Bowling Green State University Athletics
Football Training Camp News
August 14, 2001 | Football
Aug. 14, 2001
LIGHTS INSTALLED AT PERRY STADIUM
By JACK CARLE Sentinel Sports Editor
After months of anticipation, final installation of the lights at Perry Stadium started Friday.
The first light standard was lifted into place, 160 feet in the air, about 11 a.m. as the Falcon football team was on the field for media day. Each standard to illuminate the stadium weighs 37,000 pounds and contains 64 lights.
"It is a significant step forward and it shows great faith on the part of the university," BG athletic director Paul Krebs said Friday. "I'm of the opinion it will have dramatic impact on our attendance." Krebs has said in the past that consistent crowds of between 15,000 and 20,000 fans are his goal. Perry Stadium's listed seating capacity is 30,599.
In five home games last fall, the Falcons had only one crowd over 10,000, 11,533 for the season-opener against Pittsburgh on Sept. 9. The average attendance for the five home games in 2000 was 8,464.
Of BG's five home games this fall, three are scheduled to start at 6 p.m.: Buffalo on Sept. 8, Temple on Sept. 22, and Toledo on Nov. 23. The Homecoming game with Kent State on Oct. 6 is set for a 2 p.m. kickoff and the Miami game on Nov. 3, which is Family Weekend, is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
"All of our contests need to be more of an event, a social environment," Krebs said. "I think starting later in the day makes it more accessible to a lot of people.
"When you look around the league, the teams that draw the best in the league, play under the lights. The players are looking forward to playing under the lights."
"You come at night, it's a better atmosphere," said Jon Mazur, a 6-foot-2, 280 pound junior, who is battling for the starting center spot on the offensive line. "We play well at home already. Having the lights brings a whole new aura to the stadium."
There have been six previous night games, using portable lights, at Perry Stadium. The most recent night game was Oct. 21, 2000 against Eastern Michigan. BG won the game, 20-6, before 8,042 fans, the lowest attendance for a night game at Perry Stadium.
The largest night game crowd was 25,057 for the first-ever night game at Perry Stadium against Akron in 1989. The attendance that night is the sixth-largest total in Perry Stadium history. Bowling Green defeated Toledo under the lights 34-23 on Oct. 2, 1999 before 23,981 fans, the 13th largest crowd in Perry Stadium history.
"Both night games since I've been here, we've won," Mazur said. "I think it will be a real boost for the community and for this football program. I really enjoy playing at night, rather than during the day."
The total cost of the lighting project, which included auxiliary lighting for the parking lots and sidewalks near Perry Stadium, was $1.1 million. The temporary lights last year cost $45,000 to rent for one game, which did not include lighting for the areas around the stadium.
"An important part of this, particularly for our student body and the folks who work and live on campus, is the sidewalk lighting and the parking lot lighting. It makes a much safer area and it makes it a much more comfortable environment for our students walking back and forth," Krebs said.
The new lights and improvements in the Falcons' locker room have been a boost to the morale of the team. "It's been a big push for the kids to see that this thing is going up ... it's not leveling off. They're doing this for us," said Tim Beckman, BG's defensive coordinator, who is starting his fourth season as an assistant coach for the Falcons.
"We've got to win, that's the bottom line," Beckman continued. "But getting the fans into the stands, seeing what we've got and winning some football games, we ought to be able to get this thing rolling again."
Krebs said season ticket sales have not yet been affected by the new lights, but that there has been an increase in group ticket sales and individual game ticket sales.
"I think there is a lot of interest in coach (Urban) Meyer and the new program," Krebs said. "Obviously the lights are important, but the most important thing is the product on the field."
OFFENSIVE LINE PREVIEW
By JACK CARLE Sentinel Sports Editor
The challenge was thrown down, not long after Urban Meyer became Bowling Green's 15th head football coach last December.
In general, the team had to get stronger and more physical.
In particular, the offensive line had to get better. The team has responded in a positive way. The focus during winter conditioning, spring practice and summer workouts has been to add the strength needed to be a better team. Physical play was also emphasized during spring drills.
"We've come a long way," said Jon Mazur, a 6-foot-2, 275 pound junior, who hopes to be the starting center for the Falcons this fall.
"We (the offensive line) sat down after that was put to us, that was a challenge, we took that personally."
Greg Studrawa is BG's assistant coach in charge of the guards and centers. He's working with John Hevesy, who coaches the tackles and tight ends, to get the offensive line ready for the season opener against Missouri on Sept. 1.
"If you don't have an offensive line that can handle the line of scrimmage, you're not going to do anything. The defense will control the game," Studrawa said. "We don't ever want to let the defense dictate to us. The only way you're not going to let that happen ... is to be physical up front and be strong. When we got here, I'm not even going to tell you what the numbers were. This summer we have made great strides. We've got three kids up front now, who are over 400-pound benchers, when we had none before. And we have two more knocking on the door. And we have three of the kids over 500-pounds on the squat."
In addition to gaining strength, the offensive line had to gain toughness.
"I think they're learning ... we're not there yet, but I think the kids want to get there and that's the main thing in my mind," Studrawa said about being tougher on the line.
The players are ready for fall practices with more strength and a better outlook.
"No disrespect to the coaches that were here before, but the change brought a change in attitude and that was something that was really, really needed for us at this time," Mazur said. "Especially for the older guys ... Different things are expected from us now and I think it will only end up in a positive way."
Studrawa, a BGSU graduate, was a two-year starter at left tackle for the Falcons in 1986 and 1987. He hopes to instill a winning attitude in the current team.
"When I was here, we were physical. People didn't want to come here and play us... That's the attitude we have to get back," Studrawa said. "That's my job up front. When people look at the schedule and see Bowling Green, they say strap it up a little bit tighter when you go play them. That's what we're aiming for."
Mazur and his teammates realize that all the spots on the line are up for grabs. It doesn't matter who played last season and it really doesn't matter who played well in the spring. The rest of this month will determine the starting lineup.
Mazur, who had 11 starts a year ago, and Jimmy Williams, 6-5, 275 sophomore, are battling at center. Scott Mruczkowski, 6-4, 295, redshirt freshman, Andrew Hart, 6-4, 270 redshirt freshman, Mike Bodnar, 6-3, 290 senior, and Greg Kupke, 6-3, 285 junior, are the top candidates at guard.
Mruczkowski and Hart have never played. Kupke, who made six starts in 2000, is recovering from knee surgery. Bodnar made four starts a year ago. Malcolm Robinson, 6-4, 290 senior, returns at right tackle while Dennis Wendel, 6-7, 303 junior, has an edge at left tackle. Former tight ends, Beau Carmon, 6-7, 285 sophomore and Ross Durham, 6-6, 260 junior, are also in the mix at tackle.
"Competition is great for the unit," Mazur said. "You always know that there is someone behind you to push you all the time and you can't relax during practice, not that you would want to.
"You know that someone is breathing down your neck and if you make mistakes and that person is going to be right there and they just may take your position ... Nobody earns it until the first game.
"I think it will make me play better every day."
NOTES: The starting time for the Nov. 10 game at Ohio has been changed to 1 p.m. ... In a vote of the team, senior defensive lineman Ryan Wingrove, senior offensive lineman Malcolm Robinson, senior wide receiver Kurt Gerling, and senior linebacker Khary Campbell were selected as team captains for the season ... For the first time in 25 years, the team will not have the words "Bowling Green" on the front of the home jersey. The team will wear orange jerseys with white pants at home and white jerseys and orange pants on the road. ... A total of 102 players were expected to participate in the team's first full-squad workout last Saturday. Two-a-day practices continue until Aug. 25.
