This is the sixth story of a seven-part series breaking down position groups on Bowling Green State University’s roster entering the 2024 season.
BOWLING GREEN — The running back room on Bowling Green State University’s football team will have a little bit of everything this season.
That could add up to a lot of production and excitement.
The Falcons bring back a proven star in Terion Stewart, experienced seniors in Jaison Patterson and Jamal Johnson, and a handful of freshmen who could provide depth as well. Although the injury bug has already impacted BGSU at the position, the Falcons have a wide range of size, skill, and speed that can make the ground game a strength in 2024.
“It’s a big room. We’ve got a lot of guys, which is great because those guys take a beating,” BGSU senior quarterback Connor Bazelak said. “The freshmen, they’re super talented. They’ve obviously got a lot of learning to do in terms of our offense, and that’ll come just with reps and training camp, watching film.
“[Assistant] coach [Brian] White does a great job of getting those guys knowledgeable about the offense and even just about the position, about pass protection and running routes, where to hit holes, stuff like that. The freshmen running backs have done a great job, and obviously, we still have Terion and JP and JJ, who will all be really, really good for us this year.”
BGSU will be missing a couple of key pieces from the 2023 campaign in PaSean Wimberly, who suffered a season-ending non-contact injury during spring practice, and Ta’ron Keith, an elite pass-catching back who transferred to South Florida. The group will be relatively young as well, with six of the 11 running backs on the roster being freshmen.
Here is a look at the state of BGSU’s running backs.
2023 in review
BGSU averaged 137.5 rushing yards per game, which ranked eighth in the Mid-American Conference but was a vast improvement from the previous two seasons when the Falcons barely eclipsed 100 yards per outing. Stewart and Keith combined for 12 of BGSU’s 22 rushing touchdowns and 1,152 of its 1,788 rushing yards.
Stewart, a 5-foot-9, 220-pound junior, was a second-team all-MAC selection despite missing the last four games with a leg injury. He rumbled for 762 yards and eight scores on 125 carries. According to Pro Football Focus, Stewart’s 95.3 offensive grade led the FBS, and his 78 missed tackles forced were tied for fourth.
Keith, meanwhile, had 390 rushing yards and four scores, as well as 457 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 44 catches (tied for second on team).
Position coach
White joined Scot Loeffler’s staff at BGSU in February, 2022, but he has coached with the Falcons’ mentor at multiple schools. White worked with Loeffler at Florida from 2009 to 2010 when the former was the tight end/fullbacks coach, as well as at Boston College from 2016 to 2018 when he coached running backs. White has spent nearly four decades in the college coaching ranks, including a dozen as the running backs coach at Wisconsin from 1995 to 2006 when he guided players including 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne.
Probable starters
Stewart. He has led BGSU in rushing in each of the three seasons he has played, including 2020 and 2021. For his career, Stewart has 1,469 yards and 17 touchdowns on 232 carries; his 6.3 yards per carry currently ranks first in BGSU history.
A pair of seniors in Patterson (6-0, 220 pounds) and Johnson (5-10, 200) are expected to contribute as well. In 36 career games, Patterson has 982 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 235 carries, while Johnson has 415 rushing yards and 178 receiving yards in 33 games.
Most intriguing newcomers
BGSU brought in one running back from the transfer portal, and he could certainly see some playing time. Justin Pegues (5-9, 175) appeared in 20 games the last two years at FCS school Tennessee Tech where he had 482 rushing yards and three scores on 111 carries, as well as 259 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 33 receptions.
It will also be interesting to see if a strong group of freshmen that include Mar’Kel Porter (6-1, 220), Jaden Copening (6-0, 205), Nakai Amachree (5-10, 195), and Cameron Pettaway (5-10, 175) can find their way into the rotation.
Storyline to watch
What will Stewart’s workload be like, and can he make it through a full season? Along with missing the end of last season, Stewart missed three games of the 2021 campaign with an injury.
After posting a season-high 14 rushing attempts on two occasions in 2020 and 13 in 2021, Stewart had his four highest career totals of 26, 25, 19, and 15 in 2023. In those four games, he combined for 484 rushing yards and five touchdowns; the Falcons won each contest.
What to expect this fall
As long as Stewart is healthy enough and fully recovered from his leg injury, he should have plenty of opportunities to showcase his remarkable tackle-breaking abilities throughout the season. Don’t be surprised, though, if BGSU uses a plethora of running backs each game.
With the Falcons having their sights set at winning a MAC championship this year, keeping their standouts healthy all season will be one of the most important tasks for Loeffler and his staff.
First Published July 25, 2024, 5:49 p.m.
