Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Begin Spring Drills
March 23, 2005 | Football
March 23, 2005
Bowling Green, Ohio -
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Third-year BGSU football coach Gregg Brandon will welcome 52 returning lettermen, including 12 starters from last season Thursday, March 24 at 3 p.m., as the Falcons begin the first of 15 workouts which will culminate with the annual spring game at noon, Saturday, April 16. A total of 84 players are scheduled to participate in spring ball.
Last year, BGSU finished with a 9-3 record and won the GMAC Bowl over Memphis, 52-35. BGSU has posted nine wins or more in four straight seasons for the first time in school history.
BACK TO THE EAST
BGSU will return to the MAC's East Division which will consist of the Falcons, Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami and Ohio. BGSU spent three years in the West and won a division title in 2003.
THE MAC'S BEST
BGSU has a 37-12 record since the 2001 season (.755), the best record among all league school's in that time frame. The Falcons also are the only team to have a record above .500 against IA non-conference foes since 2001 at 9-3.
A SELECT FEW
BGSU is one of 15 Division IA schools who have won bowl games in each of the last two seasons.
CAN IT BE FOUR
The Falcons have been ranked in the top 25 each of the last three years during the regular season in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA today Coaches polls.
WHO'S BACK FOR THE FALCONS
Four players who earned All-MAC status on offense are back. MAC Offensive Player of the Year and All-American quarterback Omar Jacobs returns after throwing for 4,002 yards and 41 TDs. Senior running back P.J. Pope who scored a league-high 21 TDS and rushed for 1,098 yards and had 490 yards receiving. Pope was a second-team All-League choice after earning first-team honors in 2003.
Senior left tackle Rob Warren earned first-team All-MAC accolades and sophomore left guard Kory Lichtensteiger was a second-team All-MAC pick who earned freshman All-American honors.
SOMEBODY HAD TO CATCH THE BALL
The most productive non All-MAC returning receiving duo in the league resides in Bowling Green thanks to the hands of seniors Charles Sharon and Steve Sanders. The duo combined for 2,054 yards and 23 TDs last season. Sharon caught 66 passes for 1,070 yards and a league-high 15 TDs and Sanders hauled in 55 passes for 984 yards and 8 TDs.
 Senior Teddy Piepkow  |
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A VETERAN DEFENSIVE LINE
The Falcons have 64 starts up front thanks to senior Mike Thaler, and junior's Devon Parks and Brad Williams. Thaler (30 tackles, 2.5 sacks) has started the last 26 games at nose tackle and Parks (34 tackles, 4 sacks) has started the last two years at defensive end. Williams (37 tackles), who started all 12 games last year at tackle, will move to defensive end.
THREE MORE STARTERS ON DEFENSE
Senior linebacker Teddy Piepkow is back after posting 81 tackles from his outside linebacker position. Senior cornerback Jelani Jordan led the MAC in passes defended at 1.55 per game. He had 64 tackles and two interceptions. Junior Terrill Mayberry also returns after recording 51 tackles and an INT.
BGSU SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 24, 3 p.m. Friday, March 25, 3 p.m. Saturday, March 26, TBA Monday, March 28, 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, 3 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 3 p.m. Saturday, April 2, TBA Monday, April 4, 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, 3 p.m. Friday, April 8, Coaches Clinic and Practice, 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, Coaches Clinic and Practice. TBA Monday, April 11, 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, 3 p.m. Thursday, April 14, 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16, Spring Game, Noon
STAT NOTES
BGSU finished second nationally in total offense with a MAC record 506.3 yards per game and were third in passing (338.3 yards per game) and turnover margin (1.25), and fourth in in pass efficiency (165.5) and scoring offense (44.3, also a MAC record).
Jacobs led the nation in TD passes with a MAC record 41 and in points responsible for at 22.5 per game. He was second in the nation in passing (333.5 yards per game) and total offense (358.5) and his 41 to 4 TD to interception ratio is the best single season effort in NCAA history. He also finished fourth nationally in passing efficiency at 165.47.
Pope was fourth in the country in scoring averaging 10.5 points per game.
