They say you should never forget where you came from, otherwise you won't figure out where you're headed. Or something like that.
Urban Meyer is scheduled to heed some similar thoughts like that throughout training camp and during the first game week of Ohio State's 2016 season. His Buckeyes host Bowling Green, the university that gave the man his first head coaching job, Sept. 3 at Ohio Stadium. Meyer went 17-6 from 2001-02 as head coach of the Falcons before heading to Utah.
The matchup isn't for another 109 days (depressing, isn't it?), but we thought it wouldn't hurt to start looking ahead at Ohio State's 2016 slate. The Falcons are up first and the remaining 11 opponents on the schedule will follow in the coming weeks.
Let's get to it.
Offense
If there is one thing Bowling Green can do, it is score. The problem is, the bulk of the personnel that scored the majority of its 591(!) points in 2015 is no longer on roster. By the way, only two teams in the country scored more than the Falcons last year: Baylor and Western Kentucky.
Quarterback Matt Johnson (4,946 yards, 46 touchdowns, eight interceptions) graduated, as did running back Travis Greene (223 carries, 1,299 yards, 15 touchdowns). Star wide receivers Gehrig Dieter (94 catches, 1,033 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Roger Lewis (85 catches, 1,544 yards, 16 touchdowns) are gone too — Dieter transferred to Alabama and Lewis left for the NFL Draft.
All-conference guard Alex Huettel also graduated, but the Falcons return four starters on the offensive line. That never hurts, especially for a first-year coach. The unit as a whole lost a ton, but the cupboard isn't bare for Mike Jinks.
| Head Coach | Mike Jinks (1st season, 0-0 career record) |
| 2015 Record | 10-4, 7-1 (MAC Champions) |
| 2015 Postseason | Lost 58-27 to GA Southern in GoDaddy Bowl |
| Biggest Losses | QB Matt Johnson, WRs Gehrig Dieter and Roger Lewis |
| Biggest Returnees | Return four of five starters on OL, WR Ronnie Moore |
| Summary | BG can score, but can a new coach install a stouter defense? |
| Matchup | Sept. 3, 2016: Bowling Green at Ohio State, kickoff TBA |
Senior wide receiver Ronnie Moore will become the No. 1 target for whoever plays quarterback after a nearly 1,000-yard season in 2015. Fred Coppet, another senior, steps into the starting running back slot after racking up 825 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and five scores a year ago. Senior James Knapke is in a battle with redshirt freshman James Morgan to succeed Johnson at quarterback, but holds the edge after playing significant time in 2014 while Johnson was out with an injury.
Bowling Green won the MAC for the second time in three seasons in 2015 and did it by scoring, scoring and scoring some more. In eight of their 14 games, the Falcons scored at least 40 points. According to S&P, the team was the program's best ever. Look no further than the offense when you try to figure out why.
Defense
Jinks hired former Texas-San Antonio special teams coordinator and safeties coach Perry Eliano as his defensive coordinator in December. Eliano's task is not easy — the Falcons gave up 417.8 yards per game and allowed nearly 29 points per outing.
However, Eliano has experience at corner with senior Alfonso Mack and junior Clint Stephens. Leading sack man Terrance Bush (6.0 sacks in 2015) and break out 2014 performer Gus Schwieterman (7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks before injury) are also back, but it is defensive speed and depth that will be the focus for Eliano.
Eliano's secondary was part of UTSA's 4-2-5 defensive alignment, so it is likely he'll bring that with him to northwest Ohio. The problem is consistency and depth, because if the offense can score and create a wealth of big plays like it did last year, that means more snaps for the other side of the ball. Such game plans work in the MAC, but if Bowling Green wishes to compete on more of a national stage it must start stopping some people.
Bottom Line
Bowling Green faces a significant transition in 2016. With Dino Babers (18-9 in two seasons) now the head coach at Syracuse, Jinks has hefty shoes to fill. His hire is intriguing, considering he rose to prominence coaching high school football in Texas and has never been a college head coach or even a coordinator. But that is Bowling Green's style: It keeps you on your toes.
The Falcons are still the favorites to win the MAC East, easily the weaker of the two divisions in the conference. A season opener at Ohio Stadium is not for the weary, though, and will certainly be an eye opener for Jinks.
Bowling Green has plenty of pieces in place to score points but it is hard to envision a scenario where the offense doesn't regress due to the losses of Johnson, Lewis, Dieter and others. That's a ton of talent.
Still, the Falcons only lost to teams that had at least nine wins a year ago and beat two Big Ten schools in Maryland and Purdue. The 2015 season was terrific for those that inhabit Meyer's old stomping grounds.
The Falcons will throw the ball around a bunch and test Ohio State's depth and speed in the secondary. If the unit gets hot and strings together some scoring drives, it will be on the Buckeye offense to keep pace.
