FalconBlog--Triumphs and Trials in the BGSU Falcon Nation

Brandon Presser

A few points:

True freshman Calvin Wiley has moved on to the depth chart at SS. Coach says he's been playing well, but our need for help in the secondary is apparent. (He's taking John Nicholson's spot).

He notes that Antonio Smith got burned twice for TDs at Ball State, but also took the INT that decided the game and returned it for a TD.

Q: Talking about Antonio Smith, you have said that cornerback is one of the more difficult positions to recruit. What was the process involved in getting him?
GB: I think getting him was a steal. Zach Azzanni did a great job recruiting that kid. He is from a great program, Miami Central, down in Dade County. He played against guys that are (now) lining up at Florida, Florida State, Miami, so he knows what fast guys look like. He has great instincts, ball skills - you can tell he has been well coached - and he's just a good young player.

Q: You mentioned a couple plays in the Ball State game where he might have gotten down, but he obviously responded well.
GB: Yeah, it was nice to see him come back after those two touchdowns that he gave up, by getting a pick and running it back. I mean, I was anticipating having to make a move back there if he wasn't able to hold up, but he responded and did a nice job. That's the way you have to learn on the edge out there. You've got to have a short memory.

Jelani Jordan has been much maligned by Falcon fans, and I believed always underrated. I think the fan's perception goes back to the MAC Championship where Big Ben lit our whole defense up, but it looked like it was all him.

Q: Jelani (Jordan) played a lot as a freshman, too.
GB: Jelani has been through the school of hard knocks, too. You know, that's what happens. You're going to get beat, and if you continue to let it get to you, you'll get beat again and again. You just need to learn from it, forget about it and move on.

Q: What have you seen from Jelani?
GB: Jelani was our player of the game against Ball State. He had five or six really nice, open-field tackles, where the guy could have gone for a lot of yards if Jelani didn't get him down. He did a nice job, didn't give up any plays in the passing game. He's a veteran kid who just quietly does his job back there. On the trick play, he got the guy out on the five-yard line and they didn't score. They got a field goal out of that, and that was huge.

Coach also noted that although Boise State is 0-2, they lost to good teams. They are banged up, but the Falcons expect them to be absolutely raw meat (my phrase) hungry on their own field. They will not want to go 0-3, and will be loaded for bear. They are a little dinged out, as you would expect. To wit:

Senior nose guard Mike Thaler On Boise's three-game losing streak
"It's like a caged animal, you need to fight to the death. They've been up against quality opponents and they can't be taken lightly."

I hope PJ Pope is back...that's a guy we are going to need.