Among the numerous changes for the Falcons, the goal is still to win… a lot. Following a 10-4 season, the Falcons’ first 10-win season since their 11 victories in 2003, Bowling Green understands that 2014 is a new year and they are looking to come back even better than before.
“What we did last year really doesn’t matter. This is a new year, but it’s going to be a big year,” senior linebacker DJ Lynch said.
Not only do the players feel this will be a big year, but the coaching staff is extremely confident heading into the 2014 season.
“My hat goes off to coach Clawson. He did a fabulous job taking the program from where it was. But, while ten wins are impressive, there were still four losses,” head coach Dino Babers said. “I really believe we’re going to take this to a different level that it hasn’t been and that’s no disrespect to anyone. We’re striving to be the best we can possibly be.”
Babers and his players understand this will be an unquestionably tough task, but they are confident in the veteran leadership of the returning Falcons.
The upperclassmen as a whole, including redshirt junior quarterback Matt Johnson and redshirt senior linebacker DJ Lynch, will play a critical role on each side of the ball for the Falcons in 2014.
“[DJ Lynch is] a grown man. This guy’s not a young man, but a grown man and he carries himself that way,” Babers said. “His leadership along with Matt [Johnson] and the other seniors is going to be critical because this is their football team and we will go as far as they want to go together.”
Lynch understands that his role this season will be as crucial as ever, but he is set on just doing his part to help the team win each game.
“I’m not really a rah-rah guy, I just try to lead with my play,” Lynch said. “I try to hold people accountable, but I’m just doing what I have to do to help my team win.”
While the performance of a first-year coach and veteran leadership will be critical for Falcon success, it will be the offense that looks to lead Bowling Green to back-to-back Mid-American Conference championships.
“Offensively, he’s [coach Babers] going to be expecting a lot from us,” quarterback Matt Johnson said. “We have all done a great job of meshing together, I just have to execute the offense and get first downs.”
The defense too, understands that the sky is the limit for the offense and look forward to plenty of great games from them this season.
“We get off the field and let them do their thing,” Lynch said. “I’m expecting them to light it up and score 40 to 50 points per game.”
Thus, the Falcons have seen the coaching staff change, the personnel change and the mindset change, but the goal is the same: win. And win a lot.
“We’re trying to win the MAC Championship. Anything short of that would be a disappointment,” Lynch said.
