Toledo Rockets quarterback Tucker Gleason (4) runs for the first down, during the first half of the 2024 GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024.

Toledo outlasts Pitt in six OTs in GameAbove Sports Bowl

Tucker Gleason threw for two touchdowns and capped a career-best 336-yard performance with a game-winning two-point conversion pass to Junior Vandeross III to propel the Toledo Rockets to a 48-46 six-overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers in the GameAbove Sports Bowl Thursday in Detroit.

Vandeross also had a career day, posting personal bests of 12 passes for 194 yards for the Rockets (8-5), who, with the win over the Panthers (7-6), beat two power conference opponents in the same season for just the second time in school history. Toledo needed to come back from a 10-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to force overtime and then had two earlier stops in the extra sessions nullified by a penalty and a replay reversal.

It appeared Toledo would have the game in hand in the first half. Gleason and Vandeross connected on a 67-yard touchdown pass to give the Rockets a 13-12 lead midway through the second quarter. Then, just 14 seconds later, cornerback Braden Awls picked off a David Lynch pass on Pitt’s first play and returned it 42 yards to extend the lead to eight points.

The loss overshadowed the debut of Pitt freshman Julian Dugger, who replaced fellow freshman David Lynch in the third quarter. The Pittsburgh native completed 7 of 13 passes for 72 yards and two scores to help the Panthers take a 30-20 early in the fourth quarter. He also ran 21 times for 88 yards and a touchdown in the first extra period but his throw for Kenny Johnson was incomplete in the sixth OT as the Rockets prevailed.

However, he also threw an interception that Darius Alexander returned 58 yards for a touchdown that cut the Panthers lead to 30-27 with 7:49 left in regulation. Dylan Cunanan tied the game with 1:45 left on a 51-yard field goal.

Desmond Reid, an all-purpose All-American, ran for a season-high 165 yards on 32 carries, also a season-high, for the Panthers, who collected 301 of their 438 yards on the ground.

The Panthers finished the season losing six straight thanks to injuries decimating the roster. That included Eli Holstein, a freshman quarterback who threw for 2,228 yards but was unable to play in the bowl due to an ankle injury he suffered at Louisville on Nov. 23. Lynch, a walk-on freshman quarterback who threw just nine passes in the regular season, got the start.

–Field Level Media

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi

Toledo, Pitt wrap season of bigger dreams in GameAbove Sports Bowl

One day after Christmas, Pittsburgh and Toledo meet in Detroit in the GameAbove Sports Bowl hoping to put a bow on a 2024 season that began with bigger wishes.

The Panthers (7-5) were No. 18 in the initial 2024 College Football Playoff rankings on Nov. 5, three days after suffering their first loss at SMU. However, that 48-25 defeat to the Mustangs was the start of a five-game skid that ran the rest of the regular season.

Injuries plagued Pitt in November. Quarterback Eli Holstein missed the Nov. 16 game against Clemson after suffering a head injury the week prior in the loss to Virginia. The freshman returned to start against Louisville on Nov. 23, but he didn’t make it out of the first quarter after injuring his left ankle. That caused him to miss the last game against Boston College.

Several offensive line injuries also affected the team during the skid, and an undisclosed ailment kept Desmond Reid, the Panthers’ second-team All-American all-purpose back, out against Boston College.

“I would imagine on the 26th we’re going to be a heck of a lot healthier than we were coming out of that BC game,” coach Pat Narduzzi said to reporters during a press conference for the bowl earlier this month. “I promise you that.”

Narduzzi hopes Holstein can play. In 10 games, the signal caller completed nearly 62 percent of his throws for 2,228 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. It could become an issue since Nate Yarnell, who threw for 1,056 yards and 10 TDs with five picks, entered the transfer portal.

David Lynch, who threw just nine passes this season, would back up, the coach said.

Reid ran for 797 yards and four touchdowns and caught 47 passes for 564 yards and four scores. He also averaged 12.3 yards on a dozen punt returns, one of which was returned for a TD. Pitt also has an All-American on defense. Linebacker Kyle Louis registered 16 tackles for loss, including seven sacks. He also picked off four passes, scoring on one.

The Rockets (7-5), who ended the season with consecutive losses, are bowl bound for the fourth straight season.

Toledo sports the best passing attack in the Mid-American Conference, averaging 246.2 yards a game. Tucker Gleason threw for 2,457 yards and has a 22-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Jerjuan Newton caught 64 passes for 949 yards and a MAC-leading 11 scores. The defense, led by safety Maxen Hook (107 tackles, two interceptions), allows an average of five yards a play. That ranks 27th in the country.

Coach Jason Candle, who is one win away from matching Gary Pinkel for the most victories in school history (73), said at the press conference the game gives the seniors one last chance to celebrate their careers, many of which will end this week, while giving underclassmen additional practices that can pay off next season.

“This is a reward for having a great year,” the ninth-year coach said. “You want to finish it off the right way, and you want to do a great job of balancing what it looks like for the future of your program. I think if this is handled the right way, it kind of sets the culture and the tempo for what your offseason starting point is in January or February.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Toledo Rockets quarterback Tucker Gleason (4) looks to pass against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Tucker Gleason tosses 3 TDs as Toledo stuns Mississippi State

Tucker Gleason completed 23 of 28 pass attempts for 285 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions to lead unbeaten Toledo to a 41-17 upset victory Saturday against Mississippi State at Starkville, Miss.

Mississippi State (2-1) was a 10-point favorite in the first meeting between the programs.

Toledo (3-0) achieved its second road victory against an SEC school. The Rockets, 2-4 against the SEC, beat Arkansas at Little Rock, Ark., in 2015.

Toledo established control in its first possession when it drove 70 yards in 12 plays, capped with Gleason’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Junior Vandeross III.

The drive took 6:13 off the clock and gave the Rockets a 7-0 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter.

After having to punt on its next possession, Toledo scored a touchdown the next three times it had the ball.

Gleason threw another touchdown pass, a 6-yard connection with Jerjuan Newton, and Connor Walendzak and Willi Shaw III each had rushing touchdowns to give Toledo a 28-3 lead with 1:09 left in the first half.

Mississippi State threatened to score at the end of the first half but came up short after coach Jeff Lebby elected to go for a touchdown rather than a field goal with the ball on the Rocket 12 with one second left.

Blake Shapen’s pass in the end zone was intercepted by Avery Smith.

Shapen, a fifth-year senior who is a transfer from Baylor, completed 28 of 39 pass attempts for 319 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Toledo increased its lead early in the third quarter after Mississippi State turned the ball over on downs at its 37.

Davon Booth was stopped for no gain by Toledo’s Lance Dixon and Cavon Butler on the fourth-and-1 attempt.

Four plays later, Gleason connected with Newton for a 15-yard score to increase the lead to 35-3 with 10:05 left in the third quarter.

Mississippi State answered on its next possession, putting together a 13-play, 72-yard drive that was capped with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Shapen to Mario Craver.

The Bulldogs cut the lead to 38-17 with 6:11 left after an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Shapen’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Coleman Jr.

–Field Level Media

Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Toledo defensive back Quinyon Mitchell (DB27) works out during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Quinyon Mitchell confident as top CB in 2024 NFL Draft

Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell overcame every doubt with emphatic answers on his path to the 2024 NFL Draft.

Critics and doubters questioned almost every area of Mitchell’s game the past 12 months but he arrives on the doorstep of the 2024 draft as the top-ranked cornerback in this class by leaving no room for naysayers along the way.

Mitchell dominated in the MAC with six interceptions and 45 pass breakups the past two seasons with the Rockets. Some wondered if he could have the same impact against Power 5 prospects. Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, who had other top-ranked draft prospects at the position turn down invitations to the annual pre-draft showcase in Mobile, was an early supporter of Mitchell and provided the stage Mitchell needed in January.

Mitchell said he went to the Senior Bowl to compete and with a point to prove.

“That I can hang with the big dawgs,” Mitchell said.

He rapidly rose from the “best non-Power 5 prospect” in the draft to perhaps the top defensive player in the draft. Mitchell is one of 13 prospects invited to sit in the draft green room in Detroit on Thursday.

Mitchell turned heads all week at the Senior Bowl and turned his attention to preparing for the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. He knew his on-field production and lockdown skills displayed at the Senior Bowl would earn high marks. If he could break 4.35 in the 40-yard dash, Mitchell was sure his case for top billing among cornerbacks would be closed.

He ran 4.33.

But to Mitchell, his wheels were never a question mark.

At 193 pounds he ran the 40 in 4.39 seconds at a school timing day last spring. Mitchell said he has been timed even faster since and has a track background.

“I didn’t come here to be mediocre. I came here to break records,” he said before running the 40 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Most major publications place Mitchell in the top 20 picks before the draft, with a few projecting him in the top 10 to the Las Vegas Raiders or Atlanta Falcons.

Those teams would likely need to be convinced Mitchell has everything it takes to be a No. 1 cornerback in the NFL.

Mitchell was GPS chip-timed at the same top speed as Miami Dolphins All-Pro Tyreek Hill — 23 miles per hour. NFL Next Gen Stats uses the same technology and tracked only three scoring plays over 22 mph in the 2023 regular season: Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (22.23, Week 13), Bengals running back Chase Brown (22.05 mph, Week 14) and Hill (22.01 mph, Week 5).

Already strong with long arms, the 6-foot frame of a No. 1 cornerback in the NFL with physical and competitive gold stars on his scouting report, Toledo coaches praised Mitchell most for his professional approach to football. He applies the attention to detail expected from other coaches — not necessarily 20-something players outside of the Power 5.

Mitchell said he considers himself a student of the game, a film addict who likes to tell opponents what’s coming based on down and distance before running the route for them. His dedication and desire to be the best are evident in the results. He studies and charts the technique and winning traits of Trent McDuffie (Chiefs) and the Eagles’ Darius Slay to make sure he has more answers to doubters at the next level.

“The ball will get you paid,” Mitchell said. “At the Senior Bowl, I learned every ball that’s thrown in the air is worth $2.5 million. I’m just trying to get that money.”

–Field Level Media

Toledo Rockets cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) breaks up a pass intended for Miami (OH) Redhawks wide receiver Gage Larvadain (10) in the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Cue CB1: Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell ‘can hang with big dawgs’

INDIANAPOLIS — Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell might run out of boxes to check before the 2024 NFL Draft arrives.

Mitchell dominated in the MAC with six interceptions and 45 pass breakups the past two seasons with the Rockets. He caught the attention of Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, who had other top-ranked draft prospects at the position turn down invitations to the annual pre-draft showcase in Mobile.

Mitchell said he went to the Senior Bowl to compete and with a point to prove.

“That I can hang with the big dawgs,” Mitchell said.

He’s rocketing up draft boards based on his dominance in practices and drills at the Senior Bowl, where Mitchell wanted to show his level of competition in college wasn’t a cap on his ability or potential as a prospect.

Mitchell, who said he watches Chiefs corner Trent McDuffie and the Eagles’ Darius Slay, brought the same mindset to Indianapolis.

“The ball will get you paid,” Mitchell said of what he learned in Mobile. “At the Senior Bowl, I learned every ball that’s thrown in the air is worth $2.5 million. I’m just trying to get that money.”

Speed testing won’t be a problem. Mitchell was GPS chip-timed at the same top speed as Miami Dolphins All-Pro Tyreek Hill, 23 miles per hour. NFL Next Gen Stats uses the same technology and tracked only three scoring plays over 22 mph in the 2023 regular season: Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (22.23, Week 13), Bengals running back Chase Brown (22.05 mph, Week 14) and Hill (22.01 mph, Week 5).

The cornerback draft board is stacked with big names, headlined by Alabama’s starting tandem of Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold. But recruiting rankings are meaningless at the moment.

Toledo played primarily off-man coverage, freeing Mitchell to let his ball-hawk ability fly.

By the middle of the 2023 season, prominent media draft analysts began surfacing Mitchell’s name as a potential second-round cornerback. As of the start of the Scouting Combine this week, The Athletic and NFL Network rated Mitchell as a top-15 pick.

At 193 pounds he ran the 40 in 4.39 seconds at a school timing day last spring. Mitchell said he has been timed even faster since and has a track background.

“I didn’t come here to be mediocre. I came here to break records,” he said Thursday.

–Field Level Media

Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Wyoming Cowboys place kicker John Hoyland (46) celebrates with offensive MVP trophy after the Wyoming Cowboys beat the Toledo Rockets in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

John Hoyland’s FG lifts Wyoming over Toledo in Arizona Bowl

John Hoyland kicked a 24-yard field goal with one second remaining to lift Wyoming to a 16-15 comeback win over Toledo in the Arizona Bowl on Saturday evening in Tucson, Ariz.

Hoyland’s kick capped a game-winning, 12-play, 87-yard drive for Wyoming (9-4). Andrew Peasley completed 20 of 25 passes for 168 yards for the Cowboys, who won their final game under coach Craig Bohl before his retirement.

Tucker Gleason completed 14 of 34 passes for 184 yards and one interception for Toledo (11-3). Jacquez Stuart led the team with 99 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Wyoming trailed 15-13 when it got the ball on its own 6-yard line with 4:11 to play. Peasley set the tone with a 26-yard completion to Ayir Asante on the first play of the drive.

A 13-yard run by Evan Svoboda put the Cowboys in the red zone at the Toledo 10-yard line with 1:05 to go. Wyoming called one more running play before setting the stage for Hoyland’s short kick.

Wyoming was first on the scoreboard with a field goal, which proved to be the only scoring play for either team in the first quarter. Hoyland made a 34-yard kick to give the Cowboys a 3-0 lead.

Hoyland struck again, this time from 52 yards, to make it 6-0 with 11:20 remaining in the first half.

Toledo pulled within 6-3 on a 33-yard field goal by Luke Pawlak on the next possession.

The Rockets grabbed a 10-6 lead on the biggest play of the game less than four minutes later. Stuart darted through the left side of the line, evaded a diving defender and outraced the rest of the Cowboys defense to the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown.

A safety by Toledo’s defense made it 12-6 with 6:31 to go in the third quarter. On third-and-7, Peasley dropped back to pass, and Esean Carter sacked him from the blind side in the end zone.

Pawlak made a 33-yard field goal to boost Toledo’s lead to 15-6 with 2:04 left in the third quarter.

Wyoming cut the deficit to 15-13 with 8:37 to go in the fourth quarter. Svoboda barreled into the end zone for a 1-yard rushing touchdown.

–Field Level Media

Toledo running back Peny Boone, second in the nation in yards per carry, powers the Rockets into the MAC title game. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Streaking Toledo optimistic MAC title means much more

Mid-American Conference
Toledo vs. Miami (Ohio)
Saturday, Noon ET
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan

Toledo hunts consecutive MAC titles and much more Saturday, where the Rockets’ 11-game win streak and coveted bowl game bids are on the line against 10-win Miami.

Beating the RedHawks for a second time in 42 days stands in the way of the Rockets reaching their stated season goals.

The Rockets (11-1) are unbeaten since dropping a 30-28 heartbreaker at Illinois – Toledo surrendered a 19-7 third-quarter lead — to start the 2023 season. They’re propelled by the No. 1 scoring offense in the MAC (35.3 points per game) and had 10 players on the All-MAC first team.

Toledo running back Peny Boone has 1,359 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, including eight 100-yard games this season.

The College Football Playoff committee listed Toledo as one of the teams in the running for a New Year’s Six bowl game entering the weekend. Hitting the bowl game jackpot would likely require other Group of 5 teams – No. 22 Tulane and No. 24 Liberty – to bust in their conference championship settings.

“We’ve done a lot of things here that no other team in the history of the school has done and we want to continue to add to that legacy,” Tulane coach Jason Candle said.

The RedHawks (10-2) led the conference in scoring defense (16.3 points per game) and feature linebacker Matt Salopek, the conference defensive player of the year.

Miami fell behind Toledo 21-3 at halftime in the first meeting between the teams this season.

The RedHawks lost fifth-year quarterback Brett Gabbert to a season-ending leg injury in the fourth quarter.

Miami shut out Toledo in the second half, forcing punts on five of eight drives, and narrowly lost the Oct. 21 matchup, 21-17.

A 10-win team for the first time since 2010, the RedHawks survived a rough road to reach Detroit. They are one of only two teams in the FBS (James Madison) with six road wins in the regular season. Injuries, and overcoming them, was a theme Miami coach Chuck Martin has embraced.

“You look back and say you beat a Power 5 second year in a row, beat Cincinnati, get the Victory Bell, you lose Brett … wasn’t easy,” Martin said. “Now you’ve got a chance to go play for a MAC championship. Not a lot to complain about.”

Miami lost to Toledo in the only meeting between the teams in the MAC championship game in 2004.

–Field Level Media

Sep 2, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA;  Toledo Rockets safety Nate Bauer (6) tries to tackle Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Casey Washington (14) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois overtakes Toledo on late field goal

Caleb Griffin kicked a game-winning 29-yard field goal with five seconds left and Luke Altmyer passed for 211 yards and two touchdowns to boost host Illinois to a season-opening 30-28 victory against Toledo on Saturday in Champaign, Ill.

A 12-play, 64-yard drive gave Illinois the victory against a Rockets team that led by as many as 12 but never trailed by more than one possession.

Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn scored on a go-ahead, 1-yard touchdown run with 2:59 remaining while passing for 230 yards and two scores.

Illinois responded, however. Altmyer, a Mississippi transfer making his first start with the program, connected with Casey Washington for a 33-yard gain on 4th and 4 to move the ball to the Rockets’ 31-yard line with just over two minutes left.

Toledo (0-1) surrendered three straight Illinois touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters. Luke Pawlak kicked a 44-yard field goal with 9:38 left to draw the Rockets within 27-22 before Finn’s scoring run, which was set up after a roughing the passer penalty on third down that extended the drive for the Rockets.

Altmyer was 18-for-26 passing for 211 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and was Illinois’ leading rusher with 69 yards on nine carries. Pat Bryant had six catches for 64 yards and two scores.

Finn was 20-for-36 passing with an interception. Junio Vandeross III had six catches for 80 yards, while Jacquez Stuart rushed 12 times for 82 yards.

Toledo outgained Illinois 215-177 in the first half en route to a 12-7 lead. The Rockets had 17 first downs, 10 more than the Illini.

Illinois drove for a touchdown on the game’s first possession, covering 75 yards in 10 plays over 5:13. A Josh McCray 1-yard scoring run punctuated the drive.

Toledo tightened up defensively after that, forcing two punts and a turnover on downs for the remainder of the first half. Meanwhile, the Rockets’ attack started to click. After punting following the first Illinois score, Toledo scored on each of its next four drives bridging the second and third quarters.

Pawlak kicked field goals of 27 and 25 yards before Finn connected with Jerjuan Newton for a 15-yard touchdown pass with four seconds remaining before halftime.

Illinois overcame 10 penalties for 100 yards.

–Field Level Media

Luke Altmyer (7), pictured last season at Ole Miss, won the starting QB job at Illinois. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois intros new QB, wary of tested Toledo

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer may seem long on seasoning, but Saturday’s season opener against visiting Toledo will mark merely his first start with the program and second overall.

“Sometimes I have to step back and look through that (lens) and remind myself that even though he presents himself as a very experienced, mature player, he’s experienced in every facet of the sense except for actually playing,” Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. said.

The Mississippi transfer’s nine career appearances and four touchdowns — three through the air — still beat the alternative as the Fighting Illini face the reigning Mid-American Conference champions.

Sixteen starters return for the Rockets, including seven all-conference players. That total includes quarterback Dequan Finn, a second-team all-MAC selection after passing for 23 touchdowns and adding 631 yards on the ground. Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, an all-MAC first-teamer a season ago, anchors a defense that helped Toledo finish 9-5 with a win over Liberty in the Boca Raton Bowl.

Illinois went 8-5 in 2022 but lost four of its last five games, including a 19-10 defeat to Mississippi State in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The defense, which finished No. 1 in opponents’ scoring in the nation, got a jolt when defensive lineman Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton decided to return for his junior season.

Several key players must be replaced behind Newton, including cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was selected No. 5 overall in this year’s draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Illinois is also without running back Chase Brown, who compiled 1,883 total yards in 2022 before being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.

A Walter Camp All-American second-team selection, Newton paced Illinois with 5.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries.

Toledo coach Jason Candle stressed the importance of making the Illini “earn whatever they get” on Saturday.

“Whether it’s Toledo playing whoever or it’s any game you would have on Saturday on TV, more games are lost than they are won, you know,” Candle said. “Teams self-inflict. They turn the ball over. They have a ton of penalties. They make costly errors in tough spots.

We’ve got to protect the ball. We’ve got to make smart plays. We’ve got to communicate great on defense and not give up easy touchdowns.”

The Saturday contest will mark the first meeting between the programs.

–Field Level Media

Nov 5, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Liberty Flames defensive tackle Dre Butler (5) and defensive end Durrell Johnson (11) tackle Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) in the second half at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Liberty won 21-19. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Liberty, Toledo look to end on high note in Boca Raton Bowl

Liberty was sailing along with an impressive season in early November but hasn’t prevailed since and lost coach Hugh Freeze to Auburn.

The Flames (8-4) will try to recapture their magic and end the season on an impressive note when they face Toledo (8-5) on Tuesday night in the Boca Raton Bowl in Florida.

Co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jason Aldridge is serving as interim coach as Liberty aims to move to 4-0 in bowl games as an FBS program.

The Flames recorded wins over Arkansas and BYU but are carrying a three-game slide into the matchup with the Rockets.

“It’s been somewhat of an emotional roller-coaster this season — some of the biggest moments in school history and then your head coach leaves, which is part of this game,” Aldridge said in a press conference on Wednesday. “So, just trying to make sure these guys enjoy this week and hopefully go get a win.”

Jamey Chadwell, most recently of Coastal Carolina, will take over the Liberty program following the bowl game.

Toledo is 3-0 all-time against the Flames with all the wins coming during Liberty’s time in the FCS ranks.

The Rockets defeated Ohio 17-7 in the Mid-American Conference title game to earn this invitation to the South Florida bowl for the second time.

The first was in 2015 when Toledo defeated Temple 32-17 in Jason Candle’s first game as coach after Matt Campbell took the Iowa State job. Candle since is 0-4 in bowl trips.

Quarterback Dequan Finn leads the Rockets’ offense and has passed for 2,127 yards, 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding 608 yards and eight scores on the ground.

Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell has five interceptions and earned multiple All-American honors. He rocketed his way onto the national radar when he tied the school record with four interceptions and set a program mark by returning two of them for touchdowns in a 52-32 road win over Northern Illinois on Oct. 8.

“He’s not a guy that says a lot but he’s a guy that shows competitive spirit each day at practice,” Candle said during a press conference earlier this week. “He’s very gifted as an athlete and he produced. He had four interceptions in one game. That’s going to get anybody’s attention. That’s like a quarterback throwing six or seven touchdown passes.”

Liberty also has a defender receiving All-American honors in defensive end Durrell Johnson, who leads the nation with 22.5 tackles for loss. Johnson has eight sacks and three forced fumbles.

–Field Level Media