Toledo had the two best offensive players in the MAC last season.
Behind quarterback Dequan Finn and running back Peny Boone, the Rockets led the league in both scoring (32.2 points per game) and in total yards, racking up 412 yards per game. They were one of the scariest offenses in the FBS.
Some say good things don’t last, and the Finn and Boone backfield dissolved after both hit the transfer portal. The QB landed at Baylor while Boone packed up and headed to UCF. Right now, Finn currently has 307 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions through two games, and Boone has 124 rushing yards and two TDs on the season.
What they took with them was 75% of the team’s offensive touchdowns and 70% of the rushing production. The duo combined for 43 of the Rockets’ 57 touchdowns in 2023.
Talk about losing some key pieces.
Let’s not forget, though, the Rockets are led by the reigning MAC Coach of the Year in Jason Candle. They also have junior QB Tucker Gleason and a pair of all-league caliber wideouts in Junior Vandeross III and Jerjuan Newton.
And it may come as a surprise to some that this Rockets offense hasn’t skipped a beat this season despite losing Finn and Boone. That was on full display during last week’s 41-17 victory over Mississippi State. College football betting odds had the Rockets as a 10.5-point underdog. Toledo put up 454 yards of total offense and scored a touchdown on four of their five first half possessions.
Gleason finished 23-of-28 passing for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Vandeross recorded seven receptions for 73 yards and a score, and Newton added five catches for 62 yards and two TDs.
Toledo currently leads the conference with 42.7 points per game. Gleason has passed for 662 yards and nine touchdowns compared to zero interceptions. Vandeross has 14 receptions for 225 yards and three scores, and Newton has 200 yards on 11 receptions for four TDs. The Rockets have also distributed the carries fairly evenly with four separate players having at least 18 carries and 74 yards this season. Willie Shaw III leads the team with 137 yards on the ground and three TDs.
A few things that have been key in Toledo’s early success is the play calling and that they’ve been able to limit the turnovers. They’ve only had two turnovers, and one was an interception from backup quarterback John Alan Richter. The Rockets have also been effective on third and fourth downs, converting 44% of their third-down attempts and have gone 5 of 6 on fourth-down attempts.
Aside from the departure of Finn and Boone, the Rockets also lost their five starting offensive linemen, three of which were all-conference selections last season. The inexperienced and unfamiliar O-line makes the start to the season even more impressive for this new-look offense.
But we’re only in Week 3, and there’s still plenty to prove. Next up is a trip to Western Kentucky, which just allowed 514 yards to Middle Tennessee.
Seems like a good opportunity for Toledo to keep things rolling.
