One question for each MAC team's defense in 2024

The potential splash hires nobody talks about.

Image via Eastern Michigan Athletics

Akron

Summary: By SP+, this Akron defense has improved over each of the last two seasons. The Zips defense was ranked 128th nationally in 2021 — the final year of the Tom Arth era. Then in 2022, its rating rose to 117th in the country, 10th in the MAC. Last year, 91st nationally and 9th in the MAC.

Question: Will there be a third-year improvement?

The good news is that this defense brings back seven starters from last year including First Team All-MAC D-end CJ Nunnally, who was second in the league last year with 15.5 tackles for loss, and Third Team All-MAC linebacker Bryan McCoy, the team’s second-leading tackler last year. LB Antavious Fish, who led the way with 95 stops, is also back.

Seven starters return to the Zips’ defense in 2024, 52nd nationally in returning production percentage at 63%. Obviously giving up 28 points per game again isn’t going to be part of Akron’s plan for success, but at least the Zips – for all that it has to work through on offense – at least knows it has some heat coming back on this side of the ball.

Ball State

Summary: Jeff Knowles, the former NIU-to-Temple defensive coordinator who was last seen at Butler, gets to push the buttons for this Cardinal D. Tyler Stockton was pulled to be Boise State’s co-DC after five seasons in Muncie. (Stockton was a four-time Broyles Award nominee.)

Question: Ball State’s going to add more D-linemen before the season begins, right?

Let’s start with a quick look at Knowles’ work. As I look over some stats Butler’s defense had last year, what stands out is how active this roster gets; 16 players recorded 39 combined pass breakups (six players with three or more), 22 players recorded 59 total tackles for loss (again, 11 with three or more), and seven players created nine total fumbles. Within FCS, Butler was second nationally in red zone defense (15 for 24 on red zone scores), seventh in scoring D (17.55 points per game allowed), 28th in third down conversions allowed (34.5%), and, as a team, was +3 on the year in the turnover margin (14 gained, 11 lost). In 2017 and 2018, Knowles was the DC for one of the more lethal runs of NIU defenses. He’s proven capable of controlling a team’s defense, and Ball State’s opening made this move possible.

Thumbs up from me on the hire.

My one question with the defense is about numbers. Besides the eight listed defensive linemen, will the Cardinals be able to have more depth up front some time between now and the start of the season?

Last year, Ball State had 14 D-linemen; six guys is a lot!