A former college quarterback and quarterback specialist for much of the past two decades, new Bowling
Green State University head football coach Scot Loeffler spends practice running.
Loeffler isn’t in the corner on a treadmill, nor is taking handoffs out of the power-I.
The first-time head coach is establishing a culture stabilized by pace.
Loeffler, who mirrors his quarterbacks as they practice rollouts and scurries to his team’s next drill,
envisions a team that plays with a breathtaking pace.
“Today’s football, everyone plays with pace, so we have to train our defense and obviously we have to
help our offense,” Loeffler said. “Gives our offense an advantage when you play with pace.”
Practices are divided into 20-plus periods rotating between 11-on-11 drills and specialization drills
between position groups. Repetitions are quick and the jog to the next drill is even quicker.
The tempo, in basketball shorts at the Perry Field House, was visibly daunting during practice one.
“What we’re trying to do, No. 1, is get into shape,” Loeffler said. “That’s been a huge emphasis, getting
bigger, stronger, faster, eating properly, proper rest believe it or not. We’re going step by step stage
one.”
As effort wavered to end Saturday’s opening practice, Tuesday’s session improved.
“I’m more worried right now about culture things and how we do business,” Loeffler said. “Establishing
our culture, how we practice, how we go from drill to drill, the pace, the expectations, the standards.”

To pair with tempo, Loeffler’s foundation includes toughness.
Toughness can be difficult to decipher without pads. That will come as the Falcons lead into the spring
game.
Loeffler’s plan is simple.
“We want to be tough and that’s going to be a huge emphasis,” he said. “Put the ball down, run power as
many times as I can to the right and find out who’s tough.”
For now, Loeffler and his staff are moving slow. At a suffocating tempo.
Offensive linemen are practicing staggered slides, staying low and driving power. Receivers running a
simple route tree. Coaches watch with tips and corrections readily available.
“We want to kind of find out what we have and try to build an identity on offense, defense and special
teams,” Loeffler said.
BG, which started the season with just one win in its first nine games, finished last season 3-9. The
Falcons averaged 24.3 points per game and conceded 40.
“We got a long way to go,” Loeffler added.