Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Prepare for Wisconsin
August 29, 2006 | Football
Aug. 29, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University football Falcons open the 2006 season on Saturday (Sept. 2), as the Falcons head to Cleveland to take on the University of Wisconsin. The game will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Cleveland Browns Stadium. On Tuesday (Aug. 29), BGSU head coach Gregg Brandon and several Falcon players took time out from their busy schedules to field questions from members of the media ...
HEAD COACH Gregg Brandon
Q: Who has won the defensive end battle, Jacob Hardwick or Thomas James?
"Hardwick, but James will get a lot of time as well. I think (Diyral) Briggs will also play a number of series, it just depends how he holds up. I didn't think he would be able to play against Wisconsin, but it looks like he will be able to. We'll see where he is at the end of the week."
Does not knowing who will be at quarterback for Wisconsin play a factor in the way you prepare for them? How are they (UW quarterbacks) different?
"Yes (it does play a factor). John Stocco is a fifth-year kid, he's a very experienced player and he makes a lot of plays for them. You can talk about (Brian) Calhoun and all of those receivers they had, but Stocco did a nice job for them last year. If he plays, they are pretty good, even though they lost a lot of guys. Even if he doesn't play, they are still pretty good; you just don't know who the other guy will be."
You mentioned a few of the guys they have lost. They also have lost a few other guys that they may have been counting on in FB Chris Pressley and WR Marcus Randle El. What do you know about their situation at running back and receiver?
"Well, I don't know much about their backs, other than their fullback is hurt, as you said. The two guys that played against us last year, Calhoun and Stanley, are gone. At receiver, I thought Randle El would be a pretty good player for them. But, they are an established Big Ten program; their backups are going to be pretty good, too."
(UW coach) Bret Bielema will be in his first game as a head coach. What do you remember about your first game as head coach?
"I don't remember much about it. Eastern Kentucky. We won; I remember that."
Will it make a difference that Bielema is now head coach, and not Barry Alvarez?
"I don't know. No coach ever won a game; you'd better have some good players. And they've got good players."
Saturday's game is classified as a home game for you, but I understand you're calling it a road game. Is that correct?
"We'll see when we show up. If there is more red than there is orange and brown, you'll have your answer. I hope our fans show up; we need their support. The Browns fans can show up in their orange and brown, we'd love that. They don't even need to buy any new gear."
You could have a lot of freshmen on the field Saturday night. What are your thoughts on that?
"That's something that we have tried to pound into these kids in camp. 'You're in Division I now.' A couple of these kids just played their last high-school game a couple months ago, in some of these all-star games. Now, they're going to go into Cleveland Browns Stadium and play one of the premier teams in the Big Ten. It will be interesting."
How many freshmen do you think you will use?
"Probably six to eight of them. That would be my guess off the top of my head, without going down the roster."
(FS Jerrett) Sanderson and (SS P.J.) Mahone are going to start in the secondary, right?
"Yes. Zach Charles will start at receiver, too."
And, you have a pair of freshmen at the kicking spots, right?
"Yes, Alonso Rojas and Sean Ellis. And, there are a few others. Jahmal Brown will play; he's a backup safety. Tarell Lewis, a backup corner, will be in the mix. Tyrone Pronty is a backup receiver that could see action. There are a couple others as well. Those kids have demonstrated that they can play. That's why we recruited them."
How do you think Freddie Barnes will fare on Saturday?
"I can't wait to see him play. He has really stepped up and embraced the role of starter. He is a dynamic kid; he's fun to watch and he's a great kid to be around. I'm excited for him. This is a great opportunity for him to showcase his skills, that's for sure."
Were you at all surprised that Kenneth Brantley was selected as a captain?
"No, not at all. KB is a fifth-year senior. He hasn't been far down the depth chart, he's just been injured. He has always been steady for us as a backup player, and he's been a good special-teams player throughout the years. He's just had some injuries that have hampered him in terms of playing wide receiver. He is a great person who this team really respects, and it didn't surprise me that he was elected captain. He's a very strong Christian, and he, Jon Jakubowski and Kyle Cutler lead fellowships, bible study on campus. He is really the definition of a student-athlete; he's a well-rounded person. Football is very important to him, but he has a good perspective on what he wants to do."
How do you feel about Dan Macon stepping into the starting spot at running back? We have heard that he is pretty fast.
"Well, he's fast, all right. He's the fastest kid on the team. Dan has to prove that he can handle the workload of a Division-I running back, and we have to find out if he can do it. Wisconsin is not a good opponent to find that out against, but that's who we're playing. For us to have a chance to win that game, Macon needs to have a good game."
What about the addition of Pete Winovich to the backfield? Will that be a big factor in Dan's success?
"That's a good point. Winovich has really come along as a blocker. Pete is a consummate football player; he's a hard-nosed kid, good blocker, excellent receiver out of the backfield, can run the ball when we ask him to -- he's a really great team guy. I think he has stepped up and found his spot. We need to have Pete Winovich on the football field, so we have tinkered with the offense a little bit, to be able to get him on the field."
FALCON PLAYER QUOTES
Redshirt freshman QB Freddie Barnes
"I am definitely ready for the game, I have no choice but to be ready for the game. I've been preparing since January and it all comes into place this weekend."
"I hear everyone talking about the game when I am walking around campus and everyone's families are going to be there. We are going to have a lot of fans behind us, rooting us on."
"I just have to go out there and do all the things they want me to do, manage the game and make plays like I know I can."
Redshirt junior C Kory Lichtensteiger
"I am ready for it. The anticipation in my mind for this game is bigger than any game that I have ever been a part of."
"The new players may be unknowns to the media, but they are very well known to us. We know exactly what we are capable of. We know they will make plays when their chance comes."
"I've been a part of some big games before, but this one has gotten me more excited than any other one on the past."
Senior DE Devon Parks
(On playing a strong opponent like Wisconsin in the opening game)
"It actually gets you better prepared for the season, because you know that you have to come in with your `A' game per se. I think going in against Wisconsin will be a big-time test and we're looking forward to it."
"I think we're as prepared as we can be to be honest with you. I think the guys have been practicing hard, and just getting into the groove. We have three days of practice left, and we're getting into the final drive.
"Starting in January we've been busy preparing for this week right here. It's here now, so we're ready."
Redshirt junior TB Dan Macon
"Coming from that last run (in the 2004 season) I had a lot of motivation going into the season. And, (in 2005) I red-shirted the whole season, just to work on getting better and better. Things like my skills, my physical abilities, my relationship with my teammates and getting ready for this game. Now it's game week and I can't be more excited, I'm ready."
"These are the games that excite Bowling Green football players, ever since I've been here we have had some success in big games like these."
(On Freddie Barnes playing in his first game)
"I don't think he's going to have a problem calming down, he's an easygoing guy. After he gets done with that first play, just like every football player -- once that first play is done it's game time. I think after he gets that first snap through, he'll be ready."
Fifth-year senior DT Brad Williams
(On being one of the few veteran returnees among the defensive starters)
"We have two experienced leaders on the defensive line with Devon Parks and myself. We just have to set the tone right away, and it all starts up front."
"Whenever you play a big-time team you're always excited. It just makes it better knowing that we're going to play in a big stadium, Cleveland Browns Stadium and I'm just pumped up about it."
"Wisconsin always has a good offensive line and they're going to put their best guys in that situation; they're trying to write their own slate just like we are. We have to prepare for them like we would anybody else."
