Illinois football is going up against a talented Toledo Rockets team on Saturday.
This will not be an easy game for the Illini. Toledo has a solid offense that can run the ball well. It will be tough for the Orange and Blue to stop this Rockets team at times.
Here is what the Illinois football team will face, as these are the pregame grades of the Toledo Rockets offense
- Quarterback – Passing C-, Running A-, Overall B-
Returning as the starting quarterback in 2023 is, I believe, Dequan Finn. He played in all but two games last season for Toledo.
Finn would finish the 2022 campaign throwing for 2,260 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He had a respectable 59.7% completion rate as well.
The only time Finn would play against a power-five program in 2022 was against No. 3 Ohio State. He would go 10-of-19 for 153 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Arm-wise, Finn doesn’t worry me too much. He does have the ability to throw for 300 yards, as he did that once last season, but overall, he isn’t terribly accurate and I think the Illinois defense can get to him.
The thing that worries me the most about Finn is his legs. He ran for 631 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022. This included seven carries for 70 yards and a score against the Buckeyes. If Illinois struggles against Finn at all, it will be when he scrambles.
- Running Back – Running C-, Catching D-, Overall D
Toledo returns their main starting running back from 2022, Jacquez Stuart. He ran for 770 yards and four touchdowns on 134 carries last season. He also averaged 5.7 yards per carry, which is an impressive feat.
In the lone game against a power-five opponent, Ohio State, Stuart was shut down. He had four carries or three yards. There were three times he went over 100 yards, one of which was in the bowl game against Liberty where Stuart rushed for 111 yards in the victory.
The Rockets went with a three-headed attack in 2022 as well. Returning with Stuart are Peny Boone and Micah Kelly. They rushed for 443 yards and 398 yards in 2022, respectively. These two running backs were less effective, though. Boone averaged 3.8 yards per carry while Kelly was at 3.3 yards per carry.
Toledo’s running back situation does not scare me too much. Stuart and the other running backs feasted on weak competition in the MAC. When they played a power-five opponent, the three running backs had 20 carries for 56 yards.
I am not too worried about the running backs coming out of the backfield and becoming receivers either. The three running backs combined for 32 receptions for 197 yards in 2022.
- Tight End – Overall D-
With a quarterback who doesn’t have great accuracy, it makes me less worried about what Toledo is going to produce at tight end.
The Rockets lost their top tight end from 2022, Jamal Turner. He accounted for 29 receptions for 378 yards and eight touchdowns. That is a big loss for the program.
I believe Lenny Kuhl and Anthony Torres are next in line for the job. They combined for 12 receptions for 107 yards and three touchdowns last season. It does look like Finn relies on the tight end position when in the red zone, but I don’t think that is going to happen too often on Saturday.
- Wide Receiver – Overall B-
Toledo does have a couple of big targets returning for the 2023 campaign. This group includes top 2022 wide receiver, Jerjuan Newton.
Newton is back in the fold after catching a team-high 53 receptions for 830 yards and nine touchdowns. I would imagine he would be the focus of the Illinois secondary this weekend.
Devin Maddox also returns for the Rockets. He was second on the team with 39 receptions and 548 yards. Maddox also had three touchdowns on the season.
Toledo’s two big losses at wide receiver include Demeer Blankumsee and Mikel Barkley. They combined accounted for 63 receptions for 801 yards last season. That is a lot of production for the Rockets to replace.
Someone you might want to keep an eye on as well is newcomer Jaden Dottin. He transferred in from Penn State. Dottin only played in five games for the Nittany Lions, but the sophomore was a four-star recruit.
- Offensive Line – Overall A-
I am impressed with how much talent Toledo returns on the offensive line. The only player that departed the team from the projected starting five in 2022 is left tackle, Mitchell Berg.
Toledo’s left guard, Vinny Sciury started in 14 games, center Devan Rogers started 10 games, and right guard Kendall Major started in 12 games in 2022. The Rockets’ right tackle, Nick Rosi, started in every game as well, and he was selected to the first-team All-MAC.
This is a solid unit, and they could open holes for the Toledo running game on Saturday. Getting through this group is going to be tough for a talented Illinois front six.