The University of Toledo made quick work of Massachusetts on Saturday, thanks to dual-threat quarterback Dequan Finn and a rugged defense.
The complete performance highlighted a more sound offense after a choppy performance in Week 1. The run game and offensive line were improved, with multiple running backs sharing the load. Bryant Koback made it look easy the last few years.
Just like Vince Kehres is doing with the defense. Now in his third season as defensive coordinator, Kehres is continuing UT’s uphill climb from the hundreds to No. 4 nationally in total defense. The Rockets rank second in pass defense and scoring defense.
The challenge they’ll face next week in Columbus will be in a different stratosphere than Long Island and UMass. But the Rockets won’t back down, and they’re eager to see how it plays out.
Here are three thoughts from Saturday’s 55-10 win over UMass.
1. Toledo did what it needed to do
Saturday was one of the wildest days in recent memory, as three top-10 teams and seven of the top 25 lost. That doesn’t include No. 1 Alabama, which was pushed to the brink at unranked Texas, Nebraska losing to Georgia Southern, or Georgia State nearly beating North Carolina.
Last week, UT fans were frustrated by the home team’s performance against Long Island. Saturday’s start-to-finish beatdown over UMass left them satisfied, and the day as a whole was a reminder that taking care of business isn’t as easy as people think.
“I go back to preseason media day when I said I didn’t know what these first two teams had,” Toledo coach Jason Candle said. “Anyone who thinks they can look at a magazine and predict what everybody is going to do, you’re guessing. The transfer portal has changed the way college football is. Rosters are totally different now. There were [19] transfers on [UMass]. Totally different team than we played last year. If you don’t bring it every Saturday in college football, you get beat. That’s just the way it goes.
“Alabama is supposed to dominate Texas. I don’t understand this. Texas has a roster full of four- and five-star players. I don’t understand the thought process there. These guys are good players. It’s about who can execute and who can do this at a high level for 60 minutes of football. For the portion of the game that I watched, I don’t think the No. 1 team in the country did that. But when they did, they won the game. That’s the same challenge all the way across the board that we have and everybody in college football has.”
2. Toledo’s defense is living up to the preseason hype
LIU and UMass won’t be confused with Alabama and Georgia, but the Rocket defense has still been lights out. Through two games, they rank fourth nationally in total defense (183.5 yards per game) and second in pass defense (58.0 yards) and scoring defense (5.0 points).
The catalyst has been defensive tackle Desjuan Johnson, who ranks ninth nationally with 4.5 tackles for loss.
“He’s a monster,” Candle said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked of him to do. His weight is up and he still plays as an explosive player at 280-plus pounds. He’s hard to deal with in there. He made that very evident last week. The gap scheme plays were off the board because of his penetration.”
The 6-foot-3 Detroit native was an All-Mid-American Conference selection last year after recording 12.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He’s the top draft prospect on a defense that will have multiple picks next spring.
“You just have to visualize yourself making the play hundreds of times,” Johnson said. “It’s the process of getting to the game. When we go through walk-throughs, I visualize myself making that play. When it’s time to go and I’m going full speed, it just happens.”
And he isn’t remotely satisfied, statistics be damned.
“We can improve in any way possible,” Johnson said. “We can improve on pass rush. We can improve on tackling. We can improve on everything. Even if it’s good, there’s always room to get better.”
3. It’s about to get a whole lot more difficult
Toledo will receive its biggest challenge of the season on Saturday at third-ranked Ohio State, which will be the highest-ranked team Toledo has played since traveling to the same stadium in 1998 to play the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes.
This is the type of game in which Toledo usually rises to the occasion, with wins over Michigan, Penn State, and Arkansas since 2000. The Rockets nearly upset Notre Dame last season.
“Obviously, we have a massive test in front of us, and we’ll have to replicate [Saturday’s performance] to have a chance,” Candle said. “But I’m happy with our football team.”
First Published September 11, 2022, 8:15 p.m.
