By Alan Gerould, Senior Columnist

We are pleased to have Ashley Bastock of The Toledo Blade for this week’s edition of Behind Enemy Lines. Ashley is learning on the fly after being called up to the “show” (Toledo and the MAC) after a stint covering Michigan and the B1G. Ashley, you are now on the BroncoBlitz hot seat.

BroncoBlitz: University of Toledo Head Coach Jason Candle went through an uncharacteristic rough stretch the second half of last season after the team was ravaged by injuries. Candle has the Rockets back hitting on all cylinders after the win over Bowling Green on Wednesday. In your brief time covering the Rockets, what are your impressions of Candle and what is it about him that has made him so successful?

Ashley Bastock: In my brief time around the program, I think a big reason for his success is that he expects it (success) and makes those expectations clear for everyone in the program. Toledo fans and alums expect a lot of this program, which has title aspirations every year. It's also a reason Candle has never had a losing record as the Toledo head coach, and why there was so much disappointment around last year's 6-6 record.

BroncoBlitz: Quarterback Eli Peters had a solid opening game performance leading the team to over 500 yards total offense including over 300 yards on the ground. The Rockets almost doubled the Falcons time of possession. The passing game was used effectively to keep BG off balance. Do you expect us to see more of the same on Wednesday? What part of the Rocket offense do you expect to play the most important role in Kalamazoo?

Ashley Bastock: I think the most important piece of Toledo's offense is the running game. Shakif Seymour and Bryant Koback really can do some damage, and are one of the best one-two punches on the ground in the MAC. Both have the ability to open things up in the pass game as they draw attention to themselves. All of that being said, I think that Peters' efficiency will also be incredibly important in a game that could have some big implications down the line.

BroncoBlitz: The Rockets defense did a good job of staying off the field, they didn’t allow any long drives and caused a bunch of Falcon take aways. So where is this defense vulnerable?

Ashley Bastock: Right now, it's hard for me to say just because this performance was so solid. It had been 15 years since the Rockets held an FBS opponent to three points in a game, and overall the energy was palpable. Creating more energy and momentum on defense has been one of their new hires, defensive coordinator Vince Kehres.. They also have some solid experience on that side of the ball. Ultimately, I would have to say I am curious how they will handle some adversity, since they didn't face much of that against Bowling Green.

BroncoBlitz: The special teams didn’t get a lot of work, except for extra points and kickoffs on Wednesday. The game coming up this week is likely to have special teams play a big role in the outcome. Tell us about a few of the standouts in this segment.

Ashley Bastock: Punter Bailey Flint is a team captain and one of the top leadership guys on the team. While he missed the final eight games of 2019 due to an injury, he averaged 47.3 yards per punt, and in each of the last two seasons has recorded eight punts of 50 or more yards.

BroncoBlitz: Due to the shortness of the season, this game has an elimination game feel to it with the loser having a difficult path to the MAC Championship. It really is difficult to judge either team based on its dominant performance over inferior opposition on Wednesday. With that all said, what do you expect the keys to the game to be? After the dust settles what will the final scoreboard read?

Ashley Bastock: One of the biggest keys for me is how Toledo does going up against the WMU offensive line. They way they opened up some big holes against Akron really stands out. Big picture, I think this is going to be a story of the running backs on both sides.