Bowling Green State University Athletics
Spring Football Notes (Week 3)
April 20, 2001 | Football
April 20, 2001
FALCONS ANNOUNCE HOME STARTING TIMES
With permanent lighting scheduled to be installed at Perry Stadium this summer, the 2001 football schedule will feature three home night games and a later starting time for Family Weekend.
Games against Buffalo (September 8), Temple (September 22) and Toledo (Friday November 23) will kickoff at 6 p.m. The Homecoming contest against Kent State (October 6) will kickoff at 2 p.m., while the Family Weekend matchup with Miami (November 3) will start at 4 p.m.
"We think the lights will have a positive effect on our attendance, especially with our student population," said BGSU athletic director Paul Krebs. "We also believe a later starting time on Family Weekend will allow people to enjoy a greater variety of activities, while still being considerate of people who are coming in from a distance."
2001 Football Schedule (All times Eastern)
September 1 at Missouri 7:30 p.m. September 8 Buffalo 6 p.m. September 15 at South Carolina 7 p.m. September 22 Temple 6 p.m. (Hall of Fame/Varisty BG) September 29 at Marshall TBA October 6 Kent State 2 p.m. (Homecoming) October 13 at Western Michigan 1 p.m. October 20 at Akron 6 p.m. November 3 Miami 4 p.m. (Family Weekend) November 10 at Ohio TBA November 23 Toledo 6 p.m. (Friday)
Times Subject to Change
QUOTING URBAN MEYER
On the new agreement with the GMAC Bowl:
"I think its is something that is very special for the conference and something our student athletes should be very excited about. The more opportunities the MAC has to perform on a national stage, the better it will be for everyone in the long run."
On spring ball and last week's scrimmage:
"We have been fortunate that we have been able to go outside all but one day, so we have had some good teaching time to work with."
"I am pleased with the offense, getting the entire scheme in. If there are any negatives right now, it's that we are trying to get across to are football team is we are done teaching effort and we are done teaching how to finish plays. I think there is a teach tempo in coaching and also a game tempo, which is a time when you discipline them. We have reached the point to where we are at practice number ten and practice number 11 and the players know what we want, and now it's time where we are not going to coach effort anymore and we are not going to coach finishing blocks. When I say finishing blocks, I mean that when the play is going to the left, your job is to cut that guy off. If the guy crosses your face, you lose and you get a minus. We are being real strict graders and the team is learning our grading system."
"On defense we are not going to coach effort anymore either. You are going to run to the ball and you are expected to know the basics of defense."
On holding a clinic for high school coaches:
"I think that we all began our coaching careers somewhere and I look at it this way. If there is an opportunity for me to go and become a better coach I will do whatever I can to go and do it, and we put this clinic on not for us, but we did it to get relationships with people. We are going to have decent numbers." My hope would be that everyone in the surrounding area would get in their car and come drive 10 to 15 minutes to hear legends like Earle Bruce and Don Nehlen."
On special teams:
"We place a major emphasis on it. I think we punt almost every day because when you are losing a game, you can change the field position 40 yards. Where really can you do that with any other play? "
We spend half of our time on punt block, which is nowhere where we need it to be and kick return. The style of kick return that I use takes time to develop and we are getting a feel for that. It's going to take a lot of time and it's going to continue to take a lot of time during two-a-days too. I feel confident with the coaching and the passion we have on our coaching staff and the kicking game which will continue, we will be in great shape for that.
On the team's running backs:
"I think that Godfrey Lewis is having a better spring than all of them. Joe Alls would be second, and Gibson has been hurt and Todd DiBacco is having a really good spring. In my mind there are four guys back there and what they have done last year or a few years ago is of no concern at all. A concern of ours is that we are going to run the football. We are still going to try and have a 1,200 yard rusher. Who that is? I don't know."
On the quarterbacks:
"David Azzi is extremely confident and has got to stay healthy and has that asthma condition so we are trying to get that all squared away. The other two guys, I think are vastly improved. One is obviously more athletic than the other and with some of the things that we are doing with our quarterback that helps. Andy Sahm has done a good job. He is athletic enough to do a lot of the things we want to do."
On the offensive line:
"I think the first thing you do is see the 53 sacks from a year ago and you naturally blame the offensive line. After studying the film, I am not sure it was all on our offensive line. You have to get rid of the ball and move out there. Next year, guys will be coming free because that is the design of the offense and the quarterbacks have got to be able to throw quickly. We have sped up the delivery of the quarterback, which has helped the offensive line. Our coaches (o-line) have done a great job. I haven't seen guys just coming clean and that has been a big emphasis for us. Sacks in my mind rank up there with turnovers. If you throw a game in reverse you can easily swing the momentum of the game."
On the cornerbacks:
" I think we have great kids. I thought they would be a little better than they are. In my mind they have to be able to shut the offense completely down and it's not happening. I was hoping that they would be a little more aggressive and more technique sound but I think they are improving and they are still young and you have to hope for better. I think there are two great kids in Michael Malone and Janssen Patton and Jason Morton is right on their tail too, so I think you have three guys that can cover people."
