Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Begin Final Preparation For Spring Game
April 07, 2003 | Football
April 7, 2003
Bowling Green, Ohio - Coach Gregg Brandon and the Bowling Green State University football team will conclude the spring football season at noon, Saturday, April 12, for the annual Spring Football Game in Doyt Perry Stadium.
Falcons Have Unfinished Business
In 2001, the Bowling Green State University football team, led by a veteran defense, posted the nation's top turnaround by finishing with an 8-3 record, a six-game improvement over the previous season. In 2002, the Falcons, turning to a more experienced offense to lead the way, bolted to an 8-0 start and a school-best #16 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, but dropped three of its final four games. Despite a 9-3 record and five wins in two seasons over BCS affiliated opponents, BGSU sat home again during the holidays.
In 2003, the goal of the Falcons will be simple: "Win the West". Four things will likely have to happen if BGSU is to accomplish its goal and make its first MAC Championship game appearance.
1. Senior quarterback Josh Harris will have to have the kind of year that will warrant consideration for the Vern Smith Award given annually to the top player in the conference.
2. The Falcons will have to defend their home turf, a place where BGSU has won its last seven games by an average score of 30 points. Among the visitors to Doyt Perry Stadium this year will be 2002 MAC West co-champs Toledo and Northern Illinois.
3. Junior left offensive tackle Scott Mruczkowski will need to lead a unit which must replace a group in departed seniors Jon Mazur, Greg Kupke and Dennis Wendel which started 89 career games between the trio.
4. The BGSU defense, which returns eight starters, needs to continue to be the top ranked squad in the MAC in turnover margin and return to form against the rush when it held 12 opponents under 100 yards rushing over a 15-game stretch in 2001 and 2002.
Returning Offensive Starters
Josh Harris, SR, QB, 6-3, 225
Set two MAC records and five school records on offense last season... rushed for 20 TDs, threw for 19 and caught two passes for scores... has a 5-0 record as a starter against BCS schools.
Scott Mruczkowski, JR, LT, 6-4, 305
Has started all 23 games he has played in... makes the move from left guard to left tackle.
James Williams, SR, RT, 6-5, 295
Started six games last season.
Robert Haley, SR, RT, 6-4, 275 Started five games for the injured Williams.
James Hawkins, JR, WR, 6-1, 215
Has started 14 consecutive games for the Falcons... caught 44 passes for 546 yards and 5 TDs.
Cole Magner, JR, WR, 6-2, 180
Has started 14 consecutive games for the Falcons... arguably the best overall athlete in the MAC... caught 26 passes for 374 yards and 2 TDs... also averaged 7.4 yards per rush (81 yards and a TD)... also completed three of five passes for 74 yards and 3 TDs... averaged six points, four steals and shot 50 % from three-point range in the last six games of the season as an emergency reserve for the BGSU basketball team.
Charles Sharon, SO, WR, 6-1, 180
Started 11 games as a freshman and caught 33 passes for 465 yards and 3 TDs.
Others To Watch
P.J. Pope, SO, RB, 5-9, 210
Rushed for 577 yards and 4 TDs as a true freshman.
B.J. Lane, SO, RB, 5-10, 195
Rushed for 156 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per carry.
RUSHING G Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G ------------------------------------------------------------ HARRIS, Josh 12 186 862 125 737 4.0 20 35 61.4 POPE, P.J. 12 101 587 10 577 5.7 4 33 48.1 LANE, B.J. 12 25 165 9 156 6.2 1 48 13.0 MAGNER, Cole 12 11 81 0 81 7.4 1 13 6.8PASSING G Effic Att-Cmp-Int Pct Yds TD Lng Avg/G ---------------------------------------------------------------- HARRIS, Josh 12 125.33 353-198-11 56.1 2425 19 52 202.1 MAGNER, Cole 12 382.32 5-3-0 60.0 74 3 34 6.2
RECEIVING G No. Yds Avg TD Long Avg/G -------------------------------------------------- HAWKINS, James 12 44 546 12.4 5 52 45.5 SHARON, Charles 12 33 465 14.1 3 44 38.8 MAGNER, Cole 12 26 374 14.4 2 38 31.2 POPE, P.J. 12 8 52 6.5 1 34 4.3 HARRIS, Josh 12 3 51 17.0 2 34 4.3 LETT, Derrick 12 2 20 10.0 0 13 1.7 SANDERS, Steve 8 2 19 9.5 1 15 2.4 NAVARRO, Steve 12 1 12 12.0 0 12 1.0 MCGRADY, Cornel 12 1 9 9.0 0 9 0.8 BRANTLEY, Ken 2 1 3 3.0 0 3 1.5
Returning Defensive Starters
Mitchell Crossley, SO, DE, 6-3, 250
Started 10 games for the Falcons as a freshman... led the team with 13 TFLs and seven sacks... had 52 tackles and forced three fumbles.
Matt Leininger, SO, DT, 6-3, 260
Started the last seven games of the season... had 37 tackles, four for a loss and one sack... also recovered one fumble.
Jovon Burkes, JR, LB, 6-1, 230
Started 10 games at outside linebacker... had 51 tackles, including three for a loss.
Mitch Hewitt, SR, 6-1, 220
Has made 15 career starts... had 84 tackles, six for a loss and three fumble recoveries... scored two touchdowns on defense.
Keon Newson, JR, CB, 6-0, 180
Has started the last 17 games for BGSU... had 62 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two blocked punts... also played basketball for the Falcons in 2002-03.
Janssen Patton, SR, CB, 6-0, 180
Most experienced player on defense with 29 career starts and 11 career INTs... a two-time All-MAC pick (second-team)... had 63 tackles and three INTs in 2002.
Mike Malone, SR, SS, 5-10, 190
Has started 20 career games... had 55 tackles, an interception and two fumble recoveries in 2002.
Jason Morton, SR, FS, 6-0, 195
Has made 17 career starts... top returning tackler... had 85 tackles, five for a loss and two forced fumbles in 2002.
Returning Special Teams Starters
Shaun Suisham, JR, 6-0, 196
Was a Lou Groza Award nominee in 2002... made a MAC record 57 of 59 PATs... also made 12 of 14 FGs.
|-------Tackles-------| |-Sacks-| DEFENSIVE LEADERS GP UT AT Total ForLoss No-Yards Int-Yds ---------------------------------------------------------------- 19 MORTON, Jason 12 59 26 85 5-15 . 1-0 11 HEWITT, Mitch 12 37 47 84 6-17 1-6 1-27 2 PATTON, Janssen 12 38 25 63 2-5 . 3-52 17 NEWSON, Keon 12 39 23 62 3-7 1-3 2-15 30 MALONE, Michael 11 29 26 55 3-3 . 1-37 90 CROSSLEY, Mitch 12 26 26 52 13-61 7-47 . 3 BURKES, Jovon 12 33 18 51 7-30 3-18 . 9 CARSWELL, T.J. 12 16 22 38 2-11 1-8 1-0 94 LEININGER, Matt 12 15 22 37 4-12 1-9 . 27 JORDAN, Jelani 12 13 11 24 . . 1-0 53 SAYLES, Daniel 12 7 12 19 1-9 1-9 . 59 MAUER, Rick 8 4 10 14 2-11 1-6 . 20 MAYBERRY, Teril 3 6 4 10 . . . 77 THALER, Mike 11 4 6 10 1-2 . . 71 BRYANT, Jamal 9 5 3 8 1-1 . . 31 CRUMPLER, Mike 12 6 2 8 1-29 . . 40 RUNNELLS, Jeff 4 2 3 5 2-4 . . 25 ARNOLD, Tim 7 1 3 4 . . . 16 NICHOLSON, John 6 2 2 4 1-1 . . 98 KOKKE, Pascal 2 1 2 3 . . . 41 BURKART, Aaron 7 1 2 3 1-1 . .
