Falcon Fodder

A look at BG Olympic sports – Jan. 31

Here’s a look at BG Olympic sports entering the weekend, which includes a busy slate of home events. Hockey is at home Friday and Saturday, while other home events include men’s basketball and gymnastics on Saturday, a women’s basketball contest at home Sunday, and the tennis team hosting home events Saturday and Sunday. …

GYMNASTICS: The Falcons will host Kent State in a dual meet on Saturday, Feb. 2, starting at 4 p.m. in Anderson Arena. BG is coming off a 194.025 to 193.900 victory at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 26. In that meet Sophomore Jamilah Ali won the vault (9.85), while sophomore Amanda Lievendag took first on the bars (9.85) and freshman Alyssa Nocella won the beam with a 9.825 score.

SWIMMING: The Falcons will compete in their final dual meets of the season when they swim at Akron on Friday, Feb. 1 starting at 3 p.m., then travel to Youngstown State on Saturday, Feb. 2 beginning at noon. BG suffered losses to Michigan State and Buffalo on Jan. 19 in its final home event of the year. The winners for the Falcons in that meet were senior Alexis Kain in the 100 breast (1:04.00) and freshman Ana Daniela Carrillo Avilez in the 200 breast (2:19.44).

TENNIS: The Falcons will host Youngstown State at the Perrysburg Tennis Center on Saturday, Feb. 2 starting at 2:30 p.m., then host Evansville on Sunday, Feb. 3, beginning at 9:30 a.m. BG enters this homestand on a three-match win streak which was extended in a 6-1 win over Drake on Jan. 26 and a 7-0 win over Chicago State the next day. Juniors Nikki Chiricosta and Emily Reuland both went 4-0 over the weekend to lead the Falcons.

TRACK: The Falcons will compete at the Akron Invitational on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 1-2. On Jan. 25 BG performed well in the Tom Wright Classic held at Perry Fieldhouse. Junior Allorian Horne led a Falcons sweep of the top five places in the 200 with a time of 25.83, while senior Allison Weimer led a 1-2-3 sweep in the 400 with a 57.67 clocking. Other winners for BG included freshman Berrion Berry in the 60 (7.86) and the 1600 relay team.

Wake up grumpy ... and this is the result

OK, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. And I woke up too early. And I ... you get the message. I'm grumpy ... and so are you, judging by my e-mails and tweets.

So let's have a grump-off. Good luck ...

• I'm tired of people sending me messages that say something to the effect of "1968. Still waiting." Several of you sent me that message after Wednesday's loss to Akron. My response? Stop it. Stop it now.

For those of you who don't get the symbolism, "1968" represents the last season the Bowling Green men's basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In other words ... "We're waiting," with the inference that this year's team needs to get in gear and stop the advancement of that streak another season.

To which I say: Please. Entering this season, was this year's team a prime candidate to win the Mid-American Conference Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament? No, Akron and Ohio were -- and clearly are. And remember, the Mid-American Conference's current standing as a one-bid league makes it harder now than it was, say, 10 or more years ago when multiple teams got bids. More on that in a moment.

Second, does this year's team bear the responsibility for a 43-year drought? Does coach Louis Orr? Heavens no. At most, Orr is responsible for his time in BG, which means the past five years (or roughly 12 percent of the drought).

Third, something to make you feel better: How many times has Toledo played in the NCAA tournament since BG's appearance in 1968? Exactly once, and that came in 1979. I guarantee that drought continues this year.

• With the University of Miami's rise in the national polls and its undefeated start in Atlantic Coast Conference play, more and more BG fans yearn for the days of Jim Larranaga.

Now I will be blunt: I have never been a big Jim Larranaga fan. But my point here is to remind BG fans that, when he was here, many of YOU weren't either.

Larranaga's record in 11 seasons in Bowling Green was 170-144, giving him a .541 winning percentage. That's good, but it's not great. Want great? Harold Anderson had a .655 winning percentage in 21 seasons with the Falcons -- and that's why there is a building named after him. Larranaga's winning percentage isn't terribly different from those for John Weinert (.523) and Dan Dakich (.530).

For those who remember Larranaga as a constant winner at BG, well, you don't remember his tenure very well. In 11 seasons the Falcons had the MAC's best record exactly once; BG tied for second once, was third twice and was fourth once (five of 11 seasons).

By comparison, Weinert had two first-place finishes in 10 seasons, not to mention two seconds, a third and a fourth (six of 10 seasons). Dakich had one first-place MAC finish in 10 seasons (same number, fewer seasons than Larranaga), and Orr has had one first-place finish in five season (same number, fewer seasons than Larranaga).

• After Wednesday's game I asked Akron coach Keith Dambrot about his team's defensive scouting report against Bowling Green.

To summarize: The Zips used Demetrius Treadwell on A'uston Calhoun, with 7-0 center Zeke Marshall lurking to block shots, and Akron wanted to pressure Jordon Crawford all over the floor to try and tire him our and make him work hard for 40 minutes.

Then Dambrot finished his analysis by saying, "Bowling Green's not going to win if those guys don't have great nights."

Obviously neither Calhoun nor Crawford had a great night. Calhoun did score 11 points, but he was 2-for-13 from the field and 0-for-4 on 3's. Crawford scored just five points and was 1-for-11 on field goals and 0-for-5 on 3's.

My biggest concern with Calhoun and Crawford on offense has been their "inefficiency." By that I mean they get some points, but they often have a take a LOT of shots to get there. The Toledo game is a good example of their inefficiency: Crawford scored 20 points against the Rockets, but he needed 22 shots to get there. Calhoun had 13 points on 12 shots, which isn't as bad, but isn't great, either.

By comparison, against Akron Chauncey Orr scored 16 points on 12 shots (better) while Craig Sealey scored 10 points on just four shots (best).

• If you think I am grumpy, I would suggest you listen to Coach Orr's post-game press conference. I asked him some questions about the team's effort against Akron, and he was blunt about his unhappiness.

His comment, "Hard is tough," means some times it's difficult to deal with the "hard" times. And I'd say these are hard times for the Falcons.

But I would suggest you listen for yourself. Click here to access the BGSU game story, then click on "Louis Orr postgame audio."

Want to share your grumpiness? Click on the "Post a Comment" area below and voice your opinions. Keep it clean, keep it civil, and it will be all good. Add your thoughts NOW!

MAC Power Rankings – Jan. 30

Even though there has been only one set of games since I posted last week’s rankings, I’ve done a little scrambling for this week's rankings.

Well, that’s not completely true: I did post last week’s rankings before Miami defeated Bowling Green on the Falcons home court, so that resulted in an adjustment. But I did do some rearranging of the teams in the middle of the pack, too, and that’s based on only one result.

I know what you’re thinking: How can one set of results change what you think about the order of teams in the MAC? Simply put, I’m just not sure we know exactly what that order is, really -- especially of the teams in the middle of the standings. Results around the league haven’t fit together in a nice daisy chain of this-team-beat-that-team-and-etc., so there’s still a little hypothesizing going on.

Not a good enough answer? Then consider this: the RPI rankings are having trouble digesting MAC results, too. How else can you explain 5-1 Ball State having a LOWER ranking in the RPI than 2-4 Eastern Michigan? Or explain that 2-4 Western Michigan, which just lost by 19 points to Buffalo, has an RPI ranking one point HIGHER than the Bulls?

Undaunted, here is our look at how the 12 league teams shape up heading into Wednesday’s games. …

1. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (12-7, 6-0 MAC) (LW #1): In all that uncertainty surrounding MAC women’s basketball, the Chippewas are an island of certainty. Not only is CMU 6-0, the Chips are beating league opponents by an average of 21 points per game -– a number that would be higher without a nine-point win at Toledo. Could Bowling Green give them a scare at the Stroh on Sunday? Can Miami claim a win over CMU at Millett on Feb. 16? If not, the only thing that would keep Central Michigan from an undefeated league season is the rematch with the Rockets on Feb. 24. RPI: 50.

2. TOLEDO (17-2, 5-1 MAC) (LW #2): The Rockets’ narrow two-point win at Northern Illinois raises some eyebrows -– UT trailed nearly all the way before finding a way to win at the end. Still, Toledo did win when it didn’t play its best, and the team deserves some credit for that. This week should be a cake walk for the Rockets, who host winless Ohio and struggling Western Michigan at Savage. That should give Toledo time to get things righted before a tough patch next week, which includes road games against two 5-1 teams in Miami and Ball State. RPI: 40.

3. MIAMI (13-6, 5-1 MAC) (LW #4): The RedHawks claimed a huge victory on Thursday with its win over Bowling Green. Not only does that win give Miami a leg up in the East Division race, but it snaps the team’s seven-game losing streak over the Falcons -– a stretch that was creating thoughts of a “Miami whammy.” This week should be easy, with a home game at Buffalo and a contest at Northern Illinois, but the RedHawks should be wary of not looking past those teams to the stretch of three tough home games (Toledo, Akron and Central Michigan) that follow. RPI: 116.

4. BOWLING GREEN (13-6, 4-2 MAC) (LW #3): The Falcons suffered a tough loss at home to Miami, but BG responded with a solid win at Eastern Michigan Sunday. And that was important, because things will get really tough for BG this week as the Falcons play at Akron and then host Central Michigan. If BG wants to earn a bye in the MAC Tournament, winning at least one of those games -– and keeping pace with teams ahead of the Falcons in the standings, especially Miami and Ball State -– is a must. RPI: 95.

5. AKRON (12-7, 3-3 MAC) (LW #5): The Zips are on a three-game losing streak, which seems bad until you consider two of the losses were to Toledo and Central Michigan. But if Akron wants to stay in contact with the upper echelon of the league, a win at home over Bowling Green Thursday is a must. In fact, now is the time for the Zips to get on a roll since they host three straight home games in Bowling Green, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan. If Akron didn’t have that ugly loss at Western Michigan on its resume, the Zips could afford a 2-1 homestand. But with that loss ... RPI: 166.

6. BALL STATE (5-1, 8-11 MAC) (LW #6): What to make of the Cardinals, who just keep winning? Last week saw them claim a nifty road win at Buffalo, then wallop Ohio at home. And BSU does have that impressive win over Miami in their holster. Things may get a little tougher this week, since the Cards are on the road twice (at Western Michigan and at Eastern Michigan). Things get a LOT tougher next week even though Ball State is at home -– Central Michigan and Toledo provide the opposition. The Cards still have two games against both CMU and UT, so winning this week is a must if BSU wants to move into the MAC’s upper division. RPI: 250.

7. BUFFALO (6-13, 4-2) (LW #8): The Bulls and Ball State are the two biggest surprises this season, and Buffalo wasted a golden opportunity to take top billing by losing to the Cards (at home) last week. But the pressure is about ratchet up at least another notch as UB is on the road twice this week –- at Miami and at Akron, two of the teams Buffalo is fighting for the top spot in the East. That’s the front end of a four-game span that includes a home game against Bowling Green and a road trip to Central Michigan. A 2-2 mark for the Bulls in that stretch would be impressive. RPI: 279.

8. EASTERN MICHIGAN (4-15, 2-4 MAC) (LW #9): The Eagles claimed another win by clobbering Kent State, but EMU wasn’t able to claim a home win over Bowling Green on Sunday. The good news is that the Eagles’ game against BG is the first of five home games in a six-game stretch. What’s more, that stretch includes some winnable games against Northern Illinois, Ohio and Buffalo as well as a nice challenge in Ball State. I don’t think a 4-1 record in the remaining games of that stretch is asking too much, and 3-2 is almost imperative. RPI: 213.

9. WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-13, 2-4 MAC) (LW #7): The Broncos wasted a lot of positive momentum by losing at Buffalo Saturday. It wasn’t the loss that stung as much as the 19-point margin of the defeat that was a negative. And speaking of a negative, this week the schedule includes games against Ball State and Toledo, with a contest against Bowling Green looming on the horizon. Winning at Kent State Feb. 7 is quickly becoming a must-do, and trying to steal another win in this four-game stretch would really give WMU that positive momentum back. RPI: 278.

10. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (5-14, 0-6 MAC) (LW #10): The Huskies had an interesting 0-2 week, losing at home to Western Michigan (bad), then nearly beating Toledo at home (good). So which of those two games is the better barometer of this team? Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I’m going to say the close loss to the Rockets. We certainly will find out soon enough as NIU plays winnable games in the coming weeks at Eastern Michigan, at Ohio and at Kent State. RPI: 282.

11. OHIO (5-13, 0-6 MAC) (LW #11): Yes, the schedule-maker gets some of the blame for the slow start as the Bobcats played Miami, Bowling Green and Central Michigan in three of its first four games, and the other two contests were road games (at Buffalo and at Ball State). That explains OU getting outscored by an average of 28.7 points per game in MAC contests -– at least to a degree. It doesn’t fully explain losing by 37 points at Buffalo and losing by 29 at Ball State. After facing Toledo (on the road, of course) on Thursday, things will soften for the Bobcats as they host Kent State and Northern Illinois. At least one win in those two games is a must. RPI: 296.

12. KENT STATE (2-17, 0-6 MAC) (LW #12): The most painful part of this 0-6 start is that the Golden Flashes probably haven’t hit rock-bottom yet. KSU is at Central Michigan (hoo boy) Thursday, and still has a game at Toledo on the horizon. The good news is that potential first league wins are on the horizon as the Flashes play at Ohio Sunday, then host Western Michigan and Northern Illinois – with the home game against Ohio not too far on the horizon. RPI: 339.

MAC Power Rankings – Jan. 29

It’s been a long time since parity was as rampant in the Mid-American Conference as it is this season.

The “Big Two” remain obvious, as both Akron and Ohio have started the league season 6-0, and every other MAC school already has at least two losses. For Bobcat fans whose undies are wedged because I keep ranking Akron first, I say: “Why worry?” These two teams are almost certain to get byes into the semifinals of the MAC Tournament, and there really isn’t a team below them that needs to be avoided to reach the finals. So relax.

As for the rest of the “Little 10,” well, no one dares relax. Every MAC team has at least two wins, and I feel only Western Michigan is starting to create a little separation from the rest of the pack. But little has been decided in this group, which means playoff seeds and such are wide open.

Here is a look at how I feel the MAC shakes out as we near the half-way point of the 2012-13 season. …

1. AKRON (15-4, 6-0 MAC) (LW #1): I thought it was interesting that the Zips handily won the game where I thought they might struggle (Wednesday at Toledo) then struggled a touch before winning the game I thought they would run away with (Saturday at home against Buffalo). But two wins are two wins, right? I suspect Akron will hold up its end of the bargain and win easily Wednesday at Bowling Green, helping to set up Round One of the Battle of the Big Two when the Zips host Ohio on Saturday. RPI: 67.

2. OHIO (15-5, 6-0 MAC) (LW #2): Kudos to the Bobcats for not stumbling last week as the schedule-maker challenged them with two road games, one of which was against their arch-rivals (Miami) followed by a game at Kent State where OU needed to continue to play at a high level against a tough opponent. Ohio won both games and was rewarded with a big jump in RPI (30 points). The Bobcats better not get caught looking past EMU at home Wednesday … and then we all get to enjoy Saturday’s battle at Akron. RPI: 97.

3. WESTERN MICHIGAN (12-7, 4-2 MAC) (LW #3): The Broncos are started to get on a roll, having won four in a row. What’s more, WMU took care of business by claiming road wins at Northern Illinois and at Central Michigan. Another road opportunity presents itself Wednesday at Miami, followed by back-to-back home games against Buffalo and Kent State. The Broncos really have a chance to create some separation between themselves and the rest of the “Little Ten” with a pair of wins this week. RPI: 90.

4. TOLEDO (7-10, 3-3 MAC) (LW #4): Last week was somewhat predictable for the Rockets, who lost at home to Akron and then beat Bowling Green at Savage Arena. But this coming week will be the interesting –- no, let’s call it “telling” -– portion of the schedule, as UT is on the road for winnable games at Ball State and at Northern Illinois. If the Rockets want to win the West Division regular-season title, keeping pace with Western Michigan with two road wins this week is a must. RPI: 200.

5. KENT STATE (11-9, 2-4 MAC) (LW #5): Yes, I know people are going to complain about leaving the Golden Flashes this high in the rankings despite a three-game losing streak. And yes, I witnessed their struggles in a 15-point loss at Bowling Green. But here’s something to consider: What team has come closest to beating Akron AND Ohio this season? That’s right, Kent State. Yes, both games were at home … but I don’t see many other MAC schools coming within four points of Akron and one of Ohio. RPI: 184.

6. EASTERN MICHIGAN (10-10, 3-3 MAC) (LW #6): Things are about to get “real” for the Eagles, who suffered a tough road loss at Western Michigan before beating NIU Saturday. EMU will be on the road for games at Ohio and at Kent State, both difficult matchups for the Eagles -– although it will be interesting to see how their zone works against those two upper division schools. Winning at home against Buffalo next Wednesday will be imperative, because the schedule that follows sends Eastern Michigan to Toledo, then home against Ball State. RPI: 215.

7. BUFFALO (7-13, 2-4 MAC) (LW #8): Kudos to the Bulls for a good week despite playing twice on the road. Buffalo earned a road win at Ball State, then played Akron tough before falling by four points. This week’s contest at home against Central Michigan on Wednesday is must-win to keep the momentum rolling, because UB’s next two games are at Western Michigan and at Eastern Michigan, and both of those games figure to be tough for this young team. RPI: 231.

8. MIAMI (7-11, 2-4 MAC) (LW #7): There’s no shame in losing at home to Ohio, even though the final deficit was 12 points. But losing at home to Ball State? By 20 points? Shame, shame. The RedHawks have another home challenge Wednesday against Western Michigan, then hit the road for a pair of difficult (but winnable) games at Central Michigan and at Toledo. There are no automatic victories in that stretch, but Miami must win at least one (and preferably two) to get some momentum rolling for the tough stretch that follows. RPI: 252.

9. BOWLING GREEN (7-12, 2-4 MAC) (LW #10): It was an interesting win for the Falcons on Wednesday, when they did more than beat Kent State: BG won handily, cruising to a 15-point victory. But the Falcons couldn’t carry any momentum into a game Saturday against Toledo, losing to their arch-rivals by 13 points. Good news? The next two games are at home, where Bowling Green has fared very well this season. Bad news? The next opponent is Akron, which will be an especially difficult team to beat at home. RPI: 303.

10. BALL STATE (8-10, 2-4 MAC) (LW #11): It was another backwards week for the Cardinals. They opened the week with a surprising home loss to Buffalo, but rebounded Saturday to win ON THE ROAD at Miami -– by 20 points! If you predicted that before last week, please tell me what this week’s winning lottery numbers will be. Things are about to get a little tougher for BSU, even though three of the next four games are on the road: the home opponents are Toledo, Ohio and Western Michigan, and there’s no “lock” victory in that group. RPI: 248.

11. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (9-10, 2-4 MAC) (LW #9): The Chippewas had a chance to build some momentum last week with home games against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. But CMU instead suffered a painful loss to the Huskies -– by 13 points! –- and followed that up with a 17-point loss to Western Michigan. The Chips will head to the road for three of their next four games, facing Buffalo this week and both Akron and Kent State next week. Considering that schedule, claiming a win Saturday at home against Miami is almost a necessity. RPI: 204.

12. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (4-14, 2-4 MAC) (LW #12): Thanks, ESPN, for another misleading bit of sports coverage. Video of NIU’s struggles at Eastern Michigan were all over the airwaves Sunday –- and yes, the game was as ugly as the video. But it continues the stereotype of Northern Illinois being a team that won’t win a MAC game –- just three days after the Huskies won ON THE ROAD at Central Michigan. I’m not telling you NIU is great; I’m telling you that they will surprise a few more teams this season. And this upcoming three-game homestand against Kent State, Toledo and Bowling Green will give them a great opportunity to do just that. RPI: 281.

Examining Clawson's contract extension

On Monday Bowling Green announced that the school has agreed to a contract extension with football coach Dave Clawson.

Click here if you want to read the basics of that agreement.

Here are a few things to consider about that contract ...

• While the financial terms were not disclosed, a raise in salary is assumed. And for those who might ask why Clawson would receive a salary increase, here are some numbers to lend some perspective.

Last season Clawson's base salary was roughly $368 thousand, which seems like a lot of money to you and me. And it is a lot of money to you and me -- but it's not a lot of money for a football coach. The most-recent list of football salaries for college football coaches lists Clawson as ranking 120th among FBS coaches in terms of salary. That is out of 124 coaches.

Aside: Want to know where he ranked among Mid-American Conference coaches? Of the three FBS coaches that were below Clawson, the only MAC coach was Central Michigan's Dan Enos -- who received a contract extension last week.

What about bonuses, you ask? By my calculations he earned $19,000 in on-field bonuses ($10,000 for winning six MAC games, $2,000 for winning five MAC games, $5,000 for bowl berth and $2,000 for Chris Jones earning MAC defensive player of the year). Even with those bonuses raising his salary to $390,000 he remains near the bottom of MAC coaches in terms of salary.

Knowing all that, does winning eight games, earning a bowl bid and having a team poised to compete for a MAC title next season deserve a raise?

• Notice the information at the bottom of the release regarding a renovation to Perry Fieldhouse. In particular it mentions installing new turf at the fieldhouse.

That's a necessary move, since the current turf is the old "artificial" turf rather than the new synthetic turf that is softer and more forgiving. As BG prepared for the Military Bowl it practiced on that turf, and it clearly showed its age in terms of creating "rug burns" and a less-safe environment than the turf that recently was installed at Perry Stadium.

• Speaking of Perry Stadium, the release by the university also announced the planning of renovations to the facility. During the past season the University took a close look at the University of Akron's football field, which is certain on a short list of best facilities in the MAC (if it isn't No. 1).

As this process continues, it should help the program in two ways: first, it should help fans, alumni and boosters get excited about the program (in the same way the announcement and building of facilities like the Sebo Center and Stroh Center raised the excitement level. Second, it should help with recruiting as a sales point to prospective players.

Agree with the decision? Disagree? You can add your thoughts to the discussion below. Click on the "Post a Comment" area below and voice your opinions. Keep it clean, keep it civil, and it will be all good. Add your thoughts NOW!

Clawson receives contract extension

Bowling Green football coach Dave Clawson has agreed with the school on a contract extension through the 2018 season.

The extension adds four years to Clawson’s original contract, which was signed when he took the job before the 2009 season. Financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed.

“I appreciate the confidence shown in me and our football staff by president Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey and our athletics director, Greg Christopher,” Clawson told The Blade. “Both Dr. Mazey and Greg have been extremely supportive in my time here and they have made it clear the University has made a commitment to the future of BG football.

“We have built a solid foundation over the past four years, and I look forward to continuing to build and grow our program.”

Clawson and the Falcons are coming off an 8-5 season that included a 6-2 mark in Mid-American Conference play and a berth in the Military Bowl. In four seasons at BG he has compiled a 22-28 overall record and is 16-16 in MAC play.

In 2009 he inherited a Bowling Green program with 22 seniors that finished 7-6 and played in the 2009 Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl. When those seniors left the Falcons fell to 2-10 the next year but rebounded to 5-7 in 2011.

Clawson also improved the academic standing of the program, which was in APR distress when he arrived. This past fall the Falcons had a 2.8 team GPA, the highest semester mark since the school began tracking such numbers and the program’s third consecutive record for semester GPA.

Prior to BG, Clawson’s two head coaching jobs resurrected first Fordham, boosting a Rams program coming off 12 straight losing seasons into NCAA playoff participants, and then Richmond, which twice advanced to the postseason.

In 13 seasons as a head coach, Clawson’s career coaching record stands at 80-75.

“Dave has done a terrific job of rebuilding our football program,” Christopher said in a release. “We now have a solid foundation for continued success. Dave has not only instilled a winning culture, but he runs a first-rate program that represents the entire University in a positive fashion.

“This extension is about our commitment to Dave, the coaching staff and the entire football program.”

That commitment will include renovations to Perry Fieldhouse, including new FieldTurf, which is expected to be installed for next season. The FieldTurf is one of many football upgrades over the past five seasons, including the addition of the Sebo Athletic Center, locker room renovations, the installation of FieldTurf in Doyt Perry Stadium and a high definition scoreboard.

The University has also started the master planning process for a comprehensive renovation to Doyt Perry Stadium.

Pre-game info for Falcon hockey at Miami

I will not be in Oxford, Ohio, for Saturday night's Central Collegiate Hockey Association contest between the Falcons and No. 6 Miami -- I will be at Savage Arena for the BG-UT men's basketball game, so my attention will be divided. Line charts and scratches for BG on Saturday are right here ...

BOWLING GREEN

FORWARDS (LW-C-RW)

25-Dajon Mingo ... 22-Ryan Carpenter ... 26-Mark Cooper

23-Brent Tate ... 14-Camden Wojtala ... 12-Bryce Williamson

13-Adam Berkle ... 11-Dan DeSalvo ... 17-Ben Murphy

10-Marc Rodriguez ... 27-Andrew Wallace ... 24-Brett Mohler

DEFENSEMEN

4-Mike Sullivan ... 28-Bobby Shea

15-Marcus Perrier ... 2-Ryan Peltoma

3-Connor Kucera ... 8-Jose Delgadillo

GOALIES

1-Andrew Hammond

31-Tommy Burke

Scratches: Pletsch, Hafner.

Did not travel: Sloat, Sumsion, Freibergs, Viselli, Hills, Zacharias.

There are two changes from Friday to Saturday. On the fourth line Marc Rodriguez steps in at left wing, replacing Ted Pletsch, while on the third pair of defensemen Jose Delgadillo replaces Rusty Hafner as the partner of Connor Kucera.

This game will be broadcast on SportsTime Ohio but will be taped delayed. The game itself begins at 7 p.m., but the broadcast starts at 9 p.m.

Chris Jones invited to NFL Combine

Bowling Green senior defensive tackle Chris Jones has been invited to participate in the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine.

The Combine, which is also called the National Invitational Camp, will be held in Indianapolis on Feb. 20-26.

The 6-1, 293-pound native of the Indianapolis suburb of Brownsburg, Ind., was the Mid-American Conference defensive player of the year this past season. He posted 42 tackles, including 19 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, to lead the Falcons to an 8-5 record, a 6-2 MAC mark and a berth in the Military Bowl.

The NFL combine draws executives, coaches, player personnel staff and medical personnel from all 32 NFL teams to evaluate the nation’s top college football players eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft.

Participants are determined annually by a selection committee which includes the directors of both National and BLESTO scouting services along with members of various NFL player personnel departments. The participating NFL executives can rotate on a yearly basis, and remain anonymous.

All eligible players are reviewed and voted on by the committee members. Each athlete receiving the necessary number of votes, by position, is then extended an invitation. The goal of the committee is to invite every player that will be drafted in the ensuing NFL Draft.

Pre-game info for Falcon hockey at Miami

I will not be in Oxford, Ohio, for Friday night's Central Collegiate Hockey Association contest between the Falcons and No. 6 Miami. Line charts and scratches for BG are right here ...

BOWLING GREEN

FORWARDS (LW-C-RW)

25-Dajon Mingo ... 22-Ryan Carpenter ... 26-Mark Cooper

23-Brent Tate ... 14-Camden Wojtala ... 12-Bryce Williamson

13-Adam Berkle ... 11-Dan DeSalvo ... 17-Ben Murphy

21-Ted Pletsch ... 27-Andrew Wallace ... 24-Brett Mohler

DEFENSEMEN

4-Mike Sullivan ... 28-Bobby Shea

15-Marcus Perrier ... 2-Ryan Peltoma

3-Connor Kucera ... 5-Rusty Hafner

GOALIES

1-Andrew Hammond

31-Tommy Burke

Scratches: Delgadillo, Rodriguez.

Did not travel: Sloat, Sumsion, Freibergs, Viselli, Hills, Zacharias.

The only change from last weekend was with Brett Mohler returning to the lineup. He replaces Marc Rodriguez as the right wing on BG's fourth line.

This game will be broadcast on SportsTime Ohio starting at 7:35 p.m.

Friday football fix -- Jan. 25

This is the first installment in what (hopefully) will be a weekly update on the Falcon football team as it prepares for the 2013 season. This week includes some thoughts about a potential position change …

A few weeks back I asked coach Dave Clawson about potential position changes on the roster heading into spring drills. He didn't share many with me, because instead we talked about one player who has seen action at two positions.

That player is tight end-defensive end Kendall Montgomery.

Notice that Montgomery remains a "slash" player. If Clawson and the coaching staff have decided where Montgomery will play, they haven't tipped their hand.

Last season Montgomery saw more time at tight end than at defensive end. While Montgomery did not catch a pass, he started against Miami and Buffalo. Defensively the 6-6, 268-pounder posted one tackle, and it came on a sack in the win at Akron.

In his career Montgomery has started six games, including four as a redshirt freshman. He has caught only one pass in his career, but that 1-yard catch resulted in a touchdown at Miami in 2011. Montgomery had not played defense for BG before this year.

When fans ask me, I admit that I think Montgomery should move to defensive end. The sack at Akron is the reason why: It was a play made on pure, raw talent, and with extended coaching at the position a player of his size and athleticism would be a handful for any offensive lineman -- and a weapon.

Further, the Falcons are deep at tight end, with Alex Bayer and Tyler Beck in front of Montgomery and Clay Rolf and Chris Pohlman also having experience.

But let's look a little closer, first at the tight end position -- which isn't quite as deep as it seems. By that I mean there are options for 2013, but the following year the depth will decline considerably when Bayer and Beck both graduate -- and both Rolf and Montgomery will be seniors.

By 2014, using only the current roster, the only tight end/fullbacks available to BG would be Pohlman, who would be a senior, and Scott Davis, who redshirted as a freshman this season.

Also, the defensive end spot is even deeper than tight end -- and younger, too. The options at that position next year including senior Ronnie Goble, juniors Charlie Walker and Bryan Thomas along with sophomores Bryan Baird and Zach Colvin.Walker started 13 games at right end, Thomas started then last 10 at left end, and Colvin started the first three at right end.

Walker finished with 34 tackles in 13 games, including six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. If you remember his jarring hit on the San Jose State quarterback in the Military Bowl that forced a fumble and set up a touchdown, you know what Walker is capable of.

Thomas was next among the defensive ends in tackles with 33 in 13 games. His totals included eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks; his TFL total was fourth-best on the team, and his sack mark ranked third on the Falcons.

Colvin finished with 15 tackles, including one for loss; Baird played in 11 games and had 12 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks; and Goble played in 12 games and registered 11 tackles.

And don't forget that the Falcons also have Shaq Hall, who saw limited playing time as a redshirt freshman, and Jhalil-Nashid Croley, a freshman who redshirted last season and has the size (6-1, 251) and athleticism to become a high-class rush end.

In other words, there are a number of options at this position for not only 2013, but 2014 as well.

So what will the Falcons do? We'll find out in spring drills.