Football Lands 6th Verbal, 4th from Offensive Skill Position

Excited to announce i have committed to Bowling Green to continue my academic and football career! #Nestup2017 pic.twitter.com/kqp3g6TxSP

— Colin debord (@cdebord10) May 24, 2016

BG has a new football verbal....this one a projected WR named Colin Debord of Centerville, OH.  Colin is a versatile offensive player who plays QB and WR as well as running the ball.  His coach refers to him as their Braxton Miller.  He also says he ran a 4.35 40 at the OSU camp, which if true would put him among the fastest players to wear a BG uniform.  Note, as well, that he is said to be dangerous in the return game.

One exciting thing is that he brings his speed from a frame that is just over 6'0" tall, which makes him a matchup issue all day long.  Hustle Belt compared him to Daniel Braverman.  He had offers from Ohio U and Ball State.

As a junior, he caught 25 passes for 7 TDs.  Overall, he averaged north of 17 yards per catch and had a long reception of 77 yards.

He is BG's 6th verbal commit, four of which are from offensive skill positions.

Welcome to the Falcons, Colin!

BG Names New Athletic Director

So, within a couple weeks of Chris Kingston's departure, Bowling Green has named its new athletic director.  His name is Bob Moosbrugger, and he is a '94 graduate of the University.  His current job is as Deputy Director of Athletics/COO at San Diego State University.

He's been in San Diego since 2000.  He started in their development operation, spent a couple of years with the San Diego Sports Council and then he went back to SD State as the lead for the development program.

This is from his official bio at San Diego State:

Since returning to San Diego State eight years ago, Moosbrugger has been in charge of the department's record fundraising efforts. He has implemented capital improvement projects, including the construction of the Jeff Jacobs JAM Center (basketball practice facility), Willens Tennis Locker Rooms and the SDSU Softball Stadium clubhouse. He has also raised funds for facility improvements to the Fowler Athletics Center as well as for renovations to the locker rooms for men's basketball, women's basketball and baseball.

So, most fans will tell you that this is a return to the Greg Christopher management style.  I do think Christopher gets a little bit of a bum rap---he did hire some good coaches, including Dave Clawson---but he was an ardent fundraiser who did a lot to address some serious facility issues.  There is buzz that Kingston was falling down in that area, along with some rumors that a capital campaign to refurbish the Doyt is lagging badly.

So, you see in that paragraph above...I'm just guessing that capital fundraising prowess helped make Bob an attractive candidate.  And look, we need money.  That's a reality.

Moosbrugger was a student-athlete at BG, earning 2 letters for the baseball team.

Prior to SD State, he worked at Ball State and Fresno State.

He must really want to be an AD...he's leaving the city with perhaps the best weather in the continental US to move to Blowing Green.

So, welcome home, Bob.  Press conference Tuesday at 10 AM with a livestream.

Johnson Waived By Bengals

NEWS: #Bengals sign rookie QB Joe Licata (Buffalo) and waive rookie QB Matt Johnson (Bowling Green)

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 16, 2016

So this is a shocker...not because Licata but because I figured Johnson at least made it to training camp...there had even been a lot of positive talk about him and people saying he was one of the top UDFA signings...hard to believe.  I understand that he might not have the size to play in the NFL when it is all said and done, but he's a winner and he's productive and I can't believe a team doesn't want to give it a roll at least into the pre-season.

Which they still might, just not the Bengals....,

Falcon Football Verbal...CJ Hunt

After long talks with my family, friends, and coaches I couldn't be more proud to announce my commitment #D1Bound pic.twitter.com/zY4WvLdcBX

— cj hunt (@D1BOUND_CJ) May 15, 2016

The Falcons continue to pick up what appear to be strong and sought after verbal commits.   This young man is CJ Hunt.  He's a D-tackle from Avon, Indiana, which is west of Indy.

He has offers from Miami and Buffalo, but appears to be a high-upside player.  He's 6'2" and 275 and that's entering his senior year.  He is ranked as the #2 DT in Indiana, and while Indiana is not known as a football hotbed, we did get a pretty good DT from there (cough, cough, Chris Jones and in fact Jones is from Brownsburg which is about 10 miles north of Avon.)

The 24/7 composite is a 2-star.  There's more here, as Hustle Belt had a chance to talk to him...interesting stuff, including a camp where he did well.

The other interesting note is that he compliments the Falcon coaching staff and says he loves "the vision Coach Jinks has for the program."  He's not the first to say it, and you know that at this blog the jury is out on our new staff, but this seems to be something that Jinks is winning at....and it is a needed skill.

As a fan, I'd be interested in hearing what his vision is for the football program, for that matter.

Anyway, welcome to the Falcons, CJ!!

Two BGSU Football Coaches Cited For Assault

It was bad enough when it was the players, but now two of BG's new football coaches (actually assistant coach Marcus White and graduate assistant Kenneth Williams) were cited for assault in an incident that occurred in a downtown bar.  Details can be found here via the Blade.

So.

White, a co-coordinator, is on administrative leave and Williams is subject to internal discipline.  Assuming the chargers are accurate, and based on the Chris Jans precedent, White can only be let go.  Whether the University is prepared to be consistent on this matter remains to be seen...and the AD who made the Jans decision is gone.  Jans patted a woman on the butt and was caught on video doing it.  White is accused of assaulting a bouncer--who might very well be a BGSU student.  Seems worse to me or at least comparable.

For that matter, I believe BG players have been dismissed for something similar in recent years.

White is 34, so that's not a good look for him, either.  As for Williams, he's a graduate assistant....back when the Texas boys were lecturing me about how football really works, I was told graduate assistants weren't much different than on-the-field coaches, but I assume now he's just a graduate assistant.

Anyway, not a great moment for the football program.

Football Lands 3-star commit....

Thankful to announce that I am officially committed to Bowling green University pic.twitter.com/CIS3pbkusz

— iceman koontz (@koontz101) May 9, 2016

The Falcons have landed a 3-star commit from Boardman (Youngstown area)...and this one certainly seems to be worthy of some attention.  His name is Travis Koontz...he's a TE...just guessing here, but I assume he's a kind of hybrid TE...if for no other reason than I doubt if we really need the other kind.  He's 6'4" and 240 pound--which is obviously a commanding size and a matchup problem if teams put a DB on him.

Scout called his commitment "somewhat of a shocker."  He had widely reported legit offers from Maryland, UC and Iowa State.  He is rated as the #4 TE in Ohio and #12 in the Midwest.

Scout ran him down and asked about the BG commit.  Here's what he said:

"I committed to Bowling Green now because I don't think any other school can offer what they have," Koontz stated. "I trust their coaching staff."

"I know this staff is going to do great things at Bowling Green, and I want to be a part of it," he added. "It's just the perfect fit for me."

So a couple things.  First, as we are in the gathering evidence phase of our new coaching staff, those words are powerful and this is a young man dealing with DJ Durkin, Tommy Tuberville, and Matt Campbell...and their staffs. (Also Bo Pelini).  Second, even in an offense like BG will run, a TE that forces the defense to choose between a LB for size and a DB for speed is a huge weapon, especially as everyone else is spread out and stretched.

Welcome to the Falcons, Travis.

Happy Mother's Day to the Falcon Nation...

Happy Mother's day everyone.....

Long-time BG Starter Cam Black Now Working for Atlanta Hawks

Cam Black II played for four years at BG, starting at 109 games at center for the Falcons...his Dad was his Coach in Kent, and being from a basketball family, Cam was interested in getting into coaching.  He worked as a GA at Akron last year and then former BG assistant Louis Twigg alerted him to an opportunity...with the, you know, Atlanta Hawks.

The Blade has the whole story...check it out, its pretty good.

Congrats to Cam.  He logged a lot of minutes in the orange and brown during a time when it wasn't always the easiest thing to do. Best of luck with the Hawks....now, to root for the Cavs or the Hawks???

Dispatch: BGSU Pays Cody Silk $712,500

Here's a wow.  The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that BGSU has agreed to pay former lineman Cody Silk over $700,000 as part of a legal settlement related to alleged brain injury.

This happened with Coach Clawson was the coach and BGSU did not admit any guilt.  You can check the Dispatch story for a broader look at the story.

That's a big wow and a lot of money.  Regardless of the underlying facts, of which I only know what has been reported, it underscores the big cloud that hangs over football at all levels, and that is the concussion crisis.  More that one industry has been brought down by civil liability--tobacco...Owens Corning once declared bankruptcy to get out from under asbestos claims--and the impact on football will make its biggest impact on the most vulnerable first...high schools and small colleges.

Falcons Get NFL Opportunities--Updated for Hardy

It appears the dust has settled and BG has four players who are going to get their shot at the next level.  Obviously, you'd rather be drafted, but there are hundreds of UDFAs on NFL rosters and many of them big contributors (cough, cough, Thomas Rawls) so it does happen.

In last year's draft alone, two Falcons (Gabe Martin and Jude Adjei-Barimah) were UDFAs and appeared in NFL games as rookies.

Also, there are two levels of action going on with undrafted players.  There's a UDFA signing, which usually means the player will go to training camp...and then there's a camp invite, which is an invite to a mini-camp next weekend where you get the chance to show what you can do and maybe become a UDFA.  Camp invite is tough, but you're on the field with a shot.  

Last thing....when a UDFA is released it is reported on transactions, etc.  No news is bad news on camp invites.

With that in mind....

Roger Lewis was quickly snapped up by the New York Giants.  Lewis left BG after only two seasons--very productive seasons--and people seemed to be talking about him having a decent draft position.  That obviously didn't happen.  Not sure what went into his decision...usually if you go early you want to be drafted, but there are other factors...you are going to be hard pressed to put up those kind of numbers next year (No Johnson, no Deiter, etc).  

Anyway, the Giants drafted one WR in the 2nd round and right now have one more WR coming in as a UDFA.  They have Beckham and Randle, but aren't super stacked at WR.

Matt Johnson was signed by the Bengals.  You can't be surprised at this, as disappointing as it is.  Johnson is hugely productive, but that doesn't seem to count in the NFL as much as you would like to think.  I love Matt Johnson--guy is a winner, plain and simple--and I think if he gets his shot he has a chance to be an NFL QB...also, would be a great fit in the CFL.  

The Bengals did not draft a QB, but they brought in Travis Wilson with Johnson as a UDFA.  They have Dalton and McCarron on the roster, and the 3rd QB is Keith Wenning, from Ball State.

Travis Greene has his UDFA with the Washington Redskins.  This one is interesting.  The position has changed a lot.  You don't really have a RB...you have a feature back, a 3rd down back, a short yardage back.  Greene has a shot to fill the 3rd down back role with his running and receiving skills.  Furthermore, they lost Alfred Morris and do not show a lot of depth at RB.  They drafted a RB in the 7th and no other UDFA signings.

Alex Huettel got a camp invite with the Titans as well.  This is a tough road and line is a tough position in the NFL.  They usually keep 7 or 8 guys.  Huettel was a great player for BG and it would be great to see him get a shot.

That's what I have heard.  If there are others, hit the comments.

Congrats to all of these young men.  They are champions forever, and we are very excited to see them try to earn their way at the next level.

One last semi-Falcon note.  You may remember that BG had a lineman named Fahn Cooper when Clawson was here.  He made 13 starts at T as a R-FR but then left because his family wanted him in a big-time program.  (He also says that fellow students at BG did not know the team was in a bowl game).  He played JUCO for one year, went to Ole Miss and was drafted in the 5th round by the 49ers.

Update:  I see on twitter that Eilar Hardy has a camp invite to Cincinnati.  Congrats to him as well.