 Some teams use two quarterbacks out of necessity. For Toledo, the two-quarterback system is a major part of its offense.
The Rockets can and will use both Austin Dantin, a 6-feet-2, 200 pound, junior, and Terrance Owens, a 6-4, 180, sophomore, at quarterback. Dantin is listed as the starter on UT’s two-deep.
That means a special challenge for Bowling Green as it hosts Toledo Saturday with kickoff at noon in Perry Stadium. It’s BG’s Homecoming.
POSITION OF STRENGTH
“They are a little bit different, but not a lot,” BG head coach Dave Clawson said about UT’s quarterbacks. “Generally both of those guys run their offense pretty well ... It’s certainly a position of strength for them.
“I am not a fan of two-quarterback systems, but it is working for them. It’s working, in part, because the personality and the dynamics of their offense don’t change with either quarterback,” Clawson continued. “They are running the same plays for the most part. They are making it work and both of those guys are playing at a pretty high level.”
Dantin is 80-of-117 passing for 895 yards with nine touchdowns and one interception this season. In the last two games, Dantin is 26-of-30 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
So far this season, Owens is 53-of-84 passing for 648 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He set the single-game UT record of passing percentage last week against Eastern Michigan, hitting on 13-of-14 (.929). Owens threw for 146 yards and two scores against Eastern.
WILDCAT SIGHTINGS
Clawson said the Rockets also make good use of the Wildcat formation with Eric Page, David Pasquale and Morgan Williams taking snaps.
In addition, third-team quarterback Dwight Macon has played in three games this season.
“You’ve got to prepare for all of it,” Clawson said.
PAGE: Je’Ron Stokes has been playing the part of junior wideout Eric Page to help BG’s defense get ready for the Toledo standout player. Stokes is a transfer from Michigan, who is sitting out this season per NCAA rules.
“Staff-wise they do a great job of ensuring he’s going to touch the football,” Clawson said about Page. “They will try to get it to him in a traditional way. They will put him in the slot and try to match him up against a linebacker or a safety and bank on the fact he is going to win that matchup.
If you try to bracket him or double him, they are going to run the speed sweep with him. Then they are going to put him in the Wildcat and run the ball with him. They will put him in the slot as the No. 3 guy and throw the bubble screen to him.
“They are going to make sure that somehow, someway, he is going to have an impact on the football game,” Clawson continued. “For us to be successful we have to do a good job of minimizing his impact ... We’ve got to rise up to the challenge and do a better job or tackling him and getting him on the ground.”
KEYS: Clawson said there are several critical areas for the Falcons on Saturday:
• Don’t lose the turnover battle;
• Make good tackles in space;
• Protect quarterback Matt Schilz
• and throw the ball successfully.
TACKLES: Last Saturday in the 45-21 loss to Western Michigan, the Broncos rolled up 351 yards on the ground, just 30 yards less than BG’s total offense in the game.
Clawson said 153 of WMU’s rushing yards came as a result of six missed tackles and another 61 occurred when BG failed to contain quarterback Alex Carder.
“Give credit to them and their running backs for making us miss and credit their quarterback for finding the holes,” Clawson said. “But those are things that are correctable and have to be corrected.
“There were tackles missed by what I think are some of our best tacklers and very best football players. These guys are learning they have to do things right; not five out of six times or nine out of 10 times, but every single time.”
FRESHMEN: Six true freshman have played for the Falcons this season.
On offense, running back Anthon Samuel and fullback Chris Pohlman, a walk-on, have seen action.
On defense, cornerback Darrell Hunter, defensive end Zach Colvin, defensive tackle Hunter Maynard and defensive back Brian Sutton, have played.
INJURIES: Defensive back Keith Morgan is back with the Falcons after sitting out the Western Michigan game with a concussion. Ted Ouellet, a defensive tackle, remains out with a shoulder problem.
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