Mike Hallett is on quite a run.
The Toledo offensive line coach rallied the troops in the final two games of the 2022 season and then formed one of the team’s strengths during 2023’s 11-game winning streak.
Now he has to replace the entire unit, as all five starters from last year’s offensive line are gone. But he’s proven already that he’s up to the challenge. The Rockets must have an adequate, deep offensive line to compete for another Mid-American Conference championship.
■ Week of June 23: Defensive backs
■ Week of June 30: Wide receivers/tight ends and defensive line
■ Week of July 7: Offensive line and linebackers
■ Week of July 21: Running backs
■ Week of July 28: Quarterbacks
“This is a different group,” Hallett said. “Not a ton of experience, but a lot of guys that have been backups on a really good offensive line. There are some really exciting new players. A lot of those new players were here in the spring, so there’s an esprit de corps, there’s camaraderie that those guys have built.”
2023 in review
Toledo had the nation’s 16th-best rushing offense and allowed the fourth-fewest sacks in the nation. The offensive line was anchored by left guard Vinny Sciury, who transferred to Texas Tech. Center Devan Rogers, left tackle Nick Rosi, right guard Tyler Long, and right tackle David Nwaogwugwu exhausted their eligibility.
Position coach
A member of the Mount Union tree, Hallett has been the offensive line coach for the entirety of the Jason Candle era. He came from Heidelberg, where he turned the previously dreadful program into a playoff team. He also turned an underachieving offensive line into a force at UT, strong evidence of his coaching ability and capacity for getting players to play to their potential.
Probable starters
LT Allen Jones, LG Carter Fouty, C Jakob James, RG Ethan Spoth, RT Garrett Schwiebert
Among returning players, Schwiebert (116), Fouty (53), and Spoth (41) played the most snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Fouty and Spoth graded out among the team’s top 10 pass blockers.
And don’t forget about Drew Beckenhaupt, Cole Rhett, Stephen Gales, Grant Zimmerly, Maddox Marcotte, and Rod Orr. While the Rockets may be inexperienced, they do have numbers, a prerequisite for racking up wins.
“Those guys are going to play,” Hallett said. “The vibe in our room is really cool because we do have a mix of experienced guys that haven’t played, we’ve got transfers in varying degrees, and we have freshmen that are showing up. And the guys have been great.”
Most intriguing newcomer
There are plenty of options, as the Rockets welcomed James from Ohio State, Jones from Prairie View, Marcotte from Hutchinson Community College, and Ibrahim Traore from Penn State.
James might offer the most upside. The former three-star recruit was a standout in high school, leading Cincinnati Elder to a state championship. He was recruited by Toledo before choosing to become a Buckeye. In four seasons at Ohio State, James played 31 games, including all 12 regular-season games in 2023. He mostly appeared on special teams but he brings a winning pedigree and was surrounded by a winning culture.
“We were his first offer, and he went up the food chain so to speak and ended up at Ohio State,” Hallett said. “But we always kept tabs on what he was doing.”
Unanswered questions
The numbers are present. Hallett knows he can find five starting offensive linemen. It’s about knowing who the five are and then making sure there are five more good players behind them. Winning the MAC championship (or any other conference) is virtually impossible without depth on the offense (and defensive) line.
“I don’t know who the starters are,” Hallett said. “By the end of camp, I’ll probably know who the starters are. But I’m gonna have a better idea by the end of camp how much these guys can handle. Can they handle 15 reps? Can they handle 25 reps? Can they handle 40? That’s what I don’t know because spring ball doesn’t afford you that.”
What to expect this fall
It’s hard to envision Toledo duplicating what it did last season, simply because they had one of the best offensive lines in the country — not the MAC, the entire country. Can you lose all five starters and repeat that success? Probably not.
But there’s no reason why Toledo won’t have one of the best lines in the MAC. And if that happens, the Rockets will be right near the top of the standings. The rest of the offense is loaded and there’s confidence in the defense. A strong O-line could propel UT to another double-digit win season.
“I’m not saying anybody’s a locked-in starter,” Hallett said. “My job is being the master of the Rubik’s Cube. You’ve got to keep moving pieces.”
First Published July 10, 2024, 9:11 p.m.
