Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcon Football Heads to FIU
September 13, 2006 | Football
Sept. 13, 2006
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - To state the obvious, Bowling Green's kicking game has been suspect for the first two games of the season.
The Falcons, 1-1 overall, have had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown in each game. Also Buffalo had a 94-yard kickoff return for a TD last Saturday against the Falcons and the Bulls had a 55-yard punt return.
"What's frustrating is that we're not executing," BG head coach Gregg Brandon said about his special teams. "I don't know if more time (practicing special teams) is the answer. I think it's a personnel thing that we've got to work through in some instances (and) it's a scheme thing that we've got to work through."
The Falcons travel to Florida International Saturday. Kickoff for the non-league game is 6 p.m.
Concerning the blocked punts, Brandon said the Falcons have to do a better job of protecting freshman punter Alonso Rojas.
"If we need to tweak the scheme to be able to take care of things that people are doing, then we'll do it," Brandon said.
On UB's kickoff return, Brandon said freshman place-kicker Sean Ellis did not kick the ball in the correct place for the coverage plan.
"The kid (UB's Naaman Roosevelt) caught it on the dead run. When he had it in his hands, we had one guy across the 40-yard line," Brandon said. "It's hard to cover kicks when you're not kicking the ball where you need to kick it.
"The hope was that Ellis was going to come in and be the guy that could do that. I haven't seen that out of him yet," he added. "If we do that, I'll be a happy camper."
Ellis has been slowed by a hip flexor and Rojas finished Saturday's game as the place-kicker.
"He'll keep getting better. He's a talented kid," Brandon said about Rojas. "To put the double duty on him Saturday was probably too much for him and then we don't protect for him."
Brandon said he would not know until later in the week if Ellis would be available for Saturday's game at Florida International.
EAGLE SNAPPER: Craig Rutherford, a walk-on freshman from Eastwood High School, saw duty as a long snapper during BG's game with Buffalo Saturday.
Kyle Cutler, the Falcons' normal long snapper, jammed his hand and cut his finger during the game, forcing the BG coaches to use Rutherford. Rutherford was also injured in the game, hyper-extending his elbow.
"They ran two guys at him, which is illegal and took him out," Brandon said about Rutherford's injury. "I don't know if he's going to be available to snap this weekend.
"He strained a tendon in his right arm on an illegal play."
If neither Cutler or Rutherford are unavailable Saturday, Pat Watson or Brandon Curtis could be called on to do the long snapping.
OTHER INJURIES: Corey Partridge, BG's leading returning receiver, should be ready to play against Florida International after missing the first two games of the season with a knee injury.
Antonio Smith, BG's most experienced member of the defensive backfield, also could be ready after being sidelined with an ankle injury suffered in the Wisconsin game.
Freshman P.J. Mahone, a starting safety for the Falcons, is expected to play after suffering a shoulder injury against Buffalo.
"He'll be a little gimpy, but he should be ready Saturday," Brandon said about Mahone.
SCOUTING FIU: Florida International is 0-2, losing on the road to Middle Tennessee State, 7-6, and to South Florida, 21-20.
"They have a very quick, aggressive defense," Brandon said about Golden Panthers. "They run a lot of different fronts. They bounce around and move guys."
Antwan Barnes, a 6-feet-1, 234 pound, senior defensive end and Keyonvis Bouie, a 6-0, 225, senior middle linebacker, stood out on film for FIU, Brandon said. Bouie leads the team with 18 tackles and Barnes has four sacks among his seven solo tackles.
On offense Brandon said the team uses a West Coast-style offense. Chandler Williams, 5-11, 180, senior wide receiver, had 10 catches for 129 yards against South Florida. Williams was named the Sun Belt Conference special teams player of the week for returning a punt 82 yards for a score against South Florida.
"They've got some athletes. They can run around and wreak havoc on defense and make some plays on offense," Brandon said.
Don Strock, a former quarterback in the National Football League, has been FIU's head football coach since the school started its program.
