2014 EMU Football Season in Review

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUGameDay.com) -- The 2014 football season brought plenty of ups and downs for Eastern Michigan University. The Eagles, who finished the season with a 2-10 overall mark and a 1-7 record in Mid-American Conference play, completed their first season with first-year Head Coach Chris Creighton.
   The Eagles finished the regular season ranked nationally in the top-60 in nine statistical categories to go along with six top-five rankings in the MAC standings. Nationally, EMU finished the year tied with Georgia Tech, Northwestern and Oklahoma State for most blocked kicks with six. The six rejections were the most since the 2009 season when the Green and White also blocked six kicks.
   The defense improved from a season prior, as the squad recorded more tackles-for-loss (63), pass breakups (36), fumbles forced (9), fumbles recovered (6), and kicks blocked (6) than it did in all of 2013. Meanwhile, EMU's offense racked up 1,654 yards on the ground and 1,821 yards though the air.
   Individually, senior Tyler Allen saw his name etched into both EMU and MAC record books, becoming the leader in career kick returns with 131, surpassing former Eagle Trumaine Riley for the top spot on both charts. Allen ends his career as not only the career kick return leader, but also the EMU career kick return yardage leader with 2,664 yards, which also ranks second all-time in the conference.
   Redshirt-freshman quarterback Reginald Bell Jr. also burst on to the national scene, as he was one of just seven quarterbacks nationally to lead his team in both passing and rushing yardage. Bell finished the year with the 19th-most total yards of offense in EMU single-season history, while posting the second-most yardage by one individual in program history when he piled up 510 yards of total offense at Ball State, Nov. 22.
   For their season-long efforts, six players were selected for College Football Weekly Performance Awards, three took home All-MAC accolades and three Eagles earned MAC West Division Player of the Week honors.

SEASON HONORS:

MAC Player of the Week (3)
Nathan Adams (Sept. 1)
Reginald Bell (Oct. 13)
Anthony Zappone (Oct. 13)

First Team All-MAC (1)
Pat O'Connor

Second Team All-MAC (1)
Great Ibe

Third Team All-MAC (1)
Tyreese Russell

Academic All-MAC Nominees (13)
Youssef Barakat
Owen Dubiel
Cole Gardner
Thomas Glick
Lincoln Hansen
Kevin Johnson
Travis Linser
Dylan Mulder
Chris O'Risky
DaQuan Pace
Brendan Renius
Lavonte Robinson
Gary White Jr.

Manning Award Star of the Week (1)
Reginald Bell (Oct. 13)

Campbell Trophy Semifinalist (1)
Lincoln Hansen

Lombardi Award Watch List (1)
Lincoln Hansen

Ray Guy Award Candidate (1)
Owen Dubiel

Doak Walker Award Candidate (1)
Bronson Hill

Mackey Award Midseason Watch List (1)
Tyreese Russell

John Mackey Award Watch List (1)
Tyreese Russel

College Sports Madness Players of the Week (1)
Kevin Johnson (Oct. 12)

CFPA's National Performer of the Week (1)
Reginald Bell (Oct. 13)   l

CFPA's Quarterback Performer of the Week (1)
Reginald Bell (Oct. 13)

CFPA's Honorable Mention Performer of the Week (2)
Owen Dubiel (Oct. 20)
Dylan Mulder (Nov. 24)

College Football Performance Awards Watch List (2)
Bronson Hill
Tyreese Russell

Athlon Sports Preseason All-MAC (5)
Bronson Hill
Tyreese Russell
Lincoln Hansen
Pat O'Connor
Jake Hurcombe

College Sports Madness All-MAC (4)
Pat O'Conner (1st Team)
Lincoln Hanson (2nd Team)
Great Ibe (3rd Team)
Kevin Johnson (3rd Team)

SENIOR SNAPSHOTS: The Toledo game was the final Rynearson Stadium appearance for 18 Eastern Michigan University seniors. Below is a quick snapshot of each of those seniors.

#1 - Rob Bolden: Quarterback Rob Bolden played in six games in his only season as an Eagle. A transfer from LSU, Bolden threw for 399 yards this season to go along with four touchdown passes and an additional 84 yards on the ground.

#1 - Gary White Jr.: Defensive back Gary White Jr. appeared in nine games in his two-year career at EMU after transferring from Grossmont College. White recorded 16 tackles, including two for loss, while also blocking a field goal earlier this season.

#4- Willie Creear: Defensive back Willie Creear started every game since arriving on campus in 2013. Following his transfer from Butte Junior College, Creear recorded 112 tackles in his two-year career as an Eagle, while also breaking up 14 passes. The Seattle, Wash. native also had a knack for making game-changing plays with two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a blocked field goal to his credit.

#7 - Pudge Cotton: One of three team captains, defensive back Pudge Cotton started every game this season for the Green and White, totaling 41 appearances throughout his EMU career. Cotton was on the field in every Eastern game since his sophomore season as well as five as a freshman, recording 153 career tackles. The Maywood, Ill. native had three career interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown against Purdue (Sept. 15, 2012) during his sophomore campaign. Cotton also had four fumble recoveries, two of which came in his final season as an Eagle.

#11 - Tyler Allen: Tyler Allen has his name in the EMU record books as one of the best kick returners in school history. The Lansing, Mich. native had an Eastern record 2,664 kick return yards for his career as well as a MAC record-setting 131 kickoff returns. Out of those returns, Allen took one to the house, breaking free for a touchdown on the opening kickoff against Ohio last season (Oct. 19, 2013). Having been the primary return man for most of his career, Allen emerged in the EMU receiving corps this year. He caught 16 passes for 170 yards in 2014, including two for touchdowns.

#22 - Ryan Brumfield: Running back Ryan Brumfield played in 43 games over his four-year career, starting in the backfield 10 times. The Chester Springs, Pa. native rushed for over 1,000 yards in his career, breaking the mark earlier this year when he ran for 112 yards versus Northern Illinois (Oct. 25). Along with gaining yards on the ground, Brumfield caught the ball 21 times for 212 yards in addition to 261 kickoff return yards. As an Eagle, he found the end zone on 15 occasions, including the game-winning touchdown against Western Michigan last season (Nov. 9, 2013).

#30 - Bronson Hill: Bronson Hill's career will go down as one of the best in history for EMU running backs. The Grand Rapids, Mich. native had 2,357 yards on the ground for his career, becoming the first Eagle to rush for over 2,000 yards in a career since Anthony Sherrell in 2003. Hill played in 42 games in the past four years, making 19 starts in the backfield. He boasts 15 career touchdowns (11 rushing, 4 receiving) and 526 receiving yards. Hill's biggest season was as a junior in 2013, when he rushed for 1,101 yards to average just over the century mark in yards per game, earning All-MAC Third Team honors. Hill has rushed for over 250 yards in a single game twice, including 283 versus Toledo as a sophomore, the second-highest single-game rushing total in EMU history (Oct. 13, 2012). As a sophomore, Hill was the James M. "Bingo" Brown Most Valuable Offensive Player Award for the Green and White.

#32 - Oliver Kathalay: Defensive back Oliver Kathalay was on the Eagles' practice squad for the majority of his career. However, in his last season at EMU, the Mississauga, Ontario native made five appearances in games.

#42 - Kevin Johnson: Safety Kevin Johnson appeared in 38 games over his EMU career, starting in the secondary 12 times. The McKeesport, Pa. native had 151 career tackles to go along with 5.5 tackles-for-loss, seven pass deflections, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. In his senior season, Johnson hauled in two interceptions to pace the EMU defense.

#61 - Jordan Erbes: Offensive lineman Jordan Erbes saw action in 25 games over his career in Ypsilanti. In his last season as an Eagle, the Kettering, Ohio native appeared in every game primarily on special teams.

#66 - Owen Dubiel: After appearing in just three games in 2013, Owen Dubiel was the Eagles' primary punter in his final season at Eastern, becoming a Ray Guy Award candidate. The East Jackson, Mich. native did a fantastic job when it came to punting the football in 2014. Out of 61 Dubiel punts, 20 were downed inside the 20-yard line, and only four went into the end zone for a touchback. Moreover, 15 punts inside the 20 have actually been placed inside the 12, including six inside the five-yard line.

#67 - Campbell Allison: Offensive lineman Campbell Allison played in 43 games over his career at Eastern, making 25 starts. The Kagawong, Ontario native proved he could play anywhere on the line, starting at least one game at guard, tackle and center in 2014.

#73 - Garrett Parker: Offensive lineman Garrett Parker was a member of the EMU football team for four seasons. After redshirting in 2011, the Tinley Park, Ill. native practiced with the team for two seasons until being declared medically ineligible to play at the start of the 2014 campaign.

#76 - Travis Linser: Defensive lineman Travis Linser played in 30 games throughout his three-year career as an Eagle, including 13 starts between defensive tackle and defensive end. The Glendale Ariz. native transferred to EMU in 2012 after one year at Phoenix College. Linser recorded 34 career tackles with 6.0 of them being behind the line of scrimmage. To go along with one forced fumble, Linser also had five quarterback hurries and 1.5 sacks to his credit.

#77 - Lincoln Hansen: Offensive lineman and team co-captain Lincoln Hansen played 45 games throughout his career, becoming a focal point at tackle with 39 starts over the last four years. Along with leading the Eagles on and off the field, the Omaha, Neb. native was an All-MAC Third Team honoree and the team's Harold E. Sponberg Lineman Scholar-Athlete Award winner as a junior before being recognized to the Rimington Award Watch List as a senior. Hansen also excels in the classroom as an Academic All-MAC honoree and National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete.

#78 - Robert McFadden: Offensive lineman Robert McFadden has played in 36 games over his Eastern career, making 22 starts. The Flint, Mich. native had a strong senior season, starting at either left tackle or left guard in all 12 games.

#83 - David Gibson: Wide receiver David Gibson played in three contests in 2013, but the senior Eagle saw game action in all 12 contests throughout his final collegiate campaign. This season, Gibson caught nine passes for 140 yards, including his only career touchdown reception in EMU's victory over Buffalo, Oct. 11.

#88 - Tyreese Russell: Tight end Tyreese Russell played in 46 games in his EMU career, starting 29 contests. Russell had 101 catches totaling 1,417 yards and 11 touchdowns as an Eagle, including team bests in catches (44) and yards (594) during his junior campaign. The stellar year earned him All-MAC Second Team accolades as well as a share of the James M. "Bingo" Brown Most Valuable Offensive Player Award. As a senior, he proved why he was named to the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List, especially over a five-game stretch. The Chicago, Ill. native led the team in receiving with 39 catches for 523 yards, more than double the amount of yardage of his nearest teammate. For his efforts he earned third team All-MAC honors.

THE AIR AND GROUND ASSAULT: Redshirt-freshman quarterback Reginald Bell finished in some select company as he was one of just seven quarterbacks nationally that led his team in both passing and rushing yardage.

THREE EAGLES NAMED ALL-MAC: Three members of the Eastern Michigan University football team were named to the All-Mid-American Conference teams announced by the league office Wednesday, Dec. 3. Junior defensive lineman Pat O'Connor earned first team honors, redshirt-junior linebacker Great Ibe claimed a spot on the second team, and senior tight end Tyreese Russell was named Third Team All-MAC.
   O'Connor and Ibe earned all-conference postseason recognition for the first time in their respective careers, while Russell finds himself as an All-MAC selection for the second-straight year.
   As a defensive team captain, O'Connor gobbled up the opposition behind the line of scrimmage this season. The team co-captain led the Mid-American Conference in sacks as well as ranking fourth in tackles-for-loss, pushing opponents back a combined 73 yards on 14 tackles-for-loss.
   The first EMU defensive player to collect first team accolades since the 2007 season, O'Connor is among the top-50 sack leaders throughout the country, sitting at No. 44 with 7.5 sacks. The Windy City native also becomes just the second EMU player to lead the conference in sacks, joining Troy Campbell who turned in eight quarterback takedowns during the 1998 campaign.
   Right in the middle of the Eastern defense, Ibe showed his versatility between rushing the quarterback and dropping back into coverage. Finding the ball carrier from all over the field, Ibe's 133 stops paced EMU by a substantial margin as the next closest Eagle recorded 97 tackles this season. The linebacker's total is the third-most by an individual MAC defender as well as ranking ninth in the nation. Overall, Ibe's total ranks 13th in the EMU record book for a single-season while his 69 solo tackles are the eighth-most.
   In total, the Hanover, Md. native finished nine contests with double-digit tackles. Against UMass, Oct. 18, Ibe recorded a career-high 21 tackles, the most by any Eagle since 2001. The mark was also the highest by an individual defender in the MAC since the 2011 season.
   Throughout his senior season, Russell proved why he was named to the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List, especially over the last half of the year. The Chicago, Ill. native led the team in receiving with 39 catches for 523 yards, more than double the amount of yardage of his nearest teammate. The next closest Eagle in the receiving category was Dustin Creel, who had 227 yards on 23 receptions. Russell was the Green and White's leading receiver in four of the last six games of his career. He hauled in 24 catches for 372 yards during the six-game stretch, including a career-best 113-yard game against Ball State, Nov. 22, where he made a spectacular one-handed catch to land a spot on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays.
   The Chicago, Ill. native finished his career with 101 catches for 1,417 yards and 11 touchdowns. Russell's 11 touchdown receptions is tied for sixth-most in EMU history while his receiving yardage total ranks 10th.
   Western Michigan Head Coach P.J. Fleck was named MAC Head Coach of the Year, while Western Michigan true freshman running back Jarvion Franklin was honored as both the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Miami defensive back Quinten Rollins was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Ball State kicker Scott Secor was named MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Toledo senior offensive lineman Greg Mancz was tabbed as the winner of the 33rd Vern Smith Leadership Award.
   The All-MAC teams and the Vern Smith Leadership Award were selected by the MAC head coaches, while the other awards were voted by the MAC News Media Association.
   Central Michigan led the way in 2014 with five first team selections, followed by Northern Illinois and UMass with four apiece and Toledo and Western Michigan with three each. Overall, Toledo and Western Michigan set the pace with 11 All-MAC honorees, followed by Northern Illinois with 10 honorees, while Ball State and Central Michigan each had eight honorees.

THIRD QUARTER DEFENSE: Coming out for the start of the second half, the Eagles made adjustments to the defensive scheme that worked in 2014. The third quarter was the best for the Eagles' defense, holding teams to under a touchdown average (4.5points) during that 15-minute span. Over the final seven contests, Eastern's defense only gave up a combined 22 points in the third quarter of play.

BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan's special teams put up big numbers when it comes to blocking kicks. During the 2014 campaign, the Eagles blocked six kicks, which was the most since the 2009 season when the Green and White rejected six kicks as well. Mike Steals led the way with two blocked field goals, while Gary White Jr. and Willie Creear each rejected one field goal attempt apiece. The fifth blocked kick went to Nathan Adams, who blocked a punt in the season opening victory against Morgan State, Aug. 30, Amos Houston also added a punt block versus Central Michigan, Nov. 1.
   Nationally, EMU was tied with Georgia Tech, Northwestern and Oklahoma State for most blocked kicks this season.

POC-MAN: Much like Pac-Man in the 1980s arcade game that became a pop culture phenomenon, Pat O'Connor gobbled up the opposition behind the line of scrimmage this season. The team co-captain led the Mid-American Conference in sacks as well as ranking fourth in tackles-for-loss, pushing opponents back a combined 73 yards on 14 tackles-for-loss. O'Connor was among the top-50 sack leaders throughout the country, sitting at No. 44 with 7.5 sacks. The Windy City native also became just the second EMU player to lead the conference in sacks, joining Troy Campbell who turned in eight quarterback takedowns during the 1998 campaign.

GREAT TACKLING GREAT IBE: Right in the middle of the Eastern defense, redshirt-junior Great Ibe showed his versatility between rushing the quarterback and dropping back into coverage. Finding the ball carrier from all over the field, Ibe's 133 tackles led EMU by a substantial margin as the next closest Eagle recorded 97 tackles in 2014. The linebacker's total was the third-most by an individual MAC defender as well as ranking ninth in the nation. Overall, Ibe's total ranked 13th in the EMU record book for a single-season while his 69 solo tackles were the eighth-most.

RED ZONE DEFENSE: When opposing teams have entered the red zone, the EMU defense has buckled down to become one of the best inside the 20-yard line. The Eagles hold a red zone defense percentage of 76, allowing just 45 scores in 59 attempts. That mark ranked fourth in the MAC as well as 25th in the nation. Out of 59 opportunities, opponents have been limited to field goals 13 times, while leaving the area without any points on 14 occasions.

BELL'S RINGING IN THE AIR: Redshirt-freshman quarterback Reginald Bell did his part in the Eagles' final road contest of the season at Ball State, Nov. 22, piling up 510 yards of total offense for the second-most yardage by one individual Eagle in program history. The record of 554 total yards by Andy Schmitt, Nov. 28, 2008, still stands but it was a career day for Bell.
   He threw for 409 yards on 36-of-49 passing, all personal bests, while rushing for an additional 101 yards on 18 carries. The 36 completions and 49 attempts are the most by an EMU quarterback since Schmitt's big day during the 2008 campaign. Despite facing a significant deficit at the half, Bell showed no quit by leading the offense to 27 second half points as the Green and White scored on five of its final six drives of the MAC matchup.

DYNAMIC RECEIVING DUO: Junior Dustin Creel and senior Tyreese Russell had career days against Ball State, Nov. 22. Creel finished with career bests in catches (14) and receiving yards (152), while Russell broke his personal high with 113 receiving yards. Entering the game with just nine catches for 75 yards all year long, Creel nearly tripled his season reception and yardage totals with his performance against the Cardinals. The 14 catches for Creel was the fifth-most ever in a single game by an Eagle, and his receiving yards for the game rank 26th all-time in EMU history. For Russell, he increased his offensive output in receiving yards for the fifth-straight game. The duo became the first teammates to tally over 100 yards receiving in a game since Tyler Jones and Jacory Stone accomplished the feat against Temple, Nov. 22, 2008. The pair also became the first Eagles to catch at least 10 passes in a game since Jones hauled in 23 receptions versus Central Michigan, Nov. 28, 2008.

RUSSELL'S ONE-HANDED CATCH MAKES SPORTSCENTER: On Nov. 22, senior tight end Tyreese Russell was No. 3 on the ESPN SportsCenter's "Top 10 Plays" segment after making an amazing one-handed catch against Ball State. SportsCenter anchor Steve Levy provided the explanation of the No. 3 play of the night with, "Here's Tyreese Russell jumping out of the stadium to make a one-handed grab!" Russell made the highlight play to start the Eagles' second drive of the third quarter, hauling in the 23-yard pass from Reginald Bell. After starting off the scoring drive, Russell completed it as well with a 10-yard touchdown reception in the back of the end zone. The incredible snag out of the air seemed to spark the Eastern offense as the Green and White scored on five of its final six drives of the contest, chalking up 27 second half points.

ALLEN'S COUNTDOWN COMPLETE: Senior Tyler Allen's journey to the top of the EMU record book is complete, as the kickoff specialist returned a pair of kicks for 32 yards against Central Michigan, Nov. 1, breaking Trumaine Riley's all-time mark. In his career, Allen ran back 131 kickoffs for a total of 2,664 yards (20.3 avg/r.). Riley brought back a then-Mid-American Conference record 130 kicks for a total of 2,541 yards (19.5 avg/r.) while playing for EMU from 2003-06.
    Earlier this season, the Lansing Mich. native passed current Pittsburgh Steeler and former Central Michigan receiver Antonio Brown for third place on the MAC's all-time return list.

MR. COFFIN CORNER: Senior Owen Dubiel did a fantastic job when it comes to punting the football in 2014. Out of 61 Dubiel punts, 20 were downed inside the 20-yard line, and only four have gone into the end zone for a touchback. Moreover, 15 punts inside the 20 have actually been placed inside the 12, including six inside the five-yard line.

DEFENSE MADE PROGRESS: The statistics might not fully show the Eagles' defensive improvements from the 2013 season, but a closer look proves the Green and White made strides. The defense recorded more tackles-for-loss (63), pass breakups (36), fumbles forced (8), fumbles recovered (6) and kicks blocked (6) than it did in all of 2013.

BIG PLAY TOUCHDOWNS: On EMU's opening drive of the second half at Western Michigan, Nov. 15, the Eagles found the end zone to get on the scoreboard. Facing a second and long from the EMU 24-yard line, Reginald Bell flipped a screen pass to Bronson Hill, who shook a pair of defenders before scampering 76 yards down the sideline for the touchdown. The big play was the longest play of the year for the Green and White, and it also marked the third touchdown of the year over 70 yards. The other two scores longer than 70 yards were runs of 72 and 71 by Bell in Eastern's victory over Buffalo earlier this season, Oct. 11, at The Factory.

BIG PLAYS LEAD TO BIG TROUBLE: Giving up lengthy plays proved to be costly for the EMU football team during the 2014 season. Through the 12 games of the season, the Eagles allowed 46 plays over 30 yards with 20 of them resulting in touchdowns. Moreover, opposing teams recorded seven touchdowns over 70 yards against EMU this season.

CAPTAIN COTTON: Senior team co-captain Pudge Cotton had a standout game for the Eagles with an interception, while adding a fumble recovery and tacked on eight tackles, including 0.5 for loss, against Central Michigan, Nov. 1. The Maywood, Ill. native picked off CMU's Cooper Rush at the 34-yard line to give the Green and White possession with 7:05 left in the second quarter. Later, Cotton came up big for the Eagles for the second time in the contest when he picked up the rock on the 31-yard line and ran for 15-yards following a fumble forced by Great Ibe with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter. The interception marked the third of Cotton's career and first of the 2014 season, while the fumble recovery marked the fourth of the senior's career and second of the season.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Eastern Michigan's 28-17 loss to Northern Illinois, Oct. 25, did have a bright spot in terms of the EMU offense. Reginald Bell Jr. and Ryan Brumfield both surpassed the century mark in rushing, with Bell going 133 yards for one touchdown on 25 carries and Brumfield running 112 yards on 18 carries while picking up a touchdown of his own. The pair of 100-plus-yard rushers marks the 12th time in EMU history that two Eagles have accomplished the feat in the same game, the last time being Nov. 9, 2013 in the victory over Western Michigan University. Brumfield was a part of that accomplishment as well, carrying the ball 148 yards while Bronson Hill rushed for 111 yards in the home win.

A GREAT TACKLING MACHINE: Redshirt-junior Great Ibe was a major force for EMU defensive coordinator Brad McCaslin's linebacking corps. The Hanover, Md. product posted a career-best 21 tackles in the Oct. 18 contest at Gillette Stadium versus Massachusetts. The 21 stops are the most by an Eagle in recent memory and the second-best tally of any student-athlete in the nation this season.
   Ibe's total is the most by an Eagle since 2001 when Kenny Philpot hauled down 21 Cardinals in a contest against Ball State, Oct. 13. Eastern Michigan began tracking tackles in a game during the 1999 campaign, with Blake McCall holding the gold-standard with 29 against Ohio, Oct. 16, 1999.
   His 21 stops were also the most by a Mid-American Conference player in more than three seasons with Akron's Brian Wagner last topping the 20-tackle plateau with 22 takedowns against Florida International, Oct. 8, 2011.

THE FACTORY CROWNED THE RUNNER-UP FOR THE BEST FIELD IN THE NATION: The nation has voted and the results are in. Eastern Michigan University with its gray turf at Rynearson Stadium has been voted the second best field in college football, according to a fan poll.
   EMU finished in second-place in USA TODAY Sports' College Football Fan Index, which ranks fan bases based on social media metrics and the weekly surveys. Tennessee's Neyland Stadium claimed the top spot in the quest to rank the best college football fields.
   The blue turf of Boise State's Lyle Smith Field at Albertsons Stadium finished in third with East Carolina's Bagwell Field at Dowdy-Fickley Stadium and Air Force's Falcon Stadium rounding out the top five. Other universities whose fields were nominated include: Clemson, LSU, Missouri, Notre Dame, UCLA, and Wyoming.

DUBIEL NAMED TO RAY GUY AWARD WATCH LIST: Senior Owen Dubiel was named a candidate for the 2014 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation's top collegiate punter. The 80 candidates were nominated for the award by their school's sports information department. The East Jackson, Mich. native has done a fantastic job when it comes to punting the football in 2014. Out of 30 Dubiel punts, 13 have been downed inside the 20-yard line, and only four have gone into the end zone for a touchback. Moreover, 11 punts inside the 20 have actually been placed inside the 12, including four inside the five-yard line. Dubiel was just one-of-five Mid-American Conference punters to make the list as Buffalo's Tyler Grassman, Central Michigan's Ron Coluzzi, Northern Illinois' Tyler Wedel, and Western Michigan's J. Schroeder were also named 2014 candidates for the honor.

NO FIELD GOALS FOR NIU: In the 28-17 setback to Northern Illinois, Oct. 25, two Eagles combined for a statistic to go down in history. With the Huskies in field goal range, Mike Steals and Willie Creear rejected both three-point attempts. Steals got a piece of the first attempt in the second quarter with 7:51 to go, keeping the Huskies from extending their lead beyond a touchdown. Creear blocked the second attempt with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter before the Eagles went on a touchdown drive to flip the score to a 17-14 lead. The two team blocks mark the first time since at least 1998 that the Eagles have blocked two field goals in a single game.

THREE NAMED MIDSEASON ALL-MAC BY PHIL STEELE: Phil Steele has honored three Eastern Michigan University football players as members of his 2014 Mid-Season All-Mid-American Conference teams. Named to the All-MAC First Team were junior defensive lineman Pat O'Connor and redshirt-junior Great Ibe. Earning second team recognition was redshirt-sophomore Anthony Zappone.

CREEAR'S CAREER DAY: Defensive back Willie Creear had a day to remember when the Eagles squared off against the University of Massachusetts, Oct. 18. The EMU senior recorded a fumble recovery and an interception to help the Eastern defense force two-of-three UMass turnovers. The two takeaways were the second fumble recovery and second interception of Creear's career. Also, the Seattle, Wash. native posted a personal-high 12 tackles in the Eagles' setback.

AWARDS ROLL IN FOR BELL: Following a breakout performance in the homecoming victory over Buffalo, Oct. 11, EMU redshirt-freshman quarterback Reginald Bell Jr. racked up the accolades. The Los Angeles, Calif. native was selected the Mid-American Conference's Co-Offensive Player of the Week as well as the National Performer of the Week and the Quarterback Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA). He was also honored as one of the Mannning Award Stars of the Week by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

ZAPPONE NAMED MAC WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Redshirt-sophomore linebacker Anthony Zappone was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Defensive Player of the Week for the period ending Oct. 11. The honor is the first weekly conference honor of Zappone's career.
   Buffalo's defense ran into some trouble when faced with the Westlake, Ohio native as he recorded a career-best 13 tackles in the 37-27 Homecoming victory over the Bulls. Zappone also added a career high three tackles for loss.

REGGIE TO THE RESCUE: Redshirt-freshman Reginald Bell Jr. had a performance that would be difficult to top in the victory over MAC foe Buffalo, Oct. 11. Bell entered the contest with 4:15 remaining in the second quarter when the team was down, 10-0, and propelled the squad to a 37-27 victory, bolstering the team's total yardage from 73 yards to 484 in just over a half of play. The EMU offense scored on six of its 10 drives with Bell in the shotgun.

RUN REGGIE, RUN!: The 202 rushing yards by Reginald Bell Jr. in the Eagles' win over the Bulls marked the first time that an Eagle has run for more than 200 yards since Oct. 19, 2013, when Bronson Hill put up 257 yards against Ohio University. Bell surpassed the 200-yard mark on 17 carries, registering an eye-popping 11.9 yards per rush.

MILESTONES WITH CREIGHTON: With a 37-27 victory over Buffalo during the Eagles' first conference home opener of the 2014 campaign, Eastern Michigan's football squad logged its first Mid-American Conference win and first victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision institution with first-year Head Coach Chris Creighton managing the sidelines.

SECOND HALF SURGE: Eastern Michigan scored more points in the second half against Buffalo than it had amassed in the previous five second-half scoring efforts combined. Up until Oct. 11, when the Eagles downed the Bulls, 37-27, the team had scored a total of just 27 second half points between its first five matchups of 2014.
   In the Homecoming victory over Buffalo, the Green and White posted 34 points fueled by four touchdowns from Reginald Bell Jr. The last time an Eagle scored four touchdowns in a half was when Bronson Hill accomplished the feat against Toledo on Oct. 13, 2012, at Rynearson Stadium. Hill had touchdown runs of seven, 47, 58, and 70 yards in the 52-47 loss to the Rockets. Adding to the second half surge, EMU out-gained Buffalo 204 yards to 42 in the third quarter alone.

BELL'S BIG DAY: Reginald Bell Jr. not only scored his first career touchdown against Buffalo, Oct. 11, but he racked up an EMU record-tying four TDs. In an impressive rushing performance befitting any player, let alone a quarterback, Bell ran in three touchdowns and for a total of 202 yards and became the first Eagle in EMU history to run for two 70+ yard touchdowns in one game with dashes of 71 and 72 yards. In terms of quarterback records, Bell claimed the top spot in rushing yards for a single game, knocking Alex Gillett's 189-yard performance in a win over Ball State, Oct. 16, 2010, out of the top spot. The Los Angeles, Calif. native also threw an additional touchdown pass to David Gibson, the first touchdown pass of Bell's career and the first scoring reception for Gibson.

ALL GRAY ON THE GRAY TURF: When the Eagles took the field at The Factory to battle Buffalo, Oct 11, they sported all gray uniforms for the first time on the recently installed "EMU Gray" Field Turf. Donning gray helmets with the green Block E, the team also wore gray jerseys to go along with gray pants. The ensemble, along with "The Factory," is just another symbol of the E Tough mentality developed by Head Coach Chris Creighton and the entire EMU football team.

RUSSELL ON MACKEY AWARD MIDSEASON WATCH LIST: Senior tight end Tyreese Russell is one of 33 tight ends nationwide who has been named to the 2014 John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List. The Chicago, Ill. native is one of only four players from the Mid-American Conference on the midseason list.
   At 6-3, 238 pounds, Russell leads the Eagles in receptions with 15 catches for 150 yards (10.0 avg.) and a touchdown through EMU's first six games. He has highlighted his final season so far by snagging six balls for a 48 yards in the win over Morgan State University, Aug. 30.

HANSEN RETURNS TO THE GRIDIRON: After missing the first game of his collegiate career due to injury at MSU, senior offensive lineman Lincoln Hansen returned to his usual starting position at right tackle. The Omaha, Neb. native has now started 16 of the last 17 contests dating back to the start of the 2013 campaign.

REMAINING CONTESTS TO DECIDE A CHAMPION: For just the third time since the 2005 campaign, Eastern Michigan played eight straight Mid-American Conference games to close out the regular season. Ball State, Ohio and Toledo are the only three league institutions that cannot boast that feat about their 2014 schedules.

BARNES BOOMS AT MSU: Sophomore punter Austin Barnes turned in an outstanding effort at Spartan Stadium against Michigan State, Sept. 20. The 5-foot-11, 218-pound Barnes racked up nine punts for 407 yards and a 45.2 yard average against the Spartans. His 407 yards via the punt are also 13th best for a single-game in program history. Barnes also boomed a career-long 65-yarder that was downed at the one-yard line.

ALLEN'S RETURN TO EAST LANSING A SPECIAL ONE: Senior wide receiver Tyler Allen snagged the first touchdown reception of his career in the third quarter at Michigan State, Sept. 20. The Lansing, Mich. native hauled in the 43-yard scoring strike from Rob Bolden. Allen urged the coaches to call the play after being open in the middle of the field on the same play earlier in the game. The Eastern High School grad got his wish and slipped behind MSU safety R.J. Williamson to make the touchdown catch and give the Eagles their first passing score of the season.

CANADIAN CONNECTION: Eastern Michigan is one of just 17 Football Bowl Subdivision schools to feature a player from Canada on its roster. Senior Campbell Allison is heavy contributor, while Oliver Kathalay continues to see more playing time.
   The other FBS schools to have multiple Canadians on its roster include: Michigan State (4), Connecticut (3), UNLV (3), Wyoming (3), Iowa (2), Rice (2), Virginia (2) and Boston College (2).

BOLDEN EARNS HIS FIRST EMU START: Senior Rob Bolden earned his first career start at Michigan State, Sept. 20 The start was the 18th of his career after starting nine times as a freshman and eight times as a sophomore at Penn State. Bolden's two touchdown completions marked the first time since Nov. 2, 2013 that an EMU quarterback has tossed for a pair of scoring strikes in a single-game. Last season, Brogan Roback had two in that contest against Toledo during his return to the Glass City.
   It was Bolden's first start since the Ticket City Bowl on Jan. 2, 2012, when we was a sophomore at PSU. In that game, Bolden threw for 136 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 16 yards in the 30-14 setback to No. 19 Houston.

PACE TURNS THE TABLES: In the Sept. 20 contest at No. 11 Michigan State, sophomore DaQuan Pace notched the first interception of his career when he picked off Tyler O'Connor's pass at the MSU 12-yard line. The EMU offense would score three plays later for its first points off of a turnover this season.

RUSSELL FOR SIX: Senior tight end Tyreese Russell caught his first touchdown pass of the year early in the fourth quarter at Michigan State, Sept. 20. The nine-yard strike marked the ninth time in his career he has found paydirt and the first since Oct. 26, 2013, at Northern Illinois.
   With the score, Russell moved into a tie for 11th all-time in the EMU annals in career touchdown receptions. The Chicago, Ill. product is currently tied with Gary Matsche (1966-69), Bristol Greene (1993-95) and Tyler Jones (2004-08). Eric Deslauriers (2003-06) holds the EMU standard with 27 TD catches in his career.

DEFENSE BOUNCES BACK: After surrendering 65 points to Florida, the EMU defense was determined to make a statement. Defensive Coordinator Brad McCaslin's group did just that, holding the ODU offense to just 10 points with the other touchdown coming from the Monarchs' special teams. The Eagles' defense went through a stretch where it held Old Dominion off the scoreboard for seven possessions, forcing five punts, a fumble and a turnover-on-downs at the goal line. The 10 points given up is the fewest allowed by an EMU defense since Oct. 22, 2011, when the Eagles defeated Western Michigan University, 14-10. The 17 points allowed overall on the night was the fewest surrendered by Eastern Michigan since a 30-17 victory over the University at Buffalo, Nov. 12, 2011.

EMU DEBUTS NEW HELMET AT AKRON: EMU unveiled a new helmet design during the Akron game, Oct. 4. The shells are a custom flat forest green metallic color, featuring a chrome diamond plate Block E logo on the side.

BOLDEN BRINGS A SPARK: With the offense kept off the scoreboard, EMU Head Coach Chris Creighton elected to make a change at quarterback, inserting senior transfer Rob Bolden at the end of the third quarter. The move paid off as Bolden led the Eagles on a 15-play 49-yard drive that ended in Dylan Mulder's 43-yard field goal, the first scoring drive of Bolden's short EMU career. Bolden kept the ball throughout the drive, rushing eight times for 28 yards while also going 2-for-2 through the air for 12 yards. The drive snapped a scoreless streak of seven quarters for EMU, and with 9:13 to go in the ballgame, the Eagles found themselves back within one possession.

TILLMAN TACKLES: Redshirt junior defensive back Ray Tillman burst onto the scene against Florida, Sept. 6. The Auburn Hills, Mich. native recorded 11 tackles against the Gators, tying a team high. Tillman's double-digit day not only led the Green and White, but it also marked a career best and tied the amount of tackles he recorded throughout the entire 2013 season. His previous game high in tackles was four against Bowling Green, Nov. 23, 2013.

2014 SEASON: The 2014 season was the 123rd 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.

WINNING WITH CREIGHTON: When he was hired in December 2013, Coach Chris Creighton brought a winning resume with him to Ypsilanti. In his first game at the helm of the Green and White, Creighton saw his new team pick up a 31-28 victory over Morgan State, Aug. 30. The win was the 140th of Creighton's head coaching career and the first of what is expected to be many more during his tenure at Eastern Michigan.

ADAMS SELECT MAC WEST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sophomore Nathan Adams was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Special Teams Player of the Week for the period ending Aug. 30. The honor is the first weekly conference honor of Adams's career.
   In the first quarter of EMU's season opener versus Morgan State, Adams found a crease in the Bears' special teams blocking scheme, getting his hands on the MSU punt. Not only did Adams block the punt, he also picked up the ball and rumbled into the endzone for a special teams touchdown and the first of his career.
   The blocked punt was the first by an Eagle since 2011 when the Green and White were at Kent State. Moreover, the "scoop and score" was the first of its kind for EMU since Travis Lewis returned a blocked punt on Nov. 13, 2004, also against the Golden Flashes. The blocked punt return touchdown marked the third in team history dating back to the 1967 season.

39th FOR THE MAC: The 2014 season marked the 39th year that the Eagles have been a part of the Mid-American Conference football championship race. EMU was admitted into the league in 1971, but a complete league schedule was not available until the 1976 season.

THREE-HEADED BACKFIELD: To kick off the season, the Eagles proved that they have depth at running back. In the win over Morgan State, Aug. 30, EMU rumbled for 292 yards on the ground that included 243 from the backfield. Senior Bronson Hill surpassed the century mark for the 10th time in his career, rushing for 114 yards on 19 carries to lead the Eastern rushing attack. Junior Darius Jackson followed by racking up a career-high 73 rushing yards on 17 carries. Finally, averaging seven yards per carry, Ryan Brumfield rushed eight times for 57 yards and found the end zone twice.

O'CONNOR LOOMS LARGE AGAINST MORGAN STATE: EMU nose tackle and team co-captain Pat O'Connor showed his leadership ability in the Eagles' 31-28 win over Morgan State, Aug. 30. O'Connor totaled a career-high 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss that resulted in a remarkable 20 yards in total loss. He wasn't finished there; with the Bears driving in the fourth quarter, O'Connor stripped the ball from the MSU running back to come up with a big stop and get his team the ball back as the Eagles held on to a three-point lead. The forced fumble and fumble recovery were firsts in the career of the Windy City native.

SPECIAL PLAY ON SPECIAL TEAMS: The EMU special teams unit put together a phenomenal performance in the season-opening victory over Morgan State, Aug. 30. In the first quarter, Nathan Adams blocked a punt deep in MSU territory and scooped up the ball for his first career touchdown. Later in the opening half, Gary White, Jr. blocked a 41-yard field goal that ended up being the point differential in the Eagles' 31-28 win. The last time Eastern Michigan blocked both a punt and a field goal in the same game was Nov. 19, 2011 at Kent State. Not to be forgotten in the game against the Bears, Dylan Mulder broke a 28-28 tie early in the fourth quarter as his 42-yard field goal proved to be the game-winner.

COMEBACK ROBACK: After EMU starting quarterback Reginald Bell Jr. came up limping in the third quarter of the season opener, sophomore Brogan Roback grabbed his helmet to lead the Eagles' offense out onto the field. The situation was not a new one for Roback, who appeared in nine games as a "true" freshman in 2013. After just one drive on the field, the sophomore found his team behind by a touchdown. However, he marched the Green and White down the field on back-to-back scoring drives that resulted in 10 points, enough for a three-point victory. The win was the second come-from-behind victory in Roback's career. As a freshman, he brought the Eagles back against Western Michigan after trailing by eight; EMU ended up beating its rivals in overtime at Rynearson Stadium, Nov. 9, 2013.

FRESHMAN FIND THE FIELD: Three "true" freshmen and five redshirt freshmen found the field to open the 2014 campaign against Morgan State, Aug. 30. The true freshmen that saw time on the gray turf at Rynearson Stadium for the first time in the season lid-lifter were: Jason Beck, Jeremiah Harris and Kenny Jones. Redshirt freshmen making their collegiate debut included: Reginald Bell Jr., Derrick Dunlap, Thomas Glick, Deshai Powell and Lavonte Robinson. Kray'shawn Brewer, Gabriel Guilbee-Rodriguez, Oliver Kathalay, Tyrie Mack, Gary White Jr. also saw their first action in the Eagles' 31-28 victory.

REELING IT IN: After last season, the Eagles are returning 82 percent of its receptions from the 2013 campaign, which ranks 14th in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Last season, just 32 catches departed along with the 2013 senior receiving core. Dustin Creel leads the returning crew after reeling in 46 receptions, while preseason All-MAC First Team award winner Tyreese Russell brought home 44 of the team's catches. Between Creel and Russell, they return over 50 percent of the teams receptions.

HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE: Head Football Coach Chris Creighton is the first active head coach to be hired at Eastern Michigan since Jim Harkema in 1983. Harkema was the head coach at Grand Valley State University (1973-82) before taking over the EMU program and leading it to its only Mid-American Conference Championship in 1987 and last bowl appearance.

PROVEN TRACK RECORD: During his 18-year head coaching career, Head Football Coach Chris Creighton has accumulated eight conference titles and an all-time record of 140-47. He left Drake University with the highest winning percentage in school history (.667) after also posting 63 wins as the head coach at Wabash College and 32 at Ottawa University.

RUSSELL NAMED TO JOHN MACKEY AWARD WATCH LIST: Senior tight end Tyreese Russell has been named to the 2014 John Mackey Award Watch List, an honor presented annually for the nation's best collegiate tight end, the award's selection committee announced, July 8.

HANSEN NAMED TO LOMBARDI AWARD WATCH LIST: Senior offensive lineman Lincoln Hansen has been named to the 2014 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, an honor presented annually for the nation's best collegiate down lineman, the award's selection committee announced, July 14.

HILL NAMED A CANDIDATE FOR DOAK WALKER AWARD: Senior Bronson Hill has been named a preseason candidate for the 2014 Doak Walker Award which is presented annually to the nation's top college running back, according to an announcement by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum Thursday, July 17.

Five Eagles Earn Athlon Sports All-MAC Accolades: Five members of the Eastern Michigan University football team have been selected as All-Mid-American Conference honorees prior to the start of the season by Athlon Sports, June 19. Two seniors, offensive lineman Lincoln Hansen and tight end Tyreese Russell were named to the first team, while running back Bronson Hill, offensive lineman Jake Hurcombe and defensive lineman Pat O'Connor were tabbed as third team members.

SENIORS CLIMB PIKES PEAK: For Eastern Michigan University Head Football Coach Chris Creighton being a coach is about so much more than just X's and O's. On July 31, Creighton, the assistant coaching staff and 16 members of EMU's senior class made the trek up Pikes Peak in Colorado.
   The trip, meant to be used as a leadership and bonding experience, featured the group hiking up the peak, which has an altitude of 14,114 feet above sea level and is the 31st highest out of the 54 Colorado peaks. On July 30, the group flew to Colorado and took a tour of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The next morning, the team worked their way to the top on a journey that lasted more than 11 hours. The group headed back home to Michigan the next day to get ready for the opening of fall practice on Aug. 4.

NEW BOWL GAMES FOR THE MAC STARTING IN 2014: The Mid-American Conference announced the creation of three of bowl games in Boca Raton, Fla., Nassau, Bahamas and Miami, Fla., for a six-year period (2014-19). Starting in the 2014 college football season, the MAC will have a minimum five guaranteed bowl opportunities. The Boca Raton Bowl will be played at FAU Stadium, the Bahamas Bowl will be played at Thomas A. Robinson Stadium, while the Miami Beach Bowl will take place at Marlins Park.

MAC RELEASES PRESEASON POLL: The Eastern Michigan University football team was picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference West Division determined by select members of the league's media contingent. The annual preseason poll was released Wednesday, July 23, at the conference's 2014 football media day held at Ford Field.
   The Eagles received 24 votes in the annual poll with Toledo selected first in the West Division with 114 points followed by Northern Illinois (110), Ball State (82), Central Michigan (67), Western Michigan (44) and EMU.

EMU ANNOUNCES 2014 TEAM CAPTAINS: Eastern Michigan University's football team has announced its team captains for the 2014 campaign. Providing leadership for the squad will be seniors Pudge Cotton and Lincoln Hansen along with junior Pat O'Connor. The captain trio was decided by a team vote during the 2014 spring season.

PROGRAM GOALS: Head Coach Chris Creighton is building the foundation of the program around five program goals: education first, be your best, family, have fun and become impact men.

EMU HOSTS VICTORY DAY: The Eastern Michigan University football team hosted cognitively and physically impaired children for EMU Victory Day, an exciting event of football related activities at Rynearson Stadium, June 27. Student-athletes as well as the coaching staff took part in the event, putting smiles on the faces of kids throughout the local community.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Allen

Campbell Allison

Rob Bolden

Ryan Brumfield

Pudge Cotton

Willie Creear

Owen Dubiel

Jordan Erbes

David Gibson

Thomas Glick

Lincoln Hansen

Bronson Hill

Kevin Johnson

Oliver Kathalay

Travis Linser

Robert McFadden

Garrett Parker

Tyreese Russell

Gary White Jr.

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