The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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124 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Fifth-year Bowling Green head coach Scot Loeffler will make his return to The Big House this September. The former Michi- gan quarterback (1993-96) and student/graduate assistant just took his Falcons to their first bowl game since 2015 after taking over a program in 2019 that had won nine games in the previous three seasons, its worst three-year stretch since joining the FBS. Still, the 2022 season was a rollercoaster. Bowling Green won five one-score games but was blown out by 24 or more points in five other contests. The Falcons lost to FCS Eastern Kentucky but beat MAC champion Toledo and Marshall, which topped Notre Dame. The victory over Toledo was sandwiched in between a 34-point setback to Kent State and a 24-point loss to Ohio. Loeffler and Co. will be with- out quarterback Matt McDon- ald, who started 29 games over the last three seasons and ranks seventh in program history in completion percentage (.580), eighth in completions (52) and ninth in passing yards (5,921). McDonald's graduation led to the staff landing former Indiana (2022) and Missouri (2019-21) signal-caller Con- nor Bazelak, whom Michigan held to 203 yards and 1 touchdown with 1 intercep- tion on 49 pass attempts last season. He's amassed 7,370 yards and 36 touchdowns with 27 picks in his career, and he will compete for the starting job with senior Camden Orth, who played in 10 contests for the Falcons a year ago. The top three rushers and three start- ing offensive linemen are back, as are senior slot receiver Odieu Hiliare (58 catches, 747 yards, 6 touchdowns in 2022) and classmate Austin Osborne, a wideout who missed all but four contests last season due to a shoulder injury. Os- borne racked up 64 catches, 546 yards and 2 scores in 2021. If it weren't for Hiliare, an Alabama A & M t ra n s fe r, t h e Fa l c o n s wouldn't have qualified for the Quick Lane Bowl last season. He scored what wound up being the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter in a 31-28 victory over Akron and amassed a career-best 246 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 42-35 triumph over Toledo. Getting the running game go- ing will be crucial this fall — the Falcons averaged only 100.3 rush- ing yards per game in 2022, 121st in the country — and the return of sophomore running back Terion Stewart, who missed last fall with an academic issue, should help. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry and scored 9 touchdowns in 12 games from 2020-21. Bowling Green ranked worse than 90th nationally in scoring defense (114th), total defense (103rd), rushing defense (92nd) and passing defense (99th) in 2022, despite forcing 23 turnovers (18th) and averaging 2.9 sacks per game (16th). Key departures from the unit include edge rusher Karl Brooks, a sixth-round NFL Draft pick to the Green Bay Packers who registered 10 sacks last season, defensive end Blaine Spires (transfer to Utah State) and cor- nerback Jordan Anderson (UCLA). While losing Brooks is a big blow, se- nior outside linebacker Demetrius Har- damon accumulated 6 sacks a year ago and is a top breakout candidate. The strength of the defense is at the cor- nerback position, where juniors Jordan Oladokun and Deshawn Jones Jr. return. The two combined for 13 pass breakups and an interception last season. Notes Bowling Green slotted 127th or worse in the On3 Industry team national recruiting rankings four of the last five cycles (2019-23), with finishing 89th in 2020 being the outlier … The Falcons rushed for less than 80 yards in eight of 13 games last season but allowed 180 or more rushing yards in seven tilts. ❑ Falcons Want To Prove Going Bowling Was No Fluke 2023 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2022 Result Sept. 2 at Liberty — Sept. 9 Eastern Illinois — Sept. 16 at Michigan — Sept. 23 Ohio L, 38-14 Sept. 30 at Georgia Tech — Oct. 7 at Miami (Ohio) W, 17-13 Oct. 14 at Buffalo L, 38-7 Oct. 21 Akron W, 31-28 Nov. 1 Ball State — Nov. 8 at Kent State L, 40-6 Nov. 14 Toledo W, 42-35 Nov. 21 at Western Michigan W, 13-9 PLAYERS TO WATCH Offense: Odieu Hiliare, Sr., WR — Named sec- ond-team All-MAC in 2022, he is ranked the No. 1 wide receiver in the conference heading into the season per CollegeFootballNetwork.com. Defense: Demetrius Hardamon, Sr., OLB — Recorded 26 pressures last season, second on the team, per Pro Football Focus, and was one of 10 players in the MAC to tally 6 or more sacks. GAME 3 • BOWLING GREEN FALCONS • SEPT. 16 • 7:30 P.M. (BTN) QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Michigan leads 2-0 First Meeting: U-M 42, Bowling Green 7 (Sept. 2, 2000, in Ann Arbor, Mich.) Last Meeting: U-M 65, Bowling Green 21 (Sept. 25, 2010, in Ann Arbor, Mich.) Head Coach: Scot Loeffler, 13-29 at Bowling Green (5th year) 2022 In Review: 6-7, 5-3 MAC (tied 2nd, East) Final 2022 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 13 (6 offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists) Last Bowl Appearance: 2022 (Quick Lane Bowl vs. New Mexico State, L 24-19). RETURNING LEADERS Passing: Camden Orth (378 yards, 3 TD) Rushing: Jaison Patterson (583 yards, 1 TD) Receiving: Odieu Hiliare (58 receptions, 747 yards, 6 TD) Tackles: Darren Anders (77) Sacks: Demetrius Hardamon (6) Interceptions: Trent Simms (2) Junior running back Ta'ron Keith was named second-team All-MAC as a return specialist in 2022, bringing back 18 kicks for a 27.3-yard average and 1 touchdown. PHOTO BY SCOTT GRAU/BGSU ATHLETICS