Fort Wayne news article on James Knapke

Here's an interesting tidbit from out in the real world, most specifically at the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel.  As I am sure you are aware, Ft. Wayne native James Knapke is a freshman QB at Bowling Green, where he is competing for playing time.  The News-Sentinel made their way to Detroit for media day (OK, I'm catching up on things, OK?) and asked Coach Clawson how Knapke had been faring during summer workouts.

There's nothing terribly newsworthy here....Clawson says Knapke is from a good program (3 straight state titles) and has made the adjustment a little quicker.  He's also a good person.

And, most of call, here is why Clawson said he really recruited him:

“More than anything we just felt that James was a winner,” Clawson said.

And that's the kind of guy we never have enough of.

Falcon Football: Upcoming Attractions

Looking ahead, the athletic department has released the latest version of the upcoming non-conference schedules for football.  

One caution:  these often don't materialize, so I wouldn't go booking a flight to College Park, Maryland for 2015 until we get a little closer.

However, this does give you plenty of warning.  For example, after this has been published, I don't want to hear you are "getting married" on September 13, 2014.  You have plenty of time to find another day and still make the game.

K?

In the meantime, here are some observations.

On September 26, 2015, BG is scheduled to put its all-time unbeaten record at Rose-Ade Stadium at risk.  I'm honestly surprised Purdue will even schedule us.

We have home and homes with Indiana (2 for 1), Maryland, Middle Tennessee, and Louisiana Tech.  

We will be playing a road game in Bowling Green...no this isn't the latest Greg Christopher scheme--we're playing in Kentucky.

2016 is the next return to Columbus.    Any betting on whether Urban will still be there when that game occurs?

2013
Aug. 29 TULSA
Sept. 14 at Indiana
Sept. 22 MURRAY STATE
Oct. 12 at Mississippi State

2014
Aug. 28 at Western Kentucky
Sept. 6 VMI
Sept. 13 INDIANA
Sept. 20 at Wisconsin

2015
Sept. 12 at Maryland
Sept. 26 at Purdue

2016
Sept. 3 at Ohio State
Sept. 10 NORTH DAKOTA
Sept. 17 MIDDLE TENNESSEE

2017
Sept. 9 at Indiana
Sept. 23 at Middle Tennessee

2018
Sept. 8 MARYLAND
Sept. 22 at Louisiana Tech

2019
Aug. 31 at Maryland
Sept. 14 LOUISIANA TECH

Camp has started....

So, camp has started down at the Doyt on a season that has the most promise of any season in the Clawson era and possibly stretching back a little bit back beyond that.  After two years of poor seasons with a Coach with a reputation as a program-builder, things look like they are rounding into shape.

At a minimum, you have to feel like BG has a shot at a bowl game, and if we can pick up an upset in Athens on a Wednesday night in November, then Ford Field is not outside the realm of possibility.  Even more encouraging, this team will still be a veteran team next year.  By all observations, things are moving in the right direction, though, as we always say, the results will speak for themselves and it isn't done until it is done.

Looking ahead, I would propose the following five questions that will need to be answered this year.

Will we have effective WRs?

Our biggest experience deficit is at WR.   Can our current crop of WRs get open for Schilz, can they do it with space, and can they make big plays happen.  I ask this question first, because I am most confident in the answer to this question.  With Shaun Joplin and Je'Ron Stokes we have two players with at least some track record and then others like Herve Coby with promise--I believe we will be OK at WR, though it remains to be seen.

Will our offensive line become a good line?

Our O-line is getting more experienced.  And it was improved last year.  However, it wasn't an top flight MAC line, and even average players become juniors and seniors.  Just ask EMU.  The question here is whether the players have developed to the point where they are able to allow BG to develop a consistent running game, convert short yardage plays, and protect the QB.   To me, this is the most important question facing our offense.

Can our QB lead us to a championship?

This is a related question.  It has been very hard to determine what we have in our current QB.  I don't like singling players out, but he is the QB and it can't be avoided.  With the lack of a running game and then poor protection, it has been difficult to to see how good Schilz really is.  As the running game and the line improves, and as he matures, it is reasonable to think we will see a big jump in performance and maybe a very big one, if everything comes together.  Fans will be closely watching this, in particular.

Can we stop the run?

Switching to the defense, it will be hard for BG to be a winning program unless we can stop the run.  An inability to stop the run--and an inability to get off the field--mean that you can only win by outscoring the opposition in a shoot out, and that is a difficult thing to replicate week after week.  Coach send at the end of last year that the defense needed to get stronger, and we will find out this year how much that was achieved.  We have rotational depth on the d-line, decent line backers--and if the defense can get off the field, things get a whole lot better.

Can we make a field goal?

OU marched down the field on us to kick the game winning FG, partly in the confidence that they had a top flight FG kicker.  They didn't need to get into the end zone.  We would have been unable to do something similar for several years.  BG has at least three kickers available, and if the team doesn't end up with at least one of them who can go 40+ when a FG is really needed, it could cost a game somewhere along the line.

Falcons Land Two Florida Football Verbals

Back in town again, and the biggest news while I was gone appears to be that the football team landed two more verbals, bringing the total up to 10.  Both of these players are from Florida.  The Palm Beach Post says BG is one of the MAC's most aggressive Florida recruiters, and while this will dredge up age-old arguments over whether BG should recruit the Great Lakes (OH especially) or Florida, I would just say that the important thing is the output, not the input.  If the team wins and does it in a way we can be proud of, then I don't care where they came from.

Anyway, not only are both players from Florida but they are teammates on the Seminole Ridge team.

Omar Pierre-Louis is expected to play CB, and had 13 offers including Tulane, Florida Atlantic and Central Florida.   (Rumors that Tulane recruited him solely for the perfection of his name could not be verified.)  Louis is 6'0' and 180 and is a 2-star recruit on Rivals and unranked on ESPN.

The other player is Jason Shepherd, a weakside DE who could translate into an OLB at BGSU.  He is unranked on ESPN and on Rivals, but had 8 offers, including Tulane and CMU.  He is 6'1 and 220.

Jason, Omar....welcome to the Falcons.

Falcon Blog is on Vacation!!

Yes, I know this is an Eagle.

I'm on vacation this week, so unless something huge breaks, there won't be any posts.  But when I get back on August 4, we'll be getting ready for the run up to another season.

In the meantime, enjoy.

Falcon's Men's Basketball Gets Transfer

6'10" Josh Gomez of Iona will be bringing his talents to the Black Swamp starting the season after next, as he has announced his transfer to BGSU.

He was a FR on the Iona team that made the NCAA Tourney last year.  As such, when he steps on the floor in 2013, he could be the Falcon with the most NCAA Tournament experience in at least two generations.   (Technically, he didn't appear in the NCAA tournament game, but, sad to say, he would still hold the distinction, unless, of course, the Falcons break the hex and win the MAC next year).

He is from New York City and played at Rice High School, which is considered a very strong program.

When he does hit the floor, he will be a sophomore.

Here's the  main part of the release from bgsufalcons.com.

Gomez, a 6-foot-10, 235-pound post player from Bronx, N.Y., was the lone freshman on last year’s Iona team, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Prior to his time at Iona, Gomez attended prestigious Rice High School in New York City’s Catholic High School Athletic Association. A program that is perennially among the conference’s best teams and a nationally ranked program, Gomez helped lead Rice to a sixth straight Archdiocesan AA varsity boys basketball championship as a senior with a 14-point performance against St. Raymond’s. In a regionally televised game in the SNY Invitational, Gomez had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in a victory over eventual New York State Federation Class AA champion Mount Vernon High School. 

“Josh comes from a great high school program at the former Rice High School and he added experience playing on a veteran Iona team last year,” Bowling Green head coach Louis Orr said. “He has a strong work ethic and having him for three years is a big plus. I know the pedigree and passion of young men who come from New York City and he is also a good student and a quality person. On the floor, he will give us length and size in the front court. He can stretch the defense with his outside shooting as well as being able to score in the post. He is a mobile post player who blocks shots and runs the court well. ”

When he was recruited to Iona, he was listed at 6'9"/190, which means he had gotten somewhat bigger in the meantime.  He was the #131 PF in the country and was a 2-star recruit (an 80)--all figures from ESPN.  For perspective, this is the same ranking they gave Desmond Rorie.

For Iona, he played in 16 games, played 3 minutes a game and had 10 points and 9 rebounds.  He was a FR.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how he develops as a Falcon.  We are clearly investing heavily in the frontcourt, between the players coming in this year and then Gomez.  Welcome to the Falcons, Josh.

Close the deal: Falcon Football Commercial Released

Can anyone explain the meaning of "7 minutes, 34 seconds" on the shirt at the beginning of the commercial?  Ask and ye shall receive!  Take a look at the comments for an explanation of what that means.

I like the spot, I think it captures a distinctive feel and it is consistent with the brand established over the past few years.  I like very much the "Close the deal" theme for the team.  That's a good way to describe how we have been the last couple years.