As it stands, BG coach Gregg Brandon will not make any change at quarterback unless Tyler Sheehan is injured to the point where he cannot play.
Sheehan injured his shoulder on a touchdown run against Western Kentucky Sept. 29 and has not been playing at 100 percent since that game. Anthony Glaud is now No. 2 on the Falcons depth chart at quarterback and would relieve Sheehan.
“He’s been getting a lot [of reps],” Brandon said. “Anthony can go in and run the offense and I think we’d have a chance to win games.”
Since the 41-21 victory over the Hilltoppers, the Falcons are 1-3 and Sheehan has thrown five touchdowns and six interceptions compared to 10 touchdowns and four interceptions in his first four games. Despite the drop in production from Sheehan, he is not yet in danger of losing the job to Glaud.
“It’s not my intention ” Tyler Sheehan is our quarterback,” Brandon said.
RUNNING BACKS AILING
Willie Geter’s sprained ankle may or may not keep him out of Friday’s game against Akron. It limited his second half carries Saturday and opened the door for Dan Macon.
Macon has played limited snaps in 2007 but looks like an inspired senior nearing the end of his football career.
He has scored three touchdowns this season and Saturday he had the first receiving touchdown of his career.
Brandon wants to get Chris Bullock back into the mix at running back as well. Bullock has not gotten a touch since two weeks ago against Miami where he carried the ball four times for 12 yards, fumbling twice.
“We’ve got to keep him in the mix,” Brandon said. “He has to become a more consistent guy for us to be an every down guy.”
Anthony Turner will continue his different roles on offense. Turner leads the team with four rushing touchdowns.
The team’s two injured running backs, Geter and Eric Ransom, are averaging seven and five yards per carry respectively.
DEFENSIVE WOES
After three straight weeks of giving up more than 250 yards rushing, it may be time for BG’s defense to regroup and reevaluate.
The team has now given up 246 yards or more on the ground five times in eight games and has also given up 17 touchdowns on the ground.
“It happens in practice, it’s about what you do on the days before the game,” said linebacker Loren Hargrove.
Two weeks ago defensive coordinator Mike Ward brought out old tape to show his team how they swarmed to the ball in the first four games.
This week he may want to bring out tape of how the Falcons played defense in the red zone against Kent State because Kalvin McRae scored from there three times Saturday.
“That was a big part [against Kent State] keeping them out of the end zone,” said linebacker Erique Dozier. “That was something we couldn’t do against Ohio.”
NOT POINTING FINGERS
Brandon will not let Zach Charles take the blame for Saturday’s loss after dropping two punts.
The coach wants Charles to keep his confidence up and not worry about the game.
“It was untimely,” Brandon said. “Zach’s got to fight through it, that’s part of being a Division I football player.”
This week the team will try to find the best man for the job now that wide receiver Corey Partridge is nursing an injured thumb.
“We’ll have a competition this week and whoever catches the most punts will do it,” Brandon said.
Cornerback Antonio Smith is one of the players who will get a chance to win the job. Smith started the year as a candidate for one of the team’s kick returning positions last season but an early injury hindered him.
