Week 1 scouting report: Toledo football vs. Duquesne

The first game of every season brings an overwhelming sense of excitement.

Not only is football back, but everyone has hope that a championship year is in its infancy.

For the University of Toledo, the first step in returning to the Mid-American Conference championship game is upending FCS opponent Duquesne on Thursday night at the Glass Bowl. More than 20,000 fans are expected, producing a scene straight out of college football heaven in the tailgating lots. The noise in the stadium should also be at optimum levels.

The first of six home games might not be the best opponent, but the first game after a long hiatus always ups the ante.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Toledo coach Jason Candle said.

When Toledo has the ball

The first half could be the most interesting part of this game, with Toledo breaking in several new starters on offense. How will Tucker Gleason handle quarterback duties? Will the offensive line protect and open running lanes? Will Anthony Torres continue his ascent? There are plenty of questions that might only get partial answers. Conventional wisdom says the Rockets won’t have too much of a drop off.

Duquesne won the Northeast Conference championship last season and advanced to the FCS playoffs. The defense allowed more than 30 points per game, but some of that can be attributed to playing two FBS teams (West Virginia and Coastal Carolina), who scored a combined 122 points. The Dukes did have a top-30 passing defense (189.4 yards per game), but they gave up more than 4.5 yards per carry. Opponents scored 25 rushing touchdowns and converted nearly 40 percent on third down.

Defensive lineman A.J. Ackerman and linebacker Gianni Rizzo were named to the preseason All-NEC team.

When Duquesne has the ball

Head coach Jerry Schmitt is embarking on his 20th season at Duquesne and is the sixth-winningest active FCS coach (120 wins). The offense has four preseason all-conference players, led by quarterback Darius Perrantes. He was a finalist for the FCS offensive player of the year award last season after throwing for 2,324 yards and 21 touchdowns. Perrantes completed less than 50 percent of his passes and had 18 interceptions, but Perrantes led Division I with 17.74 yards per completion.

Wide receiver Tedy Afful had 455 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Second-team All-NEC tight end Noah Canty (25 receptions, 272 yards) transferred from Stonehill.

Running backs Taj Butts, a Missouri transfer, and JaMario Clements, combined for 1,026 yards and six touchdowns last season.

The most interesting matchup will be UT’s cornerbacks versus Perrantes and the Duquesne wide receivers. How will a new unit with a new coach adapt for four quarters?

Special teams

Toledo returns placekicker Luke Pawlak and punter Emilio Duran. And don’t forget that Stuart is one of the most dynamic kick returners in the country.

Duquesne kicker Brian Bruzdewicz did not make a field goal over 40 yards last season. Punter Michael Berarducci punted 52 times last season — 10 were fair caches and 12 were inside the 20. He only averaged, however, 36.1 yards per punt.

Toledo will win if…

The Rockets just need to stay poised. Chances are it won’t be a blowout from the opening kickoff on. Growing pains are part of the process. For Toledo, it’s about handling the setbacks with perspective and learning how to fix the mistakes. If Gleason and Co. play mistake-free football (or mostly mistake-free), the Rockets should roll. The defense should not be overmatched.

Duquesne will win if…

The odds are incredibly long. Yes, Duquesne is a legitimate opponent. The Dukes are receiving votes in the FCS poll and are coming off a playoff berth. But it would be one of the biggest upsets of the entire season and a disastrous loss for Toledo. Still, there is an avenue to victory for Duquesne that looks something like multiple UT turnovers, a poor offensive line, and a vulnerable secondary that gets picked apart.

View from the other side

Zac Weiss, Pittsburgh Sports Now: “ Opponents such as Toledo are certainly far from unheard of as Schmitt's Dukes have faced several D-I opponents in recent years. This included keeping up with West Virginia on the road last year until Mother Nature intervened causing a lengthy delay. Duquesne is unafraid of any opponent, though Toledo just came off a season in which it ran the table at the Glass Bowl. This is a tall test and win or lose will help the Dukes fine-tune their identity for NEC play. Toledo 38, Duquesne 10 .”