With Omar Jacobs at quarterback, the Bowling Green football team has one of the best players in the Mid-American Conference under center.
Add in a receiving corps that features Steve Sanders, Charles Sharon and Cole Magner and the Falcons have what is probably the best receiving corps in the league.
Their running game isn’t too shabby either, as P.J. Pope and B.J. Lane normally have no problems running through defenses thanks to one of the more talented lines in the MAC.
Asking for anything more from an offense that already scores 41 points per game would be greedy. Right?
But with kicker Shaun Suisham, the Falcons have yet one more option to help them put up points.
The senior is number one all-time in the school’s history for points scored and continues to impress everyone with his strong right leg.
Suisham has regularly kicked touchbacks this season and this past Saturday against Ohio, did something he had never done before and that was kick a 52-yard field goal.
With just three seconds left in the first half and a 24-9 lead, the Falcons figured they could call on Suisham to give them a few more points heading into the locker room.
“He had a little breeze behind him,” BG head coach Gregg Brandon said. “I knew he could kick it.”
Just to make sure the shot would be a tough one for the senior, Ohio called their final two timeouts to try to ice Suisham.
“I’m confident as far as time outs through practice and proper preparation,” Suisham said. “So the timeouts weren’t really a factor.”
So finally, with a slight breeze behind him and after a four minute delay, Suisham would get a chance to show off his leg.
The snap was perfect and Magner’s hold was good enough, now it was time for Suisham to do his job. The kick was off and initially it looked like it may not have enough distance. But when it approached the cross bar, the referees raised their hands to signal the kick was good. Suisham set a personal-best with the kick and in the process gave his team another three points going into the half.
“That was a big momentum boost,” Brandon said. “To get points going into the half was a huge boost going into the locker room.”
Suisham’s ability has not only helped the offense this season, but the defense is living life a little easier thanks to his kickoffs. Over the past year, Suisham has improved his distance and his kicks regularly are downed for touchbacks. This season, he has 16 touchbacks and has helped pin opposing teams deep in their own territory.
“I’m not on the field that often,” Suisham said. “So when I get a chance to help the defense that’s great.”
He may not be the one making the tackles or catches the passes, but Suisham’s certainly become a valuable member of the team.
