Rocket fans sound off on the upcoming season
What do 11 consecutive wins, an 8-0 Mid-American Conference record and back-to-back MAC championship game appearances do for a fan base?
Satisfy them. Thrill them. Entertain them. You pick the word.
The University of Toledo entered last season coming off a MAC title and a bowl victory. A bouquet of returning starters created great expectations that weren’t necessarily met, as the Rockets lost to Miami in the MAC title game and Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl. But they took fans on an incredible ride from start to finish, nearly completing an undefeated regular season and spending a few weeks in the top 25.
The Blade conducted its first-ever UT football fan survey a year ago, and now we’re back for more, gathering intel on the state of the program, head coach Jason Candle, and what to expect in 2024.
The hundreds of responses were wide-ranging and (gasp!) overly positive. College football fans are notorious for their boomerang of emotions that trend toward negativity and fatalism. Toledo is not exempt, but 20 wins over the past two seasons have apparently softened them up.
Just wait for the first loss.
Below is a glimpse into the psyche of UT fans.
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HOW RESPONDENTS RATE THE STATE OF THE PROGRAM (1: POOR; 5: EXCELLENT)
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TOLEDO ROCKETS FOOTBALL DESCRIBED IN ONE WORD
Fans were mostly positive about the team’s direction, with “exciting” being the most-common description. Still, many fans though the team is inconsistent, so while fans expect a strong season from the Rockets, expectations are temepered. Here is a look at the most-frequent responses:
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WHAT DID YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE 2023 SEASON?
Most fans considered last season a success, despite a couple of tough losses to end the year. While losing the MAC Championship game was a disappointment for many fans, most thought just getting there was a big accomplishment for the Rockets.
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WHAT DID YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT THE 2023 SEASON?
Many fans labeled the team’s late-season inconsistency and loss in the MAC title game to be the season’s biggest let-downs.
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RATING THE TEAM’S RECENT OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE (1: POOR; 5: EXCELLENT)
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RATING THE TEAM’S RECENT DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE (1: POOR; 5: EXCELLENT)
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HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH TOLEDO’S RESULTS IN RECRUITING
DO YOU LIKE HOW TOLEDO HAS USED THE TRANSFER PORTAL?
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HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU IN TOLEDO’S DIRECTION IN THE CHANGING COLLEGE FOOTBALL LANDSCAPE?
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THE 2024 SEASON WILL BE CONSIDERED A SUCCESS FOR TOLEDO IF …
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WHO WILL BE TOLEDO’S TEAM MVP IN 2024?
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WHAT IS TOLEDO’S MOST-IMPORTANT GAME IN 2024?
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WHO WILL WIN IN THE MAC THIS UPCOMING SEASON?
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HOW MANY GAMES WILL TOLEDO WIN THIS YEAR?
Article by Kyle Rowland and graphics by Joe Landsberger of The Blade