Bowling Green State University Athletics
From the Interview Room
October 04, 2005 | Football
Oct. 4, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University football team, fresh off a Homecoming Weekend win over Temple, now welcomes the only other unbeaten team in the Mid-American Conference's East Division. The Falcons (2-2, 1-0 MAC) face Ohio University (2-2, 1-0 MAC) at Doyt Perry Stadium on Saturday evening (Oct. 8), with kickoff at 6:00 p.m. On Tuesday afternoon, head coach Gregg Brandon and several Falcon players met with the media to discuss the state of the team...
Q: You had a lot of things go well in Saturday's game. Is there anything that still concerns you?
Gregg Brandon: I'm still concerned about our rushing defense. I'd like to be running the ball a little bit better, but until we get P.J. (Pope) and B.J. (Lane) 100 percent healthy, we're going to struggle. That, right now, is what it is.
Q: Has P.J. been frustrated?
GB: It's starting to wear on him a little bit, I think. You know, the kid's a senior, he hasn't been healthy in four games, and there are only seven (regular-season games) left, so it's tough.
Q: Ohio had two 100-yard rushers against Kent State.
GB: Yeah, they ran the ball well against Kent. They broke some long runs. But, Kent turned the ball over six times and had a chance to win the game, at OU.
Q: Did Ohio cause some of those turnovers?
GB: Oh, yeah, they pressured the quarterback, and he made some bad decisions, throwing the ball. I think all of (the turnovers) were interceptions.
Q: Do you think the defensive guys have their confidence back?
GB: I do, definitely. For us to hold Temple to a touchdown, score on defense, get five turnovers ... those are confidence-boosters.
Q: Will that help with the run defense against Ohio?
GB: Well, we have faced two pretty strong running teams in Wisconsin and Boise. But, against weaker running teams, we're still giving up too many yards. I think Temple had a buck-sixty on us, and many of them were in the one drive right before the half, when they got their touchdown. We just need to keep working on that area of our defense. It's no secret. We're well aware of the problems and issues, and we're going to keep working on that, and try to shore that up.
Q: We talked about Ohio's having success rushing in one game to date. What do they bring, offensively?
GB: They have a system, they have a scheme. Coach (Frank) Solich has installed that Nebraska-style offense. There are going to be I-backs, they will run high option, the basic I plays -- the power, the toss, the zone -- those plays. And, they're spreading it out a little bit. There is a little bit of three-receiver set, and they are in the shotgun some. So, it's not always just line up and pound you. But, if you watch the Kent game, I think that's what they want to do. They run a lot of two-tight; I think we charted them in about 32 two-tight end formations, 28 of them were in the Kent game. I think that's who they want to be.
Q: Defensively, they got some turnovers against Kent, and their Pittsburgh game was obviously decided on turnovers. Are they an aggressive defense, then?
GB: Yeah, they're creating some things. The one corner, #15 (Dion Byrum), is a very aggressive player, he makes things happen. They're not a very big defense, but they are very quick and active. They created some problems for us last year. They got some pressure on us, hit Omar (Jacobs) a few times. Now, schematically, they are not the same (this year). But, they still are very active. The one linebacker, #50 (Matt Muncy), is a very good player. The other corner, #3 (T.J. Wright), I think is up among the league leaders in pass breakups. They've got a couple of down guys that present some problems. Their inside guy, #55 (Landon Cohen), is a very quick player who will be hard to block. They've got one end, #95 (Seth Ream), that is big and rangy -- I mean, they've got some guys that you've got to be aware of.
Q: Are they more inspired now, and do they have a lot to play for?
GB: Well, they've already won a conference game, and this is a big early MAC game, so to speak, so sure. Both teams have a lot to play for.
Q: You're one of the few coaches in the league that has coached against Solich, when you were at Colorado and he was at Nebraska, in some close games. Did you learn anything from back then?
GB: Nebraska's a heck of a place to play, that's about all I remember. No, that was a long time ago. Another life, a different world.
Q: Last year at Ohio, (Shaun) Suisham hit a long field goal...
GB: Yeah, a 52-yard field goal.
Q: This year, you haven't even attempted a field goal. You mentioned on Saturday that you are confident with Nate Fry. Is that still the case, and is he still the guy?
GB: Yes. Nate is still the guy, and I'm not afraid to attempt a field goal with Fry. Every situation that has come up, we've kept the ball and kept it moving.
Q: You said that (Joe) Timchenko has the injury, but what has Nate done to win that job?
GB: Well, we've been charting his production in practice, in head-to-head competition, and (Fry's) production in practice has been better. He's been winning the field-goal competition, he's kicking off better -- and Joe's had the quad strain, so he can't get much ooomph in his kicks right now.
Q: Have you been satisfied with Nate's performance as a punter?
GB: Yes. This year, other than the block at Boise that wasn't his fault, he's punted extremely well. Teams are averaging less than a yard per return against us; we're leading the conference in that area. I think it's 0.9 a return. [Editor's note: it is indeed 0..9 yards per return.] And, we're third in net punting, and a lot has to do with our style. We're moving him, keeping teams off balance. They may not want to rush us, and we get people downfield quick to cover that way. It's a good scheme; I like it. And, when you have somebody as talented as Nate, that can stay in there and boom it -- last week, he punted one 52 yards in the pocket, and then he ran out, and he can get it to roll 35-40 yards. Nobody is going to pick that up and return it, because everyone coaches their guys to stay away from it.
Q: You have two talented receivers at or near the top of the MAC statistics in Charles Sharon and Steve Sanders. What different types of things to they bring to the table?
GB: Well, Chuck's more of a 'phone-booth' guy. He can make you miss in (a small area), change directions and dance around. He has good speed. Steve's more of a strider. He can go up in a crowd and catch a ball when he's getting his arms hit. Steve makes strong catches -- that's what is impressing me about him right now, is that he's so strong in a crowd. The first ball he caught on Saturday, he took a shot. He went up, and a guy put his helmet right in his ribs, and I thought, 'Oh boy, he'll be feeling that one on Sunday.' But he just got right back up and kept playing. They are different types of receivers. Once Steve gets out in the open field, he's going to be hard to run down because he's such a strider.
Q: I wouldn't really call him a possession receiver, but he doesn't seem to drop many balls.
GB: Well, the 'possession receiver' moniker goes to slow guys, so I wouldn't call either one of them possession guys.
Q: Steve seems to have become a very reliable receiver.
GB: Yeah, he rarely drops a ball, and the thing I really like about him is that he holds all of the other receivers accountable. If they are not taking care of the football and doing the little things -- and, three years ago, he was one of those guys -- now he holds them all accountable. And, that's one of the reasons why we are doing so well at throwing the football.
Junior Omar Jacobs
How did it feel to be at home and play in front of the hometown crowd?
"It's a great feeling to come back home. We came out seeing a full student section. It was a great feeing and a sigh of relief to have that crowd behind us and to just go out and have fun."
Do you feel like the team has gotten all the bugs out?
"Not all the bugs are out. Each game is going to have something to tweak or to tune up. You are never going have all the bugs out for each aspect of the game. Each game we are going to have to do something new or game plan something different. Every game will be different, but we are a work in progress."
Did you see the defense take a step forward (in the Temple) game?
"I saw guys flying around and having fun and you didn't see that last week when we played Boise; that wasn't Falcon football, that wasn't us. But you could see it on Saturday, it was just guys having fun playing football."
How comforting was it to see a sea of orange?
"It was a sigh of relief. It took a weight off our shoulders and was just fun. It was a great crowd and atmosphere. I never realized how much home-field gives you the advantage until you are away three weeks in a row against very hostile environments. To come home just feels so much better."
Senior Teddy Piepkow
Are you concerned about the Ohio offensive scheme?
"Definitely. Ohio has a great scheme and they have good guys up front. They will come in and try to test us. Teams have had success on the ground so far, but it's up to the front seven to not let them do that."
How nice was it to see the sea of orange?
"We had a great crowd that was unbelievable from the second we stepped off the bus. It was just a great feeling for it to be my senior year and play in my first home game. I loved it, it was awesome."
Did the defense make some strides on Saturday, and if so, what?
"We were able to play with a little more energy and emotion. We were able to feed off of the great crowd. We were finally making (stops on) third and five, third and two, making the big plays and getting off the field. This is what we need to do for the rest of the season."
