The Bowling Inexperienced job is open. Scot Loeffler introduced Friday he had accepted an assistant teaching job with the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving the Falcons with a training search at an inopportune time.
Loeffler went 27-41 in six seasons however took the Falcons to a few consecutive bowl video games (all losses). BG’s 6-2 report in MAC play final season was its greatest below Loeffler’s watch. Now the varsity should discover a new coach after signing day and proper earlier than the beginning of spring observe.
So how good is the Bowling Inexperienced job? What names might get within the combine? How a lot will the timing influence the search? Primarily based on conversations with business sources, here’s a report card for the job and the potential candidates to look at.
Latest historical past/custom: C
The previous decade of BG soccer has been troublesome, however there was success right here. Dave Clawson and Dino Babers led the Falcons to a few consecutive MAC East Division titles from 2013 to 2015, together with two MAC championships in 2013 and 2015. However each left for Energy 4 jobs, and the Falcons have struggled since. Bowling Inexperienced has reached three consecutive bowl video games, however that got here after six consecutive dropping seasons. The Falcons haven’t received greater than seven video games in a season since 2015.
On-field outlook: D+
Gone is All-America tight finish Harold Fannin Jr., who’s off to the NFL. High receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. and quarterback Connor Bazelak are out of eligibility, and high working again Terion Stewart transferred to Virginia Tech. That’s life within the MAC today. The Falcons added 15 transfers, 5 of them from Energy 4 applications, nevertheless it’s exhausting to foretell what the roster will appear to be, particularly because the upcoming spring portal window might create extra roster uncertainty.
Cash issues: D
Loeffler’s $582,000 wage was the second lowest within the MAC and the fifth lowest in FBS amongst public faculty jobs. BG was sixth within the MAC in soccer spending in 2023, in response to Sportico’s database. Identify, picture and likeness efforts haven’t been too outstanding within the MAC, and it’s unclear how a lot BG must spend on revenue-sharing with gamers if the Home settlement is accredited. The Sebo Athletic Middle is connected to Doyt L. Perry Stadium and supplies a 42,500-square-foot coaching and assembly heart for all of Bowling Inexperienced’s sports activities. The Perry Discipline Home supplies an indoor observe area.
College stability: B-
Only a week in the past, athletic director Derek van der Merwe obtained a contract extension by 2030, so there seemingly received’t be any adjustments there. The college highlighted that the athletic division has set a donations report for distinctive donors since he was employed in late 2022 and applied the varsity’s Life Design program throughout the division. The college continues to develop, with new scholar enrollment up 22 % in the course of the previous two years.
Scot Loeffler had a 27-41 report in six seasons as Bowling Inexperienced’s coach. (Gary A. Vasquez / USA Immediately)
Coach pool: C-
Mercer head coach Mike Jacobs is a northwest Ohio native with a formidable 85-20 report as a head coach. He went 11-3 in his first 12 months at Mercer, reaching the FCS quarterfinals. Earlier than that, Jacobs went 32-9 at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne, making a top-10 program, and he was 42-8 at Division II Notre Dame (Ohio), additionally making a top-10 program. However would a sitting head coach be keen to depart his group in March?
Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt is 56-4 on the Division III Ohio powerhouse. Although this system hasn’t received a nationwide title since 2017, Dartt has reached the nationwide championship recreation twice within the final three years, together with final season. The previous Mount Union participant has spent all however one 12 months since 2017 with the Purple Raiders. Lance Leipold made the transfer from Division III to the MAC and received at Buffalo. May one other coach do the identical?
Toledo defensive coordinator Vince Kehres was Mount Union’s head coach from 2013 to 2019, successful two Division III nationwide titles. The 48-year-old is aware of Ohio by and thru, and he repeatedly has produced one of many high three defenses within the MAC since arriving in 2020.
Michigan working backs coach Tony Alford has been making an attempt exhausting to get a head-coaching job. The Akron native spent 2015-23 at Ohio State and joined the Wolverines a 12 months in the past. He is aware of the realm and has produced a number of NFL working backs, reminiscent of Ezekiel Elliott and J.Okay. Dobbins. Alford beforehand coached at Notre Dame and Louisville.
GO DEEPER
Bowling Inexperienced head coach Scot Loeffler joins Philadelphia Eagles as QB coach
Kansas offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski spent 2017 to 2020 within the MAC at Buffalo, and he has developed quarterbacks reminiscent of Tyree Jackson, Jason Bean and Jalon Daniels. Zebrowski has head-coaching expertise at Division III Lakeland, going 28-12 in 4 seasons and reaching the playoffs for the primary time in program historical past. He was promoted from Kansas’ co-offensive coordinator to sole offensive coordinator this offseason.
Minnesota co-defensive coordinator Nick Monroe coached at Bowling Inexperienced from 2010 to 2015, successful two MAC championships below Clawson and Babers, earlier than following Babers to Syracuse. Monroe spent seven years with the Orange and has been with the Gophers since 2023. Final 12 months’s Minnesota protection completed ninth nationally in factors allowed.
John Carroll College (Ohio) athletic director Brian Polian has been within the combine for a number of MAC jobs by the years. He went 23-27 as Nevada’s head coach from 2013 to 2016, reaching two bowl video games. The previous Notre Dame and Stanford particular groups coordinator final coached soccer in 2022 at LSU.
Japanese Kentucky head coach Walt Wells has reached the FCS playoffs in two of his previous three years, together with an 8-5 report final season. The 57-year-old Tennessee native beforehand coached at Kentucky and Tennessee and different stops.
Chattanooga head coach Rusty Wright is 37-27 six seasons, together with 5 consecutive successful seasons and an FCS playoff look final 12 months. The South Carolina native was a Miami (Ohio) assistant from 2005 to 2008 however has spent most of his profession within the South.
May Dino Babers return? The previous Bowling Inexperienced head coach was Arizona’s offensive coordinator final season however received’t return in 2025. Babers went 18-9 as BG’s head coach from 2014 to 2015, together with 12-4 in MAC play.
General grade: C-
Coaches traditionally can win right here, however teaching within the MAC has by no means been harder within the switch portal period, which is one cause Loeffler left. The timing makes this job very exhausting to foretell, particularly for sitting head coaches. The Falcons haven’t paid up in a technique to make this as aggressive and interesting appropriately. Nonetheless, Loeffler confirmed that annual bowl video games are a good expectation. However the subsequent coach might have his palms full making an attempt to maintain a roster collectively within the spring portal.
(High photograph: Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Pictures)
