The two-hour practice featured a substantial portion of 11-on-11 action, giving Rocket fans their first real glimpse of the 2026 squad.

Head Coach Mike Jacobs said he was pleased with how the spring game went as well as with the overall progress of his team throughout the course of the 15 spring practices.

“There’s a lot to be encouraged by,” said Jacobs. “We’ve got miles and miles to go and things to improve on. Certainly, we have not arrived in any way, shape or form, but we’re excited about what we’ve started so far.”

Jacobs, who was announced as Toledo’s 28th head football coach in December, brings with him a decade of success as a head coach, highlighted by consecutive Southern Conference titles at Mercer over the past two seasons. He takes over a veteran core of returning players, supplemented by a transfer class that was rated best in the Mid-American Conference by 247Sports last January.

One of those veterans is junior quarterback John Alan Richter, who returns after throwing for 699 yards and seven touchdowns over the last two years.

“We’ve seen John Alan grow throughout the course of the spring, both in his knowledge of the playbook and his relationship with the wide receivers,” said Jacobs. “He’s been a tremendous leader. He’s a super consistent person, and I think that’s an unbelievable quality to have in a quarterback room. And really, that entire quarterback room — guys like Khamoni Robinson and Walter Moses — has made tremendous strides throughout the course of the spring. So I’m just really excited about all those guys.”

Jacobs said he is looking forward to a productive summer leading into Toledo’s season opener at Michigan State on Sept. 5

“The task at hand is not to fall into lulls. Can we keep that urgency to get better daily? I think these kids have it. I’m extremely encouraged by the foundation we’ve built over the last two months, including these last 15 practices,” said Jacobs.

 

Following the season opener at Michigan State, Toledo plays three consecutive home games, beginning with “The Biggest Party in Toledo” vs. Central Connecticut State on Sept. 12, followed by contests vs. Temple on Sept. 19 and San Diego State on Sept. 26. This will be the first time the Rockets have had seven home contests on their schedule since 2018 and just the third time overall.

Season tickets for the 2026 season are now available at https://utrockets.evenue.net/list/FB or call/text 419-530-GOLD (4653) or stop by the Rocket Ticket Office located in the Sullivan Athletic Complex at Savage Arena during office hours.