2022 Season

[jpfalcon09]

Calendar has turned to June which means we've officially entered into prep for the 2022 season. Fall camp opens in two short months.

Athlon released their preseason MAC all-conference teams today. BG earned the following accolades:

First-Team:
Christian Sims, TE
Karl Brooks, DL
Darren Anders, LB
Davon Ferguson, CB
Jordan Anderson, S

Second-Team:
Walter Haire, DL

Third-Team:
Tyrone Broden, WR
Jakari Robinson, C

Fourth-Team:
Terion Stewart, RB
Brock Horne, LB
Jhaylin Embry, PR

[Schadenfreude]

Four preseason first-teamers on defense. And Jakari Robinson walks in as a preseason third-team center. Interesting.

[MarkL]

My three top observations ...
- at least one preseason first teamer at all three levels of the defense. That is some respect. Even if it is from Athlon
- Terion Stewart at third is interesting. Don't be stunned if he's second or first at the end of the day. He is a talent.
- how many returning QBs are there in the MAC, and yet Matt McDonald is nowhere to be found with four preseason all-MAC teams. Kinda a concern from a team coached by a career QB coach. It is tough to compete for championships when QB is not your strength. Call that locker room material for Matt McDonald, motivation to put together a great season leading the team.

[Schadenfreude]

Even if it is from Athlon

Years ago, when I bought these preseason mags, I always thought Athlon looked great on the newsstands. It was just really well put together and professionally presented. You have another take, I presume?

- Terion Stewart at third is interesting. Don't be stunned if he's second or first at the end of the day. He is a talent.

I was thinking that, too.

- how many returning QBs are there in the MAC, and yet Matt McDonald is nowhere to be found with four preseason all-MAC teams. Kinda a concern from a team coached by a career QB coach. It is tough to compete for championships when QB is not your strength. Call that locker room material for Matt McDonald, motivation to put together a great season leading the team.

Well said.

[kdog27]

Even if it is from Athlon

Years ago, when I bought these preseason mags, I always thought Athlon looked great on the newsstands. It was just really well put together and professionally presented. You have another take, I presume?

I haven’t looked at an Athlon write up since Brandon was coach probably but I always liked their previews then.

[MarkL]

More on QB. Jim Harbaugh has rightly come under serious criticism for his QB development at Michigan, and he is heralded as a career QB developer. So what has happened with his QBs at Michigan?
2015: Jake Rudock, transfer from Iowa. Really good one year.
2016: Wilton Speight, a QB he inherited from Brady Hoke. Good first year where he didn't have to do a lot, got banged up late and nose dived in production right as the schedule got rough.
2017: Wilton Speight. Played well until he got hurt. Then things went to sh*t at QB. John O'Korn, transfer from Houston, played and was pretty bad. Brandon Peters, the first Harbaugh recruit to play, was okay and got hurt, then transferred.
2018: Shea Patterson, transfer from Ole Miss. Played well until the season got tough. Got trucked by Ohio State, played poorly against Florida in the bowl game.
2019: Shea Patterson, plus a new OC. Offense was a sh*t show early but eventually started working. Patterson played far better at season's end but it's a season with some serious lows.
2020: Joe Milton started. First time the season starter is a Harbaugh recruit. And he stank. Transferred to Tennessee. Cade McNamara briefly played and he showed a spark of potential.
2021: Cade McNamara had a great season, led Michigan to the first win over OSU in forever and the first Big Ten title in even more forever, and first ever playoff.

Finally in Harbaugh's seventh damn year he had a successful QB he recruited and developed out of high school, rather than a transfer. Seventh year. And this from a heralded QB guru.

So you can see some parallels here. Going into Loeffler's fourth year, the only QBs that have clocked significant minutes are Darius Wade (transfer from BC, struggled), Grant Loy (inherited from Jinks, got the win over UT and one other win, struggled with accuracy, and transferred), and Matt McDonald (transfer from BC, horrible 2020, improved in 2021). And it appears the second stringer in 2022 will be either Camden Orth (transfer from LIU) or Drew Gunther (transfer from Syracuse).

[Schadenfreude]

- how many returning QBs are there in the MAC, and yet Matt McDonald is nowhere to be found with four preseason all-MAC teams. Kinda a concern from a team coached by a career QB coach. It is tough to compete for championships when QB is not your strength. Call that locker room material for Matt McDonald, motivation to put together a great season leading the team.

Speaking of bulletin board material: ESPN just ranked grouped FBS quarterbacks into 25 tiers. McDonald, they say, falls into Tier 24.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... ions-tiers

Oof.

McDonald did improve last year. I guess we'll see if he can again with better line play and more targets (I get the feeling Odieu Hilaire could have a breakout season, plus C.J. Lewis now.)

[roguewarrior]

- how many returning QBs are there in the MAC, and yet Matt McDonald is nowhere to be found with four preseason all-MAC teams. Kinda a concern from a team coached by a career QB coach. It is tough to compete for championships when QB is not your strength. Call that locker room material for Matt McDonald, motivation to put together a great season leading the team.

Speaking of bulletin board material: ESPN just ranked grouped FBS quarterbacks into 25 tiers. McDonald, they say, falls into Tier 24.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... ions-tiers

Oof.

McDonald did improve last year. I guess we'll see if he can again with better line play and more targets (I get the feeling Odieu Hilaire could have a breakout season, plus C.J. Lewis now.)

How are they going to have a “breakout season” in this offense?

[Flipper]

Stop it...SL has had nowhere near the success Harbaugh has enjoyed at any of his coaching stops.

McDonald is entering his...8th?...season of college football and he isn't a top tier QB in what is arguably the worst division in the worst conference in. FBS College football

[mbenecke]

Stop it...SL has had nowhere near the success Harbaugh has enjoyed at any of his coaching stops.

McDonald is entering his...8th?...season of college football and he isn't a top tier QB in what is arguably the worst division in the worst conference in. FBS College football

Just because it's possible that facts enter into this conversation at some point (no disrespect, Flipper - I understand it's hyperbole):

McDonald is entering his 6th season of college football. He redshirted in 2017, then played in 2 games at Boston College in 2018. He then transferred to BGSU, but had to sit out the entire season in 2019 (something he wouldn't have to do now) due to transfer. He played in the COVID-shortened 5 game 2020 season, which didn't count against his or anyone else's eligibility in college football. And finally, last year was his first full 12 game season as a starting QB in college football. He's entering his 2nd season as a full-time starter in a full season.

An incredibly chaotic college career, but the kid is tough. If he can take another jump... we might see something this fall. Ultimately, the offensive line is going to have to give him time to make a play, due to his awkward throwing motion. Fortunately, the line has a chance to be the best is has been since he got here this fall, so we'll see.

[roguewarrior]

I think the offensive scheme is more of the problem than the QB Or the O-line. No excuse otherwise this year, with all of the Veteran o-line transfers, an eight year QB and we are now old. We shall find out soon.

[Siborg]

Tarion Stewart is a really good runner but still needs work on his blocking. We have a deep stable of good running backs so it will be difficult for him to distinguish himself on 10-12 rushes per game. He reminds me of Robert Newhouse of the old Dallas Cowboys, huge thighs.

I think the top 6 guys will see some playing time. Raymore might be the short yardage back we lacked last year. Stewart and Patterson are mainly runners, Keith and Washington are good 3rd down backs and Mosely is a mix. If the O-Line improves a lot and we have a decent passing threat, we should run the ball well.

#4, 5.09, 216, So, Tarion Stewart
#19, 5.10 195, So, Taron Keith
#28, 6.00 215, So, Jaison Patterson
#5, 5.10 200, So, Nick Mosely
#20, 5.10 195, So, Jamal Washington
#21, 5.10, 240, Jr, Treveon Raymore(WO)
#30, 5.10 175, Jr, PaSean Wimberly
#36 5.10 185, Fr, Jordan Jackson (WO)

[roguewarrior]

Trevon is medically DQ’d.

[Siborg]

Trevon is medically DQ’d.

Thanks for the update. Sorry to hear it.

[BGSU33]

I think the offensive scheme is more of the problem than the QB Or the O-line. No excuse otherwise this year, with all of the Veteran o-line transfers, an eight year QB and we are now old. We shall find out soon.

I don't disgree that our offensive scheme could be viewed as a problem. I'm not a fan of it. Of course, I'm also saying that based on some of the downright explosive offenses we were fortunate enough to have at BG over the past two decades. But no one in their unbiased mind could have watched our team last year and say our OL wasn't a problem. We all know it was. We saw some progress from the QB, RB and WR units, but the OL was obviously in great need of improvement and help. The thing about the OL transfers we've brought in is, some of them aren't exactly what many people would call "veterans" (in terms of playing time) themselves. Robinson for sure is one, no doubt. Stewart and Dunbar are as well. Warner? I guess you could make the argument he's one, but he's borderline. Kabir and Mendiola are not. Now, that said, all these guys coupled with the guys we return "could" and "should" make for a better OL. How much better? That's to be seen. I was really happy to see the OL guys who stayed for us. I really like Grant, I like what I saw at times out of Banks-Wall and Zimmerly, and I've heard a lot of good things about Wollschlaeger to name a few. While I never like to see guys leave, of the OL who did, I think we replaced them with better players almost across the board. Kilbane and Oliver were ones I wished would have stayed. But I'm not sure I'd trade them for anyone we brought in. If these newcomers and our returners can come together, it's only going to help our QB, RB's, WR's and our offense that much more. We shall see...