MAC Players to Watch in 2015

Not sure who to look out for in the MAC this fall? Here is a handy guide of approximately 5-10 players to watch for on every MAC team:

EAST DIVISION

Akron: 

• Donnell Alexander, RB: Sat out 2014 as a transfer. 428 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Colorado State in 2013.
• Kyle Pohl/Thomas Woodson, QB: 2,995 yards passing and 14 touchdowns combined in 2014
• Rodney Coe, DL: Sat out 2014 as a transfer. 37 tackles, 5 tfl, 2 pbu for Iowa State in 2013.
• Jatavis Brown, LB: All-MAC First-Team selection in 2014 with 99 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. 229 career tackles, 21.5 tfl, 6 sacks. 
• Robert Stein, K: 13-16 field goal attempts, long of 46, and 27-27 PAT attempts in 2014.
• Isaiah Williams, OT: Started in 11 games in 2014 with 3 starts at right tackle and eight starts at left tackle.

Bowling Green:

• Matt Johnson, QB: Missed the 2014 season due to a hip injury.  
• Travis Greene, RB: 14 career 100-yard rushing games and has rushed for 2,553 career yards.  
• Jacob Bennett, Logan Dietz, Alex Huettel, Ryan Hunter, Tim McAuliffe, OL: Made all 14 starts in 2014.
• Roger Lewis, WR: 1st team All-MAC in 2014. 73 catches for 1,093 yards, and seven touchdowns.
• Ryan Burbrink, WR: 64 catches for 758 yards, three touchdowns in 2014.
• Ronnie Moore, WR: 56 catches for 690 yards in 2014.
• Taylor Royster, DT: 41 tackles and 5.5 tfl in 2014.
• James Sanford, LB: 72 tackles in 2014.

Buffalo: 

• Joe Licata, QB: 2,647 yards passing and 29 touchdowns in only 11 games in 2014. Holds the school record for touchdown passes with 60 and ranks third all time in career completions with 543 and fourth in career passing yardage with 6,516. 
• Anthone Taylor, RB: 1,403 yards rushing in 2014.
• Ron Willoughby, WR: 50 receptions for 771 yards, and nine touchdowns in 2014.
• Jarrett Franklin, LB: 49 tackles and five tackles for loss in 2014.
• Boise Ross, CB: 26 tackles and one interception in 2014.
• Okezie Alozie, LB: 49 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 tfl in 2014. 

Massachusetts:

• Tajae Sharpe, WR: 85 catches for 1,281 yards, and 7 touchdowns in 2014. 1st team All-MAC in 2014. 
• Blake Frohnapfel, QB: 3,345 yards passing and 23 touchdowns in 2014. 1st team All-MAC in 2014.
• Jovan Santos-Knox, LB: 143 tackles, 8.5 tfl, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery in 2014. 1st team All-MAC in 2014.
• Joe Colton, DB: 98 tackles, 7 tfl, 1 sack in 2014.
• Fabian Hoeller, LG: Made all 12 starts as a sophomore in 2014. 
• Kassan Messiah, LB: 69 tackles, 5.5 tfl, 3 sacks in 2014. 

Miami: 

• Jared Murphy, WR: 42 catches, 600 yards, 4 TD in 2014 
• Trevan Brown, Collin Buchanan: Started all 12 games in 2014.
• Bryson Albright, DL: 55 tkl, 8 tfl, 6 sacks in 2014.
• Joe Donlan, LB: 77 tkl, 6 tfl, 3 sacks in 2014. 
• Heath Harding, DB: 98 tkl, 3 tfl, 2 INT, 3 pbu, 5 pd, in 2014. 
• Kaleb Patterson, K: 9-13 FG, long of 52, 31-32 XP in 2014. 
• Christian Koch, P: 40.1 yards per punt in 2014. 

Ohio:

• Derrius Vick/JD Sprague, QB: The duo combined for 2,392 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. 654 yards rushing combined with 4 touchdowns in 2014.
• A.J. Ouellette, RB: 785 yards rushing with 7 touchdowns and 23 catches for 133 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2014. 
• Sebastian Smith, WR: 31 catches for 385 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2014. 
• Lucas Powell, OL: 3rd team All-MAC. One of five offensive linemen with 10+ starts in 2014.
• Tarell Basham, DL: 33 tackles, 6 tfl, 5 sacks, 2 pbu, 2 pd, 1 ff. 3rd team All-MAC in 2014. 
• Jovon Johnson, LB: 67 tackles, 10.5 tfl, 3.5 sacks, 2 INT, 6 pbu, 8 pd, 3rd team All-MAC in 2014. 
• Ian Wells, DB: 42 tackles, 4 tfl, 1 sack, 12 pbu, 12 pd, 1 fr, 1 ff in 2014. 

Kent State: 

• Colin Reardon, QB: 2,466 yards passing and 14 touchdowns with 59 carries for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2014. 
• Ernest Calhoun, WR: 33 catches, 319 yards, 1 touchdown in 2014.
• Alex Nielsen, Wayne Scott, OL: Both made 11 starts on the offensive line in 2014.
• Nate Holley, DB: 137 tkl, 4 tfl, 2 pbu, 2 pd, 1 fr, 2 ff. 1st team All-MAC in 2014. 
• Jordan Italiano, DB: 96 tkl, 3.5 tfl, 3 INT, 2 pbu, 5 pd, 1 fr, 3 ff in 2014. 
• Anthony Melchiori, P: 44.3 per punt in 2014 with a long of 71, 26 inside the 20, 15 over 50 yards. 1st team All-MAC (Punter), 2nd team in 2013. 

WEST DIVISION

Ball State:

• Jacob Richard, C: On the Rimington Trophy Fall Watch List for the top center in the nation.  
• Jordan Williams, WR: 56 catches for 753 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2014.
• Chris Shillings, WR: 28 catches for 293 yards nad 1 touchdown in 2014.
• KeVonn Mabon, WR: 59 catches for 717 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2014.
• Zack Ryan, MLB: 91 tackles, 6 tfl, 1 sack, 1 interception in 2014.
• Ben Ingle, OLB: Two year starter. 87 tackles, 2 tfl, 1 interception in 2014.
• Darnell Smith, DT: All-MAC selection in 2014. 37 tackles, 5.5 tfl, 4 sacks in 2014.

Central Michigan:

• Cooper Rush, QB: 3,157 yards passing and 27 touchdowns in 2014.  
• Nick Beamish, C: 1st team All-MAC in 2014. 38 career starts at CMU. 
• Ramadan Ahmeti, LT: 23 career starts. 
• Jesse Kroll, WR: 36 catches for 582 yards, and 4 touchdowns in 2014.
• Joe Ostman, DE: 60 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and three sacks in 2014. 
• Blake Serpa, DE: 44 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and four sacks in 2014.
• Tony Annese, S: 74 tackles, 3 interceptions in 2014.

Eastern Michigan:

• Reginald Bell Jr., QB: Rushed for 562 yards and threw for 1,297 yards in 2014.
• Dustin Creel, WR: 24 receptions for 228 yards in 2014.
• Kris Strange, WR: 179 yards receiving and two touchdowns in 2014.
• Pat O'Connor, DL: 64 tackles, 14 tfl, 7.5 sacks in 2014.  
• Great Ibe, LB: 133 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. 2nd team All-MAC in 2014.
• Anthony Zappone, LB: 90 tackles, 9 tfl, 1 sack in 2014.
• Jason Beck, DB: 86 tackles and one interception in 2014.

Northern Illinois:

• Drew Hare, QB: 2,322 yards passing and 18 touchdowns, 900 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns in 2014.
• Joel Bouagnon, RB: 655 ytards rushing and 5 touchdowns in 2014. 
• Aregero Turner, WR: 37 catches for 398 yards and two touchdowns in 2014. 
• Marlon Moore, S: 99 tackles, 3.5 tfl, 1 interception, 3 pbu, 4 pd in 2014.
• Rasheen Lemon, LB: 90 tackles, 3 tfl, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles in 2014. 3rd team All-MAC in 2014.
• Paris Logan, DB: 77 tackles, 1 tfl, 3 interceptions, 15 pbu, 18 pd in 2014. 1st team All-MAC in 2014.
• Andrew Ness, OL: 13 starts on the offensive line in 2014. 1st team All-MAC in 2014.

Toledo:

• Logan Woodside, QB: 2,263 yards passing and 19 touchdowns in 2014.
• Kareem Hunt, RB: 1,631 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns in 2014. 1st team All-MAC. 
• Corey Jones, WR: 68 catches, 842 yards, 5 touchdowns in 2014. 2nd team All-MAC. 
• Alonzo Russell, WR: 51 catches, 770 yards, 8 touchdowns in 2014. 3rd team All-MAC. 
• Trent Voss, DL: 77 tkl, 15 tfl, 4.5 sacks, 1 INT in 2014.
• Treyvon Hester, DL: 49 tkl, 8.5 tfl, 2 sacks, 1 pbu, 1 pd, 1 fr, 2 ff. 2nd team All-MAC in 2014. 
• Orion Jones, DL: 33 tkl, 10 tfl, 6 sacks. 2nd team All-MAC in 2014.
• DeJuan Rogers, DB: 67 tkl, 3.5 tfl, 1 sack, 2 pbu, 2 pd in 2014. 
• Chris Dukes, DB: 5-9, 185, Sr.: 13 games played, 13 starts. 62 tkl, 1 tfl, 1 sack, 2 INT, 10 pbu, 12 pd, 1 fr in 2014.

Western Michigan: 

• Zach Terrell, QB: 3,443 yards passing with 26 touchdowns in 2014. 2nd team All-MAC. 
• Jarvion Franklin, RB: 1,551 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns in 2014. MAC Freshman of the Year. MAC Offensive Player of the Year. 1st All-MAC. 
• Corey Davis, WR: 78 catches, 1,408 yards, 15 TD in 2014. 1st team All-MAC.
• Daniel Braverman, WR: 86 catches, 997 yards, 6 TD in 2014. 3rd team All-MAC.
• James Kristof/Willie Beavers, OL: Both had 13 starts in 2014. Kristof was 3rd team All-MAC. Beavers was 2nd team All-MAC in 2014. 
• Grant DePalma, LB: 102 tkl, 8 tfl, 2.5 sacks in 2014.
• Rontavious Atkins, DB: 64 tkl, 1 tfl, 9 pbu, 9 pd, 1 fr, 1 ff. 
• J. Schroeder, P: 42.8 yards per punt, long of 74, 20 inside the 20, 16 over 50 yards in 2014. 3rd team All-MAC.