Matt Johnson leads a potent Bowling Green offense. (Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports)
FALCONS at a GLANCE
LOCATION: Bowling Green, Ohio
COACH: Dino Babers — At Bowling Green: 1st year; overall: 19-7,
2 years
OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS: Sterlin Gilbert/Matt Mattox
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Kim McCloud
LAST LEAGUE TITLE: 2013
LAST TIME DIDN’T GO BOWLING: 2011
RETURNING STARTERS: 11; 5 offense, 5 defense, kicker
PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Matt Johnson, RB Travis Greene,
OL Alex Huettel, DE Bryan Thomas, DE Charlie Walker,
PRIMARY STRENTHS: Johnson should only get better under the tutelage of Babers. Johnson is brimming with confidence after completing 64.2 percent of his passes for 3,467 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. The Falcons are loaded with weapons; Greene is an all-around threat, and wide receivers Chris Gallon and Jared Cohen are finally healthy.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: The strength of last year’s defense is basically gone. The Falcons have major holes in the interior of the defensive line, at middle linebacker, and there are three secondary starting positions left to fill. Will the defense have enough depth to play extended minutes due to the fast-paced offense?
OFFENSE
“Falcon Fast” is the offensive motto for the new regime at Bowling Green. First-year Bowling Green coach Dino Babers, replacing Dave Clawson, brings his fast-paced offensive philosophy to the Mid- American Conference.
Babers helped tutor Robert Griffin III at Baylor and turned Eastern Illinois product Jimmy Garoppolo into an intriguing NFL prospect. Junior quarterback Matt Johnson is the ideal fit for Babers’ high-octane offense that he hopes to generate nearly 90 plays a game.
As a sophomore, Johnson passed for 3,467 yards and 25 touchdowns in leading the Falcons to a 10-4 record that included the MAC championship. The offense will go through some initial struggles adapting to the faster tempo, but there’s plenty of experience and talent at the skill positions to ease the transition.
Junior tailback Travis Greene is a running and pass-catching threat capable of thriving in Babers’ offense. The offensive line returns three starters, including second-team All-MAC right guard Alex Huettel, but it must adapt to picking up new schemes and increased pace.
The Falcons have a plethora of interesting and talented options at receiver, including Chris Gallon, Jared Cohen, Ronnie Moore, Heath Jackson, SMU transfer Gehrig Dieter and former Ohio State commitment, Roger Lewis.
DEFENSE
Bowling Green’s defense ignited last season’s run to the conference championship. The Falcons al- lowed a scant 15.9 points and 321.4 yards per game.
Saddled with key losses at defensive line and nearly the entire secondary, new coordinator Kim McCloud must piece together a defense capable of making plays and handling the pressure of the faster tempo of games due to Babers’ offense. By spring, several members of the defense were leaner and faster.
The defensive line isn’t particularly big, with ends Bryan Thomas and Charlie Walker taking on bigger roles this season.
Linebackers D.J. Lynch and Gabe Martin are the glue of the front seven, while free safety Ryland Ward is the lone returning starter in the secondary.
The Falcons signed seven defensive backs in their 2014 recruiting class. Nilijah Ballew, a three-star 247Sports recruit, is a player to watch.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Tyler Tate is entrenched as the placekicker after drilling 18 of 22 field goal attempts and nearly setting several school records last season. Redshirt freshman Joe Davidson is the likely replacement for punter Brian Schmiedebusch. The Falcons’ return game should be a strength, with Moore and Ryan Burbrink handling the punt and kick return duties.
OVERVIEW
Despite losing several standout defensive players, the Falcons are expected to contend for the East Division title. Johnson was stellar down the stretch last season and should take another step in his development under Babers. The offense is loaded with talented players, and a favorable early- season schedule, followed by four home games in a five-game stretch, bodes well to build momentum.
TOP NEWCOMER
DB Nilijah Ballew: Ballew originally committed to Louisville before shifting his allegiance to Bowling Green, a rare de-commit from a high-profile conference to the MAC. Ballew has the talent to become an instant contributor in the Falcons’ depleted secondary.
