West titans clash in Kalamazoo

Since the MAC has divided itself into divisions, two teams have
dominated the West — Toledo and Western Michigan.

The two schools have combined to win six of the seven MAC West
Division titles, something that has created a rivalry between the two.

Toledo (3-2, 2-0 MAC) will play at WMU (1-3, 0-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday
to renew this rivalry.

“Its always been a good game,” Toledo coach Tom Amstutz said. “Both
teams respect each other and its always a good tough game when we play
each other.”

Bowling Green ended the dominance of the two schools last year,
claiming the West Division crown. But, Toledo was picked as the
favorite to reclaim the title.

The Rockets stumbled in the early season, something WMU coach Gary
Darnell attributes to a psychological imbalance.

“I have seen teams psychologically break down during the course of a
game. I think that Minnesota has turned out to be one heck of a
football team and Kansas is a lot better than people thought,” Darnell
said. “I think I can speak for Toledo in saying that early,
psychologically the balance was out of whack, and we were the same way.”

Toledo has hit its stride as of late, winning its last three games,
including two against MAC opponents. During the course of the winning
streak, the Rockets have averaged 46 points a game.

Toledo has done this mostly through the air. Junior quarterback
Bruce Gradkowski has completed 71.2 percent of his passes, racking up
more than 1,400 yards.

The running back duo of Quinton Broussard and Trinity Dawson have
combined for 456 yards on the ground, providing a solid run game to
complement Gradkowski.

“You are always trying to get the plus player. If they have six on
the line then you want seven,” Darnell said. “But you can’t do that
against Toledo. If you plus a man for the run then they have those edge
plays, but if you plus for the pass then they have the run. They have
real good personnel but they do a good job schematically of not letting
you get the plus players.”

The Broncos offense also is balanced, running 138 pass plays and 138
run plays so far this season. But it has not been as prolific.

WMU averages 20.8 points a game this season, and has accumulated
less total offense than Gradkowski alone.

But Amstutz is not looking past the Broncos.

“We have a lot of serious preparation work to do,” he said. “We have
to go to their place and they’re going to give us their best
effort, so we have to try and match their intensity.”