2008 Woodie Awards
UT looks to douse Flames
Mike Bauman
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: Sports
After a tough loss to conference and divisional foe Western Michigan University last Saturday, the Rockets will look to avenge their pride and their season this Saturday when they take on Liberty University for this year's homecoming game.
"Homecoming is especially important to me because it's one of my last games here in the Glass Bowl [Stadium]," said senior defensive tackle Tyree Pollard. "You always want to win homecoming because you got all the alumni coming back, all the old players, your family's here, the fans are here - I definitely want to win it."
UT will need that attitude and effort this Saturday if it wants to win, too. The loss to Western Michigan put the Rockets at 1-4 on the season and 0-2 in the Mid-American Conference. The conference losses were also West Division losses.
It was the Rockets' first loss to the Broncos in the Glass Bowl since 1988, and just their sixth home loss in 45 games dating back to 1999.
Not only did the Rockets lose the game Saturday, they also lost their top two quarterbacks. Sophomore Aaron Opelt left the game in the second quarter with a leg injury, and junior Clint Cochran suffered a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter.
"Injuries do change your team, and they are part of football," said Head Coach Tom Amstutz. "You can't use that as an excuse, and we don't, but it does affect your team when you have six starters out on defense."
Due to the injuries of Opelt and Cochran, quarterback D.J. Lenehan, a true freshman from Easton, Penn., will be the starter for the Rockets. It marks the second time in two years that a true freshman quarterback has started for Toledo. Last season, Opelt started six games behind center for the Rockets. Before that, Toledo didn't start a true freshman at the position from 1984-2005.
Despite the injuries, Amstutz said the Rockets' offensive outlook and attack won't change much against the Flames.
"D.J. is a quarterback that's used to passing the football," Amstutz said. "We recruited him because in high school, he threw for 7,765 yards. We'll definitely mix the run and pass together and run our offense."
"Homecoming is especially important to me because it's one of my last games here in the Glass Bowl [Stadium]," said senior defensive tackle Tyree Pollard. "You always want to win homecoming because you got all the alumni coming back, all the old players, your family's here, the fans are here - I definitely want to win it."
UT will need that attitude and effort this Saturday if it wants to win, too. The loss to Western Michigan put the Rockets at 1-4 on the season and 0-2 in the Mid-American Conference. The conference losses were also West Division losses.
It was the Rockets' first loss to the Broncos in the Glass Bowl since 1988, and just their sixth home loss in 45 games dating back to 1999.
Not only did the Rockets lose the game Saturday, they also lost their top two quarterbacks. Sophomore Aaron Opelt left the game in the second quarter with a leg injury, and junior Clint Cochran suffered a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter.
"Injuries do change your team, and they are part of football," said Head Coach Tom Amstutz. "You can't use that as an excuse, and we don't, but it does affect your team when you have six starters out on defense."
Due to the injuries of Opelt and Cochran, quarterback D.J. Lenehan, a true freshman from Easton, Penn., will be the starter for the Rockets. It marks the second time in two years that a true freshman quarterback has started for Toledo. Last season, Opelt started six games behind center for the Rockets. Before that, Toledo didn't start a true freshman at the position from 1984-2005.
Despite the injuries, Amstutz said the Rockets' offensive outlook and attack won't change much against the Flames.
"D.J. is a quarterback that's used to passing the football," Amstutz said. "We recruited him because in high school, he threw for 7,765 yards. We'll definitely mix the run and pass together and run our offense."
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