Paul Peck's Bull Session: Bowling Green
11/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Each week, Voice of Bulls Football Paul Peck will preview the upcoming game.
Buffalo (2-9, 1-6 MAC) vs. Bowling Green (3-8, 2-5 MAC)
The season finale between the Bulls and the Falcons is not the game that most people expected. At 2-9, UB has been disappointing. At 3-8, Bowling Green will not make a fourth straight trip to the MAC Championship game. These two rivals used to close the season, and the game had a lot on the line. This year, it's just the final appearance of important seniors and then, the first chance to look forward to next season.
The Bulls will once again be without QB Tyree Jackson, who is a big part of that future. There are some milestones to be had for seniors Jordan Johnson and Mason Schreck. There are also young players who can leave an important impression with the coaching staff, and secure their role for 2017.
The Falcons were picked to win the MAC East, but that was a misguided selection based on the past. They came into this season with a new coach (their third in four years), new coordinators (for the fourth year in a row), and having to replace key players at QB, RB and WR. All that change has led to a difficult season.
Bull Session Trivia: Mason Schreck will lead the Bulls in receiving, the second straight year a tight end has been the team's top receiver. Can you name the other three tight ends who have led UB in catches during the FBS era (since 1999)?
Bullseye on: Buffalo Offense
Jackson's leg injury will keep him out of a second straight game. Grant Rohach will make his second straight start. Tyree finishes his redshirt freshman year with 9 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, and the MAC's 7th ranked passer. Not unexpected numbers for a first year freshman starter. He set UB records for freshman passing yards and touchdowns. He's shown enough for Bulls fans to be really excited about the future at QB…Rohach struggled last week against Western Michigan. The Bulls could not sustain any drives. Other than a catch that ended the first half, the Bulls deepest penetration was the Western Michigan 37. Most of Rohach's passes were short, and the Bulls averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt…Jordan Johnson averaged 5.9 yards per carry, totaling 95 yards to move him to 979 on the season. He needs 21 yards to hit 1000, and become the 6th Bulls running back in the last 10 years to reach the century mark…Johnson's career average of 5.0 yards per carry is currently fourth in UB history, and ahead of James Starks and Bo Oliver…Johnson is the MAC's 4th leading rusher…As noted, Schreck will be the team's leading receiver. But he has a chance to break school's all-time record for TE catches and yards. He needs 10 yards and 9 catches…BG's defense has been decimated by injuries, and they have struggled most of the season. They are giving up 40 points per game, last in the MAC and 124th in the NCAA. Their yards allowed numbers put them 10th in the MAC. Opponents have scored 40 points six times. Ohio State and Memphis put 77 on the scoreboard. But the Falcons are coming off their best defensive effort of the year, holding Kent State to only 7 points and 254 yards. The Golden Flashes had only two drives of 25 yards or more…Linebacker Trenton Greene is the Falcon's top defender. His 103 tackles rank 4th in the MAC. Middle linebacker Austin Valdez, first team All-MAC last year, has missed the last two games and his doubtful for this week…The secondary has been hit hard by injuries and suspensions. Two sophomores and two freshman are expected to start. 9 different players have started at one of the cornerback or safety spots this season. Strong safety Jamari Bozeman is the only one who has started all 11 games. He leads the Falcons with 3 interceptions…Bowling Green's defense has 12 sacks in the last five games…The defense's best weapon is punter Joseph Davidson. He leads the MAC with a 45.8 yard average. He's had nine 60 yard punts, and nineteen 50 yard punts.
Bullseye on: Buffalo Defense
It's a very different Bowling Green offense than the Bulls saw last year. Gone are QB Matt Johnson, RB Travis Greene and WR Roger Lewis and Gehrig Dieter. Gone is the Falcon Fast up-tempo scheme. Lately, the Falcons have become a running offense….James Knapke started the year as Johnson's replacement at QB. But he threw 9 interceptions in the first four games, and was replaced by redshirt freshman James Morgan. He has settled into the job, and ranks 7th among all NCAA freshman QB's in yardage. Morgan has topped 200 yards in five of his seven starts, but not the last two…That's because BG has run for 638 yards in the last two games, wins over Akron and Kent State. Against the Flashes, Bowling Green had three running backs go over 100 yards for the first time since 1978. Fred Coppet is the starter, and he's the MAC's 7th ranked rusher. Josh Cleveland is the big play RB, who had an 85 yard score in that game. But the biggest surprise is 220 pound bruiser Donovan Wilson. He's gone for 265 yards in the last two games, after having only 131 in the first nine games. Wilson carried the ball 30 times for 146 yards vs. Kent State…BG came into the season with the nation's most experienced offensive line. They feature three seniors and two juniors. One of those juniors is Canisius High School grad Ryan Hunter…Scott Miller is the top receiver. His 68 catches rank 4th in the MAC. Senior Ronnie Moore is a familiar name. He's the #2 wideout with 40 grabs. Two years ago against the Bulls, Moore had 9 catches for 178 yards and 2 TD….The Falcons are the MAC's worst third down team. But they're the nation's best 4th down team. They have gone for it 40 times and converted 25. Those numbers are better than any NCAA team…UB's pass defense fell to 14th in the NCAA after giving up 445 yards to Western Michigan. But their average of 186 passing yards allowed still leads the MAC…Brandon Crawford is on a roll. He's had two tackles for loss in four of the last five games, and now ranks 4th in the MAC in TFL's….Ishmael Hargrove had his best game against the Broncos. His 15 tackles were a career-high. He's 9th in the MAC in tackles. Khalil Hodge's tackle numbers have dropped a bit lately, but he's still 3rd in the conference…Getting consistent pressure on the QB has been a problem for the Bulls defense. They only have 15 sacks, last in the MAC.
Bullseye on: 2017 Schedule
With the season coming to an end, Bulls fans will start to think about 2017. The one thing about next year that we have a handle on is the schedule. The non-conference games are set. The MAC opponents are mostly set.
In the conference, the Bulls will play MAC East rivals Ohio & Bowling Green at home. Division games on the road will come against Kent State, Miami & Akron. From the West division, the Western Michigan Broncos are due for a trip to UB Stadium, while UB will play at Ball State. The Bulls haven't played Toledo since 2013, so the Rockets are due to appear on the schedule, probably at home.
The non-conference schedule is set. The season opens on a Thursday, August 31, at Minnesota. The Gophers are 8-3 this season, and headed to a bowl game. Next up is another road game, at Army on September 9. The Black Knights are 6-5, and likely headed to a bowl. UB beat Army earlier this year. The home opener comes the next week against FCS Colgate, a 5-5 team this season. The final non-conference game is at home against Florida Atlantic, a team the Bulls beat on the road last year. The Owls are a 3-8 last place team in Conference USA.
It is a manageable non-conference schedule, with possible Minnesota being the only preseason ranked team. Teams change from year to year. This 2017 schedule will determine how much the Bulls will change next season.
Bull Session Trivia Answer: Matt Weiser led the Bulls in receiving last year with 63 catches. Chad Upshaw had 35 catches in 2006. Chad Bartoszek grabbed 42 balls in 2001. Those are the three tight ends who have led the Bulls in receiving during the FBS era.
Please join me, color analyst Jim Kubiak, sideline reporter Scott Wilson, game host Brad Riter and postgame host Bob Gaughan for the broadcast on the Bulls Football Network. Our pregame show starts at 1:30pm. You can hear it in Buffalo on ESPN 1520 (www.espn1520.com). A link to the online broadcast is also available at http://www.ubbulls.com/video/test-live2.
