2011 Mid-American Conference Football Season

The 2011 Mid-American Conference football season is the 66th season for the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The season began on Thursday, September 1, with four games: Bowling Green played at Idaho, Central Michigan hosted South Carolina State, Temple hosted #14 (FCS) Villanova, and Toledo hosted #10 (FCS) New Hampshire. The conference's other nine teams began their respective 2011 seasons of NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) competition on Saturday, September 3. The first in-conference game was September 10, with Temple hosting Akron.

Previous season

Preseason

Preseason poll

The 2011 MAC Preseason poll results were announced at the Football Media Preview in Detroit on July 26. In the East Division, Miami was picked as champion, while Toledo was picked to win the West Division and the MAC Championship Game.

East Division

# Miami - 97 points; 4 first-place votes
# Ohio - 96 points; 8 first-place votes
# Temple - 88 points; 4 first-place votes
# Kent State - 57 points
# Bowling Green - 48 points
# Buffalo - 37 points
# Akron - 25 points

West Division

# Toledo - 83 points; 8 first-place votes
# NIU - 81 points; 5 first-place votes
# Western Michigan - 76 points; 2 first-place votes
# Central Michigan - 55 points; 1 first-place vote
# Ball State - 27 points
# Eastern Michigan - 24 points

MAC Championship

Three votes were not cast for any team.

# Toledo - 5 votes
# NIU - 3 votes
# Miami - 3 votes
# Ohio - 1 vote
# Western Michigan - 1 vote

Head coaches

East Division
* Rob Ianello, Akron (2nd Year)
* Dave Clawson, Bowling Green (3rd Year)
* Jeff Quinn, Buffalo (2nd Year)
* Darrell Hazell, Kent State (1st Year)
* Don Treadwell, Miami (1st Year)
* Frank Solich, Ohio (7th Year)
* Steve Addazio, Temple (1st Year)

West Division
* Pete Lembo, Ball State (1st Year)
* Dan Enos, Central Michigan (2nd Year)
* Ron English, Eastern Michigan (3rd Year)
* Dave Doeren, NIU (1st Year)
* Tim Beckman, Toledo (3rd Year)
* Bill Cubit Western Michigan (7th Year)

Pre-season coaching changes

On November 21, the day after Kent State's seventh loss of the season assured them of a losing record, Doug Martin announced that he would resign at the end of the season. On December 20, Kent State athletic director Joel Nielsen introduced former Ohio State receivers coach Darrell Hazell as the new head coach for the Golden Flashes. Hazell was the first Ohio State assistant coach to leave for a head coaching job in six years; the last was Mark Snyder, who was hired by Marshall in 2004.

On November 23, three days after Ball State concluded its season with a 4–8 record, Ball State athletic director Tom Collins announced the firing of Stan Parrish, saying, "As we evaluated the on-field performance and the football program in its entirety, we decided it was time for a change in direction in the leadership of the program". On December 19, Collins announced that he had hired Pete Lembo, formerly the head coach at Elon.

On December 5, NIU head coach Jerry Kill accepted the position of head coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. His announcement came less than two weeks before the Huskies were scheduled to play in the Humanitarian Bowl. Leaving the team in the manner he did (many teammates learned about his new job via Twitter instead of from Kill himself) dealt an emotional blow to the members of the team; star quarterback Chandler Harnish saying about Kill's departure, "I have a horrible taste in my mouth". Additionally, besides the emotional impact, USA Today noted "The timing of the announcement further hurts the program due to Kill most likely taking the bulk of his staff to Minnesota." On December 9, linebackers coach Tom Matukewicz was announced as the interim head coach for the Huskies bowl game, and on December 13, the university hired Wisconsin Badgers defensive coordinator Dave Doeren as the head coach, to begin after the Humanitarian Bowl.

On December 12, ESPN reported that Al Golden was offered and accepted the head coaching job at the University of Miami. Prior to the 2010 season, provisions requiring bowls to pick teams with seven or more wins if available before picking six-win teams were eliminated from NCAA bylaws, and Temple was the first team go uninvited under the rule change, despite going 8–4 including a win over eventual Big East BCS representative Connecticut. On December 22, a rumor was quickly confirmed that Florida offensive coordinator, and former Florida interim head coach (winter of 2009-2010), Steve Addazio would be the new Temple coach.

On December 16, ESPN reported that Michael Haywood, who had been named the 2010 Mid-American Conference Football Coach of the Year days before, had accepted the head football coaching position at the University of Pittsburgh. Haywood was arrested in South Bend, Indiana on December 31, 2010, on felony domestic violence charges arising from a custody dispute, and was fired by Pittsburgh hours after being released on bond the next morning. Defensive backs coach Lance Guidry will coach Miami University in the 2011 GoDaddy.com Bowl. On December 31, 2010, Miami University hired Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell as its head coach.

2011 MAC Specialty Award Winners

Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: QB Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois

Coach of the Year: Ron English, Eastern Michigan

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois

Defensive Player of the Year: DL Drew Nowak, Western Michigan

Special Teams Player of the Year: K Matt Weller, Ohio

Freshman of the Year: RB Anthon Samuel, Bowling Green

All Conference Teams

2011 All-MAC First Team Offense

Quarterback – Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois

Center – Scott Wedige, Northern Illinois

Offensive Linemen – Mike VanDerMeulen, Toledo

Offensive Lineman – Trevor Olson, Northern Illinois

Offensive Lineman – Joe Flading, Ohio

Offensive Linemen – Pat Boyle, Temple

Tight End – Evan Rodriguez, Temple

Wide Receiver – Jordan White, Western Michigan

Wide Receiver – Eric Page, Toledo

Wide Receiver – Nick Harwell, Miami

Wide Receiver – Kamar Jorden, Bowling Green

Running Back – Bernard Pierce, Temple

Running Back – Branden Oliver, Buffalo

Placekicker – Mathew Sims, Northern Illinois

2011 All-MAC First Team Defense

Outside Linebacker – Aaron Morris, Ball State

Outside Linebacker – Khalil Mack, Buffalo

Inside Linebacker – Brian Wagner, Akron

Inside Linebacker – Dwayne Woods, Bowling Green

Down Lineman – Roosevelt Nix, Kent State

Down Lineman – Adrian Robinson, Temple

Down Lineman – Chris Jones, Bowling Green

Down Lineman – Drew Nowak, Western Michigan

Defensive Back – Jahleel Addae, Central Michigan

Defensive Back – Dayonne Nunley, Miami

Defensive Back – Desmond Marrow, Toledo

Defensive Back – Sean Baker, Ball State

Punter – Brian Schmiedebusch, Bowling Green

2011 All-MAC First Team Specialists

Kickoff Return Specialist – Eric Page, Toledo

Punt Return Specialist – Eric Page, Toledo

2011 All-MAC Second Team Offense

Quarterback – Alex Carder, Western Michigan

Center – Zac Kerin, Toledo

Offensive Lineman – Brandon Brooks, Miami

Offensive Lineman – Jordan Hansel, Ball State

Offensive Lineman – Brian Winters, Kent State

Offensive Lineman – Eric Herman, Ohio

Tight End – David Blackburn, Central Michigan

Wide Receiver – LaVon Brazill, Ohio

Wide Receiver – Briggs Orsbon, Ball State

Wide Receiver – Perez Ashford, Northern Illinois

Wide Receiver – Marcus Rivers, Buffalo

Running Back – Adonis Thomas, Toledo

Running Back – Jasmin Hopkins, Northern Illinois

Placekicker – Matt Weller, Ohio

2011 All-MAC Second Team Defense

Outside Linebacker – C.J. Malauulu, Kent State

Outside Linebacker – Tahir Whitehead, Temple

Inside Linebacker – Travis Freeman, Ball State

Inside Linebacker – Noah Keller, Ohio

Down Lineman – Sean Progar-Jackson, Northern Illinois

Down Lineman – Tremayne Scott, Ohio

Down Lineman – Nate Ollie, Ball State

Down Lineman – Brad Ohrman, Eastern Michigan

Defensive Back – Johnnie Simon, Western Michigan

Defensive Back – Josh Pleasant, Kent State

Defensive Back – Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois

Defensive Back – T. J. Carrie, Ohio

Punter – Brandon McManus, Temple

2011 All-MAC Second Team Specialists

Kickoff Return Specialist – BooBoo Gates, Bowling Green

Punt Return Specialist – Jamill Smith, Ball State

2011 All-MAC Third Team Offense

Quarterback – Tyler Tettleton, Ohio

Center – Ben Bojicic, Bowling Green

Offensive Lineman – Dann O’Neill, Western Michigan

Offensive Lineman – Wayne Tribue, Temple

Offensive Lineman – Eric Fisher, Central Michigan

Offensive Lineman – A.J. Strum, Ohio

Tight End – Garrett Hoskins, Eastern Michigan

Wide Receiver – Nathan Palmer, Northern Illinois

Wide Receiver – Titus Davis, Central Michigan

Wide Receiver – Cody Wilson, Central Michigan

Wide Receiver – Chleb Ravenell, Western Michigan

Running Back – Donte’ Harden, Ohio

Running Back – Matt Brown, Temple

Placekicker – John Potter, Western Michigan

2011 All-MAC Third Team Defense

Outside Linebacker – Justin Cudworth, Eastern Michigan

Outside Linebacker – Jerrell Wedge, Miami

Inside Linebacker – Luke Batton, Kent State

Inside Linebacker – Ryan Kennedy, Miami

Down Lineman – Austin Brown, Miami

Down Lineman – Morkeith Brown, Temple

Down Lineman – Freddie Bishop, Western Michigan

Down Lineman – T.J. Fatinikun, Toledo

Defensive Back – Latarrius Thomas, Eastern Michigan

Defensive Back – Kevin Kroboth, Temple

Defensive Back – Luke Wollet, Kent State

Defensive Back – Marlon Pollard, Eastern Michigan

Punter – Scott Kovanda, Ball State

2011 All-MAC Third Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Donte’ Harden, Ohio

Punt Return Specialist – Terrell Jackson, Buffalo

References

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