FanHouse MACDaddies

Just because you've never heard of anybody in the MAC Conference, doesn't mean there isn't anybody worth watching. With the college football season beginning soon, FanHouse gives you "MAC Daddies," a look at some players you may not yet know about but should.

When starting quarterback Brian Brunner left last year's season opener against Boston College with a concussion in the second quarter, it looked like Central Michigan was destined for another 5-win season. That's when freshman Dan LeFevour stepped in and led the Chippewas to a MAC title, and a victory over Middle Tennessee in the Motor City Bowl.

While leading the Chippewas to their first conference title in eleven years, theMotor City Bowl MVP also set school records in passing yards (3,031), touchdowns (26), and total yards (3,552). The difference this season of course is that LeFevour and the Chippewas aren't going to sneak up on anybody. There's also another obstacle that the sophomore is going to have to overcome.

You see, in the MAC Conference, when a team has a great season their head coach leaves for another school. That's exactly what happened in Mount Pleasant as Brian Kelly didn't even stick around for the bowl game before taking off for Cincinnati.

It shouldn't be too hard for LeFevour to adjust to the changes, as new head coach Butch Jones' offense is very similar to the one the Chippewas ran last season. Besides, even if LeFevour runs into trouble he can always rely on his legs. LeFevour rushed for 521 yards last season to finish second on the team, and was also tied for the team lead with 7 rushing touchdowns.

If the Chippewas are going to defend their title this season, it's going to be thanks to the arm and legs of Dan LeFevour.

Just because you've never heard of anybody in the MAC Conference, doesn't mean there isn't anybody worth watching. With the college football season beginning soon, FanHouse gives you "MAC Daddies," a look at some players you may not yet know about but should.

If the Ohio Bobcats are going to make a second straight appearance in the MAC Conference championship game, it's going to be by riding on senior running back Kalvin McRae's shoulders. All the talk surrounding running backs in the MAC may have been on Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe last season, but don't think opposing defenses aren't fully aware of who McRae is.

If it wasn't for Kalvin McRae, the Bobcats would not have played in their first bowl since 1968, and he'll be looking to get them back to another one this season.

Last season McRae became the first Ohio running back to post back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons in thirty years, finishing up with 1,252 yards rushing, and a school record 15 touchdowns. As he enters his senior year, McRae finds himself only 1,009 yards shy of becoming the school's all-time leading rusher, a position currently held by the legendary Steveland Hookfin. We really need more people named Steveland Hookfin in this world.

If McRae doesn't break the record, it will probably be bad news for the Bobcats. He set yet another school record with eight 100-yard games last season, and Ohio went 8-0 in those games. When he finished under the century mark, Ohio was 1-5. As if that wasn't enough, Kalvin also led the Bobcats in receiving with 29 receptions and 280 yards.

In other words, the kid is good. Very good. You may not get to see much of him on television this season, but you'll probably be seeing him on an NFL field next season.

Just because you've never heard of anybody in the MAC Conference, doesn't mean there isn't anybody worth watching. With the college football season beginning soon, FanHouse gives you "MAC Daddies," a look at some players you may not yet know about but should.

Louis Delmas is the starting free safety for the Western Michigan Broncos. Odds are you haven't heard of the junior, but offensive coordinators in the MAC sure know who he is. He's caused so much havoc in the middle of the field that they've had to form entire gameplans around Delmas.

Delmas was slowed last season by an ankle injury and only played in 11 games, but still finished with 53 tackles, 4 interceptions and 5 passes defended. In other words, if you threw the ball against the Broncos defense, when it came down, Louis Delmas was in the immediate vicinity.

The thing that has most NFL talent scouts drooling when it comes to Delmas is his amazing closing speed, and his very good instincts. At times when you're watching Delmas it seems as though he knows where the ball is going before the quarterback does. It's not something you can teach, so when you find a player with that type of ability you're extremely grateful. It's also something that NFL teams take notice of come draft day.

When the upcoming season is coming to an end, Western Michigan will probably be sitting atop the West Division yet again. They'll also be one of the conference's top defenses again, if not the best. I also have the feeling that barring a huge season from somebody else, Delmas will be taking Defensive Player of the Year honors in the MAC.

Just because you've never heard of anybody in the MAC Conference, doesn't mean there isn't anybody worth watching. With the college football season beginning soon, FanHouse gives you "MAC Daddies," a look at some players you may not yet know about but should.

When Nate Davis showed up at Ball State last year as a freshman, the last thing on his mind was taking over as starting quarterback. It's enough work for a freshman in college to go to class and learn a new playbook.

But then it happened. The Cardinals got off to a 1-3 start last season and head coach Brady Hoke decided it was time to bench senior QB Joey Lynch in favor of his untested freshman, who had seen only limited playing time in the Cardinals' first three games.

Nate still didn't know the playbook when he started his first game against Northern Illinois in DeKalb. That didn't stop him from completing 71% of his passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns.

Sure, the Cardinals still lost, but it was no fault of Davis'. He would finish the season with 1,975 yards, 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He was also 17th in in the nation in quarterback efficiency with a rating of 147.25.

Going into this season, Davis now knows that playbook by heart, so who knows what kind of amazing performances he'll turn in. When you factor in that Ball State doesn't have any running game to speak of, Davis might end up shattering Cardinals' passing records.

With a defense that finished 115th in the country last year in total defense and the lack of a running game, Ball State isn't going to win the conference this year. With a quarterback like Nate Davis, though, it's not too farfetched to think that they'll win one in the next few seasons.