing team. It appears they have the right amount of size and strength to keep that up this season.
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I think going with a proven head coach, even though it is not from this level will make a difference. Some guys are winners and some aren’t and the only way to know for sure what you have is to look at their record. Creighton actually has one and it is really good.
TE Tyrese Russell makes the line that much deeper up front for Eastern Michigan. He is the only Eagle on a the first team MAC offense and will give quarterback Brogan Roback, who is just a sophomore, a reliable target when he is in trouble. He can block too.
Weaknesses
No matter where you are quarterback is the most important position on the field. Roback has yet to prove that he is capable at this level and if he isn’t the team is going to be searching for answers even more than they already are. If he can be effective than this team could look a lot better than expected.
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One of the worst defenses in college football returns jut 2 starters in the back 7 of the defense. I am most worried about the linebacking corps where the two new starters are only sophomores. Given the calibre of recruits up in Ypsilanti players are not usually ready that fast.
There is not much to fear in the receiving group other than Russell. The Eagles are a rare team to list to starting TEs which is good for protection but when Roback drops back his options are going to be very limited because the receivers don’t offer much wiggle. Maybe Jesse Tate, a JUCO transfer can be a factor. Maybe,
Prediction: 1-11
2014 Eagles Schedule:
- Aug 30 – Morgan State
- Sep 6 – @Florida
- Sep 13 – @Old Dominion
- Sep 20 – @Michigan State
- Oct 4 – @Akron
- Oct 11 – Buffalo
- Oct 18 – @Massachussets
- Oct 25 – Northern Illinois
- Nov 1 – Central Michigan
- Nov 15 – @Western Michigan
- Nov 22 – @Ball State
- Nov 28 – Toledo
I like the hire of Creighton. It is going to be hard to sustain at a place like Eastern Michigan but this looks like the right hire. This team is going to get slaughtered up at Florida and at Michigan State but at the same time they should improve throughout the course of the season even if that is not obvious on the stat sheet.
For most teams I am looking for that one spot where you can really get behind them but I am not seeing any obvious spot with the Eagles.
That lone win will come against Morgan State in the opener and then there won’t be much to celebrate after that.
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