Late last month, football coaches and players from the Mid American Conference descended on Detroit to discuss the upcoming season at the 2010 MAC Media Day.

Here are the preseason rankings along with thoughts from head coaches on last year and what they’re looking forward to in 2010. The number in parentheses next to each team is the number of points each received from a panel of 20 voters.

MAC West

1. Northern Illinois (115)

Head Coach: Jerry Kill

2009 Record: 7-6 (5-3 MAC)

“We need to have production from the quarterback position,” Kill said. “Look at the winners of the MAC over the past few years. They have all had production from the position, and we can’t be any different if we want to win this year.”

2. Central Michigan (83)

Head Coach: Dan Enos

2009 Record: 12-2 (8-0 MAC)

“I still can’t believe it,” Enos said about becoming a head coach. “I’ll be driving to work sometimes and I’ll think to myself. “Wow am I really the head coach?” But I really think that all of my past coaching jobs have prepared me for this opportunity.”

3. Western Michigan (77)

Head Coach: Dave Cohen

2009 Record: 5-7 (4-4 MAC)

“Before 2009, we rode a bunch of guys for four years,” Cohen said. “But last year, we were forced to throw a bunch of guys in there that weren’t really ready. But, we think that with another year under their belt they’ll be able to help us out this year.”

4. Toledo (75)

Head Coach: Tim Beckman

2009 Record: 5-7 (3-5 MAC)

“We have [sophomore] Austin [Dantin] penciled in [at quarterback] right now,” Beckman said. “But no one really jumped out this spring, so it’s a five man battle going into the season.”

5. Ball State Cardinals (50)

Head Coach: Stan Parrish

2009 Record: 2-10 (2-6 MAC)

“Last year we were overrated,” said head coach Stan Parrish. “Our problem was focus, so ever since January we have been focusing on our first game of 2010. I think we know more about Southeast Missouri State than anybody else in the country.”

6. Eastern Michigan Eagles (20)

Head Coach: Ron English

2009 Record: 0-12 (0-8 MAC)

“Not enough guys were where they needed to be during the spring,” English said. “So, we still don’t really know what we have in this year’s team. We just have to wait and see what they can do.”

MAC East

1. Temple (137)

Head Coach: Al Golden

2009 Record: 9-4 (7-1 MAC)

“Since [the coaching staff] got here, we have built this program up from the very bottom,” Golden said. “So, it’s a really good feeling to go from being ranked 119th in the country to being predicted to win the MAC East.”

2. Ohio (116)

Head Coach: Frank Solich

2009 Record: 9-5 (7-1 MAC)

“The real key to the offense this year is going to be quarterback,” Solich said. “We have Boo [Jackson] coming off of surgery, but he’s won games for us in the past so it will be interesting to see what he can do.”

3. Kent State (94)

Head Coach: Doug Martin

2009 Record: 5-7 (4-4 MAC)

“Spencer [Keith] is special,” Martin said. “He can put the ball all over the field into tight windows, which is something that you can’t teach. With a year under his belt we are very confident with what he can do.”

4. Bowling Green (74)

Head Coach: Dave Clawson

2009 Record: 7-6 (6-2 MAC)

“Having two guys like that leave you is just a part of college football,” Clawson said of quarterback Tyler Sheehan and wide receiver Freddie Barnes. “That’s why we’ve signed the maximum number of players the last two years, and I believe it’s just a matter of time before they start producing for us.”

5. Miami (OH) (53)

Head Coach: Michael Haywood

2009 Record: 1-11 (1-7 MAC)

“Year two for us is about becoming a more disciplined football team,” Haywood said. “We weren’t a very fundamental team last year, and to get to a bowl game this year we have to concentrate on the fundamentals of the game.”

6. Akron (48)

Head Coach: Rob Ianello

2009 Record: 3-9 (2-6 MAC)

“I’m excited for the opportunity,” Ianello said of his first season as a head coach. “This is a well coached league, and it’s a privilege to be here. So, to win, we have to establish this year how Akron is going to play football in the future.”

7. Buffalo (38)

Head Coach: Jeff Quinn

2009 Record: 5-7 (3-5 MAC)

“It may just be my humble opinion,” Quinn said. “But before you can get into heaven, you have to first coach in the Sugar Bowl [referencing his job as an assistant on last year’s Cincinnati team] and then be the head coach at Buffalo.”