Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bullock Gets an Opportunity, Makes the Most of It
November 03, 2006 | Football
Nov. 3, 2006
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - It's tough to watch from the sidelines when you believe you can help your teammates by being on the field.
That was the case for Bowling Green's Chris Bullock, a redshirt freshman running back, earlier this season.
In Bowling Green's first three games Bullock got only six carries and rushed for 22 yards, not even seeing the field in BG's three-overtime victory over Buffalo.
"I didn't think my opportunity would come. I kept getting frustrated," Bullock said. "You prepare all week and get ready for it ... And then you don't ever get in and you know that you can help the team out."
Bullock finally got his chance against Kent State on Sept. 23 and he has not looked back.
In the last six games, Bullock has rushed for 657 yards on 124 carries (5.3 yards per carry) with four touchdowns, and caught 14 passes for 119 yards. He's preparing for Bowling Green's game at Akron Saturday. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. in the Rubber Bowl.
Bullock had a huge game last Saturday against Temple, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries and adding four receptions for 31 yards. Bullock took a shot to the ribs early in the game, but returned to help carry the offensive load.
"For him to carry it almost 30 times and rush for that many yards, that's a credit not only to him, but the offensive line," BG head coach Gregg Brandon said. "When he came back after that (the rib injury), I thought that showed a degree of toughness."
The only negative aspect of Bullock's performance against Temple was a fumble on the goal line which went through the end zone, costing the Falcons possession of the ball as well as a potential touchdown.
"You have to fight through it. Every time it happens to one of these young kids their confidence is tested," Brandon said about the fumble.
Bullock had a strong spring, but suffered a strained quadriceps and needed three to four weeks to recover.
He then stayed in Bowling Green to train and regain the edge he had in the spring when he impressed the coaches.
"I trained really hard this summer and I think that was the key when I came into camp this season," Bullock said.
Bullock's emergence as a reliable running back has helped the Falcons run to the top of Mid-American Conference team rushing statistics, averaging 193.2 yards per game.
"If you had told me after nine games we would be leading the conference in rushing, I wouldn't have bought into that," Brandon said. "We stressed that in the off-season, that we need to run the ball better to help both sides of the ball.
"We can possess the ball, keep the score down and keep their (the opposition's) offense off the field. I think that's the best formula for this team right now to have a chance to win a game."
Bullock helps that formula succeed as he can run between the tackles as well as go outside.
"I guess I'm kind of a slasher, but I can have power too," he said. "The thing I like this year, is the pistol (formation); we're not in shotgun all the time just running right and running left.
"I had never really run out of that (pistol). It gives me a chance to read the play before I actually get to the line, because I'm at five (yards behind the line of scrimmage) not seven. The read and zone plays work real well for us."
Brandon would like Bullock to have some more speed, but said the 5-feet-11, 220-pounder can break tackles and force attempted tacklers to miss.
"He's a downhill runner ... He can make a guy miss in the hole," Brandon said. "When he's in traffic, he's pretty nifty with his feet. He can make some jump cuts and make some guys miss in traffic."
Bullock said he wasn't even interested in football until he was 12-years-old. He quickly took to the game. In his final two seasons at Destrehan (La.) High School, Bullock rushed for almost 2,800 yards and scored 36 touchdowns.
Because Bullock wouldn't make an early commitment, many colleges interested in recruiting him stopped calling.
Then he visited Bowling Green.
"I came up here and I kind of liked the environment, I liked how they care about each other," Bullock said. "And I knew as a redshirt freshman I could play because those two seniors (P.J. Pope and B.J. Lane) were leaving and I could compete for the job. It was a similar offense to what my high school ran and I knew I could get a good education here."
