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New Penn State coach Bill O'Brien has finalized his staff with one of his most important hires.

O'Brien has tabbed Miami (Ohio) assistant Charlie Fisher to be Penn State's new quarterbacks coach. Although the team hasn't made an official announcement, O'Brien confirmed Fisher's hiring Friday to reporters.

"I've known him for a long time," O'Brien said. "[He's a] bright guy, sharp guy. He's had a lot of success and worked with some good quarterbacks. He worked with Jay Cutler at Vanderbilt and Zac Dysert last year. We're lucky to get him, and he'll start on Saturday."

Fisher spent just one season with Miami as the RedHawks' quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. Miami ranked 14th nationally in pass offense (299.1 ypg) and 29th in pass efficiency (143.7 rating) last fall. Dysert ranked 14th nationally in total offense and 32nd in pass efficiency under Fisher's watch.

Fisher was one of few FBS assistants to coach two position groups. He spent the previous nine season at Vanderbilt, coaching wide receivers and running backs, and serving as the team's passing game coordinator. He also has served as Temple's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

O'Brien hired most of his staff weeks ago, and there were reports he would bring New England Patriots assistant George Godsey with him to State College to coach Penn State's quarterbacks. But Godsey is staying with the Pats.

Fisher has a major task ahead of him as he'll work with a quarterback group that has underperformed the past two seasons. Both Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden boast starting experience but need to upgrade their play significantly for the 2012 season. Paul Jones, a promising player who hasn't been a factor because of academics, also is in the mix.

Penn State ranked 96th nationally in pass offense and 112th in pass efficiency this past season.

O'Brien won't have an offensive coordinator on his staff, and he'll be heavily involved with the team's offensive play calls this season. But Fisher also figures to have an important role in the team's offensive game plan, and the fact he has coordinator experience is key.

Penn State also on Friday announced Tim Bream as its new head athletic trainer for football. Bream spent the past 19 seasons in the Chicago Bears organization.

Here's Penn State's complete coaching staff for 2012:

• Bill O'Brien, head coach
• Stan Hixon, assistant head coach/wide receivers
• Ted Roof, defensive coordinator
• John Butler, secondary
• Charlie Fisher, quarterbacks
• Larry Johnson, defensive line
• Charles London, running backs
• Mac McWhorter , offensive line
• John Strollo, tight ends
• Ron Vanderlinden, linebackers

Here are the non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each conference. The independent players are chosen by a nationwide media panel.

Conference USA

Offense: Case Keenum, QB, Houston. Keenum threw for 534 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns, breaking the NCAA mark for career touchdown passes in a 73-34 win over Rice.

Defense: Milton Howell, DB, Tulsa. Howell tied school and conference records with three interceptions for 44 return yards a 38-7 win over SMU.

Special teams: Tyron Carrier, KR, Houston. Carrier tied the NCAA FBS all-time record with his seventh career kickoff return (matching Clemson’s C.J. Spiller). Carrier returned the opening kickoff 100 yards.

Independent

Offense: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. Floyed had six receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown in Notre Dame’s 56-14 home win over Navy. Floyd and his first career rushing touchdown in a win over Navy.

Defense: Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame. Te'o had a game-high 13 tackles including 2 1/2 tackles for loss.

Special teams: J.D. Falslev, KR, BYU. With the Cougars trailing 35-13 late in the third quarter, Falslev returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown --BYU’s first punt return for a touchdown since Nov. 9, 2006, a span of 64 games.

MAC

East Division

Offense: Zac Dysert, QB, Miami. Dysert went 20-for-25 for 313 yards and a record-tying five touchdowns in a 41-13 victory over Buffalo. Dysert now has 7,166 career passing yards, ranking second behind only Ben Roethlisberger (10,829).

Defense: Luke Batton, LB, Kent State. Had 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry in a win over Bowling Green.

Special Teams: Freddy Cortez, K, Kent State. Went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts against Bowling Green.

West Division

Offense: Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan. White became the school's career receptions leader in a 45-35 win over Ball State with nine catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns. White holds the record with 261 career receptions and is over 1,000 yards for the season.

Defense: Johnnie Simon, Western Michigan. Had 10 tackles, a pass break up, two hurries and his second career interception in a 45-35 win over Ball State.

Special Teams: David Harman, K, Central Michigan. Kicked a career-high three field goals and accounted for nearly half of Central Michigan's points in a 23-22 win at Akron.

Mountain West

Co-offense: Brett Smith, QB, Wyoming. Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State. Smith threw for a career-best 341 yards and scored four total touchdowns in a 30-27 upset over San Diego State. Hillman had 25 times for 224 yards and two touchdowns. His 99-yard touchdown in the third quarter was the longest rush in the nation in 2011 and is also the longest in MW history. Hillman also had a 71-yard touchdown reception, finished with a career-high 305 all-purpose yards.

Co-Defense: James Dunlap, DL, UNLV. Jonathan Anderson, S, TCU. Dunlap had a career-high 4.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, seven tackles and a forced fumble in a 38-35 win over Colorado State. Anderson finished with a career-high and team-best 17 tackles and recorded his first career interception in a 38-28 win over BYU.

Special teams: Deante' Purvis, KR, UNLV. Had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and posted 202 total yards on five kick returns in a 38-35 win over Colorado State.

Sun Belt

Offense: Alonzo Harris, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette. Harris ran for a career-high 189 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Middle Tennessee, and became the first Cajuns running back to post a 100-yard game since 2009.

Defense: Melvin White, DB, ULL. White had an interception, fumble recovery and seven tackles in the win over Middle Tennessee.

Special Teams: Jack Griffin, K, FIU. Griffin tied a career-best with three field goals in a 23-20 overtime win over Troy. Griffin kicked a 20-yarder that tied the score with 3:31 to go in regulation, then won the game with a 22-yarder in overtime.

WAC

Offense: Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada. Went 19-of-29 passes for 283 yards with no interceptions and rushed 13 times for 60 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-34 win at New Mexico State. Nevada trailed 27-20 at halftime before Fajardo scored two third-quarter touchdowns to give the Wolf Pack the lead for good.

Defense: Aaron Brown, LB, Hawaii. Had a team-high nine tackles (five solo), including 1.5 for a loss, and an interception in a 16-14 win over Idaho.

Special teams: Kenton Chun, K, Hawaii. Kicked a game-winning 35-yard field goal with 32 seconds remaining in a victory at Idaho. Chun also made a 27-yard field goal. Entering the game, he had one career field goal attempt, making a 38-yarder in the season opener against Colorado.

Let's take a look back at the weekend that was for the non-AQs:

The good: FIU pulled off yet another big win, this one against UCF, 17-10. The Panthers are 3-0 for the first time in school history and received votes in both polls for the first time in school history. They did it without star receiver T.Y. Hilton, who hurt his hamstring. But coach Mario Cristobal says his star player should be fine. ... Trent Steelman had a terrific game for Army, scoring three touchdowns in a 21-14 win over Northwestern. It was Army's first win over a team from a Big Ten team since 1988 -- which also was the last time it played a team from that conference. And that team was -- Northwestern. ... Ohio is 3-0 for the first time since 1976 after beating Marshall 44-7. ... Ronnie Hillman had 191 yards rushing and four touchdowns in a 42-24 win over Washington State and is now the second-leading rusher in the nation. Hillman is tied for the national lead in rushing touchdowns with eight this season.

The bad: Perhaps bad is a kind way of describing BYU's performance against Utah. The Cougars and Utes generally play a tough, close game. Twelve of the previous 14 meetings had been decided by a touchdown or less. Then came Saturday. BYU had seven turnovers -- three from quarterback Jake Heaps -- and lost 54-10 to its biggest rival. Incredibly, the score was 14-10 at halftime. But one mistake after another snowballed, and BYU faces some serious questions heading into its game against UCF on Friday night.

The upset: If you had asked for any non-AQ game considered a lock for a win Saturday, you probably would have picked Hawaii over UNLV. The Warriors came in as 20-point favorites, have a win over Colorado already this season and played Washington well. But the Rebels shocked the Warriors in one of the more stunning upsets of the day, winning 40-20. I admit it. I did a double-take when I saw the score. Hawaii had four fumbles, 6 yards rushing and converted 1-of-9 third-down opportunities in the disappointing loss. UNLV had scored 24 combined points in its first two losses of the season to Wisconsin and Washington State. But perhaps the UNLV victory should not come as a huge shock. UNLV has beaten Hawaii four of the last five times they have played in Sam Boyd Stadium.

Then there is Western Kentucky, which lost for the 17th straight time at home. Only this loss was to FCS Indiana State 44-16. It was Indiana State's first win over an FBS opponent since 2001.

The oh-so-close: Navy played with South Carolina every step of the way in its game, taking a 21-17 lead into the fourth quarter. But South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore was just too much to contain as he ran for 246 yards and three touchdowns in the 24-21 win. ... Temple was right there with Penn State as well, holding a 10-7 lead until late in the fourth quarter. But for the second straight season, the Nittany Lions squeaked out a close victory, breaking Owls' hearts again.

The comeback: The common knock on Houston is that the Cougars generally lose at least one game a season that they should not. That looked to be happening against Louisiana Tech, as Houston trailed 34-7 with 5:11 to go in the third quarter. But alas, the Cougars have Case Keenum, who engineered a furious rally. Houston scored the final 28 points of the game to cap the biggest comeback in school history and win 35-34. Keenum began the rally with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Edwards, and he ended it with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Edwards with 1:36 remaining in the game. Keenum has now engineered three of the top four biggest comebacks in Houston history. In addition to this one, he rallied Houston from 19 points down against UTEP in a 42-37 win in 2008; and from 17 points down against UAB in a 45-20 win, also in 2008.

The heartbreak: Bowling Green had a furious late fourth quarter rally, overcoming a 28-14 deficit when Matt Schilz threw touchdown passes on two straight drives. But Wyoming blocked the game-tying extra point with 3 seconds left to hold on and win 28-27. Wyoming is 3-0 for the first time since 1996. ... San Jose State was 15 yards away from pulling off one of its biggest wins in years. The Spartans trailed Nevada 17-7 in the fourth quarter before Matt Faulkner delivered one touchdown drive and had his team marching down the field for another. But his pass in the end zone was intercepted by Duke Williams with 1:10 left and the Wolf Pack survived 17-14. The road is much tougher for Nevada next, with games at Texas Tech and at Boise State. ... Miami (Ohio) knows the feeling. Zac Dysert had a pass broken up in the end zone as time expired, and the RedHawks lost to Minnesota 29-23.

Milestone watch: TCU coach Gary Patterson earned his 100th career victory as the Horned Frogs’ head coach in a 38-17 win over ULM Patterson is 100-29 in 11 seasons, and needs 10 more wins to surpass Dutch Meyer (109-79-13, 1934-52) as TCU’s all-time winningest coach. Meyer coached TCU to its 1935 and 1938 national championships. Patterson is one of nine active head coaches to have 100 wins at their current school.

Helmet stickers

Ryan Griffin, QB, Tulane. Went 22-of-26 for 281 yards and tied a career high with three touchdown passes in a 49-10 win over UAB.

Logan Harrell, DT, Fresno State. Recorded a career-high 11 tackles and tied his career high with 4.5 tackles for a loss in a 27-22 win over North Dakota.

Kellen Moore, Boise State. Completed 32 of 42 passes for 455 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Toledo. The 32 completions is a single-game career high for Moore, while the five touchdowns tied his career high. The five passing TDs also tied the MWC single-game record for most by a senior. The 42 pass attempts were second most in his career, as were his 455 yards.

Trent Steelman, QB, Army. Ran the ball 28 times for 108 yards and three touchdowns in a 21-14 win over Northwestern. It was his second straight three-touchdown rushing effort.

Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan. Had 13 receptions for 177 yards and two touchdowns in Western Michigan's 44-14 win over Central Michigan. White moved into fourth place on the career receptions list at WMU with 195, is now third in career 100-yard receiving games (13) and is tied for seventh in career receiving TDs (17).

Melvin White, DB, Louisiana. Returned a blocked field goal 68 yards for a touchdown to break a tie and help the Ragin Cajuns beat Nicholls State 24-7. He also forced a fumble that led to the first score of the game.

With spring practice in the books, let's hand out some virtual hardware.

Best newcomer: BYU linebacker Uona Kaveinga sat out last season after transferring from USC and is now eligible. Judging by the spring he had, he should have an immediate impact. Coach Bronco Mendenhall cited him as a leader on his defense during the spring.

Best new quarterback: Derek Carr, younger brother of David Carr, takes over as Fresno State's starter, and already he has the complete trust and confidence of his coaches and teammates. He had a great spring, and coach Pat Hill says, "Derek is the kind of kid who can take us to this next level."

Best quarterback competition: It's hard to envy the position new Miami (Ohio) coach Don Treadwell will face this fall -- choosing between the quarterback who started the 2010 turnaround in Zac Dysert, or the quarterback who capped the turnaround in Austin Boucher. They are even. Treadwell says he would rather have two skilled choices than no choice at all.

Best transformation: TCU's Sam Carter came into school as a quarterback. But after redshirting last fall, he is now playing safety and had a good spring. Carter is just the latest to change positions at TCU. That is what Patterson does best.

Best brother tandem: The Moore brothers will once again be on the same field. Kellen the quarterback now has his brother to throw to again after Kirby redshirted in 2010. A natural chemistry exists between the two. Now we'll see how that pays off on the field.

Best spring news: Houston learning that Case Keenum would be eligible for a sixth season. Keenum got his medical hardship waiver granted and will get another chance to try to break the NCAA record for passing yards. He didn't practice this spring, but just the idea that Keenum would be back lifted the spirits of his coaches and teammates.

Miami (Ohio) pulled off one of the most surprising seasons in college football last season, going from one win to MAC champion. The RedHawks did it with two quarterbacks to boot. When Zac Dysert went out for the season with a rib injury, freshman Austin Boucher stepped in and led the team to their unexpected league title and bowl win.

Now the two are back and competing for the starting quarterback job. After the spring game this past Saturday, there is still no clear indication about who will win the job.

Dysert started the game and then alternated with Boucher. Dysert, a junior, went 15-of-20 passes for 140 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Boucher went 10-of-16 for 63 yards. New coach Don Treadwell said Monday that he is going to wait until preseason camp before deciding on a starter. But he also said he has no problem having to make that decision.

"It's a positive because I’ve been on both ends of it, when you don’t have a competitive situation at quarterback," Treadwell said on a MAC coaches conference call. "I’m excited at the fact that we have two very good quarterbacks we can win with. I’d rather have that job to sort that out. One beautiful thing about the skill positions is those guys have an opportunity to improve themselves through the summer and preseason and into camp.

"I look at that competition to continue to show itself by the time they hit the ground running in the fall. I would much rather work toward who is that guy than not having an answer."

Dysert went 222-of-343 for 2,406 yards with 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season before missing the final four games. Boucher came in and went 88-of-142 for 990 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions in the four games he started -- all victories.

The offensive system Treadwell is installing is similar to what Miami ran last season under then-coach Mike Haywood. But they only ran the basics during the spring in order to give the coaches a chance to see what they can do. They each got an equal number of reps. Now the real work of the offseason begins with a big question mark hanging over a team many expect to contend for another MAC title.

"You have two guys that are excellent leaders that want to be the leader of the football team. It’s been very positive," Treadwell said. "We wanted to give them the same opportunity because there was no first team or second team. We wanted to build from the ground up with some base concepts, see if they can handle it and move forward."

BYU quarterback Jake Heaps tells Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune the Cougars are playing for a national championship.

Jake Broyles is in the mix to start at guard for Boise State.

The UCF-Tulsa game has reportedly been moved, which is not good news for the Golden Hurricane.

Injuries are offering opportunities at UTEP this spring.

Austin Boucher and Zac Dysert are locked in a quarterback competition at Miami (Ohio).

Northern Illinois cornerbacks are covering a lot of ground.

Hi ho! Akron quarterback Clayton Moore is hoping for playing time in the fall.

Marshall is trying to get more athletic on defense.

The Gillmore brothers are causing havoc at Colorado State.

Now it’s time to look at spring quarterback competitions in the MAC. There should be plenty of intrigue here, especially at Toledo and Miami (Ohio), where starters are returning from injury but finding they are not going to be shoo-ins to get their jobs back.

Ball State

Who’s competing: Kelly Page and Keith Wenning will compete once again in the spring. They are no strangers to competing against each other -- Wenning won the starting job from Page in 2010 as a true freshman. With new coach Pete Lembo set to install his no-huddle offense, both players are going to have to audition for that job. Keep in mind, Page and Wenning are the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.

Buffalo

Who’s competing: The Bulls did plenty of quarterback shuffling last season under first-year coach Jeff Quinn, but nobody seemed to stick as the starter. So the competition is open once again headed into the spring between Jerry Davis, Alex Zordich and Alex Dennison. Davis will be a junior, while Zordich and Dennison will be sophomores. Davis started the majority of games last season, but Zordich did start a handful as a true freshmen. Neither put up stellar stats as they tried to learn the spread offense.

Kent State

Who’s competing: Spencer Keith returns, but he was wildly inconsistent last season, throwing for 2,212 yards, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But with a new coach in Darrell Hazell, nobody is guaranteed of keeping their starting job. Expect a competition with Giorgio Morgan in the spring as Hazell installs more of a traditional offense. Morgan has been a career backup.

Miami (Ohio)

Who’s competing: This is going to be a tremendous competition between Zac Dysert and Austin Boucher, two quarterbacks equally capable of leading this team. Dysert started the first 10 games of the season before injuring his ribs and sitting out the rest of the way. In came Boucher, who had only thrown 14 career passes to that point. But Boucher closed the season 4-0, with a come-from-behind win in the MAC championship game and then a win the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Middle Tennessee. Dysert threw for 2,406 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and completed 65 percent of his passes. Boucher threw for 1,120 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, and completed 64 percent of his passes. With a new head coach on Don Treadwell, both go in with clean slates and an opportunity to impress.

Ohio

Who’s out: Boo Jackson

Who’s competing: Jackson and Phil Bates Bates have been involved in quarterback competitions themselves, so being in this position is nothing new for Bates. But this is opportunity to prove once and for all why he deserves to be the starter after taking a back seat to Jackson last season. He is a senior and the most experienced quarterback on the roster. But two will push him -- Kyle Snyder and Tyler Tettleton. Snyder redshirted as a true freshman last season, and Tettleton also redshirted and will be a sophomore. Tettleton attempted 23 passes in 2009.

Temple

Who’s competing: Chester Stewart began last season as the starter before then-coach Al Golden decided on a switch and put Mike Gerardi into the starting lineup during the Bowling Green game in October. Gerardi started the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough to get the Owls into the MAC championship game. With new coach Steve Addazio taking over, both are in contention to become the starter. There is one more player in the mix -- Chris Coyer, a 6-foot-3 dual-threat, left-handed quarterback who has drawn comparisons to Tim Tebow. Addazio coached Tebow at Florida. Coyer’s bio says he worked out with Tebow in high school. Plenty of connections there for him to make a serious run at the starting job.

Toledo

Who’s competing: Another intriguing competition here between Austin Dantin, who began 2010 as the starter, and Terrance Owens, who filled in quite nicely down the stretch. Dantin injured his shoulder/collarbone at the end of October and missed the final four games of the season. Owens went 2-2 as a starter, but he ended up with a better quarterback rating than Dantin and threw 13 touchdowns to seven for Dantin.

The Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman kicks off bowl coverage today. I picked Maryland to beat East Carolina.

Now on to some links:

The East Carolina defense is out to save face.

Speed and position switches define the TCU way.

Some Boise State players are back on Twitter now that coach Chris Petersen's ban is no longer in effect.

Looking ahead to San Diego State in 2011.

Army junior linebacker Steven Erzinger can turn to his identical twin brother for advice.

Time is running out for SMU receiver Aldrick Robinson.

Rudy spoke to TCU after practice Tuesday.

Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert has been forced to watch his team's success from the sideline because of a lacerated spleen. Meanwhile, athletic director Brad Bates said nobody has been hired yet to replace Mike Haywood, despite rampant speculation that Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell had accepted the job.

How do you begin to replace a player like Colin Kaepernick?

Middle Tennessee has returned refreshed and rejuvenated as it began bowl preparations for Miami (Ohio).

Nobody pegged Miami to do much of anything this season, not after a 1-11 record in 2009 made them one of the worst teams in college football. But as the old cliché goes, that is why they play the games. From the season opener against Florida, you knew something special could happen this season. Miami challenged the Gators hard, and though the RedHawks lost 34-12, they came away with the sense that they could play with anyone. It helped that nearly the entire starting offense and defense returned, because those players had another opportunity to get better. Zac Dysert showed flashes as a freshman last season, and he put together a nice season before lacerating his spleen late and making way for redshirt freshman Austin Boucher. Armand Robinson had another good year at receiver, but Nick Harwell also emerged to give the RedHawks a powerful duo -- the two combined for over 1,700 yards and 11 touchdowns. But perhaps the biggest improvement came on defense, where Miami ranked No. 5 in the MAC. Defensive tackle Austin Brown emerged as a force, and Miami was able to put itself in position to make the MAC championship game with a win over Temple late in the season. After Ohio lost in the last regular-season game of the year, Miami went into the MAC title game as heavy underdogs but beat Northern Illinois 26-21 with 33 seconds to go. The win completed the best turnaround in the country this season as the RedHawks finished 9-4, making MAC Coach of the Year Mike Haywood one of this season's best stories.

Offensive MVP: WR Armand Robinson. Tough one here, because Dysert, Harwell and RB Thomas Merriweather all deserve recognition. Robinson had 90 catches for 981 yards -- both career highs -- along with six touchdowns en route to second-team All-MAC honors.

Defensive MVP: DT Austin Brown. A co-captain, Brown anchored the defensive line and had 10 tackles for loss and three sacks, and also was an All-MAC second-team selection. LB Evan Harris also deserves recognition for leading the team in tackles.

Turning point: 34-13 loss to Ohio on Oct. 23. Miami had the chance to get itself in the driver’s seat in the East but lost. Instead of going in the tank, the RedHawks reeled off five straight wins, including a crucial 23-3 win over Temple in the season finale that helped get them into the MAC title game.

What’s next: Miami plays Middle Tennessee in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6 and will have plenty of returning players for next season. About 45 freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores traveled to the MAC title game.

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (6-6) vs. Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (9-4)

Jan. 6, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Nation blogger Andrea Adelson’s take: Miami had the best turnaround in the country, going from 1-11 to 9-4 and MAC champions.

The RedHawks needed Ohio to lose to Kent State in its regular-season finale to get into the MAC title game and the Bobcats obliged. Mike Haywood has done an unbelievable job there, instilling discipline and making sure his players stay out of trouble off the field.

Up in the air is whether starting QB Zac Dysert will be ready for the bowl game. He has missed the last three games with a lacerated spleen. Redshirt freshman Austin Boucher has been good in his place, throwing for 333 yards in the MAC title game.

The defense has gotten better and better, and a huge key in this game is its ability to shut down the Middle Tennessee running game. That’s what Miami did to Northern Illinois in the MAC title game.

The Blue Raiders needed a win over FIU on Saturday to become bowl eligible for the second straight season. They were a popular preseason pick to win the Sun Belt, but then dynamic QB Dwight Dasher was suspended by the NCAA for the first four games of the season for improperly accepting a $1,500 loan. He wasn't the same after his return -- 6 TDs, 14 INTs, career-low 3.6 yards a carry -- although he had his best game of the season against the Panthers. Last season, Dasher had an awesome game in the New Orleans Bowl and became the fourth player in NCAA history last season to pass for more than 2,500 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards.

Middle Tennessee has had turnover problems all year, ranking last in the country in turnover margin. Miami has been one of the best.

Being one of the nation’s most improved teams is gratifying for Miami (Ohio) coach Mike Haywood. Being bowl eligible is even better.

But the RedHawks know they have to keep winning to improve their chances of making it to the postseason for the first time since 2004.

Miami (6-4, 5-1) enters its game against Akron (0-10, 0-6) tonight hoping to pad its bowl résumé and keep its MAC East hopes alive. The RedHawks are tied atop the division with Ohio, but the Bobcats hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Miami has to win out and hope Ohio loses next week to Kent State to play in the MAC championship game.

If that does not happen, a bowl berth is in sight, but nothing is guaranteed. Non-AQ teams with winning records will no longer be given preference over .500 teams from the major conferences for an at-large berth. The MAC only has three guaranteed bowl slots, and those most likely will go to Northern Illinois, Ohio and Temple.

“We have a bowl banner that sits in the end zone, and I was looking out there and I realized we hadn’t been to a bowl game since 2004. So it’s really important for our program if we want to get back to the tradition of Miami football to get back to a bowl game,” Haywood said. “But we can’t take anything for granted. We have to go out there and get a win to solidify our bowl status.”

So Haywood knows what’s at stake. Unfortunately for the RedHawks, they are going to have to do it without starting quarterback Zac Dysert, who is out four to six weeks with a lacerated spleen.

Redshirt freshman Austin Boucher, who has thrown 14 career passes, will get the start. Dysert was hurt last week in a win over Bowling Green, but Haywood initially said it was a rib injury. Either way, losing Dysert is a big blow, considering he had a good chemistry going with Armand Robinson and freshman Nick Harwell.

Still, the fact that Miami made it to this point is impressive. The RedHawks went 1-11 last season, Haywood’s first, and are tied with Maryland for biggest turnaround in the win column at plus-five.

It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this point off the field. Haywood said the top priority was to change the culture around the program, putting down strict rules for his players to follow.

“After the second week we were here on the job, I sat in my office and I told Bill Elias, my assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator, I said, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this place is as bad as it is,’” Haywood said. “We’re in the process of changing the culture of the daily lives in which these players live, the way they dress, the way they attend classes, the way they handle themselves as men, making sure they’re living a quality life and it’s starting to carry over in football. We still have a long ways to go.”

When asked to elaborate on just how bad the situation was, Haywood said, “The first day that students got back, we had our meeting to implement rules and regulations. We had nine violations on the first day. On the first weekend, several people had altercations uptown. This went on for two or three weeks. We had to lead with an iron fist.”

Haywood estimates he lost between 25 and 30 players from the team that first year. But now, he is trying to lead a little differently because his players know what to expect.

“We’re trying to loosen up the reigns a little bit to let them develop into men,” Haywood said. “I’m 46 years old, and sometimes my dad doesn’t allow me to grow up. If there was anything I could change about my father that would be it. We’re in the process of giving them more freedom.”

And getting them back to respectability.

We had one surprise in MACtion last night, as Ohio upset Temple. Can winless Akron pull another tonight over Miami (Ohio) in a nationally televised game? Miami will be without starting QB Zac Dysert, out four to six weeks with a lacerated spleen. Tempting to pick Akron ... but I will still go with Miami 17, Akron 10.

How about a Bowling Green upset over Toledo tonight? I have Toledo 33, Bowling Green 28.

Now on to some links:

Benching Utah QB Jordan Wynn now would be a bad idea, writes Brad Rock of The Deseret News.

Boise State cornerback Brandyn Thompson has excelled for the Broncos.

TCU coach Gary Patterson will head to Bristol, Conn., on Friday to make his case for the Horned Frogs on various ESPN shows.

Nevada WR Malcolm Shepherd has played a key role in the offense the past few weeks.

San Diego State is living by the big play this season.

Tulane quarterback Ryan Griffin is "very doubtful" for Saturday's game against UCF with a wrist injury.

Marshall WR Troy Evans is playing in memory of his Auntie.

Navy's senior class is ready for an emotional sendoff.

Troy is hoping to pull an upset of South Carolina this weekend.

The Bell brothers at UNLV have their mother to thank for paving their way to the football team.

Let's take a look at the good and the bad for the non-AQs in Week 11.

The good: TCU and Boise State are still in the national championship conversation, though the debate is about their credentials more than anything else. The Broncos beat Idaho 52-14, and have now baten their WAC opponents by an average score of 50-8. For those who wonder why TCU dropped in the human polls after a 40-35 win against San Diego State, the Broncos beat a Hawaii team with the same record as San Diego State 42-7 at home. … Tulsa has won four straight games and is now in the hunt for the Conference USA West title. The Golden Hurricane are tied atop the West with SMU. But since the Mustangs hold the head-to-head win, Tulsa needs to win out and hope for SMU to slip in one of its final two games. … Northern Illinois has won seven straight for the first time since 2003. … FIU is in the driver’s seat for the Sun Belt after beating Troy for the first time in school history. … BYU has won three straight, including its past two games 104-17. … FAU (4-5) has won three straight, and got its third one-point win of the season, 24-21 against Louisiana. ... North Texas has gone over 400 yards of total offense in all three games under interim head coach Mike Canales after only eclipsing that mark three times in the first seven games this season before he took over.

The bad: This has been a tough season for Wyoming. The Cowboys went to a bowl game last season for the first time since 2004, and beat Fresno State 35-28 in a double-overtime thriller. But nothing has gone right this season. Wyoming (2-9) is winless in Mountain West play, and has lost six straight, including back-to-back losses to New Mexico and UNLV. That would make the Cowboys the worst team in the league. They have won just one game against FBS competition this year, at Toledo, and close out the season Saturday against Colorado State. Wyoming ranks near the bottom of the nation in passing offense, rushing offense, points scored and points allowed, and is No. 119 in total offense and No. 105 in total defense. The team has also had to overcome the death of Ruben Narcisse, killed in a car accident in September.

The heartache: Central Michigan found itself down 38-24 with seven minutes to play against Navy, but the Chippewas never gave up, scoring with 4 seconds left to make it 38-37. Coach Dan Enos elected to go for two, because he thought his team had momentum and would have a hard time stopping Navy in overtime. But the 2-point conversion pass from Ryan Radcliff to Kito Poblah went over his head. Of their eight losses this season, five have been by a touchdown or less. “The entire team supported the decision to go for two,” Enos said. …

Arkansas State was 4-5 heading into its game against Western Kentucky, with bowl hopes on the line. The Red Wolves erased a 21-7 halftime deficit and led 28-21 with 54 seconds left. But a bad snap in punt formation gave Western Kentucky the ball deep inside Arkansas State territory. Willie McNeal caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Kawaun Jakes with no time left to send the game into overtime. Western Kentucky won it 36-35 when defensive back Derrius Brooks scored on a 2-point conversion on a reverse. Arkansas State coach Steve Roberts had no explanation for the botched snap. Arkansas State finishes up at Navy and FIU.

A few more helmet stickers: UNLV running back Tim Cornett scored four touchdowns in a win against Wyoming, making him the first Rebel to score four touchdowns in a game since 1994. … Ball State safety Sean Baker intercepted two passes and returned a fumble 26 yards for a touchdown in a 20-3 win at Buffalo. … Miami (Ohio) freshman receiver Nick Harwell had 125 yards and a touchdown in a 24-21 win against Bowling Green. He now has 43 receptions for 600 yards over the past five games, after making just two catches for 15 yards in his first five games.

A few injury items to note: Boise State suffered a big blow with the news that middle linebacker Byron Hout is out for the season with a broken foot. It’s unclear whether he will be ready for a bowl game. … Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson is doubtful for Tuesday’s game at Temple after getting injured in a bar fight a few weeks ago. Phil Bates has been hobbled by injury, but is expected to start. … Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert (ribs) is a game-time decision for Wednesday’s contest at Akron. … Buffalo quarterback Alex Zordich (ribs) is out for the season, and Jerry Davis is expected to start against Eastern Michigan.

Week 12 look ahead: A few big games coming up: MAC East Division matchup between Ohio and Temple on Tuesday night. Both teams have one loss in conference. Fresno State is at No. 4 Boise State on Friday night. No. 23 Utah is at San Diego State, while Army and Notre Dame play in the first game at Yankee Stadium.

Chomping on some Goldfish while finding your links fix:

These are the days of the BCS, featuring TCU and Boise State.

Former Boise State running back Ian Johnson has reluctantly returned to Boise after getting released by two NFL teams this season.

Idaho starting cornerback Isaac Butts has been dismissed from the team.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe opens up about the officiating controversy in the San Diego State game, which resulted in a new Mountain West rule that doesn't allow alums or school employees to work in the replay booth.

Nevada receiver Chris Wellington is out for the season with a torn ACL.

Zac Dysert and Andrew Cruse shrugged off adversity for Miami (Ohio).

Hawaii LB Corey Paredes is a natural hunter.

After a loss to Rice, what's next for Houston?

North Texas coach Todd Dodge tries to help his team focus after a 1-6 start. One more loss, and the Mean Green will have their sixth straight losing season.

Time once again to vote for your Capital One Impact Performance of the week.

Here are your nominees:

• USC quarterback Matt Barkley ties a school record with five touchdowns against California.
• Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline goes 32-of-42 for 348 yards with four touchdown passes in a win over South Carolina.
• Zac Dysert throws a 71-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Cruse with 19 seconds to go to give Miami (Ohio) a 27-20 win over Central Michigan.
• Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton tallies 329 yards and four total touchdowns in a win over Arkansas.