BOWLING GREEN — The Scot Loeffler era at Bowling Green State University is over.
The Falcons’ football coach is leaving to become the quarterbacks coach of the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. BGSU announced the move Friday morning.
Loeffler went 27-41 in six years as BGSU’s coach, including 7-6 each of the past two seasons for the Falcons’ first consecutive winning campaigns since 2012 to 2015. The Falcons also played in a bowl game each of the past three seasons.
“BGSU is a special university and community that truly embraces relationships, people, and the student experience. In these last six seasons, Scot built a very successful program in a challenging climate in collegiate sports,” BGSU athletic director and vice president for athletics strategy Derek van der Merwe said in a news release. “More importantly, he built this program while ensuring his team and coaches were truly committed to the values and mission that make this university great.
“Like other great coaches in the history of BGSU football, he has demonstrated that when you build around the strengths of this university and its mission, anything is possible. I am looking forward to this process of finding the next great leader for our program who embraces what it means to be a Falcon.”
BGSU denied a request to speak with van der Merwe and directed The Blade to the news release statement.
The Blade has reached out to Loeffler seeking comment.
Loeffler, who was hired as BGSU’s mentor in November, 2018, after the program went a combined 9-27 from 2016 to 2018, went just 7-22 in his first three seasons, including 0-5 in the shortened 2020 campaign. The Falcons, however, went 6-7 in 2022 for its most wins since the 2015 Mid-American Conference champion squad finished 10-4.
BGSU came up just short in its three bowl games under Loeffler in losing by a combined 18 points in the 2022 Quick Lane Bowl (24-19 New Mexico State win), 2023 Quick Lane Bowl (30-24 Minnesota win), and 2024 68 Ventures Bowl (38-31 Arkansas State win). The three straight bowl appearances were also a first for the program since making four straight from 2012 to 2015.
In MAC play, BGSU finished 20-25 under Loeffler. The Falcons were among the top teams in the league each of the past three years in notching a combined 16-8 record.
Loeffler went 3-3 in the Battle of I-75 against rival Toledo, including 2-1 on the road. BGSU’s 41-26 win at Toledo in 2024 marked the Falcons’ second straight win at the Glass Bowl — a first in more than 30 years (1992 and 1994) for the program — and helped Loeffler become the first coach since Doyt Perry (5-0) to have a winning record against the Rockets in their home stadium.
BGSU also secured several impressive nonconference wins under Loeffler, including a stunning 14-10 win at Big Ten foe Minnesota in 2021 and a convincing 38-27 victory at Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Georgia Tech in 2023. The Falcons also gave ranked power conference opponents Penn State and Texas A&M a scare last season on the road in falling to the Nittany Lions 34-27 and the Aggies 26-20 in front of a combined 203,000 fans.
“Coach Loeffler has made a tremendous impact in rebuilding and reshaping BGSU football, developing student athletes, and growing engagement across our learning community and the region,” BGSU president Rodney K. Rogers said in a release. “Scot has been dedicated to not only BGSU football, but to all our student athletes and BGSU athletics, as well as our Falcon Marching Band and spirit programs.
“He cares deeply about player development and student success, and we wish him all the best as he continues his coaching career in the NFL with the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles.”
The position with the Eagles will be Loeffler’s second in the NFL in his nearly 30-year coaching career. He was the Detroit Lions’ quarterbacks coach in 2008.
First Published February 28, 2025, 1:45 p.m.
