Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Set To Begin Spring Practice Thursday
February 26, 2014 | Football
Defending MAC Champions take field for first time under Dino Babers
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Head coach Dino Babers and the Bowling Green State University football team will take the field on Thursday (Feb. 27) to begin spring practice. Thursday's practice session will be the first of 15 practice sessions, commencing with the Spring Game set for April 5 (12:00 p.m.) at Doyt Perry Stadium. A position-by-position breakdown of the defending MAC Champions can be found below, and the spring prospectus can be found at the link above.
Quarterbacks
Junior Matt Johnson was the starting quarterback last season, completing 64.2 percent of his passes for 3,467 total yards and 25 touchdowns. Johnson's longest pass was a 92-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Burbrink. Johnson started 13 of 14 games last season. He will be joined in competition by redshirt sophomore James Knapke, redshirt freshman Austin Valdez, and redshirt sophomore Nolan Dieter. Texas Tech transfer Clayton Nicholas will sit out the 2014 season due to NCAA Transfer rules.
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Running Backs
Junior Travis Greene was the leading running back last season, running for a school record 1,594 total yards. Greene had nine games where he rushed over 100 yards breaking yet another single season school record. Greene also had two touchdowns in the MAC Championship game. Greene was named to the All-MAC second team. Sophomore William Houston had three touchdowns in his first collegiate game versus Tulsa. Houston was named MAC East Player of the Week for his efforts in that game. He had 48 carries for 211 yards and was tied for a team high 11 touchdowns. Eight of Houston's touchdown came from one-yard out, two from two yards out, and another from 44 yards out. Sophomore Fred Coppet will also see plenty of reps during 2014. He saw action in nine games last season.
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Wide Receivers
Bowling Green returns a plethora of receivers from the MAC Championship team in 2013. But, the Falcons will have to replace top receiver Shaun Joplin from a season ago. Joplin caught 54 passes for 908 yards and three touchdowns. But, the Falcons return the likes of Chris Gallon and Jared Cohen from injury. In addition, Gehrig Dieter, a transfer from SMU, will be eligible after sitting out the 2013 campaign. All the receivers will join an already deep and experienced core of Ryan Burbrink, Ronnie Moore, Heath Jackson and Herve Coby. Freshman Roger Lewis will also compete for playing time.
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Tight Ends
Bowling Green will have to replace Alex Bayer and Tyler Beck at the tight end position in 2014. Bayer was the second leading receiver, catching 37 passes for 593 yards and four touchdowns. Chris Pohlman is the leading returner from 2013. Pohlman caught four passes for 88 yards and a touchdown last season. He will be joined by Scott Davis, Logan Larson, and Hunter Folkertsma.
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Offensive Line
Bowling Green will return three starters from the 2013 team which won the MAC Championship. Alex Huettel will anchor the line from his position at right guard. Last season, Huettel was named second team All-MAC. Redshirt sophomores Logan Dietz and Jacob Bennett join Huettel as returning starters in 2014. The Falcons will be charged with replacing first team All-MAC performers Chief Kekuewa (center) and Dominic Flewellyn (left guard). Returners Christian Piazza, Clay Rolf, Ben Steward, and J.J. Beggan will all compete for time. Ryan Hunter, Tim McAuliffe, and Clark Clancy, who all redshirted a season ago, will compete for playing time throughout the spring.
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Defensive Line
Replacing the interior part of the defensive line will be crucial to the success of the Falcon defense in 2014. All-MAC second teamer Ted Ouellet and Jairus Campbell must be replaced from the defensive tackle position. Taylor Royster, Mike Minns, Terrell Jackson, and Izaah Lunsford will push for playing time throughout the spring. On the outside, both Bryan Thomas and Charlie Walker return for their senior seasons. Kendall Montgomery, Bryan Baird, Jahlil Croley, Terrance Bush, and Jason Shepard will also fight for time at defensive end.
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Linebackers
The Falcons will lean on second team All-MAC linebackers D.J. Lynch and Gabe Martin to anchor an experience defense in 2014. Replacing Paul Swan at middle linebacker will be the biggest question mark for the Falcons at the linebacker position. Senior Paul Senn is a viable candidate to replace Swan in 2014. Senn was a force on special teams last season, and also saw extensive time at linebacker. Coy Brown, Isaiah Gourdine and Nate Locke will also fight for time at linebacker, along with Patric Hannon and Aaron Banks.
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Secondary
Bowling Green will have to replace one of the best secondary units in the country from 2013 when they take the field for spring practice on Thursday. With losses to BooBoo Gates (first team All-MAC), Cam Truss and Aaron Foster, three secondary spots will be up for grabs during spring practice. Ryland Ward is the only returning starter from last season's MAC Championship team. Redshirt junior Darrell Hunter and junior Will Watson will fight for time at cornerback, with Diontre Delk and early enrollee Nick Johnson also being worked into the rotation.
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Specialists
Special teams coordinator Tom Kaufman will have a lot of depth at special teams to work with when the Falcons take the field Thursday. Tyler Tate, who finished 2013 with the second most field goals made, extra points made, and extra point attempts in school history, will return after posting one of the most successful years as a kicker in recent memory at BGSU. Tate finished the 2013 season by scoring the sixth-most points in school history. Anthony Farinella returns as the kickoff specialist. Replacing Brian Schmiedebusch will be crucial to the Falcons' success in 2014, and redshirt freshman Joe Davidson is expected to fill in nicely. Returners Ronnie Moore and Ryan Burbrink bring explosiveness and experience to the return game.
