BG picked 6th in the MAC East by Phil Steele

[Falconfreak90]

Steele did say BG has the chance to be one of the most improved teams in the conference on his website. I don't think any of us here thinks BG is gonna go 11-1...but I do expect at least 6 wins this year and think this team can be at least .500...higher in the MAC. Sometimes there isn't the quick fix or turnaround like Blackney and Meyer did when they each took over. We must stay healthy this year...that was one of our biggest problems last year, esp on the O line. No chance to get any chemistry going. The team, overall, is still relatively young and I'm not using that as some kind of excuse. Fact is, we have a lot of players with a lot of eligibility left so I'm optimistic...

GO FALCONS!!!! BEAT IDAHO!!!

[Sub-Zero]

Really? That's odd..the comments I read from Steele re Clawson were really complimentary...did you see something else?

Other than the 6th place in the East comment, no.

[BGWriter]

How is it Toledo was able to rebuild so quickly when they hired a new coach the same time BG did? By all accounts, they will be a force to be reckoned with this season, unlike BG (if you believe all the predictions).

[mmisbg]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I really think that last season would have been a whole lot different if it hadn't been for the injuries on our offensive line.

It was the lack of rushing lanes and pass protection that posted a ridiculous number of 3-&-Outs last year, reducing our scoring to practically nothing, and keeping our defense on the field. I'm not saying that we would have been a championship team, don't mistake this. I'm saying that if you look at how close the score was in many of the key games last year, last season would undoubtedly been a whole lot different if it hadn't been for our issues on O-line.

Now that guys are healthy, and some depth has been added, there is no reason to think our team will continue to spiral out of control.

[h2oville rocket]

the magical H2O

This.

[Sub-Zero]

How is it Toledo was able to rebuild so quickly when they hired a new coach the same time BG did? By all accounts, they will be a force to be reckoned with this season, unlike BG (if you believe all the predictions).

The answer centers around risk/reward in my opinion. Toledo recruits edge athletes (my term) who have large upside on the field but demonstrate challenges off the field and/or in the classroom. In some instances, a Michigan or Ohio State may be afraid to go after a player because of past problems but Toledo is willing to roll the dice. Beckman reminds me of Brandon. Has play calling creativity on the field, willing to take chances, and lacks discipline. I think Clawson is almost the total opposite in his coaching approach. So, on average, short term advantage will go to Toledo. If Clawson can deliver the way many hope, years 4+ will go to BG.

[Flipper]

Toledo was rebuilding before Beckman took over...how many losing seasons in a row dd they have? Clawson inherited a team with a number of really good seniors (remember that Sheehan to Barnes thing?) and little else. In other words, our rebuild essentially started last year, while Toledo's started a year or two before that.

We'll be fine...

[h2oville rocket]

How is it Toledo was able to rebuild so quickly when they hired a new coach the same time BG did? By all accounts, they will be a force to be reckoned with this season, unlike BG (if you believe all the predictions).

The answer centers around risk/reward in my opinion. Toledo recruits edge athletes (my term) who have large upside on the field but demonstrate challenges off the field and/or in the classroom. In some instances, a Michigan or Ohio State may be afraid to go after a player because of past problems but Toledo is willing to roll the dice. Beckman reminds me of Brandon. Has play calling creativity on the field, willing to take chances, and lacks discipline. I think Clawson is almost the total opposite in his coaching approach. So, on average, short term advantage will go to Toledo. If Clawson can deliver the way many hope, years 4+ will go to BG.

If Clawson delivers the way many hope, BG will be 13-0 while winning the National Championship every year until Clawson dies.

[MarkL]

If Clawson delivers the way many hope, BG will be 13-0 while winning the National Championship every year until Clawson dies.

If you want to see MarkL running naked through the streets, BG should go 14 - 0 with a national title win.

[mmisbg]

If Clawson delivers the way many hope, BG will be 13-0 while winning the National Championship every year until Clawson dies.

Maybe there are some on this message board that are delusional enough to believe that is possible, but I think you'll find that to be the minority opinion.

The biggest thing that causes frustration in my mind is the fact that we have had Urban Meyer as a coach and the supposed offensive genius Gregg Brandon as a coach, and still no MAC Championship. We have been ranked in the top 25 several times, and still no MAC Championship.

I think we could do without the national rankings. Most of us just want MAC Championship from time to time. Most of all, I think we are tired of the MAC title going to teams who don't push the envelope, but rather do a calculated amount to get past the teams who are pushing the envelope.

[h2oville rocket]

Maybe there are some on this message board that are delusional enough to believe that is possible, but I think you'll find that to be the minority opinion.

Delusions occure when you BELIEVE you'll go 14-0 (Thanks, MArk- I forgot the MACC). The word I referred to was "hope". If you don't HOPE BG will win a NAtional Championship you're not much of a fan.

[birdman]

One of the worst teams in the MAC again and Clawson still collecting a paycheck. Why are we still wasting all our time on this want-a-be coach and talk about BG football and people just shack their heads and laugh.

[Sub-Zero]

If Clawson delivers the way many hope, BG will be 13-0 while winning the National Championship every year until Clawson dies.

Maybe there are some on this message board that are delusional enough to believe that is possible, but I think you'll find that to be the minority opinion.

The biggest thing that causes frustration in my mind is the fact that we have had Urban Meyer as a coach and the supposed offensive genius Gregg Brandon as a coach, and still no MAC Championship. We have been ranked in the top 25 several times, and still no MAC Championship.

I think we could do without the national rankings. Most of us just want MAC Championship from time to time. Most of all, I think we are tired of the MAC title going to teams who don't push the envelope, but rather do a calculated amount to get past the teams who are pushing the envelope.

Speak for yourself. I want it all. Any MACC will almost guarantee top 25 results. If you go undefeated, it gets really exciting. Boise and the MWC tell us that you have to be a consistent winner, keep the pressure on the BCS over an extended period of time however. You are kidding yourself to think that Urban wouldnt have started our Boise-ish run in his third year go forward. Even Brandon was able to put together 2 of our top 10 best years ever running Urban's program after he left. Urban, however, would likely have run the table and kept the machine going.

[Flipper]

Riiiight...and we'll create a fantasyland where BGSU starts paying football coaches the million or so dollars it would take to keep a guy like that here for an extended period....

[Sub-Zero]

Riiiight...and we'll create a fantasyland where BGSU starts paying football coaches the million or so dollars it would take to keep a guy like that here for an extended period....

Flipper, you think on such limited terms and vision, its really sad commentary about someone who supposedly supports the University and Falcon Athletics. I am sure if it were up to you, Sebo, Stroh, Wolfe, and our 2 new resisence halls would never have materialized. Fortunately its not up to you.