Falcons Host Temple in 2007 Home & MAC Opener

Sept. 17, 2007

GAME #3
Bowling Green vs. Temple

Sept. 22, 2007  Doyt L. Perry Stadium, Noon

RECORDS: BGSU 1-1, 0-0 MAC // TEMPLE 0-3, 0-0 MAC
RADIO: BGSU Radio Network - Todd Walker and Cal Bowers
TV: ESPN Regional - Michael Reghi (play-by-play) and Doug Chapman

BGSU Football Game Notes vs. Temple (27 pages)
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The Bowling Green State University football team will open the home portion of their 2007 campaign on Saturday (Sept. 22) when they play host to the Temple Owls. Opening kickoff is set for Noon as the Falcons will honor their newest members of the Athletic Hall of Fame, but they will also show off their new facility, the Sebo Athletic Center, located in the north end zone.
Falcon Role Reversal
After leading the MAC with 176.7 yards on the ground and 41 rushing attempts per game last season (BG threw the ball just 29 times per/game) the Falcons have returned to the air attack, averaging 353.5 passing yards/game this season (52 attempts/game), while running the ball just 47 times (23.5) in two games so far this season.
Why The New Offensive Attack? Sophomore Quarterback Tyler Sheehan, who has made just two career collegiate starts (versus Minnesota and Michigan State), has been the main catalyst to the new Falcon offensive air attack. Through two contests he has completed 66-of-101 passes (65.3%) to go along with three touchdown passes (he also has one rushing touchdown). In his first career start he threw for 388 yards (34-of-51) with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added one reception for a 24-yard touchdown in a 32-31 (OT) win over Minnesota.
Just one week later, versus another Big Ten foe (and second straight road game), Sheehan connected on 32-of-50 pass attempts, finishing the 28-17 loss at Michigan State with 295 yards passing and one touchdown. He also ran for a six-yard scoring giving the second year quarterback at least one passing, rushing and receiving touchdown this season.
Receivers Helping Sheehan Freddie Barnes, Derek Brighton, Zach Charles, Corey Partridge, and Marques Parks have made things much easier for the sophomore quarterback. In fact, four of those five receivers have either set new career-bests in receptions, or will in the new future. Barnes has 15 catches this season already (had 20 all of last year), Parks has doubled his output from 2006 with 10 catches (5 last season), while Brighton, a redshirt freshman who had no catches in his collegiate debut, had seven receptions versus Michigan State. Also, Charles is halfway to his 14 receptions in 2006, after recording seven grabs versus Minnesota. Partridge, the Falcons top receiver from last season (55 catches) had six grabs in the first quarter versus Minnesota before leaving the game with an injury.
Falcons Have Top Passing Offense In The MAC
Despite facing two consecutive Big Ten opponents, the BGSU passing attack leads the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons' 353.5 yards/game through the air in nearly 60 yards more per game than second-place Western Michigan (279.0). While every other MAC squad has participated in three contests, the Falcons' 707 passing yards if fifth-best in the MAC, and just 132 yards shy of the top spot, Western Michigan (839).
Falcons Return Home
Bowling Green is 135-63-6 (.677) all-time at home and are 25-7 since 2001 inside Doyt Perry Stadium. It will also be the first time the Falcons have played a contest on the brand new FieldTurf, installed this summer. Under coach Brandon the Falcons are 4-0 in the first contest of the year inside "The Doyt".
* Falcons played one contest at Cleveland Brown Stadium last season (vs. Wisconsin), in which the Falcons were the home team.
Passing Records In Danger? Through two games of the 2007 season Tyler Sheehan is averaging 33 completions, 50.5 attempts and 341.5 yards per game. If those averages continue for the season (12 games) he will have thrown 606 passes, completing 396 of them for 4,098 yards. The current records for those categories are:
Attempts: 494, Josh Harris, 2003
Completions: 325, Josh Harris, 2003
Yards: 4,002, Omar Jacobs, 2004

Where The Falcons Rank In The Big Ten
Where would the Falcon offense rank in the Big Ten? After competing with two members from the Big Ten Conference (Minnesota and Michigan State) you may be surprised at where the Falcon offense would rank. The Falcon offense (427 yards/game) ranks fifth in the Big Ten, ahead of teams such as Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State, while the Falcon passing attack would rank first, tops in that conference. In fact, they would be more than 50 yards ahead of the current Big Ten leader Purdue (299.5)
Defense Continues To Make Impact Plays
With two interceptions versus both Minnesota and Michigan State and two forced fumbles versus the Gophers the Falcons have forced six turnovers in the first two games this season. The last time BGSU had at least six change of possessions in a two game span was on Oct. 1, 2005 versus Temple (3 INTs and 2 FF) and Oct. 8, 2005 versus Ohio (2 INTs and 1 FF).
In fact, looking back to 2006 the Falcons had just four picks in the first four games last year, including three INT's versus Florida International. The last time BGSU had multiple interceptions in back-to-back games was back on Oct. 8, 2005 versus Ohio (2 INTs) and Oct. 15, 2005 versus Buffalo (2 INTs).
Defensive Line Provides Much Depth
Only junior Diyral Briggs and sophomore Nick Davis have seen much live action on the defensive line front prior to this season, but several new faces have made immediate impacts. Briggs, a second year starter, has six tackles including one sack, and Davis has just two tackles, but one tackle for loss in the early campaign. Fifth-year senior Sean O'Drobinak, who played tight end last season, has five tackles and a pass break-up in his first season at the defensive tackle position. Junior Adrian Baker, seeing his first significant action of his career had an interception and a pass break-up in his first career start versus Michigan State. Orlando Barrow (4 tackles), Angelo Magnone (3 tackles), D.J. Young (2 tackles) and Jacob Hardwick (1 tackle) make the Falcon D-Line one of the deepest units on the team.
Linebackers Lead The Way In Tackles
Junior linebackers John Haneline and Erique Dozier, along with fifth-year senior Loren Hargrove lead the Falcon linebacker core, holding down the top three spots in the Falcon tackling department. Haneline's 25 tackles leads the Falcons. His 12.5 tackles per game are tops in the MAC. He also has three tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble. Hargrove is second of the team with 13 tackles, while Dozier's 13 tackles is combined with one interception (first career), one pass breakup and a fumble recovery.
Secondary Young But Experienced
At first glance, a secondary lead by two sophomores and two juniors, many would believe that the Falcon secondary is a bit unexperienced. That could not be farther from the truth. Junior cornerbacks Antonio Smith (21 starts) and Kenny Lewis (14 starts, 23 games), along with sophomores Jahmal Brown (12 starts) and Jerett Sanderson (14 starts) have basically all played together since the beginning of the 2006 season. Brown is second on the team with 13 tackles, followed by Sanderson (13 tackles), Smith (10 tackles) and Lewis (10 tackles).