Falcons Travel to Buffalo in Final Contest of 2011

Bowling Green Falcons (4-7, 2-5 MAC)
vs. Buffalo Bulls (3-8, 2-5 MAC)
Game 12: Fri., Nov. 25 • Noon
UB Stadium (29,013)
Buffalo, N.Y.
Series vs. Buffalo: BGSU leads 5-3-0
Series Streak: Buffalo - 1
Last Meeting: Buffalo 28, BGSU 26 (Oct. 2, 2010)
Television: TBA
Radio: Falcon Sports Radio Network
Todd Walker (play-by-play) and John Gibson (analyst)
WBGU 88.1 FM: None
Live Stats: www.buffalobulls.com

Game Notes vs. Buffalo

Falcon Quick Hits
• The Bowling Green State University football team is in the middle of its 93rd season of football with an all-time record of 496-346-51 (.584).
• Friday's contest with Buffalo will be the ninth contest between the two schools, with BGSU holding a 5-3-0 advantage.
• Head coach Dave Clawson returns for his third season at the helm of the football team and returns all but one of his assistant coaches from 2010. Clawson has an all-time record of 71-72 and is 13-23 at BGSU.
• Kamar Jorden has 171 career receptions, eighth-most in school history.
• Last week Jorden became the first Falcon in BGSU history to have two 1,000 yard receiving years.
• Chris Jones leads the MAC with 8.0 sacks.
• Anthon Samuel is third in the country in rushing yards/game among freshmen at 93.8.
• Punter Brian Schmiedebusch is a semi-finalist for the Ray Guy Award.
• BGSU boasts one of the youngest teams in football with 54 players who are freshmen or redshirt freshmen and another 27 players who are sophomores or redshirt sophomores.
• Sticking with the youth, on the two-deep alone, the Falcons feature 11 seniors, eight juniors, 15 sophomores and 18 freshmen.
• The Falcons have six players on preseason/mid-season watch teams: Kamar Jorden (Biletnikoff), Eugene Cooper (Biletnikoff), Ben Bojicic (Rimington), BooBoo Gates (Paul Hornung), Dwayne Woods (Butkus) and Matt Schilz (Manning).
• Defensive tackle Chris Jones and offensive lineman Ben Bojicic will serve as team captains.

Scouting the Falcons
The BGSU football team enters Friday's contest with a 4-7 record after dropping a 29-28 decision last Wednesday versus Ohio. The Falcons have wins versus Idaho (32-15), Morgan State (58-13), Miami (37-23) and Temple (13-10). BGSU will be led by head coach Dave Clawson, who is 71-72 all-time in his career and 13-23 as the head coach of the Falcons. He is 9-14 in Mid-American Conference play.

A Look at the Falcon Offense
The Falcon offense ranks sixth in the Mid-American Conference in scoring (25.1), sixth in total offense (387.2), fifth in pass offense (263.9) and eighth in rushing (123.3).

BGSU is led by sophomore quarterback Matt Schilz, who is fourth in the conference in passing (253.5) and ninth in passing efficiency (137.5). He is also second in the conference with 24 passing touchdowns and will be making the 22nd start of his career on Friday. Schilz has a pair of wide receivers that are one of the top duos in the nation in Kamar Jorden and Eugene Cooper. Combined the two have 136 catches for 1,733 yards and 17 touchdowns.

The rushing attack is much improved from a year ago as well and is averaging 123.3 yards per game. Last season the Falcons ranked last in the nation at 62.8 yards per game on the ground. Freshmen Anthon Samuel and Jamel Martin give the Falcons two running backs they can count on. Samuel is fifth in the MAC at 93.8 yards per game. Martin filled in nicely for Samuel in the West Virginia game (out due to an ankle injury), rushing for 111 yards on 23 carries. Jordan Hopgood is second on the team with four rushing touchdowns, but is expected to miss the remainder of the season with an injury.

A Look at the Falcon Defense
Defensively the Falcons rank seventh in the MAC in scoring defense (28.9), ninth in total defense (411.5), 10th in rushing defense (204.8) and fifth in passing defense (206.7).

Linebacker Dwayne Woods leads the team with 96 tackles and has chipped in with 13.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. Fellow classmate Chris Jones anchors the front line and has 8.0 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2011. The duo leads the MAC with a combined 25.5 tackles for loss.

The secondary features one of the youngest in the country. The Falcons, who play a 4-2-5 defense, regularly feature two sophomores and three freshmen. Rover BooBoo Gates is third on the team with 65 tackles.

A Look at The Falcon Special Teams
The Falcons' special teams have had some ups and downs in 2011. With the Falcons trailing 28-27 (with 2.1 seconds remaining in the game) versus Wyoming they had an extra point blocked and then missed their first extra point the following week versus Miami. In stepped junior Steve Stein, who has since made all 18 of his extra points and is eight-of-11 on field goals since earning the starting placekicker job.

BGSU's Brian Schmiedebusch ranks ninth in the country with a 45.4 punting average. Of his 51 punts, 17 have gone for at least 50 yards (two have surpassed 70 yards), while another 17 have landed inside the opponents' 20.

The Falcons rank third in the conference in kick returns (22.6) and are eighth in net kickoff coverage (41.2).

Series With Buffalo
The Falcons hold a 5-3-0 series advantage over Buffalo, despite dropping a 28-26 contest last season at home to the Bulls. In 2009 the Falcons won 30-29 inside UB stadium.

What Will Happen This Year?
In each of the past three seasons the Falcons versus Bulls contest has come down to the wire. In 2010 Bryan Wright missed a 40-yard field goal as time expired (BG lost 28-26). In 2009 Tyler Sheehan found Freddie Barnes on an 18-yard touchdown with 39 seconds remaining (BG won 30-29) and in 2008 BGSU led 27-7 with 11 minutes left in the contest before Buffalo scored 20 unanswered to send the game into overtime. Buffalo eventually won the contest 40-34 in double overtime, advancing to the MAC championship game (and winning).

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye
The contest versus Buffalo will be the final contest for 18 seniors: Zach Akenberger, Ben Bojicic, Eugene Cooper, Steve Dunlap, Winston Etheridge, Adrian Hodges, Ray Hutson, DeMark Jenkins, Justus Jones, Kamar Jorden, Jovan Leacock, Scott Lewis, Kevin Moore, Keith Morgan, Jerry Phillips, Jason Rice, Adrien Spencer and Mickey Wagner.

Combined, the 18 seniors have 42 yards passing, 95 yards rushing, 4,450 yards receiving (398 catches) and 31 touchdowns (30 rec./1 rush). Defensively the group has 528 tackles, 6.5 sacks and eight interceptions.

Schilz in the Record Books
Schilz has thrown for 5,011 yards and 32 touchdowns, while completing 60.7 percent of his passes in 21 career starts. The sophomore is starting to find his name in the record books. His 60.7 completion percentage is fifth in BGSU history (460-of-758 passing). His season numbers for pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns will all finish in the top five. He also has a chance to become just the fifth different Falcon quarterback to throw for over 3,000 yards in a single season (has 2,788 entering the UB contest).

Dynamic Duo
Senior wide receivers Eugene Cooper and Kamar Jorden have combined for 136 catches, 1,733 yards and 17 touchdowns through 11 games. All three are second in the conference, behind only WMU's Jordan White and Robert Arnheim.

Jorden has 75 catches for 1,015 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He was an All-MAC first-team performer in 2010 after finishing with 96 catches and 1,103 yards receiving. Cooper has 61 catches for 718 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011 after posting 17 catches for 130 yards and no scores in 2010. Both Cooper and Jorden are on the Biletnikoff Preseason Watch List.

Cooper Tire
Eugene “Binky” Cooper came into the 2011 season with 17 catches and 130 yards and no touchdowns in his Falcon career. Through 10 games (did not play versus WVU) in 2011 the senior has smashed all of his personal records (see numbers above).

In the first game of 2011 Cooper had four catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns versus Idaho. The following week he had six catches for 134 yards and four touchdowns versus Morgan State. Versus Wyoming he had eight receptions for 79 yards, but did not score. Against Miami he had just three catches for 51 yards, but those numbers would have been season-highs for him in 2010. Versus Western Michigan he had a career-best nine catches and posted the same mark versus Kent State.

Kamar The Star
While playing in just his second season with the Orange and Brown (redshirted in 2009), senior Kamar Jorden ranks eighth in school history with 171 career receptions.

Player, Years - Career Receptions
Freddie Barnes, 2006-09 - 297
Charles Sharon, 2002-05 - 232
Cole Magner, 2001-04 - 215
Robert Redd, 1998-02 - 211
Corey Partridge, 2005-08 - 182
Mark Szlachcic, 1989-92 - 182
Stan Hunter, 1982-85 - 176
Kamar Jorden, 2010-11 - 171

Back-to-Back 1,000's
The BGSU football team has had just five 1,000 yard receiving seasons in school history, with Kamar Jorden owning two. After posting 1,109 yards in 2010 the senior has 1,015 this season, becoming the first Falcon in school history with two 1,000 yard receiving seasons.

Single Season Receiving Yards
Freddie Barnes (2009)    1,770
Cole Magner (2003)    1,138
Kamar Jorden (2010)    1,109
Charles Sharon (2005)    1,028
Kamar Jorden (2011)   1,015

Single Season Touchdown Receptions
Freddie Barnes (2009)   19
Cole Magner (2003)   10
Ronnie Redd (1994)   10
Kamar Jorden (2011)   10

Samuel Named to CFPA National Freshman of the Year Watch List
Bowling Green's Anthon Samuel is one of 20 players named to the College Football Performance Award (CFPA) 2011 National Freshman Performer of the Year Watch List, announced by the CFPA on Nov. 9.

Samuel has run the ball 144 times for 844 yards (5.9 avg.), while adding 15 catches for 93 yards through the air. His 93.8 yards per game rushing is 33rd in the country and third among freshman running backs. He ranks first in the country in rushing yards per game among true freshmen.

Complete CFPA Watch List
Anthon Samuel (Bowling Green), Sammy Watkins (Clemson), Lyle McCombs (Connecticut), Rashad Greene (Florida State), Isaiah Crowell (Georgia), Teddy Bridgewater (Louisville), Taylor Reed (Memphis), Cody Fajardo (Nevada), Giovani Bernard (North Carolia), Braxton Miller (Ohio State), De'Athony Thomas (Oregon), Scott Crichton (Oregon State), Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina), Joe Bergeron (Texas), Malcolm Brown (Texas), Chuckie Keeton (Utah State), Kevin Parks (Virginia), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Washington), Dustin Garrison (West Virginia), Brett Smith (Wyoming)

Baby Legs
Freshman Anthon Samuel's 93.8 per game average on the ground is the third-highest yards per game rushing among freshmen in the country. Only Connecticut's Lyle McCombs (101.4) and North Carolina's Giovani Bernard (96.1) and have a better per game average by a freshman running back in the country.

In Samuel's first career game he rushed for 141 yards on 22 carries in the win versus Idaho. He was the first Falcon freshman to rush for over 100 yards in his first career game since Freddie Barnes, who ran for 158 yards on 29 carries versus Wisconsin on Sept. 2, 2006. In week two the freshman went over 100 yards again (122 yards on 11 carries), becoming the first Falcon to post back-to-back 100-yard games since P.J. Pope did it back in 2004. Versus Miami Samuel had 121 yards on 16 carries and had 105 yards versus Toledo. Samuel is the first BGSU running back to have four 100-yard games in a season since P.J. Pope had five in 2004.

Laying the Wood
Dwayne Woods was one of the top tacklers in the nation in 2010, finishing sixth in the country with 134 tackles in 12 games. This season, his tackle numbers are down due to the defense getting off the field sooner, but his impact has been just as strong.

The junior leads the team with 96 tackles, has 13.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. The middle linebacker was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after recording 12 tackles and two tackles for loss versus Wyoming. His 13.0 tackles for loss rank fourth in the MAC.

Jones'n For Sacks
Defensive tackle Chris Jones led the team with 6.0 sacks in 2010, and has continued to lead the way with 8.0 sacks this season. He was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week twice this season. He had three sacks in a 13-10 win versus Temple and opened the season at Idaho with two sacks, a forced fumble and a safety. Jones has 39 tackles, 8.0 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in 2011. His 8.0 sacks lead the conference and are tied for 18th in the country.

BGSU Season Sack Leaders
Kevin O'Brien (1992) - 19.0
Diyral Briggs (2008) - 9.5
Devon Parks (2006) - 9.0
Mitch Crossley (2003) - 9.0
Chris Jones (2011) - 8.0
Paul Harris (1991) - 8.0
Joe Foley (1986) - 8.0
Brandon Hicks (2000) - 7.5

BGSU Career Sack Leaders
Kevin O'Brien (1989-92) - 31.0
Diyral Briggs (2005-08) - 26.0
Devon Parks (2003-06) - 22.0
Brandon Hicks (1998-2001) - 20.0
Mitch Crossley (2001-04) - 18.0
Ryan Wingrave (1998-2001) - 15.0
Chris Jones (2009-PR) - 15.0

Gates Swings for the Fences
With the 88-yard kick return for a score versus Toledo, sophomore BooBoo Gates has two kick returns for scores in his career. His first came as a freshman versus Kent State, where he ran 75 yards for a touchdown. Gates is the first Falcon in school history to ever have two kick returns for scores in his career.

BGSU Season Leaders
Kickoff Returns
Roger Williams, 2009    44
Roger Williams, 2007    39
BooBoo Gates, 2011    35

Kickoff Return Yards
Roger Williams, 2007   954
BooBoo Gates, 2011   939

Kickoff Return Avg.
Joe Alls, 2001   26.9
BooBoo Gates, 2011   26.8
Zeb Jackson, 1993   26.8

Schmiedebusch Named Semi-Finalist for Ray Guy Award
Brian Schmiedebusch, has been named a semi-finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation's top punter.

Schmiedebusch is fifth in the nation in punting average at 46.6 yards per punt, helping the Orange and Brown to a net punting average of 41.1, fifth-best in the country. Of his 47 punts, 17 have surpassed the 50-yard mark, while another 15 have landed inside the opponent's 20 yard line. He has only six touchbacks on the season and has allowed just 11 returns all year.

Schmiedebusch not only has one of the strongest legs in the country (has an 81 and 73 yard punt versus Idaho and Northern Illinois), but he has been one of the best situational punters all season long. When attempting to pin the opposition deep (every punt from beyond BG's 40-yard line) he has 23 attempts, with 15 landing inside the opponent's 20. In fact, of those 13 that landed inside the 20, eight of those kicks were downed inside the opponent's 10, with just four touchbacks.

On the flip side, when BGSU is pinned deep inside it's own 20 yard line, Schmeidebusch has nine punts for 501 yards, an average of 55.7 yards per punt. Six times this season the sophomore from Ottawa, Ohio, has been standing in his own end zone and has averaged 53.8 yards per kick.

2011 Ray Guy Award Semi-Finalists
Ryan Allen (Jr.) – Louisiana Tech
Ian Campbell (Jr.) – UTEP
Steven Clark (So.) – Auburn
Bobby Cowan (Jr.) – Idaho
Scott Kovanda (Jr.) – Ball State
Richie Leone (So.) – Houston
Pat O'Donnell (Jr.) – Cincinnati
Jackson Rice (Jr.) – Oregon
Brian Schmiedebusch (So.) – Bowling Green
Brad Wing (Fr.) - LSU

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