Bowling Green State University Athletics
Linemen Help With BG's Transition
August 14, 2006 | Football
Aug. 1, 2006
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor -
DETROIT -- A veteran group of offensive linemen will help smooth the transition of some young and inexperienced skilled players this season for Bowling Green.
"They have played a ton of football and with any group, particularly the offensive line, it's that herd mentality -- they feed off of each other," BG head coach Gregg Brandon said.
Kory Lichtensteiger, who has started 23 straight games for the Falcons, is the anchor for the line. He moves from guard to center this season.
"It's going to take some time to get used to it," Lichtensteiger said about the position change. "It's really just going to take practice ... I had spring ball, but it was just a matter of getting back into the flow. I played center originally when I came here.
"It gives you much more to think about on every play that just playing guard. Guard is probably the easiest position on the line and center is definitely the hardest."
A redshirt junior, Lichtensteiger, 6-feet-3, 305 pounds, is joined on the line by returning starters Derrick Markray, a 6-5, 250 fifth-year senior at right guard, and Drew Nystrom, a 6-5, 304 redshirt junior, who has moved from right tackle to left tackle.
John Lanning, a 6-4, 285 fifth-year senior, is expected to moved into Lichtensteiger's former spot at left guard, although Patrick Watson, a 6-5, 297 junior, could be a factor there. Kevin Huelsman, a 6-5, 284 junior, is the right tackle.
"Any combination we throw at people this year, I trust everybody on the line," Lichtensteiger said. "They are guys that I have known for so long."
QUESTION MARKS: Several Falcons are recovering from injuries or illness and their status for the beginning of fall drills is in question.
Marques Parks had worked his way into the rotation at wide receiver last fall before his season ended after suffering a broken leg against Western Michigan on Oct. 22.
However, Parks' recovery has been slowed by mononucleosis and he has not been able to work out for the last two weeks, Brandon said.
Also Nick Davis, a strong candidate for playing time at defensive tackle, is sidelined by mononucleosis. He was also slowed by an ankle injury in the spring.
"They'll be ready to go, they just had little setbacks," Brandon said.
Diyral Briggs, a projected starter at defensive end, is making a slow recovery from a broken foot suffered when he slipped last winter.
"He's finally out of the boot and doing some light running," Brandon said. "If Briggs would be ready for Wisconsin (BG's opener on Sept. 2) that would be a plus ... We'll just have to see how he progresses."
In the secondary, Deaudre Perry who was fourth on the team with 68 tackles in eight games in 2005 as the free safety, is no longer in school.
"He's got a medical issue that he just wasn't able to overcome," Brandon said.
ALL IN: All 22 incoming freshmen for this fall have been attending classes and participating in voluntary workouts this summer, Brandon said.
RECEIVERS: Two fifth-year seniors -- Kenneth Brantley II and Brandon Jones -- could be factors at wide receiver for the Falcons this season.
Brantley has made two receptions for 38 yards in his career and Jones has six catches for 57 yards.
Brantley has been bothered by injuries for almost his entire career, however he has been doing well in the off-season, Brandon said.
"He has surgery again in the spring and they fixed his knee for the second or third time. I can't keep track of it," Brandon said. "I hope KB had a great year, he deserves it. He's really paid the price.
"Brandon Jones at times has shown bursts of being a guy who can really be a dynamic guy," Brandon continued. "He's just never been able to string it together."
THOMAS OUT: Bobby Thomas, who was BG's third-leading rusher with 183 total yards a year ago, is academically ineligible and will not play this season.
A true freshman, Thomas carried the ball 42 times a year ago and was expected to contend for playing time behind Dan Macon this fall.
"Bobby was coming on ... and with him being ineligible, that puts a hole in the depth chart," Brandon said. "We'll have younger guys step up."
Brandon mentioned Vincent Corner, a 5-9, 200 pound, freshman from Springfield North, as a possible running back candidate. Corner played in the Ohio North-South All-Star game and rushed for almost 1,000 yards and scored 16 touchdowns as a high school senior. He was also second in the state 110 hurdles last spring.
"I'm really excited to see what he can do," Brandon said.
