Bowling Green - Initial Thoughts

Submitted by imdeng on

I have wasted (utilized?) a good part of past two days obsessively reading about BGSU Football in preparation for the coming Sat. Here are my initial thoughts and points of interest:

1. There are three good places to get information about BGSU football - the FalconBlog at http://orangeandbrown.blogspot.com/ , the NCAA Stats on BGSU: http://web1.ncaa.org/football/exec/rankingSummary?org=71&year=2010&week… and Scout.com's BGSU preview: http://cfn.scout.com/2/974945.html (take the last one with a pinch of salt though - they are known to be vastly inaccurate)

2. BGSU is an overwhelmingly young team. Coach Clawson is overhauling the entire team with his kind of players - and as a result - there are 3 returning starters on Offense and 4 returning starters on Defense.

3. The Defense is supposed to be fast but quite undersized. The three starting LBs are 228, 217 and 207 lbs respectively. The D-Line seems well sized except a 230 lb DE (who is a Sr with a 6-3 frame - doesn't say much about the S&C there).

4. What we all know by now - the starting QB (Shilz) is doubtful for the Michigan game. However, the backup (Pankratz) played really well after Schilz got hurt - mostly behind the small, elusive RB Willie Geter. According to FalconBlog:

Coach Clawson put the game on the shoulders of Willie Geter. And Willie carried the offense to victory. We ran 27 plays after Schilz went down. Willie got the ball on 20 of them and accounted for 113 yards on those 20 plays

5. The O-Line is pretty massive - all 300+ lb except the C and RG who are 294 lb. However, they were not very successful in keeping Marshall out of the backfield. They have allowed 3.33 TFL and 3.67 sacks per game - both 112th in the country.

6. BGSU's offense (until Schilz went down) is mostly oriented towards short passes. Their top WR Kamar Jorden is leading the NCAA in number of receptions and is 7th in receiving yards.

7. Brian Wright (yes - that Brian Wright) is doing a decent job Punting (42.8 yards) but is shaky on FGs (only 3/6 so far). He has missed a PAT too.

8. The Defense is giving 466 yards per game (111th in the country) - but they have been creating turnovers through Interceptions. LB Dwaye Wood was the MAC Defensive Player of the Week last week for his pick-6.

Overall - I am much less concerned than I was for UMass. This team is very young with several clear weaknesses. We should be able to score at will and should be able to hold off their offense in the absence of their starting QB and with the tiny RB behind an O-line which is struggling to gel together.

My prediction: 35-17. Michigan takes the foot off the gas after it is 28-7 at the half.

MGoBoard

profitgoblue

September 21st, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^

Thanks for all the great info.  The only shortcoming I have is about your closing statement on easing back the throttle at halftime.  I made the mistake of focusing on which backup QB would come in after halftime last week and my presumption backfired horribly.  I learned my lesson on that one - here's hoping your prediction skills are better than mine!

Joined: 09/01/2009

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CRex

September 21st, 2010 at 12:16 PM ^

I caught some of BGSU's games this year and that O-Line is big in the Mr. Plow sense of the word.  Fat and poorly conditioned.  If anything they might start out looking decent when they waddle aggressively down the field but after a few drives our conditioning should come into play.  

Joined: 09/28/2009

MGoPoints: 9010

BlockM

September 21st, 2010 at 12:25 PM ^

I don't see us taking the foot off the gas. Rodriguez will want to rotate in some of the backups, but I would expect Devin and Tate to be able to move the ball and I'll be disappointed if our backups on D can't stop them consistently. RR has heard the grumbles this last week, and will want to grind opponents into the dust while he has the chance.

My prediction is 49-10.

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 40711

WolvinLA2

September 21st, 2010 at 12:29 PM ^

Yeah, if we put 42 on UMass with their hour long drives, we should hang at least 50 on BGSU.  I want Denard to get his 400 yards of total offense before he's pulled though.

Joined: 11/13/2009

MGoPoints: 58191

profitgoblue

September 21st, 2010 at 1:35 PM ^

If Toussaint is still recovering (read: not 100% yet) I assume it would make more sense to have him sit out another game and heal up, don't you think?  I'm not sure if its more important to get him up to game speed if he's okay to go or if its better to give him another week's rest.  6 of one and 1/2 dozen of the other?

Joined: 09/01/2009

MGoPoints: 19559

oriental andrew

September 21st, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^

this time from the BGSU official site:

http://www.bgsufalcons.com/news/2010/9/20/FB_0920102738.aspx

 

  • Willie Geter (RB) really IS small and elusive, coming in at just 5'7" and 176 lbs.  Top RB, averaging 81 ypg.
  • On the OL, starting guard Nick Torresso spent the last 3 seasons as a DT, making the switch this season to starting OG.  What was it Brian says about position switches and such?
  • On TO's, OP ain't kidding.  They've forced 9 TO's this season, including 2 pick sixes last week.
  • They're young alright.  BGSU site says that 44 scholarship players are either true or redshirt freshman, with 5 more true sophomores.  Basically, almost 60% of their scholarship players have 1 year or less playing experience.  

Joined: 06/30/2008

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Blue Blood Strip

September 21st, 2010 at 12:51 PM ^

I watched that game and Marshal has some players.  If BG took it to them this last week even with their starting QB out, we better not look past them.

Marshal also has a beast on their D-Line that I would put in the same realm as MM.  Which tells me that BG's line is not going to be blown away by us.  We need to play a very solid game for the outcome we expect.

Joined: 06/08/2010

MGoPoints: 72

outwest

September 21st, 2010 at 1:04 PM ^

You mentioned letting up at half time all I have to say to that is: The only thing the prevent defense, or offense for that matter, is good for is preventing yourself from winning.  I hope we don't let up and really take it to 'em.

Joined: 09/24/2009

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diehardalum

September 21st, 2010 at 1:22 PM ^

We need to come into this game with the energy we had at the UConn game and look like what a Michigan team should look like.  We need to put them away early and not only win, but win big!  GO BLUE!!

Joined: 11/25/2009

MGoPoints: 263

AlumniDDS

September 21st, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^

I caught part of the BGSU vs. Marshal game.  "BGSU had a good receiver (#19) that ate Marshal up in the intermediate routes.  If we play 15 yards off of the receivers, they will get a lot of first downs, and keep our D on the field (think Toledo game).

Joined: 09/20/2010

MGoPoints: -14

MichiganNomad

September 21st, 2010 at 1:49 PM ^

I don't see UM putting the ball in the air too much against BGSU. With all the emphasis and quotes over the last couple of weeks of getting other backs involved, I would assume that it's going to be a "run until they stop it" kind of day. I think Fitzy will make it back into the line-up and you'll see Hopkins eat his fare share of cupcakes. 

 

Joined: 11/04/2009

MGoPoints: 226

NateVolk

September 21st, 2010 at 2:22 PM ^

It wouldn't hurt us to work on more press type coverages at the line to cut off the endless 5 or 10 yard flat pass that seems to eat us up.  You can still roll a safety on the back to play deep cover. 

On the other hand, we don't want to give away too many looks. Indiana is a huge game.

Joined: 07/19/2010

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TheOracle6

September 21st, 2010 at 5:01 PM ^

I think Michigan wins this one big and finally gets to play the youngsters that everyone is wondering about.  I think after last week being so close and the defense having so much pride that we will see a really physical game from our Maize and Blue.  I'm going to go ahead and say 45-20 M.  Devin Gardener scores his first TD.

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