Meet the MAC's True Seniors
The final-form evolutions of former true freshmen.
(Last edited 2/27/24)
Let me make up a new phrase for you to help read through your team’s rosters. We have true freshmen, everybody knows that. We have super seniors, which was definitely more of a thing with the COVID-extended eligibilities, and we all certainly hear stories every day about transfers that move from one school to the next.
But what about true freshmen who grow up to be true seniors for their team?
True senior?
On the negative, the transfer portal is a living, breathing Boogeyman for every college coach, but who's more scared than the MAC coach who has a talented teenager that's passing up 23-year-olds on the depth charts? If you have a talented freshman, he's gotta play. And coaches know that at any point, those players can leave for anywhere in America quicker than they can design gameplans for them.
Many have split like that. Maybe not always right away (like RB Jay Ducker, 2021 MAC Freshman of the Year went straight from NIU to Memphis in 2022), and other times guys don't move at all. Let’s highlight the guys who’ve stuck with their MAC teams for as long as they have.
I've defined a true senior as a player who 1. signed with their current team out of high school, 2. played as true freshmen and continue to be on the field, 3. has zero history of wearing a redshirt, and 4. has zero transfer history either (which I suppose is a given but I feel compelled to stamp that out).
The purpose of me making this countable list was to see how many guys each team can look around their locker rooms and point to, what should be, the most recognizable faces standing. It’s spring and everybody wants to get re-acclimated with the rosters now that newcomers have signed, transfers have come or gone, and roster turnover is just much busier than it ever has been. Plus, weeding out redshirt players from these lists means there are some big names not included below even if they’ve been around for a while. Doesn’t mean Toledo WR Jerjuan Newton (redshirted after playing 4 games in 2019), Miami QB Brett Gabbert (medical redshirt), or WR Trayvon Rudolph (missed 2022 with injury) are not important to their team’s success, but they just don’t meet the criteria for being a true senior.
Still, a new definition for a phrase that I totally just made up is ironclad, and we’re left with 56 true seniors in the MAC ahead of spring practices.
Two quick notes before we get to the list:
The 2020 football season is something I had to take into consideration here. Considering nobody was in danger of losing any playing eligibility years that season, guys who were first-year freshmen that season remained true freshmen in 2021 whether they played their first season or not. As much as I want to demand that players be on the field as true freshmen to be considered for this true seniors list, I simply can’t hold not playing football in 2020 against anybody. Plus, some teams only played three games that year.
This doesn’t line up with ESPN/Bill Connelly’s returning production percentages used for SP+ rankings, but that’s also not the point. Here’s how the two dueling lists (?) stack against each other:
Miami: 74% returning production (#9 nationally) | 6 true seniors
CMU: 65% returning production (#48) | 5 true seniors
NIU: 63% returning production (#57) | 11 true seniors
WMU: 63% returning production (#61) | 2 true seniors
Akron: 53% returning production (#92) | 1 true senior
Kent State: 50% returning production (#100) | 4 true seniors
BGSU: 48% returning production (#103) | 14 true seniors
Ball State: 48% returning production (#104) | 4 true seniors
EMU: 46% returning production (#107) | 4 true seniors
Toledo: 42% returning production (#119) | 1 true senior
Buffalo: 29% returning production (#132) | 1 true senior
Ohio: 27% returning production (#133) | 2 true seniors
And the MAC’s 55 remaining true seniors:
Bowling Green: 14
DL, Dontrez Brown (43 career games played) — Brown has played in every game of his BG career dating back to 2020, including starts in all 13 games in 2023. Brown has racked up 88 total tackles (8.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks).
DL, Jordan Porter (43) — Porter has never missed a game in his BG career, and has made 49 career tackles with 7.5 TFL (6 sacks) since 2020.
DL, Anthony Hawkins (42) — Hawkins has played in every game of his BG career except for one in 2022. Hawkins, a team captain, has made 110 career tackles (13.5 TFL, 4 sacks) with 32 starts made.
OL, Billie Roberts (40) — After spending 40 games along Bowling Green’s defensive line, Roberts has switched over to the offensive side of the ball full-time (he was splitting playing time last year). He made 42 career tackles and broke up 3 passes.
TE, Levi Gazarek (39) — Gazarek’s not one of the statistically eye-popping tight ends, but he was named captain last year even though it was the fewest amount of starts he saw in a season (10 in 2021, 11 in 2022, 6 in 2023). He’s also a pitcher for BG’s baseball team.
LB, Diego Neri (38) —Most of Neri’s play has been on special teams; he made one start for BG’s defense in 2021.OLB, Charles Rosser (38) — Only two career starts, but has played in every game over the last three seasons on defense (40 career tackles)
S, Trent Simms (37) — Simms, son of former Bowling Green football player Shawn Simms and nephew of the one and only Charles Woodson, had made 20 starts in his BG career and has made 125 career tackles and four interceptions.
DL, Dierre Kelly (36) — Kelly has made 53 career tackles (7.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) in his three-year career, though no starts made.
RB, Jaison Patterson (36) — Patterson has a career 982 rushing yards on 235 carries (4 TD) for the Falcons. The Jacksonville, Fla. native has made nine starts in 36 games.
WR, Jhaylin Embry (35) — Embry has played in every game of his college career except for five misses in 2022. Last season he was the MAC’s Third Team all-conference kick returner with 12 kick returns for 249 yards and 17 punt returns for 110 yards.
CB, Deshawn Jones Jr. (35) — Jones, from Akron, Ohio, didn’t play in 2020 but has been in almost every game at BG since with 15 starts. Jones recorded a 45-yard pick six in last year’s upset win at Georgia Tech.
CB, Jalen Burton (33) — In a talented cornerbacks room, Burton has made 11 starts over the last three seasons, made one pick six in 2022, and notched 42 tackles with six pass breakups.
RB, Jamal Johnson (33) — Johnson is a talented two-way running back with 415 rushing yards and 178 receiving yards in his limited action at BG. Johnson has started five times for the Falcon offense, but only between 2021 and 2022.
TE, Adrian Wilson (32) — Wilson is making the change from D-line to tight end after 25 career tackles made (3 TFL, 2 sacks).
Northern Illinois: 11
OL, John Champe (44 career games played) — NIU’s right guard Champe played in all six of his true freshman games in 2020, and is the offense’s most-experienced player coming back to the team this year after 44 career games played.
DT, Devonte O’Malley (44) — O’Malley was an All-MAC recipient in 2022 and was named his team’s top defensive player that year as well — not bad for a former walk-on. O’Malley played all six games as a true freshman in 2020, and got his scholarship that year. With 33 career starts made, the only NIU defender with more starting experience is DE Ray Thomas.
DE, Raishein Thomas (44) — Thomas, with 41 starts made, is arguably NIU’s top D-lineman with 185 career tackles made (20.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks), 8 pass breakups and a forced fumble.
LB, Jaden Dolphin (43) — Dolphin, another former walk-on, played in all six games during 2020, and has made 16 starts since. This hybrid linebacker has made 152 stops (9 TFL, 2.5 sacks), 1 interception, 6 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.
S, Jordan Hansen (39) — Hansen played in five games as a true freshman in 2020 (4 starts) and even led NIU’s defense with two interceptions that year. The safety has made 144 career tackles and has broken up 10 passes.
DT, Cade Haberman (38) — Haberman played all 47 of his high school games, including his first one as a true freshman, at the varsity level. We can say the same about his college life: he’s never missed a game for the Huskies. He enters the year with 38 career tackles made (5 TFL, 1 sack).
CB, Jashon Prophete (37) — Prophette, with 17 career starts, led the team with 8 pass breakups in 2023.
OL, Evan Buss (36) — Buss played in six games as a true freshman in 2020, and has made 12 starts over his career. He didn’t miss any games up until his 8-game absence last season, but I’m sure he’ll be back to being the starting left tackle again next year.
CB, Javaughn Byrd (35) — Byrd, a Second Team All-MAC guy in 2023, has made 26 starts at corner and recorded 100 tackles and 14 pass breakups (w/ 3 interceptions) over his career.
RB, Antario Brown (32) — Brown was a First Team All-MAC running back last year after he had 1,296 rushing yards on 212 carries for 10 TD. He’s averaged over 6 yards per carry in every season, and will undoubtedly be an attraction for the MAC this year.
FB, Brock Lampe (30) — As a fullback, Lampe is often blocking out of the back field, but maybe more frequently used on special teams. Still, Lampe has carried the ball 13 times (52 yards) and caught the ball nine times (125 yards).
Miami: 6
RB, Kevin Davis (42 career games played) — A smaller-build running back from Jackson, Tenn., Davis emerged in three games in 2020, then started in eight games in 2021 before he went down with injury. Whenever Davis is healthy, he’s on the field, though he wasn’t the starter in 2023 like he was in 2021 and 2022. He has a career 796 rushing yards on 163 carries with 6 TD.
K, Graham Nicholson (40) — The nation’s best kicker, as evidenced by his Lou Groza award, was 96% on his field goals last year (27/28) with a long of 52, and was 35/37 on extra points. For his career, he’s 60/71 from 3-point land, and 97/104 on PATs.
P, Alec Bevelhimer (39) — The All-MAC Second Team punter was 19th nationally last year with a punt average of 45.0 yards, but maybe more importantly he served as Nicholson’s holder last season.
DB, Ambe’ Caldwell (33) — A 2020 signee, Caldwell didn’t play right away, but has made double-digits worth of game appearances every year since, including seven starts.
OL, Kolby Borders (31) — Borders is a returning two-year starting center and will only be the third-most experienced O-lineman for Miami this year (Reid Holskey 40 career starts, Will Jados 25).
TE, Nate Muersch (29) — Muersch didn’t see the field in 2020, but has played in 29 games since with two starts made. He has 17 career catches for 184 yards, and 6 TD scored.
Central Michigan: 5
CB, Donte Kent (41 career games played) — Kent is a 2x All-MAC honoree at cornerback who played in all six CMU games as a true freshman in 2020, and was an FWAA Freshman All-American in 2021. Kent’s made 182 total tackles with 2 interceptions and 39 pass breakups.
DL, Jason Williams (37) — Williams played in every game as a true freshman in 2021 and has made eight career starts.
RB, Marion Lukes (33) — Lukes, in 2022, eventually started over Lew Nichols, who was the MAC’s top offensive player in 2021. He’s rushed for 1,154 yards, received for 445, and returned 1,099 yards worth of kicks at CMU.
OL, Brayden Swartout (30) — Swartout played in five games and started once a true freshman in 2021, and has been CMU’s starting right tackle ever since, currently riding a 25-game start streak.
RB, Myles Bailey (29) — Bailey has a career 766 rushing yards on 163 carries (3 TD) with 241 receiving yards (1 TD) as well.
Ball State: 4
LB, Keionte Newson (40 career games played) — Ball State’s leading tackler from last season (81 total, 45 solo) returns for his fifth season with the Cardinals. He was a special teams contributor for five games in 2020, and now enters the 2024 season with 40 games played with 13 career starts.
LB, Brandon Berger (31) — Berger has largely been a special teams contributor for the Cardinals with 31 games played since 2021.
P, Lucas Borrow (29) — The Australian punter got in five games in 2021, and has been the full-time punter ever since. He was a Third Team All-MAC punter in 2023.
DL, Nathan Reichert (24) — Reichert didn’t play in 2020 and has shown up in 24 games during his Ball State career. He’s made eight tackles in his career.
Eastern Michigan: 4
TE, Jere Getzinger (43 career games played) — Getzinger’s 247sports recruiting page lists him as a defensive end out of Ogemaw Heights HS in West Branch, but he saw the field right away in 2020 as a tight end. Getzinger’s lone career touchdown was the game-winning catch for EMU to beat Akron in overtime last season.
DT, Peyton Price (37) — Price’s older brother Brian used to play for former EMU defensive coordinator Neal Neathery when they were linked together at UTSA. It’s been two winters since Neathery announced his retirement from EMU, but the younger Price never left because of it. With 37 games played at EMU, he’s the defense’s most experienced player (18 starts ranks second to Quentavius Scandrett’s 20) with 94 total tackles made (8 TFL, 5.5 sacks) and 3 pass breakups.
DE, Justin Jefferson (36) — Jefferson didn’t play in 2020, but has played in 36 games and started nine times last year. He has 85 career tackles (8 TFL, 3.5 sacks) with a pair of pass breakups, one fumble forced and two recovered.
S, David Carter Jr. (33) — Carter was one of the top HS defensive backs in the state of Michigan for the 2020 signing class. He made a pair of starts in 2021 and has largely been a depth piece for EMU’s secondary. His biggest career highlight? It has to be the 98-yard pick-six at Wisconsin. Carter has 61 career tackles, 9 pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
Kent State: 4
DL, C.J. West (39 career games played) — West made one tackle as a true freshman in 2020, and today he’s sitting on 110 (19.5 TFL, 7 sacks). West was a Third Team All-MAC selection in 2023.
K, Andrew Glass (38) — Glass, a Second Team All-MAC kicker last year, has done kickoffs and placekicking for Kent State since 2021. On the points side of things, Glass is 53/71 in career field goals (74.6%) with a long of 50, and is 97/98 on extra points. Last year, he was 15/17 on 3-pointers, and 16/17 on 1-pointers.
WR, Luke Floriea (35) — Floriea was one of the true freshmen who got to see the field in 2020. Even after the coaching change, he emerged as a receiving threat, and has 614 receiving yards on 56 catches for 5 TD. Floriea was a Third Team All-MAC pick last year.
S, Alex Branch (28) — Branch played in five games as a true freshman in 2021, 12 in 2022, and 11 in 2023. He’s made exactly 34 tackles in each of the last two seasons, and 3 pass breakups in each as well.
Ohio: 2
CB, Roman Parodie (38 career games played) — Parodie snuck in one game for Ohio in 2020 and has been a spot-starter for this Bobcat defense (8) with 73 career tackles, 2 interceptions, and 16 pass breakups made.
P, Jack Wilson (35) — An Aussie punter who’s been the team’s go-to leg for the last four seasons (104 punts, 39.1 average, 16 of 50+ yards).
Western Michigan: 2
RB, Zahir Abdus-Salaam (33 career games played) — Abdus-Salaam has 660 career rushing yards on 189 carries with 5 TD scored. As a returner, he has a career kick return average of 13.1 yards, and a punt return average of 6.7.
WR, Anthony Sambucci (33) — Saw the field in four games in 2020, had a small breakout year in 2022 (20 catches, 276 yards, 1 TD), then was selected to the Third Team All-MAC list after his 2023 season (21 rec., 318 yards, 5 TD).
Akron: 1
DT, Bennett Adler (34 career games played) — Adler played in 10 games for Akron as a true freshman in 2021 and every game since, including eight straight starts to finish the 2023 season.
Buffalo: 1
DT, George Wolo (44 career games played) — Wolo never missed at Buffalo, and even made four starts as a true freshman in 2020 (18 career starts). He’s made 90 tackles (14 TFL, 11.5 sacks) for the Bulls defense.
Toledo: 1
S, Maxen Hook (40 career games played) — Hook has been on the field since his true freshman year in 2020, and has been nothing short of being an immediate impact. He has been an All-MAC pick each of the last three seasons, and currently has 249 career tackles (6.5 TFL, 2 sacks) with 5 interceptions, 16 pass breakups, and one fumble forced.
