By Derek DeBurger
Coming off of a much needed bye week, Louisville will play a much needed bye game against the Bowling Green Falcons.
The first-ever matchup between the two programs shouldn’t be overly competitive. But here to play devil’s advocate is Tyler Kavalecz, the Sports Production Director of Falcon Media.
Bowling Green is breaking in a new head coach in Eddie George, and, from my perspective, it doesn’t look like it’s gotten off to the best start. From your perspective, how are you feeling about the George-era? Are you optimistic in his ability to turn the Eagles into a MAC contender?
I think the George-era has gotten off to a very solid start. The Falcons will be either 2-2 or 3-1 at the end of non-conference play, which, with their easier finish to the MAC schedule, puts them in a prime position for another bowl game appearance. The energy around campus regarding George and the team is palpable. I think it is a little early to determine whether he can turn this team into a MAC Championship contender. However, I think the early signs show that this group can be a top team in the conference if they continue to improve.
The Falcons looked a little unpolished against Lafayette, but they hung in there against Cincinnati and even toppled Liberty. Do you think George is just a coach who excels at getting his guys up for big games, and do you think some big game magic could be whipped out against Louisville?
They definitely did look a little rough around the edges in the first week against Lafayette; however, I think that should be expected for a team full of new players, coaches and schemes. I believe George is the type of coach that aims to keep the team never too high and never too low, but there is always an extra gear for players when they go against a big-name school. Bowling Green has proven in the past they can hang with, and even beat, teams from bigger conferences. Just look at Minnesota, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Penn State and Texas A&M through the years. So, I do think there is a chance the Falcons could surprise people on Saturday.
Drew Pyne is a quarterback with some power conference experience, but that doesn’t look like it’s shown itself thus far into the season. He’s yet to turn the ball over, but the offense is still pretty pedestrian. Against a Cardinals defense that has looked great just two games in, do you think he’ll finally show some potential or will he struggle against a tough Louisville front seven?
Pyne has definitely struggled to get the offense dynamic and create any downfield threats. This BG offense has been full of running and short checkdowns through the first three weeks. However, he did look his best against BGSU’s best opponent so far this year in Cincinnati. I think this Saturday will be a big test for Pyne and the passing offense, as I expect the rushing game to struggle a bit against the stiff Louisville defense.
Another factor that has hurt BGSU this season is they continue to get off to slow starts offensively, especially in the passing game. I expect that to continue against Louisville’s defense. However, Pyne has been his best in the third and fourth quarters. If he is going to open up the passing game and make this Falcons offense dynamic, it’s going to be in the second half. I believe this game will tell Bowling Green fans a lot about what the passing game will look like moving forward and what kind of quarterback Pyne can be for this offense.
So far, Miller Moss has not shown the ability to force defenses to respect him. I expect Bowling Green to do the same and stack the box, but how much success do you expect the Falcons will have in containing the offense?
I think a lot of this hinges on the status and availability of sophomore linebacker Dorian Pringle. He has been a game wrecker this season, tallying 27 total tackles, 17 solo tackles, six tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovered, an interception and a pass defended. But he exited the game in the fourth quarter against Liberty after his interception. If he is not able to play, guys like defensive end Eriq George, who had 2.5 sacks last week, and linebacker Gideon Lampron will have to really step up to impose their will on Louisville. If Bowling Green can get some early stops and limit the Cardinals’ offense early, I think they can find a lot of success defensively. But if Louisville is able to strike fast, I believe BG’s defense will have a tough time, especially if Pringle is inactive.
There’s been a lot of offseason—and even in-season—buzz about Pudge the locker room cat. Do you think the extra attention has benefited the program at all? Do any benefits show up on the field? Could coach George be working to get Pudge on the field with some sort of Pudge package or Pudge formation?
I think the attention has been great for the program, adding a whole new level of excitement around the team, university and city. I don’t know how much it actually impacts the product on the field, but it has definitely increased the excitement and hype around the team.
As much as I would love to see Pudge get some action on the field, I don’t think PETA and other organizations would like that too much.
Is there anything you want to mention that I didn’t ask about?
One part of the offense that has been underwhelming this season is BG’s offensive line. They entered the year with high expectations, as they are a veteran unit with four returners from last year. However, they have not performed at an elite level and have looked lackluster for much of the season. Additionally, penalties were an issue last week. BG averaged just four penalties per game through the first two contests of the season before committing 13 last game, including nine pre-snap. If Bowling Green is going to win, they need the offensive line to step up and be a lot more disciplined than they were against the Flames.
Finally, how does this game go? Who wins and what’s the score?
I think both offenses will find success at different points in the game. I also think Louisville will start fast, while the Falcons will rely on their second half performance. My official prediction is 38-20 Louisville.
Photo by Vinny Porco
