2011 Bowling Green Football Predictions
Written by Patrick Webb
Bowling Green heads into 2011 looking to improve on last season’s 2-10 record in head coach Dave Clawson’s third season at the helm. They face a tough conference schedule with road games at expected contenders Miami and Western Michigan to open conference play and face the other four MAC opponents at home. The Falcons are banking on better offensive line play, a more consistent running game, and better decision-making. Quarterback Matt Schilz is in his second year as a starter and hopes to jump start an offense that averaged only 21.3 points per game. Defensively the Falcons return seven starters, but lose a couple of key players from that unit. Bowling Green allowed 33.6 points per game last season and held only one team to below 20 points.
Offensively the Falcons feature a West Coast style of offense that should be suited to QB Matt Schilz’s (2,223 yards/ 60.7%/ 8TD/14 INT) skill set. The Falcons allowed 35 sacks last season and Schilz was injured for two games (10 starts). This season they return four starters from the offensive line and figure to ease the burden on Schilz with better protection and a more effective running game. Bowling Green returns only one tailback from last season’s team with experience and don’t have a wealth of talent at this spot. Receiver Kamrar Jordan is looking to improve upon a 96 reception, 1,109 yard season. He managed to score only 4 TDs and needs to become more of a big play threat to help improve the passing game’s effectiveness.
Defensively Bowling Green has seven starters back from last season’s team, but are missing five of their top nine tacklers. They allowed 5.3 yards per carry and forced only 17 sacks and 12 interceptions. The good news is that they should be improved on the defensive line, and the back seven returns five starters. The secondary has several experienced players and could be the strength of the defense this season. This unit allowed five teams to rush for over 200 yards, including a stunning 466 yards versus Michigan. They must stop the run to stay in games.
The Falcons return Kyle Burkhardt at placekicker. He went 1-4 for field goals and will be facing a challenge from true freshman Tyler Tate. Brian Schmiedebusch has transferred in from a Division-II school where he averaged 42.1 yards per punt. The Falcons netted only 36 yards per punt last season and will need to improve this number to be successful. Returners Eugene Cooper and Boo Boo Gates are back and looking to continue their success. Cooper returned two punts for scores and averaged 11.5 yards per return on 19 returns. Gates managed a TD on only 14 attempts and averaged 24.4 yards per kick return.
Schedule Analysis: Bowling Green opens the season at Idaho on September 1st in a Thursday night game. They return home for two winnable games against FCS Morgan State and FBS Wyoming. The next three games may tell the tale of the entire season as they travel to Miami (OH) to open the conference season, visit Big East foe West Virginia, and travel to Western Michigan. If they manage to stay relatively healthy and compete in those games they will be rewarded with four of their next six games at home, including Toledo, Temple, Northern Illinois, and Ohio, finally traveling to Kent State and Buffalo. Bowling Green may be an underdog in every conference game this season.
Final Record Prediction: 2-10 (1-7, 7th MAC East)
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