 We give you an early-week look-in around the MAC with selected news courtesy of our reporting partners on the MAC football beat.
 Scott Done for the Year?
The Bobcats' brutal opening month just got a little tougher.
Head coach Frank Solich said Monday that starting quarterback Theo Scott suffered a broken collarbone during Saturdayıs 26-14 loss at No. 5 Ohio State.
The injury will leave the junior sidelined "six to eight weeks" according to Solich. But counting the time it could take for Scott to get back into football shape the injury essentially ends the quarterback's season after just five quarters of football.
"It's real tough," said Solich. "Just from a personal level, seeing all the work Theo has done to make himself a better football player over the past year -- last winter, the spring, this summer and the fall -- to have it end just like that...it's just tough."
Scott had his left (non-throwing shoulder) collarbone break when he was driven into the turf at Ohio Stadium by Buckeye safety Jermale Hines.
Ohio, however, still has a dual-threat quarterback ready to take over to direct the team's new spread-look offense. Junior Boo Jackson, a junior college transfer who arrived in Athens this spring, pushed Scott throughout fall camp.
"That was part of the idea with recruiting Boo, to get another quarterback who had those same kind of physical skills to carry out what we wanted to do on offense this year," Solich said.
Jackson played the final three quarters against Ohio State, but is in a tough spot. He'll be making his first Division I-A start against Central Michigan, the two-time defending Mid-American Conference champion.
(Courtesy The Athens Messenger)
 Harnish Injured
Quarterback Chandler Harnish will see a doctor Monday afternoon to examine his injured right foot, NIU coach Jerry Kill said during Monday morning's MAC football coaches teleconference.
"We really donıt know," Kill said. "I've had 100 calls and I wish I knew the answer to that. ...He felt like he broke his foot during the game." Kill said X-rays did not show that the foot was broken but Harnish's foot swelled up this weekend.
Harnish injured his foot midway through the first quarter of NIUıs 29-26 loss at Western Michigan on Saturday night. He limped off the field and didn't play again.
Kill also commented on his quarterback situation after playing Harnish, senior Dan Nicholson and redshirt freshman DeMarcus Grady on Saturday.
"Iıve never had to play three in one game in my life and we had to," Kill said. "Itıs a tremendous positive what those kids did. I donıt know if we'll get Chandler back for a while. I really don't. Danny's shoulder is not 100 percent. It's very sore today. If Chandler can't go we'll have to play both of those kids."
(Courtesy DeKalb Daily Chronicle)
 Edelman on the Spot
Kent State head coach Doug Martin knows his best chance to win on Saturdays is with dual-threat Julian Edelman starting at quarterback.
But for Edelman to keep his job, he is going to have to prove to his coach he can hold on to the football when he takes off and scrambles. That means no more running around with one hand on the football -- a flaw in the senior quarterbackıs game the coaches have tried to convince him to fix for three years.
The Golden Flashes lost 48-28 at IowaState Saturday thanks to a series of careless blunders, including two Edelman fumbles.
Edelman is an aggressive quarterback who loves to run and take on tacklers. That nature is what makes him so difficult to defend. It has also led to his earning an "occasionally reckless" label Martin had been willing to accept.
"There is a difference between reckless and stupid," Martin said. "You can't be running around with the ball hanging out in one hand when there are five people pawing at you. You can be a mobile quarterback and not put the ball on the ground. Josh Cribbs did it for four years around here. David Garrard did it (for Martin) at East Carolina. That doesn't have to be part of the game. He understands that and he will get it fixed."
(Courtesy The Record Courier)
 Briggs Leads Nation
Bowling Green's Diyral Briggs, a 6-feet-4, 230 pound, fifth-year senior defensive end leads the nation with five sacks. He had two in the opener against Pittsburgh and three last Saturday against Minnesota. He had five all of last season when he was a first-team All-Mid-American Conference performer.
"He's been a force for us in the (first) two weeks and I'm excited to see him go against Boise; see if he can create the negative plays that he's been doing," said BG head coach Gregg Brandon. "If Iım on offense, I have to account for him."
"He's matured as a pass rusher. He's defined his skills a little bit going against our guys in practice because we do a nice job in pass protection. Our guys make him work. He puts in the time. He'll stay after and get reps against the tackles one-on-one. He'll go down and bang the sled. Those types of things to make himself better."
Fifth-year senior Jeff Fink is one of the tackles Briggs is going against in practice and both players learned from the experience.
"Briggs is a great player, a great athlete. He makes you move your feet a lot as an offensive lineman. He definitely elevates my level of play," Fink said. "We knew he had the talent and skills to perform like he is. He's playing at an exceptional level right now and his head is in the right place."
For his career Briggs has 21 1/2 sacks.
(Courtesy Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune)
The Turnover Rap-Sheet
Gregg Brandon can't give his offense many compliments following Saturday's loss to Minnesota. But he will show them a prop.
Brandon arrived to yesterdayıs weekly press conference at Bowling Green with a visual aid --- a white piece of computer paper with the message "5-0" printed in large font.
"Anyone know what this means?" Brandon asked reporters.
A smart alec would suggest that Brandon wants to file a complaint with the 5-0 --- the police --- because Minnesota repeatedly stole the ball from his team Saturday night. And that's actually pretty close.
The real message was in response to the turnover disparity in the Gophers' 42-17 romp. BG committed five, Minnesota none.
"That was the game," Brandon said. "Everything else was window dressing."
(Courtesy Toledo Blade)
 Willy's Streak Ends
Drew Willy's streak of pass attempts without an interception came to an end at 284. Willy was intercepted by Pittıs Eric Thatcher late in the first quarter, his first pick since Ball State eight games ago. It was the longest streak in the nation.
Willy rolled out of the pocket and avoided the blitz by Scott McKillop before heaving a long one down field.
"I was just trying to make a play and I made a couple of guys miss and I put it out there," Willy said. "That isnıt something I usually try to do just throw it out there but I was just trying to make a play for my team. The streak was a long one, it was a long time and now that it is over I can put it behind me."
(Courtesy Buffalo News)
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