VanDelaySports.com > MAC Football > Letter to the Toledo Blade

State of Toledo Football

I never thought a 5-7 record would be considered a positive for the Toledo football program. But, with only five more games to go and a 2-5 overall mark, the Rockets would have to finish 3-2 the rest of the season to even repeat last year’s unfavorable record.

And judging by this year’s squad that may seem unlikely.

It has been a rough 2007 for University of Toledo fans. Starting with the whole “point-shaving” saga that was perhaps blown out of proportion by the local and national media, the University suffered a setback in its public appearance. Seemingly, this headline immediately brought a backlash against the football program and its head coach Tom Amstutz.

The only remedy to the situation—besides an affirmation that the University and its athletic personnel were cleared of any wrongdoing—was a winning football season followed by a bowl appearance. In today’s sports world, winning has cured everything. It is the healing to any past wounds.

But unfortunately for Amstutz and his staff, this season has turned out to be a nightmare.

We all know the state of this football team. The offense can move the ball and score enough to win despite being led currently by a true freshman signal caller. Deep threats Stephen Williams and Nick Moore look to be solid targets for Rocket quarterbacks at least for the next few seasons. Running back Jalen Parmalee is having another fine year along with his backup Dajuane Collins. The line has been shaky at times but has overall showed improvement and stability. Despite the questionable play calling by OC John Shannon, you have to admit that the Rocket offense is the strongest asset of this team.

But special teams and defense, that is a whole different story. Consisting of a lot of freshman (some true) and sophomores, Toledo’s once proud defense gives up around 43 points along with over 444 yards per contest. They have trouble tackling and often go for the upper body instead of driving a shoulder at their opponent’s knees. Their two leading tacklers are safeties Barry Church and Lester Richmond, proving that they both cannot stop the run and do not have the talent nor the size to do so against good offensive lines. They seemingly play a soft coverage giving up the ten yard cushion in hopes of not getting beat deep. They have seven sacks and only three interceptions all season.

But this is what happens when three of your returning starters are out for the season with injuries. This is what happens when you have no experienced depth heading into the year. Toledo has suffered tremendously from keeping guys eligible. It is an old tune that seemingly never dies out, but it is one that constantly needs revisited. The Rockets have lost a lot of young talent to academics or potential criminal behavior. Every year the list of players who fail to make grade goes longer. How a student-athlete with the opportunity to play Division I football can’t simply attend classes and at least earn a C is beyond my comprehension. The fault here starts with the athlete, but can be spread all around. Amstutz has made it known in years past that he is willing to take kids with questionable character issues. He wants these kids to have a second chance at accomplishing whatever they choose to do. Although commendable and noteworthy, right now this philosophy has backfired because these individuals are not taking advantage of what is given to them. Many have approached college as an opportunity to just play football and party as often as required. Academics are not even given a second thought until the athlete is dismissed from the football team.

This cycle keeps repeating itself. And it appears it will not get better anytime soon.

Look, very few of us truly realize the difficulties of being a Division I athlete where team meetings, practice, study sessions, and classes can seemingly leave little free time. It is the price one pays for playing a sport they truly love. But when one individual fails to live up to that commitment, it leaves a stain on everyone else involved.

The truth is that many of these football players are under the microscope 24 hours a day. People’s jobs are to monitor these student-athletes to just make sure they are going to class and at least trying to make grade. The responsibility of this task has vanished from the one who should be responsible. But we are living in a society where seldom does a person want to take responsibility for their actions.

What this means is that Coach Tom Amstutz’s approach to recruiting athletes might need to be revisited. Instead of finding the “quick-fix stud” who probably will not attempt to get an education, Amstutz may need to find individuals with higher morals and stronger desires for an education. Look, no one is expecting this team to be filled with straight-A students, but continually taking kids with character questions has damaged their depth at several key positions and has more importantly labeled this program as dirty, undisciplined, and poorly-coached.

If he needs a blueprint, just give basketball coach Stan Joplin a call.

For those of you who are calling for the coach’s head, it won’t happen anytime soon. He is signed through 2009 and no MAC school will pay a coach a half a million dollars to walk out the door. Amstutz has won MAC championships, bowl games, and has beaten teams such as Minnesota, Iowa State, Pittsburgh, and Kansas. He deserves to honor the remainder of his contract because he can still bring back Toledo to its prominence of a few years ago.

There is nothing more important to Rocket fans than seeing this program compete every Saturday night. With exception to last year, Rocket football has more often than not been respected to a certain degree on the national playing field. Considered once the face of the MAC, it now rests near the bottom of the conference, a conference that has not improved its national image on the football field. In order for the Rockets to pull themselves out of the depths of despair, major changes must be anticipated.

Until then, enjoy Saturdays as best you can and be thankful that this team has not quit.