DETROIT – Bowling Green is finally looking like a Division I football team.
That’s the thought of Dave Clawson, who is in his third year as the Falcons’ head coach. Clawson met with
the media Tuesday at the Mid-American Conference preseason football meetings at Detroit’s Ford Field.

Clawson based his opinion on the added depth in the program, including 30 freshmen and sophomores who are
on the two-deep.
"I think that’s the story of our whole program: We finally have depth, we finally have numbers, we
finally have internal competition. I’ve never felt better about our program than I do this year, because
we have numbers, we have talent," Clawson said. "We’ve recruited well, and we’ve retained the
players we have recruited, and they have developed. It’s our third year in the system.
"Whether it’s quarterback or defensive line or offensive line or receiver, we finally have what a
Division I team should have in terms of numbers. We haven’t had that in four years."
This fall the Falcons will have 19 true freshmen, 19 redshirt freshman and 20 sophomores on the roster.

"This was the plan from Day One: We were going to redshirt guys, we weren’t going to raid junior
colleges, we weren’t going to take shortcuts," Clawson said. "The first thing we had to do was
stabilize the program, take care of our (Academic Progress Rate), retain players and get our numbers
back to where they should be. It took three years, but we are finally there."
On offense, Clawson is looking to work younger players into the rotations at running back, wide receiver,
on the offensive line and at quarterback.
At quarterback, incumbent Matt Schilz, redshirt freshmen Trent Hurley and true freshman Matt Johnson are
in the mix during fall camp.
Last fall, Schilz was injured in the third game of the season and the Falcons were hurt by the fall-off
in that position. Also when Schilz returned to play in the last seven games of the season, he was not
100 percent, Clawson said.
"Whoever moves the team the best," Clawson said would be the starting quarterback. "The
top five teams in the MAC last year all had to play two quarterbacks, so I’m concerned about having both
guys play at a winning level.
"We need to develop depth at that position. I think Matt will be better. I think Trent Hurley has a
chance to be a very good player, and I’m very excited about Matt Johnson, who was the starting
quarterback for Pennsylvania in the Big 33 game."
On defense, Clawson said there is experience in the front six, led by Chris Jones on the line and Dwayne
Woods Jr. at linebacker.
There’s going to be a lot of competition in the secondary where there will probably be three new
starters.
"I think it all starts up front with the d-line," Jones said. "Whatever pressure we can
get on the quarterback makes it easier for (the secondary) because they don’t have to cover as long.
"Also, we need to be leaders. If something bad happens, we need to build up their confidence so they
don’t get down on themselves. We can really help them out that way."
Clawson is also looking for increased production in the kicking game.
Last fall Bryan Wright, who has completed his eligibility, and walk-on Kyle Burkhardt combined to go
5-of-13 on field goals and 24-of-27 on PATs. Burkhardt, 1-of-4 on field goals in 2010, is in the mix
again this season along with walk-on Stephen Stein, who probably had the best spring of all the kickers,
and incoming freshman Tyler Tate.
"Our inability to make field goals has cost us games – we’ve probably lost three or four games the
past two years because of our inability to kick a field goal," Clawson said.
The Falcons open camp on Aug. 3 with the season opener Sept. 1 at Idaho. The home opener is Sept. 10
against Morgan State.