No one within the University of Toledo football program was at all surprised when sophomore quarterback Carter Bradley stepped into the starter’s role on Saturday and put together a phenomenal performance.
Bradley threw for a career-high 432 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Rockets to a 41-24 victory at Northern Illinois.
Bradley, filling in for the injured Eli Peters, posted the seventh-highest total passing yards in UT history. It was the most by a Rockets quarterback since Logan Woodside threw for 458 yards against Tulsa in 2017.
“It’s unbelievable. God is good,” Bradley said on Monday. “We didn’t know five or six months ago if we would even have a season. Just to be able to practice has been unbelievable. It doesn’t even seem real at some points.”
At his weekly press conference, Toledo coach Jason Candle called Bradley the game’s offensive MVP.
“Carter Bradley was excellent. He had some good responses from some tough moments throughout the course of the game. We could have lost a little bit of steam but he kept coming back and kept playing. He played really smart football,” Candle said.
Junior wide receiver Isaiah Winstead, who had a career-high eight receptions and 106 receiving yards, was among nine different receivers who caught a pass from Bradley.
“We expected him to do that,” Winstead said. “We knew he wouldn’t miss at beat. He has confidence. We have good chemistry.”
Bradley, a 6-foot-3 and 210-pound native of Jacksonville, also had to overcome two interceptions. One pick came after a tipped pass but Bradley blamed himself for the other.
“The coaches have done a great job with us,” Bradley said. “There will be moments where we have to respond the right way. The guys around me did a great job after I threw the two picks. They had my back, without a doubt. I felt like the guys were ready for adversity and we answered it very well.”
The Rockets (3-2 overall, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) were tied with Northern Illinois at 24 to start the fourth quarter. Toledo took a 27-24 lead on a 22-yard Thomas Cluckey field goal.
Bradley, who threw a pick in the third quarter and also could not pick up a fourth-down conversion that ended another drive, then marched the Rockets 80 yards in seven plays. He capped it with a 15-yard touchdown toss to Ronnie Blackmon for the dagger.
Candle said he was impressed with how Bradley handled in-game adjustments.
“He progressed in the game plan very well,” Candle said. “He took what was given to him and didn’t try to force things. Later on he was able to hit some shots down field for some chunk plays. Those explosive plays are what you are looking for.”
Bradley had appeared in two games earlier this season in relief of Peters. He had thrown for 152 yards and three touchdowns against Eastern Michigan and Ball State.
Winstead, a transfer who is in his first season starting for the Rockets and leads the team in receiving with 22 catches for 389 yards and two TDs, said Bradley’s poise boosted the team.
“When Carter threw the pick and came to the sideline, the coaches didn’t do too much yelling,” Winstead said. “We all trust Carter. We knew he was going to bounce back.”
Candle said he no updates yet on the status of Peters, has completed 88 of 129 passes for 1,106 yards and nine touchdowns with two interceptions.
“We’re taking that day by day. We’ll see if we can get him back on the practice field [on Tuesday],” Candle said. “If that’s the case, that would be the first good sign. Obviously he would have to handle practice well and that’s a progression deal coming back from injury. We’ll probably know more about that as the game gets closer.”
Peters had thrown for 190 yards and two touchdowns in Toledo’s 45-28 win on the road against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 8 before leaving the game at the half with a lower-body injury. Peters, a senior who is also from Jacksonville, threw for 363 yards and two TDs in UT’s loss to Ball State on Nov. 28. But he left that game late in the fourth quarter. Bradley came in and threw a late TD against the Cardinals.
“Playing in those games helped a lot,” Bradley said. “I learned what I needed to get better at each week. I could see what was clicking for me and the guys. I just went out and played and had some fun with it. I have a lot of playmakers around me to get the ball to.”
Just as he has every week, Bradley said he intends to prepare like he will start in Toledo’s regular-season finale against Central Michigan on Saturday at the Glass Bowl.
“I’ve always been one play away,” he said. “I’m studying film and preparing like I’m the No. 1 guy.”
The Rockets earned the program’s first victory in DeKalb since 2006.
“That’s a hard place to go get a win at,” Candle said. “It’s the toughest trip in our conference for us to take. You throw the COVID piece in there, it makes it that much more challenging. I’m proud of our team fighting for all 60 minutes. It made for a good bus ride home, for sure.”
Candle said his team had a strong second half in all three phases. He said senior corner back Sam Womack was the MVP of a defense that pitched a second-half shutout.
“He had an outstanding game. He got a sack, a tackle for loss, and a couple of pass breakups,” he said.
Bradley said the team immediately turned its attention to Central Michigan (3-2, 3-2 MAC).
“ I know [Saturday] was a big accomplishment. But I haven’t really looked back at it too much,” he said. “We still have one more game left and that is where my mindset is now.”
DEGREE DAY: Seven football players and other Rocket athletes participated in the university’s virtual graduation ceremonies on Sunday.
“Seven guys got their undergrad degree and I’m happy with the trajectory of our program when it comes to doing things right off the field, as well,” Candle said.
Tycen Anderson (professional sales), Cameron Bell (paralegal studies), Ronnie Blackmon (interdisciplinary studies), Evander Craft (marketing), Luke Doerger (mechanical engineering), Joshua Fenn (criminal justice), Zachary Ford (marketing), Bryant Koback (professional sales), and Drew Rosi (finance) all earned their degrees.
Candle also said former wide receiver Eric Page also received his diploma on Sunday. Page, a Springfield High School graduate, is the program’s all-time receiving leader in catches (306) and yards (3,446). Page, who played at UT from 2009-11, is now an assistant coach at his former high school.
“That’s a big moment for him,” said Candle, who was Page’s position coach when he played at UT. “Talking about guys who finish up and do what they need to do, we’re real happy for him. It’s a testament to that young man’s perseverance. He kept going and did what he said he was going to do.”
First Published December 8, 2020, 1:11 a.m.
