8 weeks from tonight...

[Falconfreak90]

Hard to believe we open the '11 season in 56 days.

BEAT IDAHO!!!!!!!!!!!

[Warthog]

High school two-a-days start in 25 days, first scrimmage is just 37 days away!

[1boisebro]

Hard to believe we open the '11 season in 56 days.

BEAT IDAHO!!!!!!!!!!!

i have to admit, i'm really looking forward to this game.

how do you guys feel about playing the vandals? the kibbie dome can be a loud venue. i know the vandals have a few holes to fill (though who doesn't?), and a win on the road so far from home would be a great way to kick-start the season.

i wonder if there will be extra motivation from the falcons after the humanitarian bowl a couple of years ago?

[Drago]

I am interested to see how we run the football this year.....Supposedly Clawson was going to come in here and make us a run first offense, which we actually were under Urban (although a different system relying on the dual threat QB). Considering we were last in the country in rushing going into the Humanitarian Bowl and we finished last in the country last year, I would say Clawson has some work to do. Not to mention Tennessee's poor rushing performance in 08. I think this year will prove if Clawsons offense can run against 1A defenses. You see all the up the middle rushes for no gain because 1A lines are bigger faster and stronger. In IAA those are 3 to 5 yard gains....everyone says it was Oline which may be true, but I think it has more to do with the scheme. That is what I'm interested in seeing.

[footballguy51]

I am interested to see how we run the football this year.....Supposedly Clawson was going to come in here and make us a run first offense, which we actually were under Urban (although a different system relying on the dual threat QB). Considering we were last in the country in rushing going into the Humanitarian Bowl and we finished last in the country last year, I would say Clawson has some work to do. Not to mention Tennessee's poor rushing performance in 08. I think this year will prove if Clawsons offense can run against 1A defenses. You see all the up the middle rushes for no gain because 1A lines are bigger faster and stronger. In IAA those are 3 to 5 yard gains....everyone says it was Oline which may be true, but I think it has more to do with the scheme. That is what I'm interested in seeing.

It actually did have a little to do with the Oline as well. If you think about it, if you want to be a run first offense, you will recruit offensive linemen that are excellent run blockers. If you have a pass first offense, then you need linemen that are accustomed to the shotgun and pass protect style of offense. When I was in high school, we were a run first team. We were practically a run only team. A few years after I graduated, a new coach came in and installed the spread. It didn't work all that well because the QB was being sacked constantly. It took a couple good solid years to get the linemen trained on the techniques of pass blocking, considering everything they knew up to then was push and shove and make a hole.

[Drago]

Thanks for the analysis Corso......I'm sure we'll be better rushing the ball this year, considering what happened with your HS offensive line...lol

[1987alum]

Can't wait for the season to start. GO FALCONS!

[footballguy51]

Thanks for the analysis Corso......I'm sure we'll be better rushing the ball this year, considering what happened with your HS offensive line...lol

Thanks, Drago. Love you, too.

[Siborg]

I think FB51 is spot on. Two different styles of blocking. Clawson wants road graters to open holes. Brandon wanted pass blockers. Its the same reason Clawson is trying to re-introduce the FB to our offense. More blocking for the running game.

Also we not only lost Ben Bojcic, Scott Lewis and Blaec Walker to injury last year but the year before we lost two transfers Marc Larsen and Tim Geman so we were already thin.

[Flipper]

So...we shouldn't run up the middle? You can only run wide? WTF? Look...it's pretty simple, block the guys in the other colored jerseys and then teach your running back to run throught the hole. That's true in pee wee, HS, college and the pros. If you can't do that, you ain't going to run the ball wide, up the middle or anywhere else..

[Drago]

I never said we shouldn't run the ball up the middle....I just think that we when we hired Clawson we lost what made BGSU Football sucessful. We are trying to install an offense closer to pro style than spread...unfortunately mid major 1A programs rarely attract the personnel to successfully move the football against decent defenses. At least with the spread we consistently moved the ball even against BCS programs. In the last two years name a solid defense that we moved the ball against...Troy 2009 is the only one I can think of. I know we scored points and won other games, but did we do it against a defense ranked in the top 60 in 1A total defense. I would be suprised if there was another one other than Troy that year. I think it is a legitimate concern. The track record isn't there against decent 1A defenses in 3 years with 2 different teams IMO.

[Falcon137]

Clawson's first year there was no problem moving the ball. Troy, Missouri, Marshall, and most MAC games we marched up and down the field. That team had horrendous red zone issues that kept them from scoring points.

Last year, anything that could have gone wrong, did.

[footballguy51]

Clawson's first year there was no problem moving the ball. Troy, Missouri, Marshall, and most MAC games we marched up and down the field. That team had horrendous red zone issues that kept them from scoring points.

Last year, anything that could have gone wrong, did.

Not to mention, red zone issues are partially due to running a spread style offense, even though it was transitioning at the time.

[h2oville rocket]

Clawson's first year there was no problem moving the ball. Troy, Missouri, Marshall, and most MAC games we marched up and down the field. That team had horrendous red zone issues that kept them from scoring points.

Last year, anything that could have gone wrong, did.

Didn't you have a couple seniors named Sheehan and Barnes that year? What went wrong last year was they graduated.

[1987alum]

Clawson's first year there was no problem moving the ball. Troy, Missouri, Marshall, and most MAC games we marched up and down the field. That team had horrendous red zone issues that kept them from scoring points.

Last year, anything that could have gone wrong, did.

Didn't you have a couple seniors named Sheehan and Barnes that year? What went wrong last year was they graduated.

Right. When 99% of your offense is built around two guys and they leave, that's tough to fix in a year. Add in the M*A*S*H unit that was our O Line and, well, you have last year.