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Bowling Green Falcons (2000: 2-9)
The following team preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the nation's most comprehensive look at this and all Division I-A teams, be sure to order the 2001 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.
Coach and programThings had gotten stale in the flatlands of northwest Ohio, and a change had to be made after six consecutive losing seasons. So 10-year head coach Gary Blackney was shown the door this offseason, taking two MAC championships and 60 career wins with him.Athletic director Paul Krebs had been considering a move for a couple years and went back to his Buckeye roots to hire Notre Dame receivers coach Urban Meyer to lead the Falcons. Meyer is one of the youngest coaches in Division I-A and brings experience from previous stops at Ohio State, Cincinnati and Colorado State. Instead of trying to pound the MAC with an offense that lacked enough beef up front, Meyer will try to make the Falcons competitive sooner with the spread passing offense that is now in vogue. Four-receiver sets with lots of motion, and even some empty backfields will be the rule on 90 percent of the downs. Just as Jim Grobe tried to make up for lack of size and athletes with the option offense at Ohio, Meyer thinks this spread-passing look will close the gap to the front of the MAC quicker than smash-mouth football. Meyer lists new West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez as a friend and will try to emulate his offense that worked so well at Clemson and Tulane. This is a program that needed a push, and Meyer is more than willing to give it. “Since 14 years ago when I decided to be a coach, I’ve watched the Earle Bruces, the Sonny Lubicks, the Lou Holtzes, the Bob Davies -- every step they take and move they made,” he told the Toledo Blade. “Then I’d say if I ever get in that situation, I would do this. If you are going to be successful, you have to analyze these sorts of things and this spring I’ve done that.”
OffenseIf you watched any of the Falcons’ spring scrimmages, you saw that quarterback might be this team’s most obvious strength. But it’s not necessarily the QB you might think who has stepped to the fore.Junior quarterback Andy Sahm (6-6, 220) looks like a prototype pocket passer. But that may be a poor fit for the new offense, as Sahm was a slow-moving backfield target most of 2000. Sophomore Josh Harris (6-3, 205) put on an absolute show all spring and will be the starter here if he can improve his touch in the passing game. Harris got some limited minutes last fall, playing in six games as a rusher, passer and even kick returner. He scored twice and totaled 629 all-purpose yards but was a man without a real position under the old staff. The quarterbacks made a great first impression on the new staff, but the coaches would like to see some more depth at running back. Demands will be different here, as the shotgun offense will need a good mix of blocking and quick hands and feet from the single back. Junior Godfrey Lewis (5-9, 190) is the top back coming out of spring. Lewis was one of the scads of Bowling Green backs cut down last fall with injuries, a situation that saw the Falcons scramble defensive backs and freshmen as part of the “six-deep” roster in the Kent State game. Senior receiver Kurt Gerling (6-2, 195) was the MAC Freshman of the Year back in ’98 after a 660-yard season and had 53 catches in ‘99. Absolutely a difference-maker over the middle, Gerling went there once too often last year en route to a broken collarbone at Michigan. But he still managed 324 yards in limited duty last fall after missing the first month and trying to play hurt.
Defense and special teamsAll three defensive units have a star or two, but not nearly enough depth to stand up to ever-stronger MAC offensive lines.Brandon Hicks (6-2, 250) seems a little small to be playing inside, but he produces good pass rush numbers and seems to be a guy counted on to reach well laterally against the run. Hicks started every game the last two seasons as a nose guard in the offset 4-3. Fifth-year senior Khary Campbell (6-2, 215) is the guy that Meyer will rely on in the middle of the field. Bowling Green’s leading returning tackler, Campbell is one of the best in the MAC at pursuing the run inside-out. The biggest worry Blackney had going into last fall was the play of his secondary. This was a bad unit bad in ’99 and it didn’t improve a whole lot in 2000. But Meyer has already managed to find a future star in sophomore Janssen Patton (6-0, 180). Kicking was just plain lousy last fall, as a pair of now-departed players combined to bat .500 (10-of-20) on field goals. Untested sophomore Phil Messer (6-1, 170) did the majority of kicking in the spring and might be joined by another of last year’s Canadian recruits in Shawn Suisham (6-0, 180). This group is a complete wild card and cannot yet be counted on for big results.
Bottom lineIf you just walked in off the street and watched the spring game at Doyt Perry Stadium, you’d have been blown away by the difference. Players were excited, parents were excited and folks were genuinely happy to be there.Even if these guys don’t win a game, things are changing here. But they will win some games; it’s just too bad this schedule will make it hard to get a good toe hold early. Bowling Green may be facing one of the league’s toughest schedules given the non-conference games: at Missouri and at South Carolina in the first three weeks, then a home game against much-improved Temple. There is room on the front of the Doyt Perry press box for two more MAC Championship banners. They won’t be placed there in 2001, but this program is finally moving forward again.
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