It may seem odd to write a piece regarding the recent history of Eagle Quarterbacks at this point in the season. With only a game against CMU remaining and a new coach in the near future, change is coming....again. But then, that's the reason this timing makes perfect sense. The Quarterback is such a pivotal position in football but more so to small programs with a limited amount of weapons and I have been wondering why the quarterback position has been so vanilla over the past 10 years. What is Northern Illinois without Jordan Lynch? What is Ball State without Keith Wenning? My point is that in a league where defenses are primitive and schemes are simple, the Quarterback positions reigns supreme. Since 2004, EMU has fielded 5 regular quarterbacks; Matt Bohnet (2004-2005), Andy Schmitt (2006-2008), Alex Gillet (2009-2011), Tyler Benz (2012-2013) and now Brogan Roback.
An interesting thing to note here is that since 2004, EMU quarterbacks have only thrown for 2000 yards in a season 3 times. This statistic right here is why EMU has not been successful. The Eagles run an old man's game in a new age league and while it's admirable, it hasn't been effective. So is this a coaching problem? A personnel problem? The easy answer would be to say both, but is it?
An interesting thing to note here is that since 2004, EMU quarterbacks have only thrown for 2000 yards in a season 3 times. This statistic right here is why EMU has not been successful. The Eagles run an old man's game in a new age league and while it's admirable, it hasn't been effective. So is this a coaching problem? A personnel problem? The easy answer would be to say both, but is it?
The Bohnet Years (2004-2005) The year is 2004 and the first year for new head coach Jeff Genyk. It's also the first year for big bodied, Iowa transfer QB Matt Bohnet. Hailing from Grand Ledge MI, Bohnet was praised for his arm strength and had the body of an NFL QB standing 6'3" and roughly 230 lbs. Genyk had something to work with and he knew it. This was the new era of EMU football. Bohnet stormed onto the MAC football scene throwing for over 2,800 yds and 21 TDs on the way to a 4-7 record. Bohnet wasn't afraid to throw the ball, that much was apparent. Enter 2005; EMU coming off a optimistically disappointing season and Matt Bohnet prepared to take the next step into MAC stardom. He acknowledged his own talent but pondered if this team could never make the next step. This was going to be his year, the year of the QB. Bohnet led the Eagles to a 3-2 start with 7 TDs and 2 INTs. This is what Eagle Nation had been waiting for; a big name and a big player to grow the EMU brand. The success though was short lived as the Eagles would go on to lose 5 in a row and finish 4-7. During that 5 game stretch, Bohnet passed for only 5 TDs (4 of them coming in a loss to WMU). Matt Bohnet's years at EMU become lost in that he compiled a 8-14 record as a starter. Bohnet though, had done something no QB had been able to do at EMU since the 87' season. He proved that Eastern could win and could win by passing the football. The mold for the new EMU quarterback had been set and it was time to begin production on the big-bodied rocket-armed QBs that would play for EMU. Or was it?..... The Gillett Years (2009 - 2012) After Schmitt's devastating injury in 2009, the EMU QB position was in flux. Kyle McMahon, the perennial backup, had been less than impressive and there was only one other option for new HC Ron English. This was his team and he was going to mold his playdough the way he wanted. Enter; Undersized boyish looking Alex Gillett from Clyde H.S. (OH). Now it's easy to look back and say Gillett should have never been a QB. But everyone knew from the first day of spring ball that he didn't have great arm strength and very poor pocket awareness. The one thing that Gillett did have was leadership and the willingness to win. Oh and that damn kid could run! Fortunately or unfortunately, Gillett became the face of the Eagles while I attended EMU. Why? Well Gillett just happened to lead EMU to it's first 6 win season in a billion years and nearly took them to a bowl game. The problem? He couldn't throw the ball. Just to put it into perspective, nearly 45% of the times Gillett dropped back, he ran the ball. And so the mold of the quarterback had been thrown out as quickly as it had been built. Although Gillett had some bright spots in his career, his EMU legacy ended when he was benched for sophomore Tyler Benz in the 2012 season. Gillett was eventually moved to WR where he would finish the season. Gillett finished his career at EMU with just over 4,400 passing yards and 2,500 rushing yards. A great kid with a great attitude just not a good quarterback. | The Schmitt Years (2006-2009) While Bohnet was undoubtedly setting the standard for quarterbacks at Eastern Michigan, one young man Andy Schmitt was waiting. Waiting to pick up where his predecessor would leave off. Schmitt known as a pro-style QB coming out of Saint John's was being groomed to take over a program that would finally ascend to the top of the MAC under Genyk's regime. In 2006, Schmitt felt the growing pains of Division 1 College football getting happy feet in the pocket and struggling with Genyk's offensive schemes. He was young though. What could you expect from a true freshman with no running game. EMU had 1 win in 2006. Schmitt's demise as an EMU QB started at that moment. Although EMU would go on to win 4 games in 2007, Schmitt continued to struggle with the schemes only throwing for 1,600 yds on the season. Schmitt's patience in the pocket continued to dwindle as he was also the 2nd leading rusher for the Eagles. Things would have to change for Schmitt and they would have to change quick. Genyk was starting to lose patience in his prized recruit and he couldn't afford to let another year slip away under his dime. Schmitt did some soul searching that year, wondering what legacy he would leave as the QB for this team. It was starting to show that Schmitt didn't have the physical talents that Bohnet did and his time was running out to make the impression he had been hoping to make on this program. Schmitt's demise continued into the early 2008 season as EMU got off to a 1-4 start behind an abysmal passing game. After being shut out 27-0 to NIU, Genyk had a choice to make. Either he was going to have to commit to a shaken Schmitt, or he would have to move on. He opted to not only stay with Schmitt, but to exclusively run the offense through him as he had once done with Bohnet. Schmitt though, never had the tools or talent to do what Bohnet did as he needed two games each with over 75 pass attempts to get to 2,600 yds passing and more importantly, only 3 wins. Genyk, was relieved of coaching duties after 4 seasons and Schmitt never got his last shot with a season ending injury his senior year against Michigan. This is where the legend of Alex Gillett begins. The Benz Year (Mid 2012 - Mid 2013) Unfortunately, Tyler Benz was the culmination of the realization that Alex Gillett stunk as a quarterback and the fact that Benz was the best "backup option". Benz wasn't particularly great or terrible at any one thing, he just didn't have that confident quarterback feel. When Ron English got tired of Gillet's inconsistencies, he turned to Benz pleading for help. Benz, again did not fit the mold that Bohnet had built; but, it didn't really matter all that much as Ron English was in a "win now" mode and could care less about bringing in the right personnel. Benz had moderate success taking over for Gillett as he finished the season with over 1,500 pass yards through 9 starts with his big game coming against Army where he threw 369 yds and 5 TDs. Unfortunately for Benz and fortunately for fans, the best recruit in Eagle history was waiting at the helm. Enter Brogan Roback... |
The White Knight
I know... a rough recollection for Eagle fans. But, I can say that hope has arrived. Brogan Roback is the answer. Hailing from Toledo Saint John's (OH), Roback created some recruiting buzz when he chose to come to EMU to play for Ron English. He is the 1st 4-Star recruit in EMU history and will one day be hailed as the Eagle's white knight. The one who will turn this program around, the one who will again set the mold and the standard that Bohmet had set before him. He is a winner. We have gotten to see Brogan play a fair amount this year and I will say that I am extremely impressed. He hasn't boasted great numbers in his limited season but keep the faith Eagle fans, Roback is the answer and this team is moving in the right direction.
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