Yesterday we gave you the look in to what the Bowling Green defense looks like, how it stacks up and what Wisconsin needs to do to win. Today, it’s the Falcons’ offense that goes under the microscope.
One thing that’s for sure, this team will be winning games based off its offense all season long, because the defense is that bad and the offense that dynamic. However, will it hold up against easily the best defense it has seen all season long?
Let’s take a look at the Bowling Green offense and the challenges it will or won’t bring to the Badgers on Saturday.
Starters: (2014 season stats/honors)
LT: 67 Jacob Bennett – So. (6-5, 332) – Has started every game of his career at left tackle for BGSU
– 3rd team All-MAC (Athlon)
LG: 72 Ben Steward – So. (6-6, 300) – Played in nine games last season, Falcons went 8-1 when he played
C: 71 Tim McAuliffe – Fr. (6-0, 274) – Making just his third career start
RG: 55 Alex Huettel – Jr. (6-4, 309) – 2013 2nd team All-MAC, has started every game of his career
– 1st Team Preseason All-MAC C (Phil Steele, Sporting News and Athlon); Rimington Trophy Award Watch List
RT: 53 Logan Dietz – So. (6-6, 298) – Started all 14 games last season & every game to date this year
– 4th Team Preseason All-MAC OT (Phil Steele)
QB: 3 James Knapke – So. (6-2, 220) – 65.4 comp. rate, 632 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
– He’s started last two games in place of injured Matt Johnson
WR: 1 Roger Lewis – Fr. (6-0, 196) – 30 receptions, 366 yards, 2 touchdowns
– leads team in receptions, yards and tied for lead in touchdowns
WR: 4 Gehrig Dieter – So. (6-3, 204) – 12 receptions, 89 yards, 0 touchdowns
– 3rd team All-MAC (Phil Steele)
WR: 5 Ronnie Moore – So. (5-9, 168) – 11 receptions, 179 yards, 2 touchdowns; 19.9 yards per punt return
WR: 85 Heath Jackson – Sr. (6-0,185) – 19 receptions, 165 yards
RB: 8 Travis Greene – Jr. (5-10,183) – 343 yards, 4 touchdowns, 5.7 yards per carry; 7 receptions, 43 yards
– 1st Team Preseason All-MAC RB (Phil Steele, Sporting News and Athlon)
TE: 42 Chris Pohlman – Sr. (6-2, 261) – 2 receptions, 11 yards
Team Rankings: (Stat/MAC/National) *according to CFBstats.com
Total Offense: 520.7ypg/3rd/23rd
Scoring Offense: 41.3ppg/2nd/29th
Passing Offense: 324.7ypg/1st/21st
Rushing Offense: 196ypg/4th/44th
Badgers Defense Rankings: (Stat/B1G/National)
Total Defense: 263.5/2nd/9th
Scoring Defense: 15.5ppg/2nd/18th
Passing Defense: 173.5ppg/4th/24th
Rushing Defense: 90ypg/4th/22nd
3 Keys to Badgers Success:
1. Run the football: Wisconsin’s best defense against a very fast and lethal Bowling Green offense is a great offensive run game. The more the Badgers are able to pound the football the less time for Bowling Green’s offense to do damage. Of course, the other half of this equation is that the run game has to equal points and that’s been easier said than done through the first two weeks of the season.
2. Go Full on Blitz: The best way to attack an offense that likes to attack is to play that game the other way around. Wisconsin needs to attack sophomore quarterback James Knapke and make him uncomfortable. Additionally, the less comfortable Knapke is the less effective the short passing game is going to be and that’s been a huge weapon for the Falcons. Speaking of that short passing game…
3. Michael Caputo: Maybe it’s not right to put a game on the back of one player, but Wisconsin’s ability to stop the short passing game could come down to the open field play of the defensive backfield. For me, that smacks of the importance of Caputo at the line of scrimmage. Just put the LSU game on and see how big of an impact he had in changing how LSU attacked the Badgers in the second half. He can be a huge help in bottling up things around the line of scrimmage and that’s where the Falcons love to live.
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