Eastern Michigan Athletics
Football to Tangle With Toledo
9/8/2008 2:14:43 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
EMU opens its 33rd Mid-American Conference season against the Rockets
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2008 SEASON: The 2008 season is the 117th for the Eastern Michigan University football team. The first year of intercollegiate football in Ypsilanti was 1891 when the team posted an 0-2 record. EMU has fielded a team every year since 1891 with one exception, when the 1944 season was canceled because of World War II.
FIRST MAC CONTEST: The University of Toledo at Eastern Michigan University football game Saturday, Sept. 13, will mark the Mid-American Conference opener for the West Division opponents. The Eagles split two non-conference games to start the season, shutting out a visiting Indiana State team, 52-0, in a game played Thursday, Aug. 28, in Rynearson Stadium and following up with a 42-10 setback at Michigan State last Saturday, Sept. 6. Meanwhile, Toledo opened its 2008 season last Saturday, Sept. 6, at Arizona and dropped a 41-16 decision to the Wildcats.
JENKINS THREE FOR TWO: EMU senior linebacker Jermaine Jenkins (Saginaw, Mich.-Saginaw) has earned the first two starting roles of his career this season and he has made the most of his opportunities. Jenkins is currently tied for fifth in the nation with two interceptions, both against Indiana State in the opener, Aug. 28. He added a third turnover last weekend at Michigan State, Sept. 6, with a fumble recovery.
EAGLES IN FIFTH YEAR UNDER GENYK: Head coach Jeff Genyk’s fifth season is underway and EMU fans are expecting the Eagles to build on a number of positives that occurred last season. Eastern Michigan returns 38 lettermen, including seven starters to an offense that scored 290 points in 2007. It was the fifth most points scored in a season and the most since 2004 when the Green and White totaled 328 points. EMU returns even more experience on the defensive side of the ball as 19 lettermen, including eight starters return on defense.
EMU VS. TOLEDO: Toledo and Eastern Michigan are meeting for the 36th time in history, with Toledo holding a 24-11 edge in the series. The teams split in the last two meetings, with Toledo notching a 52-28 win, Nov. 3, 2007, and Eastern recording a 17-13 victory, Oct. 21, 2006. Prior to those two games Toledo had won six in a row.
LAST TIME VERSUS TOLEDO: The last time EMU and Toledo met it was a high-scoring affair, Nov. 3, 2007, at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio. The Rockets jumped on top, 28-7, in the first half before the Eagles bounced back with 24 points in the second half. EMU senior tailback Pierre Walker rushed for 93 yards on 22 carries and also scored three touchdowns on the ground. Both Kyle McMahon (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) and Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns) split time at quarterback with McMahon passing for 90 yards on 8-of-16 attempts. Schmitt completed 10-of-17 throws for 111 yards and one touchdown, a four-yard pass to Ken Bohnet.
EMU HISTORICALLY IN OPENERS: EMU has historically fared exceptionally well in season-opening contests. After Thursday’s, Aug. 28, 52-0 shutout of Indiana State, the Eagles are 71-41-4 (.629) all-time in openers. The Green and White are now 6-3 in home openers this decade, including a 3-2 mark under Jeff Genyk.
STATELY BREAKDOWN: The EMU football roster has 45 players from the state of Michigan, 24 from Ohio, six from Florida, four from Indiana and Virginia, three from California, two each from Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and Illinois and one each from New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Ontario.
LEADING THE TEAM: The EMU coaching staff has designated five players to serve as captains in 2008. The players picked to lead are: Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville), T.J. Lang (Ferndale, Mich.-Birmingham Brother Rice), and Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns) on offense and Daniel Holtzclaw (Enid, Ok.-Enid), and Jacob Wyatt (Lansing, Mich.-Sexton) on defense.
