Welcome to my first annual season preview for the Bowling Green State University Falcons. I've never done anything like this before so I hope it's ok and I hope my research has been done well enough to not make all of you think I am a complete moron. Part I is here today with the team outlook and the out of conference schedule. Part II will examine the MAC portion of the Falcons Schedule.
This season will be a season of changes for the Falcons. Bowling Green welcomes their new coach, Dave Clawson, to the nest. Last year, Clawson was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Volunteers and did not have a lot of success getting his offense implemented into the SEC. Before that though, he turned around the Div. I-AA Fordham team around and helped turn around the Richmond team that won the Div. I-AA Championship last year. Clawson brings discipline and work ethic that were missing during Greg Brandon's final couple seasons at BG.
On the offensive side of the ball, Bowling Green will return seven players, including starting Quarterback, Tyler Sheehan. Sheehan has been named to the Manning Award Watch list, along with 37 other Quarterbacks from around the nation. One thing that is a positive is that the Orange and Brown did not lose a single starter at the running back position. Chris Bullock and Willie Geter will be a good 1-2 punch for the Falcons, as long as they can hold on to the ball. As for the receivers that Sheehan will throw to, Freddie Barnes will have to step up and be a leader to a group that lost it's #1 receiver in Corey Partridge. Tyrone Pronty will be the guy to watch this year in my opinion. He showed some flashes of brilliance last year and will hopefully be able to continue growing and maturing his game. Senior Tight End Jimmy Scheidler should be able to help open up the Falcon offense as well as he declared himself a legitimate threat scoring seven Touchdowns a year ago.
Defensively, the Falcons will have a ton of work to do as they lost each of their four starters on the front line. Defensive End Angelo Magnone is going to be the guy to watch down in the trenches this year. In his playing time last season, Magnone made 27 total tackles, 2 of which went for a loss. The secondary is loaded with experience as Senior Safties P.J. Mahone and Jahmal Brown come back for a defensive backfield which was one of the best in the MAC. Mahone and Brown were 1st and 3rd, respectively, on the team in tackles with 95 and 83 tackles. Mahone had three interceptions last year and started all 12 games. Jerett Sanderson and Cody Basler will be the leaders of the linebacker core and will have to play great ball to help out a fairly inexperienced line.
Nick Iovinelli will return for his third and final season as the Falcons punter. Last year, Iovinelli averaged just over 40 yards per punt with 12 landing inside the 20 and seven going 50 or more yards. A true freshman will be the team's place kicker, Jerry Phillips.
Now, for the schedule, and boy is it a doozy! All of the Falcons out of conference games will be pretty tough as they host Troy and Boise State and travel to Missouri and Marshall. When the Falcons open the season against the Trojans on September 3rd, it will be the first ever meeting between the two schools. This will be a good first test for the Falcons. They will come out with a LOT of emotion but will have to make sure to not let too much emotion get to them. Troy is a very good team but I see the Falcons starting off the Dave Clawson era with a big "W." - 1-0
Next, a trip to Missouri to face the Tigers, a team the Falcons have beat three out of the four times they've played them. With a tough road crowd though, and a Missouri team that will come out feeling like they have something to prove, I don't know if the Falcons will be able to start 2-0. I'm going to have to predict a close, hard fought game but an "L" in the standings. - 1-1
One more road game before coming back home. Marshall, the former member of the MAC gets a visit from their old foe, Bowling Green. All time, BG has taken Marshall down 20 times and only lost seven times. I see this trend continuing. The Brown and Orange love to beat down on the Thundering Herd and BG will want to come home strong for their last out of conference game. BG wins big on the road, establishing themselves as a team to keep your eyes on. - 2-1
Next, one of only two 2009 opponents who BG has a losing record against, all-time, Boise State. The Broncos have hosted the Falcons twice and laid the smack down both times. Boise wasn't supposed to make a trip to the Doyt this year but was a late addition to the schedule. Boise State has been a perennial BCS Buster but will be doing a little bit of rebuilding this year. Boise does have a very good young Quarterback but they don't have a clear #1 to run the ball. This game could really go either way but I honestly feel like the Broncos might be a bit too much for the Falcons to handle. - 2-2
Tune in tomorrow for Part II!
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