Many regard this time of year as “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”. 

Filled with joy and happiness, it’s true in many ways. However in the college football world, this time can be deemed “The Most Jumbled Time Of The Year.” 

Reason why? 

Well for teams bowl eligible, you have practice and preparation for your respective bowl game, the transfer portal block has opened up and is shifting as we speak, and national signing day for high school players to sign their letter of intent to play at the school they choose is opened up. 

Now do you think it’s the most jumbled time of the year? 

That being said, with Bowling Green’s bowl game against Minnesota just six days away now, it’s crunch time for the Falcons to finish the week off right before heading to their final quest of the season up in Detroit. 

At today’s press conference with head coach Scot Loeffler, the main talking point was National Signing Day. 

“I’d like to welcome in our 21 new Falcon football players. Super excited about this group, it’s a very talented group and they definitely follow our formula, they’re high-character people,” said Loeffler. “We got eight players from the state of Ohio, three players from Michigan, and a player from Pennsylvania, so that’s our footprint. We took four players from Georgia, three from Florida, one from Connecticut, and one from Texas. So that was a total of nine outside of our framework of how we do business. It’s always been our philosophy to build our program with high school football players. We’re super excited about adding these new high school signees.” 

Loeffler was able to snag four players out of Georgia, a state that’s not in their formula of baseline recruiting.

So to be able to snag four players out of a state like that is huge for this program and all Loeffler can think about is that sunny afternoon in Atlanta back in late September. 

“When you’re able to play well in someone’s state that obviously helps, so that was a big game. We really really like the Georgia kids. Extremely well coached, well behaved and it reminds me of our footprint.” 

This footprint is something that Loeffler tries to mirror off of former coaches like Urban Meyer, which is recruiting heavily within four hours of your school, exactly what he did as 12 of the 21 signees are from neighboring states, eight of which are of Ohio. 

“Our footprint will always be within the four-hour radius. It’s the Dave Clawson and Urban Meyer model and the other 25% of the roster we are gonna spend a good time in the state of Georgia and a good time in the state of Florida. There are super good football players down there and I really like the six guys from the south. I think they’re gonna be great additions.” 

Loeffler then states again how important recruitment at the high school level truly is. With how much the transfer portal plays a part in today’s world, we sometimes get lost in the true foundation of college football. 

“We wanted this to be a heavily recruited high school class. It reminds me of the first three classes that we brought into BG and we can’t get away from that formula. If you really evaluate our very best players it’s generally the high school players. We’ve had some great transfers, I’m not downplaying that but our footprint and who we are has got to be high school kids. Obviously, we’re gonna use the transfer portal in certain circumstances to fill needs but for the longevity of the program you’ve gotta build it with high school kids.” 

Now onto bowl game talk.

With the Quick Lane Bowl approaching, many wanted to know about running back Terion Stewart’s health, which still remains a game-time decision. With that, along with Ta’ron Keith in the portal, it’s looking like some role players will play a big part in the run game come next Tuesday.  

“Terion Stewart will be a game day deal. That leg injury has been significant. TK [Ta’ron Keith] is in the transfer portal and has not practiced at all. So we’ve got Jamal Johnson and Jaison Patterson and Pasean Wimberly ready to go and those guys are gonna do a great job and they’ve been great role players this year. Terion Stewart and TK were the majority of our touches in the backfield but we have no problem at all playing Jaison, Jamaal, and Wimberly.” 

But regardless of who plays at any position for Bowling Green on Tuesday, Loeffler is very eager and excited to see how much orange and brown travel up to Detroit and wants to use that to his advantage.  

“I’ve heard that we’ve sold a bunch of tickets already and I want that to be our home-field advantage. We’re 50 minutes up the road in Detroit and I would love for as many Falcon fans to come out and enjoy this game. I think we’re gonna play really really hard and really well against a really good opponent. I think it’ll be a great atmosphere and I know our kids would be jacked up to see as much orange and brown as we possibly can see.” 

The Falcons and Golden Gophers are set for a 2 p.m. kickoff on Tuesday, Dec. 26 from Ford Field in Detroit. 

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