Bowling Green State University Athletics
Spring Football Game Set For Saturday
April 02, 2014 | Football
Falcons will take the field for final time this spring beginning at 12:00 p.m.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University football program will conclude spring practice on Saturday when they host their annual spring game inside Doyt L. Perry Stadium. The scrimmage will begin at 12:00 p.m. and is open to the public.
The Spring Game
Saturday's spring game will feature the Falcon offense versus the defense, with head coach Dino Babers running a set number of situational and up-tempo plays. It will be the final chance that Falcon football fans have the chance to see #FalconFast prior to the beginning of the 2014 football season. If you are unable to make it to Doyt L. Perry Stadium on Saturday, the Spring Game can be followed via social media. @BG_Football (Official account of BGSU Football), @BGAthletics (Official account of Falcon athletics), and @ScottSwegan (Football SID) will have updates throughout the afternoon via Twitter.
A New Era Of Falcon Football
2014 will begin a new era of Bowling Green football, as head coach Dino Babers enters his first season on the sidelines with the Falcons. Babers brings an exciting, innovative, and up-tempo style of play to BGSU, as his Eastern Illinois team led the Football Championship Subdivision in total offense last season. Babers was twice named Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, as he took his Panthers from a last place finish the year before he arrived to two OVC crowns in his two seasons at EIU. Babers spent time under Art Briles at Baylor University from 2008-11, learning the offense that he will employ at Bowling Green. Known for his offensive prowess, Babers has proven that he can win because of his defense and special teams, as well. Last season at EIU, the Panthers forced 38 turnovers -- with 14 interceptions and 24 fumbles recovered. EIU was first in FCS football averaging 20.0 yards per punt return on special teams, as well.
#FalconFast Is Born
With Babers' style of football comes the term "#FalconFast" which will be used to describe just how fast Bowling Green football will play in the years to come. In the video below, head coach Dino Babers lets the BGSU Police know that #FalconFast will be a speed that Falcon fans have never seen before.
The Schedule
Aug. 29 at Western Kentucky
SEPT. 6 VMI
SEPT. 13 INDIANA
Sept. 20 at Wisconsin
Sept. 27 at UMass
OCT. 4 BUFFALO
Oct. 11 at Ohio
OCT. 18 WESTERN MICHIGAN
Nov. 4 at Akron
NOV. 12 KENT STATE
Nov. 19 at Toledo
NOV. 28 BALL STATE
Dec. 5 MAC Championship Game
TBA Bowl Game
ALL CAPS - Game played at Doyt L. Perry Stadium
Falcons Will Have Explosive Offense
Last season, Bowling Green had several notable offensive achievements and staggering numbers compared to past years under former head coach Dave Clawson. With several of the offensive weapons returning, and an innovative and up-tempo offensive system being put in place, Falcon football could have one of the most explosive offenses in the country in 2014. Quarterback Matt Johnson returns after starting the final 13 games of last season. He completed over 64-percent of his passes for 3,467 yards and 25 touchdowns. Johnson was named MVP of the MAC Championship game after throwing for 393 yards and five touchdowns. Travis Greene, who set the school's single-season rushing record with 1,594 yards a season ago, returns along with Johnson. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry and had 11 touchdowns, as he also broke the school record with nine, 100-yard rushing games. Running back William Houston rushed for 11 touchdowns last season on just 49 carries. Gone are Bowling Green's top two receivers from a season ago, but the Falcons return a plethora of talented wide receivers. Heath Jackson, Ryan Burbrink, Ronnie Moore, Chris Gallon and Jared Cohen all return. Gallon and Cohen missed the last part of the season with injuries in 2013. Gehrig Dieter will also be eligible to play in 2014, after sitting out the 2013 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Dominating Defense Will Continue At Bowling Green
Bowling Green's top two tacklers from last season's MAC Championship team return in 2014, as linebacker D.J. Lynch and safety Ryland Ward will anchor the best defense in the Mid-American Conference over the past two seasons. Lynch led the Falcons will 85 tackles last season, and added 8.0 tackles for loss. Ward added 81 tackles and tied for the team lead in interceptions. He had five pass breakups and seven deflections, and also recovered two fumbles. Second team All-MAC linebacker Gabe Martin will also return after missing the final six games of the season due to injury. He had 36 tackles in eight games last year with 3.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries. The Falcons will have to replace first team All-MAC safety BooBoo Gates and second team All-MAC lineman Ted Ouellet, but a deep and experienced defensive unit should have very little problem filling the void.
Babers Hires Championship Coaching Staff
Head Coach Dino Babers has his coaching staff in place, and the staff that he has put together is primed and ready to help the Falcons maintain their championship-caliber football program for years to come. The majority of Babers' staff coached with him during the past two seasons at EIU, winning two OVC titles in just two seasons and guiding the Panthers to the FCS quarterfinals in 2013.
The Spring Game
Saturday's spring game will feature the Falcon offense versus the defense, with head coach Dino Babers running a set number of situational and up-tempo plays. It will be the final chance that Falcon football fans have the chance to see #FalconFast prior to the beginning of the 2014 football season. If you are unable to make it to Doyt L. Perry Stadium on Saturday, the Spring Game can be followed via social media. @BG_Football (Official account of BGSU Football), @BGAthletics (Official account of Falcon athletics), and @ScottSwegan (Football SID) will have updates throughout the afternoon via Twitter.
A New Era Of Falcon Football
2014 will begin a new era of Bowling Green football, as head coach Dino Babers enters his first season on the sidelines with the Falcons. Babers brings an exciting, innovative, and up-tempo style of play to BGSU, as his Eastern Illinois team led the Football Championship Subdivision in total offense last season. Babers was twice named Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, as he took his Panthers from a last place finish the year before he arrived to two OVC crowns in his two seasons at EIU. Babers spent time under Art Briles at Baylor University from 2008-11, learning the offense that he will employ at Bowling Green. Known for his offensive prowess, Babers has proven that he can win because of his defense and special teams, as well. Last season at EIU, the Panthers forced 38 turnovers -- with 14 interceptions and 24 fumbles recovered. EIU was first in FCS football averaging 20.0 yards per punt return on special teams, as well.
#FalconFast Is Born
With Babers' style of football comes the term "#FalconFast" which will be used to describe just how fast Bowling Green football will play in the years to come. In the video below, head coach Dino Babers lets the BGSU Police know that #FalconFast will be a speed that Falcon fans have never seen before.
The Schedule
Aug. 29 at Western Kentucky
SEPT. 6 VMI
SEPT. 13 INDIANA
Sept. 20 at Wisconsin
Sept. 27 at UMass
OCT. 4 BUFFALO
Oct. 11 at Ohio
OCT. 18 WESTERN MICHIGAN
Nov. 4 at Akron
NOV. 12 KENT STATE
Nov. 19 at Toledo
NOV. 28 BALL STATE
Dec. 5 MAC Championship Game
TBA Bowl Game
ALL CAPS - Game played at Doyt L. Perry Stadium
Falcons Will Have Explosive Offense
Last season, Bowling Green had several notable offensive achievements and staggering numbers compared to past years under former head coach Dave Clawson. With several of the offensive weapons returning, and an innovative and up-tempo offensive system being put in place, Falcon football could have one of the most explosive offenses in the country in 2014. Quarterback Matt Johnson returns after starting the final 13 games of last season. He completed over 64-percent of his passes for 3,467 yards and 25 touchdowns. Johnson was named MVP of the MAC Championship game after throwing for 393 yards and five touchdowns. Travis Greene, who set the school's single-season rushing record with 1,594 yards a season ago, returns along with Johnson. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry and had 11 touchdowns, as he also broke the school record with nine, 100-yard rushing games. Running back William Houston rushed for 11 touchdowns last season on just 49 carries. Gone are Bowling Green's top two receivers from a season ago, but the Falcons return a plethora of talented wide receivers. Heath Jackson, Ryan Burbrink, Ronnie Moore, Chris Gallon and Jared Cohen all return. Gallon and Cohen missed the last part of the season with injuries in 2013. Gehrig Dieter will also be eligible to play in 2014, after sitting out the 2013 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Dominating Defense Will Continue At Bowling Green
Bowling Green's top two tacklers from last season's MAC Championship team return in 2014, as linebacker D.J. Lynch and safety Ryland Ward will anchor the best defense in the Mid-American Conference over the past two seasons. Lynch led the Falcons will 85 tackles last season, and added 8.0 tackles for loss. Ward added 81 tackles and tied for the team lead in interceptions. He had five pass breakups and seven deflections, and also recovered two fumbles. Second team All-MAC linebacker Gabe Martin will also return after missing the final six games of the season due to injury. He had 36 tackles in eight games last year with 3.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries. The Falcons will have to replace first team All-MAC safety BooBoo Gates and second team All-MAC lineman Ted Ouellet, but a deep and experienced defensive unit should have very little problem filling the void.
Babers Hires Championship Coaching Staff
Head Coach Dino Babers has his coaching staff in place, and the staff that he has put together is primed and ready to help the Falcons maintain their championship-caliber football program for years to come. The majority of Babers' staff coached with him during the past two seasons at EIU, winning two OVC titles in just two seasons and guiding the Panthers to the FCS quarterfinals in 2013.
- Sterlin Gilbert (Co-Offensive Coordinator; Quarterbacks) comes to Bowling Green after two seasons at Eastern Illinois. At EIU, he was directly responsible for the development of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who will be drafted early in the upcoming NFL Draft. Garoppolo was named the Walter Peyton Award winner—the Heisman Trophy equivalent at the FCS level. Gilbert was named FCS Coordinator of the Year in 2013.
- Matt Mattox (Co-Offensive Coordinator; Offensive Line) will begin his first season at Bowling Green, after coaching the offensive line last season at Eastern Illinois. Mattox is familiar with the up-tempo offensive system that Babers uses, having played and served as a graduate assistant under Art Briles at Houston. Under Mattox, EIU's offensive line helped the offense amass over 8,000 yards in 2013, including 5,000-plus passing yards and more than 3,000 rushing yards.
- Kim McCloud (Defensive Coordinator) will serve on Dino Babers' staff for the third consecutive season, after guiding the Panthers defense the past two seasons at EIU. 2014 will be the sixth season in the past seven that McCloud and Babers have worked together, as McCloud coached at Baylor from 2008-10. The defensive coordinator also is familiar with the MAC, having spent the 2011 season at Akron.
- Tom Kaufman (Special Teams Coordinator; Linebackers) joins Dino Babers' staff at Bowling Green as the special teams coordinator in 2014. Kaufman also coached linebackers for two seasons at Eastern Illinois under Babers. During his time at EIU, Kaufman's linebackers were routinely a major factor on one of the best defenses at forcing turnovers in the country. In 2013, linebacker Robert Haynes was named All-OVC under the guidance of Kaufman. On special teams, EIU had one of the best units in the country. The Panthers finished 2013 with the No. 1 punt return unit, averaging 20.0 yards per return.
- Nick Monroe (Secondary) is in his fifth season as an assistant coach in 2014. He is the only coach on staff that was a part of the 2013 MAC Championship coaching staff under Dave Clawson. 2013 was a banner year for the Bowling Green secondary under Monroe, as the Falcons finished the year with the sixth best passing defense in the country. Once again, senior BooBoo Gates was named first team All-MAC at safety. The previous season, cornerback Cam Truss and Gates also earned All-MAC honors.
- Mike Lynch (Running Backs) enters his first season as an assistant coach with the Falcons in 2014. He previously coached nine seasons at EIU, including the past two under Babers. Lynch will coach the running backs at Bowling Green in 2014. As the running backs coach in 2013, Lynch mentored two backs who anchored a rushing attack which totaled over 3,000 yards. Shepard Little rushed for 1,551 yards and 15 touchdowns a season ago, while Taylor Duncan had 988 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Panthers.
- Sean Lewis (Wide Recievers) begins his first year as an assistant coach at Bowling Green in 2014, and his third under Dino Babers. Lewis, who graduated from Wisconsin in 2007, will coach inside receivers at Bowling Green. He has served in a similar capacity at Eastern Illinois during the past two seasons. Under Lewis in 2013 receivers Erik Lora and Adam Drake both totaled over 1,300 yards receiving and 32 combined touchdowns. Lora was recognized as the best receiver in FCS football for his efforts. During his first season as the inside wide receivers coach, Lewis helped coach Lora to one of the best individual seasons in FCS history, earning OVC Player of the Year honors while finishing fourth in the Walter Payton Award voting. He set the FCS single season record with 136 receptions finishing with 1,664 yards. As a unit, EIU wide receivers hauled in a school record 341 passes during the year for 4,019 yards and 34 touchdowns.
- Tom Freeman (Defensive Line) with more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, begins his first year at Bowling Green in 2014. He will coach the defensive line. The veteran coach spent one season on Babers' staff at Eastern Illinois, also coaching the defensive line. Freeman and Babers have a long time association that started when Babers was a player at the University of Hawai'i. Freeman was the offensive guards and centers coach for Hawai'i from 1975-81. Freeman has also been on the coaching staff with Babers at Arizona State, Purdue and Pittsburgh.
- Mike Mickens (Cornerbacks) joins the Bowling Green State University football staff in 2014. He will coach cornerbacks for head coach Dino Babers. Mickens comes to Bowling Green from Idaho, where he coached under Paul Petrino last season. Mickens has previously coached at Indiana State and Cincinnati, in addition to Idaho. A 2011 graduate of Cincinnati, Mickens was an All-American cornerback for the Bearcats.
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