BGSU football notebook: Primetime game at Tennessee an immediate test
Aug. 31—BOWLING GREEN — One of Bowling Green State University's toughest tests is also its first of the season.
The Falcons travel to Neyland Stadium in Knoxville for their season opener at 8 p.m. Thursday against the University of Tennessee. A primetime game against a Southeastern Conference opponent is no easy task for a Group of Five school, but this matchup in particular is amplified for a relatively inexperienced Falcons roster.
"It's going to be super exciting taking a young group down to Knoxville, Tennessee, and have them experience a game with fans in a real, true college experience," head coach Scot Loeffler said. "I want to say 70 percent of our roster, this will be the first time they've ever played a college football game with people in the stands, which will be really exciting and outstanding."
The Falcons are a 35-point underdog, according to Bovada's betting odds. BGSU is 0-1 all-time against Tennessee, losing the lone matchup in 2015, 59-30, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Now, Loeffler takes his team into a larger house with players who are going to be encompassed in a true college football environment for either the first time or, in the case of senior starting quarterback Matt McDonald, for the first time in two years.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Half of Bowling Green's starting 22 on its first official depth chart released Monday are true freshmen, redshirt freshmen, or true sophomores.
Most notably, Perrysburg graduate and 2020 All-Blade Player of the Year and true freshman Cade Zimmerly earned the starting nod at center.
"He's picked up the offense pretty quickly, and the thing I love about him is he plays really hard; he explodes off the ball," McDonald said of Zimmerly. "That was something that we were needing, so it's great to have him out there. He's been doing a great job."
The battle for the starting right guard position is down to redshirt freshmen Brian Kilbane and Malone VanGorder. Loeffler said both are expected to get playing time, but the decision on the starter isn't expected to be made until Thursday.
True freshman Diego Neri has earned the starting middle linebacker spot over sophomore Brock Horne. Neri is a three-star recruit in the class of 2021 according to 247Sports, from Cincinnati Northwest High School.
NEW BEGINNINGS: The first college football experience for the Falcons' 19 combined true and redshirt freshmen on the depth chart will be met by a Tennessee team that's ushering in new eras of its own. Michigan transfer Joe Milton was named the starting quarterback on Monday for first-year coach Josh Heupel, who took over for Jeremy Pruitt in January. Pruitt was fired amid allegations of recruiting violations.
Milton completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,194 yards, five touchdowns, and six interceptions in 14 career games as a Wolverine. He has also rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns.
Loeffler is no stranger to Milton's game.
"We've watched Joe quite a bit," Loeffler said. "We studied Michigan quite a bit ... and I know I'm excited to see Joe to go out there and play.
"I think he's a really good football player, and I think he fits well in Josh's system. He's a big, strong guy that's extremely physical. Big arm. I remember watching Joe come out of high school, and I think he's — with age — he's really improved."
O CAPTAINS: Loeffler named his team's captains for the 2021 season on Monday. McDonald, unsurprisingly, was chosen as the team's offensive captain. Junior defensive end Karl Brooks was designated as the team's defensive captain, and senior long snapper James Carolan will serve as the special teams captain.
"I feel like that role, it just ups my game," Brooks said. "Being more vocal out there and leading by example and doing the little things right, and paying attention to details just to prove to [the] young guys that I'm capable, so I feel like I've got a lot of shoes to fill."
LOCALS ON THE DEPTH CHART: In addition to Zimmerly, Genoa product Andrew Bench was named as the team's second starting tight end behind veteran Christian Sims. Northview's Matt Fortner, a redshirt freshman, will serve as Zimmerly's backup at center. North Baltimore export and redshirt freshman Levi Gazarek is the backup tight end behind Bench.
Defensively, Northview's Trent Simms, a redshirt freshman, is listed as the backup strong safety, and Fremont Ross alumnus and true sophomore Dontrez Brown is listed as a backup defensive tackle.
First Published August 30, 2021, 3:45pm
