MAC Media Day is a Success for UMass
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http://w w w .umassathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072412aaa.html August 10, 2012 MAC Football Media Day A Success For UMass July 24, 2012 DETROIT - Tuesday marked the official summer kick-off of the 2012 football season as UMass head coach Charley Molnar , center Quinton Sales and free safety Darren Thellen attended MAC Media Day at Detroit's Ford Field. The trio handled a bevy of interviews from local, regional and national media as the Minutemen make their debut in the Mid-American Conference this season. The morning started at 8:30 AM with several television interviews capped by a live appearance around 9:45 AM on the ESPN3 broadcast from Ford Field. A brief break in the action allowed Sales and Thellen the opportunity to head down to field level to soak in the indoor stadium environment. Molnar fielded questions from a multitude of writers, radio personalities and bloggers at the UMass table, while the players went through several interviews for the MAC website. The day wrapped up with one final video interview for Coach Molnar before everyone departed to catch flights back to Massachusetts. Also announced at media day was the 2012 preseason poll where Ohio and Toledo were picked to win the East and West Divisions, respectfully, while the Bobcats were selected to win the 2012 Marathon MAC Football Championship. UMass was picked 7th in the MAC East Division, however, due to being in their second year of reclassification to the FBS level, the Minutemen are ineligible to play for the MAC Championship game. Below is the official release from the Mid-American Conference: The Ohio Bobcats and the Toledo Rockets have been selected to win the East and West Divisions respectfully in the 2012 Mid-American Conference Football Preseason Poll. The poll was announced at the league's annual Football Media Day at Ford Field in Detroit and was determined by members of the league's media contingent. The Bobcats also were selected to win the 2012 Marathon MAC Football Championship. In the East Division, Ohio was selected with 119 total points followed by second-place Bowling Green with 91 points. In the West Division it was a narrow margin as only eight points separated the top three spots with Toledo gathering 87 points, followed by second-place Northern Illinois with 83 points and third-place Western Michigan with 79 points. This obviously reflects on the competitive nature of the MAC. In the last four years the conference has witnessed six different programs compete in the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game and ten of the 13 football programs have appeared in a bowl game in that span. Ohio garnered all 17 first-place votes en route to a clear favorite of the poll in the East Division. The Bobcats return 49 letter winners and 15 starters from last year's 10-4 team that won the MAC East Division Title and went on to defeat Utah State, 24-23, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Ohio won its first bowl game in program history and will return starting quarterback Tyler Tettleton, who threw for 3,286 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Bobcats were followed by Bowling Green (91) and Miami (84), who were separated by only seven points for
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Transcript of MAC Media Day is a Success for UMass
http://w w w .umassathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072412aaa.html August 10, 2012
MAC Football Media Day A Success For UMass
July 24, 2012
DETROIT - Tuesday marked the official summer kick-off of the 2012 football season as UMass head coachCharley Molnar, center Quinton Sales and free safety Darren Thellen attended MAC Media Day at Detroit's FordField. The trio handled a bevy of interviews from local, regional and national media as the Minutemen make theirdebut in the Mid-American Conference this season.
The morning started at 8:30 AM with several television interviews capped by a live appearance around 9:45 AMon the ESPN3 broadcast from Ford Field. A brief break in the action allowed Sales and Thellen the opportunityto head down to field level to soak in the indoor stadium environment.
Molnar fielded questions from a multitude of writers, radio personalities and bloggers at the UMass table, whilethe players went through several interviews for the MAC website.
The day wrapped up with one final video interview for Coach Molnar before everyone departed to catch flightsback to Massachusetts.
Also announced at media day was the 2012 preseason poll where Ohio and Toledo were picked to win the Eastand West Divisions, respectfully, while the Bobcats were selected to win the 2012 Marathon MAC FootballChampionship.
UMass was picked 7th in the MAC East Division, however, due to being in their second year of reclassification tothe FBS level, the Minutemen are ineligible to play for the MAC Championship game.
Below is the official release from the Mid-American Conference:
The Ohio Bobcats and the Toledo Rockets have been selected to win the East and West Divisions respectfullyin the 2012 Mid-American Conference Football Preseason Poll. The poll was announced at the league's annualFootball Media Day at Ford Field in Detroit and was determined by members of the league's media contingent.The Bobcats also were selected to win the 2012 Marathon MAC Football Championship.
In the East Division, Ohio was selected with 119 total points followed by second-place Bowling Green with 91points. In the West Division it was a narrow margin as only eight points separated the top three spots withToledo gathering 87 points, followed by second-place Northern Illinois with 83 points and third-place WesternMichigan with 79 points.
This obviously reflects on the competitive nature of the MAC. In the last four years the conference has witnessedsix different programs compete in the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game and ten of the 13 footballprograms have appeared in a bowl game in that span.
Ohio garnered all 17 first-place votes en route to a clear favorite of the poll in the East Division. The Bobcatsreturn 49 letter winners and 15 starters from last year's 10-4 team that won the MAC East Division Title and wenton to defeat Utah State, 24-23, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Ohio won its first bowl game in program historyand will return starting quarterback Tyler Tettleton, who threw for 3,286 yards and 28 touchdowns.
The Bobcats were followed by Bowling Green (91) and Miami (84), who were separated by only seven points for
second and third respectively in the preseason ranking. Kent State was picked fourth, followed by Buffalo, Akronand UMass.
Toledo racked up seven first place votes in the West Division to propel the Rockets to first place with 87 points.Toledo welcomes back 48 letter winners and 12 starters from last year's team that went 9-4 overall, 7-1 inconference play, and defeated Air Force, 42-41, in the Military Bowl. First-year Head Coach Matt Campbellspent the last three seasons as the Rockets Offensive Coordinator and he'll return quarterback-tandem AustinDantin and Terrance Owens to lead his Rockets potent offensive attack.
Northern Illinois was picked second in the West Division and earned five first place votes and totaled 83 points.Western Michigan was selected third and also garnered four first place votes and 79 points. Ball State waspicked fourth, followed by Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.
The 2012 season kicks off on Thursday, August 30 with five games, including four non-conference games andone conference game between Ball State and Eastern Michigan.
The 2012 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game is Friday, November 30 at 7:00 pm from Ford Field inDetroit.
The complete poll follows:
Team (First Place Votes), Points MAC East Division 1. Ohio (17), 1192. Bowling Green, 913. Miami, 844. Kent State, 765. Buffalo, 526. Akron, 317. UMass, 23
MAC West Division1. Toledo (7), 872. Northern Illinois (5), 833. Western Michigan (4), 794. Ball State, 425. Eastern Michigan, 346. Central Michigan (1), 32
2012 Marathon MAC Championship Game Winner: Ohio 5; Toledo 3; Northern Illinois 1; Western Michigan 1 andCentral Michigan 1. Note: Several voters did not select a winner for the MAC Championship.
