BOWLING GREEN — On Wednesday, Bowling Green announced the hiring of new football head coach Scot Loeffler. The 44-year-old Loeffler will become a head coach for the first time, but he is no stranger in college coaching circles.
A look at the coach’s pathway to Bowling Green:
Michigan (1993-99): Loeffler, an Ohio native, originally went to Michigan as a player. The left-handed quarterback enrolled at UM under former coach Gary Moeller but had his career cut short by a shoulder injury.
After the injury, former Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr — who took over in 1995 — made Loeffler a student assistant for two years, then a graduate assistant for two more. He was on the staff in 1997 when the Wolverines won the Rose Bowl and a share of the national championship.
VIDEO: BGSU hires Scot Loeffler as head football coach
Central Michigan (2000-01): His first full-time gig as college coach, coincidentally enough, was in the Mid-American Conference as the Chippewas’ quarterbacks coach. CMU went 5-17 in the two years Loeffler was on staff as quarterbacks coach.
Michigan (2002-07): Loeffler returned to Michigan and was the position coach for both John Navarre and Chad Henne, the latter of which is still in the NFL. During Loeffler’s second stint at Michigan, the Wolverines won the Big Ten twice and played in three Rose Bowls.
Detroit Lions (2008): Carr retired after the 2007 season, after which Loeffler had a chance to move the NFL as the Lions’ quarterbacks coach. To put it mildly, it was a long year. The Lions fired general manager Matt Millen, lost quarterback Jon Kitna for the season, and traded receiver Roy Williams to the Cowboys on the way to finishing 0-16.
Florida (2009-10): Urban Meyer’s spread offense was a new system for Loeffler as quarterbacks coach, but the Gators spent almost the entire season ranked No. 1. Florida went 12-0 before losing to Alabama in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 SEC Championship Game. Florida went 21-6 in two years before Meyer resigned.
Temple (2011): For the first time, Loeffler became a coordinator under coach Steve Addazio. The Owls went 9-4 and won the New Mexico Bowl.
Auburn (2012): Loeffler replaced Gus Malzahn as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator, though it was a disaster of a year for Auburn. The Tigers went winless in the SEC and its offense ranked 115th, leading to former coach Gene Chizik being fired two years after winning the national championship with Cam Newton at QB. Loeffler was not retained.
Virginia Tech (2013-15): As the Hokies’ offensive coordinator, Loeffler’s offenses saw gradual improvement in three seasons, going from 99th to 93rd to 53rd in scoring offense. Virginia Tech went 22-17 during that span and made bowl games in all three years.
Boston College (2016-18): The Eagles also saw gradual improvement with Loeffler as the offensive coordinator. BC went from 118th to 85th to 42nd this season in scoring offense and went 21-17 during that span. Loeffler was promoted to deputy head coach before the season.
Bowling Green (present): Loeffler takes over a Falcons team that has won nine games in three years, but does have some weapons on offense. Quarterback Jarret Doege led the MAC with 27 passing touchdowns, Quintin Morris caught seven touchdown passes, and Andrew Clair averaged 5.2 yards per rush en route to being named third-team All-MAC.
First Published November 28, 2018, 9:57 p.m.
