If Bowling Green football were to play tomorrow, Matt Schilz would be the quarterback.
Multiple times this week coach Dave Clawson has said the redshirt freshman has distanced himself from the competition, and will be the starter on Sept. 4 at Troy, barring something unexpected happens.
“He has taken care of the football better then any other of the quarterbacks … not only has he put us in the best situation to win, he has put us in the best position not to lose,” Clawson said.
Replacing Tyler Sheehan — a 3-year starter, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns his senior season — was arguably the biggest question mark entering camp this year, and four different quarterbacks all had a chance to earn the spot.
While Schilz is not yet officially the starter, redshirt freshmen Kellen Pagel and Trent Hurley are in a heated battle for the second string spot. Aaron Pankratz, the only quarterback on the roster with any game experience, has fallen to fourth on the depth chart.
New Kicker
After BG kickers combined to hit just 12-of-21 field goal attempts last season, including three misses from within 29 yards or closer, Bryan Wright has come to the rescue.
A graduate student who played the past three years at the University of Michigan as a kick-off specialist, Wright brings instant credibility to the Falcons’ kicking game.
While he didn’t attempt any field goals with the Wolverines, Wright hit the second longest field goal in Ohio high school history as a senior, 57-yards, and has consistently hit from long range in practice.
Right now, Wright will handle field goal and kick-off duties, while there is still an open competition between himself and Jerry Phillips for the punters job.
Wright was able to transfer without sitting out a year since a recent NCAA rule allows students who have graduated, but still have eligibility to play immediately if they are enrolled in another school’s graduate program.
New No. 7 in town
Schilz not only has to fill the shoes of record setting quarterback Sheehan, but by his new number choice he may draw comparison to another former Falcon.
Switching to No. 7, Schilz is taking over the number of NCAA-record holder and current Chicago Bears wide receiver Freddie Barnes. Last season, Barnes smashed the old NCAA record of 142 receptions, hauling in 155 passes and finished as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation’s top receiver.
Other notable number changes this year include Kevin Alvarado, will wear No. 3 while tight end Demark Jenkins will wear Sheehan’s old No. 13.
Scrimmage Sunday
The third and final scrimmage of camp will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The second scrimmage, which was on Tuesday, didn’t have a winner but the offense ran extra conditioning afterwards due to many mistakes.