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 BOWLING GREEN, OH - Patience is a virtue for Bowling Green head coach Dave Clawson.
After a successful first season at Bowling Green in 2009, which included a berth in the Humanitarian Bowl, the Falcons hit a rough stretch in 2010, going 2-10 with four losses by three points or fewer. Clawson hopes for better things in the future as he is rebuilding the program from the ground up.
2010 RECORD: 2-10 (1-7 MAC, T-5TH IN EAST
2010 MAC MEDIA PREDICTION: 5TH
This fall the Falcons will have 19 true freshmen, 19 redshirt freshman and 20 sophomores on the roster. As many as 30 freshmen and sophomores could be on the two-deep.
OFFENSE
The Falcons enter fall camp with question marks at quarterback, running back and on the line.
Incumbent Matt Schilz, redshirt freshmen Trent Hurley and true freshman Matt Johnson are in the mix when fall camp starts.
Schilz was injured in the third game last fall. He came back and played in the final seven games, however, and was 229-of-377 passing for 2,223 yards with eight touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
At running back, redshirt sophomore Jordan Hopgood and junior John Pettigrew emerged as the top two candidates after spring activities. Redshirt sophomore Erique Geiger or redshirt freshman Jamel Martin could move into the rotation as the Falcons look to replace Willie Geter.
Clawson said the offensive line was a “track wreck” in 2010. While there are four starters returning, the group needs to improve for Bowling Green to have a chance.
Fifth-year senior Ben Bojicic returns at center, redshirt junior Chip Robinson and freshman Dominic Flewellyn are at the guard spots and Jordon Roussos returns at tackle. Clawson also likes redshirt sophomore Kyle Bryant, a 6-feet-6, 300 pound redshirt sophomore, to take over at left tackle.
Fifth-year senior Kamar Jorden, who finished with 96 receptions for 1,109 yards and four scores, returns as one of the top receivers in the conference.
Clawson wants to work in some younger players at wide receiver so there is not so much of a drop off for the 2012 season. Shaun Joplin, a redshirt sophomore with limited experience, had worked his way into the top group.
DEFENSE
The defense starts in the front, led by tackle Chris Jones (39 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and six sacks), defensive end Kevin Moore (who played his first three seasons as Kevin Alvarado) and linebacker Dwayne Woods Jr. (134 tackles in 2010).
The secondary is going to be very inexperienced, so it’s important that the defense up front plays well.
Cornerback Cameron Truss is the veteran of the secondary after making only seven starts in his college career. He burst on the scene last fall and finished with 49 tackles, including two tackles for losses, two interceptions and seven pass breakups.
Sophomore DeVon McKoy has worked his way into a starting cornerback spot. At safety, redshirt freshmen Ryland Ward, Jude Adjei-Barimah and sophomore Aaron Foster are competing for playing time.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game is a major concern.
Bryan Wright averaged 40.5 yards per punt last season, but he does not have any eligibility remaining. That leaves transfer Brian Schmiedebusch and Jerry Phillips to battle for the job.
Last fall Wright and walk-on Kyle Burkhardt combined to go 5-of-13 on field goals and 24-of-27 on PATs. Burkhardt, 1-of-4 on field goals in 2010, is in the mix again this season, along with walk-on Stephen Stein, who probably had the best spring of all the kickers, and incoming freshman Tyler Tate. The Falcons made two field goals in the 2010 season opener, but made only three more the rest of the season.
The bright spots are return men Eugene Cooper and Jerry “Boo Boo” Gates.
Cooper was a second-team all-conference selection as a punt returner in 2010. Cooper averaged 11.5-yards a return and scored on returns of 71 yards against Toledo and 63 yards against Troy. Cooper is the first Falcon in school history to have two punt return scores in a single season and his 11.5 average was fifth-best in school history.
Gates had 14 kickoff returns for 341 yards, including a 75-yard return for a TD against Kent State.
SCHEDULE
The Falcons have three winnable non-conference games and their conference opener on the road in September.
Bowling Green starts the season Sept. 1 at Idaho in a rematch of the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl. Idaho scored a late touchdown to beat Bowling Green, 43-42 in that contest.
The Falcons then host Morgan State on Sept. 10 and Wyoming on Sept. 17. Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green’s head coach from 2003-08, is Wyoming’s offensive coordinator.
Bowling Green’s final September game is the Mid-American Conference opener at Miami. Miami posted a 24-21 win over the Falcons last season as the RedHawks went from a 1-11 team in 2010 to a 10-4 club in 2011.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “In this league, teams have the ability to flip faster than most leagues – and the flip is both ways. We’ve seen more teams from this league go from low to high – and from high to low,” BG head coach Dave Clawson said.
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