Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Football Press Luncheon Quotes
October 07, 2003 | Football
Oct. 7, 2003
Bowling Green, Ohio -
BGSU Coach Gregg Brandon
Brandon: Mike Crumpler is backing up Jason Morton, and Michael Malone probably won't play. We'll know Thursday for sure, but I listed him as highly doubtful. Daniel Sayles is going to play. He is sore, he just bruised a tendon, but he is all right.
If Mitch Hewitt doesn't play, T.J. Carswell was backing him up, but you need Carswell to back up Malone.
Brandon: We played (Jovon) Burkes with (Ted) Piepkow. Mitch will play, unless the doctors say he can't play.
If you look at the two teams statistically, Western Michigan and Bowling Green, a lot of the numbers are the same. Would it be fair to say that they are mirrors of each other? What are the differences?
Brandon: I would say that we are a more balanced offense. Western is going to throw the football. They seem to pop runs into when it is the best time for them. There are different styles and ways to throw the ball. We are throwing the ball much better than we have in the last two years here, we are only five or six yards behind them in passing yards in the conference.
Are you talking about yardage or completion percentage?
Brandon: All of that. We are throwing for more yards. Our protection and receivers have matured in the system, with Cole (Magner) and (James) Hawkins and (Steve) Sanders have emerged, Chuck (Sharon) has stepped up to become a player. Five guys that have been running the system for two years now.
Sticking with the offense, what was the reason for the red zone struggles?
Brandon: There are only two that really jumped out. The first one was the third down play and Josh dropped the ball, recovered it, but got tackled. The other one was running an option play and we missed a block, a guy came in on a missed block. We just didn't execute. (Shaun) Suisham was three for five and he needs to be better than that. They weren't too long of a range. He needs to convert for us. That's his job, he needs to make field goals.
Obviously you are not alarmed by it.
Brandon: I would be concerned if we didn't get any first downs or possessed the ball. You are not going to get points if you don't do those things. Unless you are getting a lot of turnovers on the other side. We need to create more turnovers. I think we are in the minor side of that. We need to create more turnovers.
Western Michigan, their defense...
Brandon: Jason Babin is a very talented player. He never stops, he plays hard. Defensively they try to make a lot of things happen. They don't sit back too much. They like to bring pressure and force you to make bad decisions. Good overall team speed.
Does their defense make you make big changes offensively?
Brandon: No, we can practice one thing more. You have to protect your quarterback. They play the traditional big man front. They do that well. We have to contain those guys. Offensively, their quarterback throws the deep ball well. We have to create ways to help Keon (Newson).
Talk about contribution
Brandon: It is huge. Any team has to have good backup kids. (Jeff) Runnells and Vardan (Mkhitarian) are junior college players who are giving us quality depth. T.J. Carswell, he is good as all the starters. We were going to play him in the nickel package. Now it is a natural spot for him. We talked about that with Burkes.
Comment on T.J. Carswell's play on Saturday
Brandon: On CMU's third down call, their longest completion of the day, he saw it but he didn't react quickly enough. Other than that he played well. I think when you play a team like Central Michigan you're more concerned about them pounding us. It was a hard-hitting game and T.J. was right in the middle of it. He has a lot of production points. He is huge for us in the kicking game, also.
How do they get production points?
Brandon: Doing their assignments, making a tackle, blocking a kick, big hits. Jovon Burkes got key production points. He literally de-cleated two guys. That's the kind of stuff that you don't always see but we evaluate. Cornelius McGrady is the same way, now that he is getting a chance on offense.
BGSU Quarterback Josh Harris
(Playing on the road compared to at home)
"We feel comfortable wherever we go because our teammates stay the same."
(Week-to-week competition in the MAC)
"Despite anybody's record in this league, anyone can pull out a victory. We know playing in the MAC, every week you've got to be on top of your game or else you're going to be beat."
(Maintaining red-zone efficiency)
"As the season goes on, teams are going to have better schemes for us in the red zone."
BGSU Defensive Back Jason Morton
(Injuries on the team)
"We need to get healthy. But, also, the guys behind them need to step up."
(Playing Western Michigan)
"You just know that when you play Western Michigan you better be ready. If you don't get focused for Western Michigan you will get pounded. The games are always so close."
