BOWLING GREEN — Practice No. 15 marks the arrival of Bowling Green’s annual spring game Saturday at Doyt Perry Stadium, and the Falcons have plenty to watch Saturday.
In the first set of practices under new coach Scot Loeffler, Bowling Green, which is coming off three consecutive losing seasons, was hoping to work on the foundation for a turnaround that will have the program competing for Mid-American Conference championships.
Here is what you might see when the Falcons take the field:
New-look offense
Bowling Green is fitting its offense to the players on the roster, not the other way around. Loeffler said the encouraging thing about the offense is its flexibility, so the Falcons tried a bit of everything this spring. They installed everything from pro-style schemes to spread formations to option concepts in an attempt to find an identity, so it’s likely fans will see some of each during the spring game.
The good news for BG is most of its offense is coming back: four of five starters on the offensive line, quarterback Jarret Doege, the entire backfield, and receivers Quintin Morris and RB Marlow.
Another thing to keep an eye on: Tight ends. Loeffler’s offenses traditionally have valued tight ends, and the spring game could be a preview of how BG will use them.
Fresh faces
Bowling Green has a number of players who are likely to be new targets for Doege this season. The Falcons addressed an area of need at tight end with Austin Dorris, a graduate transfer from Indiana, who will contend for a starting spot. So will Presley Motes, a junior college transfer who suffered a season-ending injury in the first quarter of the first game last season.
After sitting out a season, Washington State transfer Isaiah Johnson-Mack has two years of eligibility remaining. At 6-foot-3, he could be a dangerous player opposite the 6-4 Morris.
Two early enrollees also have made an impression on the coaching staff. St. Francis de Sales graduate Joey Carroll is listed as the starter at one of the tight end spots on the depth chart, while true freshman receiver Jake Rogers is listed as the team’s kick returner.
Moving pieces on defense
BG made a number of changes it will debut before the public. Anthony Wayne graduate Evan Brown — originally a walk-on defensive back — now is listed as a starting outside linebacker. Senior Brandon Perce, who did not appear in a game last season, is listed as the starter at middle linebacker.
The Falcons also moved running back Charles Lamar to linebacker, safety Caleb Biggers to cornerback, and cornerback Antonyo Sotolongo now is listed as a safety.
The front 5
The Falcons struggled to run block last season and tentatively shook up the offensive line grouping this spring. Caleb Bright is listed at left guard after playing most of last season at center, now occupied by Jack Kramer. Left tackle Lorenzo Taborn has remained in place, but Tim Blair and Derek Downs are listed as the favorites at right guard and right tackle, respectively.
Pace
The first practices under Loeffler had more than a few players huffing and puffing because of the speed at which their training sessions moved. The Falcons — and Loeffler himself — were moving constantly.
Loeffler said playing with speed will be in Bowling Green’s repertoire in the fall, but the speed of practice was part of establishing standards with games still months away.
“We are pushing limits,” Loeffler said earlier this spring. “We need to establish how we practice on a day-to-day basis and get the culture right so when we come back for fall ball, the culture is set.”
First Published April 19, 2019, 2:02 p.m.
