Bowling Green Football: A Brief History

Bowling Green Falcons:

  

First Season: 1919

Head Coach: Dave Clawson (4 seasons, 22-26)

All-Time Record: 507-348-52

Bowl Record: 4-6 (Mercy Bowl, California Bowl 3X, Las Vegas Bowl, Motor City Bowl, GMAC Bowl 2X, Humanitarian Bowl, Military Bowl

Playing Field: Doyt Perry Stadium Capacity of 28,599

Conference Affiliations:

• Independent: 1919-1920, 1932-1932, 1943-1951
• Northwestern Ohio Intercollegiate Athletic Association: 1921-1931
• Ohio Athletic Conference: 1933-1942
• Mid-American Conference: 1952-Current

Attendance: 14,738 (5-year average)

Claimed National Titles: One

• 1959 National College Division Champions

Conference Titles: 10

• 1921 Northwestern Ohio Intercollegiate Athletic Association
• 1922 Northwestern Ohio Intercollegiate Athletic Association
• 1925 Northwestern Ohio Intercollegiate Athletic Association
• 1929 Northwestern Ohio Intercollegiate Athletic Association
• 1956 Mid-American Conference
• 1959 Mid-American Conference
• 1961 Mid-American Conference
• 1962 Mid-American Conference
• 1964 Mid-American Conference
• 1965 Mid-American Conference
• 1982 Mid-American Conference
• 1985 Mid-American Conference
• 1991 Mid-American Conference
• 1992 Mid-American Conference

Trophy Games:

• Peace Pipe (Toledo): 15-16
• Anniversary Bowl (Kent State): 20-5

Record Versus Rivals (10+ meetings):

• Ball State: 20-8-1
• Central Michigan: 22-18
• Eastern Michigan: 24-11-1
• Kent State: 55-19-6
• Marshall: 21-8
• Miami OH: 22-42-5
• Ohio: 37-25-2
• Toledo: 39-34-4
• Western Michigan: 31-17-3

Year-By-Year Record (Since 2001, Division I FBS Era, Joining the Sun Belt)

• 1910s: 0-3
• 1920s: 36-23-10
• 1930s: 33-25-19
• 1940s: 52-29-5
• 1950s: 54-29-7
• 1960s: 71-23-2
• 1970: 2-6-1
• 1971: 6-4
• 1972: 6-3-1
• 1973: 7-3
• 1974: 6-4-1
• 1975: 8-3
• 1976: 6-5
• 1977: 5-7
• 1978: 4-7
• 1979: 4-7
• 1980: 4-7
• 1981: 5-5-1
• 1982: 7-5
• 1983: 8-3
• 1984: 8-3
• 1985: 11-1
• 1986: 5-6
• 1987: 5-6
• 1988: 2-8
• 1989: 5-6
• 1990: 3-5-2
• 1991: 11-1
• 1992: 10-2
• 1993: 6-3-2
• 1994: 9-2
• 1995: 5-6
• 1996: 4-7
• 1997: 3-8
• 1998: 5-6
• 1999: 5-6
• 2000: 2-9
• 2001: 8-3
• 2002: 9-3
• 2003: 11-3
• 2004: 9-3
• 2005: 6-5
• 2006: 4-8
• 2007: 8-5
• 2008: 6-6
• 2009: 7-6
• 2010: 2-10
• 2011: 5-7
• 2012: 8-5

Coaching/Team History:

Starting with their inaugural season in 1919, the Bowling Green Falsoncs have had a storied history with 10 conference titles and a one National College Division Championship in 1959.

Coach John Stitt was the original Falcon head coach but did not last very long only coaching three games in his only season. In the following four years, the Falcons went through four more coaches (Walter Jean, Earl Keirger, Allen Snyder, and R.B. McCandless. All four coaches lasted a single year as the head coach before moving on to other jobs.

In 1924, Bowling Green finally hired a long term coach in Warren Steller. Steller began coaching the football program after taking the basketball coaching job as well for the 1924 season. At one point, Steller was the head coach of the football, basketball, and baseball programs for the Falcons. After an 11-year, 40-21-19 career with the Falcons, Steller left the football program but staying with the school as the baseball coach till 1959.

With Steller leaving the program and focusing on baseball, Bowling Green needed a new head coach picking Michigan State Normal (Eastern Michigan) assistant Harry Ockerman. Ockerman began coaching the Falcons in 1935 and struggled compared to Steller with a 20-19-9 overall record. After the 1940 season, Ockerman left the program to go back home to Michigan State Normal to resume his coaching career.

Needing a new coach after losing Ockerman to Eastern Michigan, the Falcons set their sights on Robert Whittaker. Whittaker took the job for the 1941 season going 7-1-1 in his first season with the Falcons but also their last season with the Ohio Athletic Conference. Starting in 1942, Whittaker led the Falcons as an independent posting only 2 losing records during their 10 independent seasons with a 8-0-1 record in 1948. In 1952, Whittaker led the program into the Mid-American Conference starting strong with a 7-2 record in 1952 but falling to 2-7 in 1954, his final year. Whittaker then left the program after the 1954 season but staying with the school helping with the track program until 1966.

With three consecutive solid hires, Bowling Green then knocked it out of the park hiring Doyt Perry to take over for Whittaker. Perry had been assisting with Ohio State in the offensive backfield. Perry took over in 1955 immediately taking a 2-7 team and turning them into a 7-1-1 season. The following year Perry led the Falcons to their first MAC title under his watch and second overall. During his 10 years with the program, Perry led the Falcons to 5 MAC title capped by a 9-0 season in 1959 in which the Falcons won the College Division National Title. Perry then left the coaching ranks taking over as the athletic director in 1965 before retiring in 1970.

Needing a replacement for Perry, the Falcons hired coach Bob Gibson who was an assistant for Perry in the previous regime. Gibson coached the Falcons for three years going 19-1 with a Co-MAC Championship in 1965. Gibson then left abruptly after the 1967 season.

The Falcons then went with another in-house hire promoting offensive coordinator Don Nehlen to the head coach position. Nehlen was never really bad with only one losing season (1970) out of nine seasons coached but never could break through for a MAC title during that time. Nehlen finished in the top 3 in the MAC 6 times with a best overall season of 8-3 in 1975. Nehlen then left after the 1976 season to assist at Michigan before coaching West Virginia for 20 years.

Lucking into a great replacement for Nehlen, the Falcons hired former Michigan State head coach Denny Stolz starting in 1977. Stolz surprisingly struggled in his first 5 seasons with Bowling Green doing no better than 5-5-1 and compiling a losing record in each of his first four seasons. Finally in 1982, Stolz broke through going 7-5 with a MAC title and a trip to the California Bowl. After two seasons of 8-3 football finishing 2nd in the MAC both times, Stolz brought the Falcons to one of their best seasons in school history going 11-1 with their only loss coming to Fresno State in the California Bowl. After that magical 1985 season, Stolz left for the west coast heading up San Diego State.

After losing Stolz to SDSU, Bowling Green went to Arizona assistant Moe Ankney for the head coaching job. Ankney struggled during his 5 seasons with the Falcons posting losing records in every season with an overall record of 20-31-3. Ankney was let go after the 1990 season going back to the assistant ranks for the rest of his coaching career.

Going to the Ohio State assistant well once again, the Falcons hires Ohio State linebackers coach Gary Blackney to head the program. Blackney immediately turned the program around with an 11-1 season including a win over Fresno State in the California Bowl followed by a 10-2 season with a win over Nevada in the Las Vegas Bowl. After those two amazing seasons, things started to go downhill with Blackney going 6-3-2 and 9-2 before posting losing records in each of his final 6 seasons with the program. Blackney was let go after the 2000 season going 2-9 and finishing 5th in the MAC East division. Blackney went back to the assistant ranks after his dismissal.

Needing a replacement for Blackney, the Falcons hired Notre Dame assistant Urban Meyer. Meyer immediately turned the program around with an 8-3 season in 2001 followed by a 9-3 season in 2002. While the Falcons had very good seasons, they were unable to break through and make a bowl game again. With Meyer on the heels of a 17-6 record at Bowling Green, he left the program taking a job with Utah. Meyer then went on to 8 consecutive bowl berths (Utah and Florida) with two national titles.

Happy to see the program turned around but disappointed in having to search for a coach again, the Falcons hired Meyer assistant Gregg Brandon. Brandon immediately won the MAC west division before losing in the title game. His 11-3 season culminated with a 28-24 win over Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl and a #23 national ranking. Brandon led the Falcons to two more bowl games (GMAC Bowl 2X) before a disappointing 6-6 record in 2008. After the disappointing 2008 season, Bowling Green fired Brandon.

With the bad taste of Brandon's final year with the Falcons still in their mouths, Bowling Green hired Tennessee assistant Dave Clawson to take over the program. Clawson started hot going 7-6 with a berth in the Humanitarian Bowl before two losing seasons. On the heels of a two-year campaign going 7-17, many were calling for Clawson's dismissal. Clawson proved doubters wrong in 2012 having his best season with the Falcons going 8-5 with a Military Bowl berth. Clawson heads into the 2013 season as head coach.

All-Americans:

• 1952-Fred Durig, FB
• 1953-James Ladd, E
• 1955-Jack Hecker, E
• 1956-Jack Giroux, FB
• 1957-Tim Murnan, G
• 1959-Bernie Casey, HB
• 1959-Bob Zimpfer, T
• 1965-Mike Weger, DB
• 1975-Dave Preston, HB
• 1977-Mark Miller, QB
• 1982-Andre Young, DT
• 1983-Martin Bayless, DB
• 1990-Cris Shale, P
• 1994-Brian Leaver, PK
• 2001-Brandon Hicks, NG
• 2003-Janssen Patton, CB
• 2003-Josh Harris, QB
• 2004-Omar Jacobs, QB
• 2009-Freddie Barnes, WR

NFL Players:

• 1949 Max Minnich Los Angeles 10th
• 1950 Jack Woodland Cleveland 24th Erie (Penn.) Bears
• 1950 Bob Schnelker Cleveland 29th Philadelphia, NY Giants, Minnesota, Pittsburgh (1953-62)
• 1953 Fred Durig San Francisco 16th
• 1956 Jack Hecker Cleveland 9th
• 1957 Kent Russell Detroit 6th (1957-59)
• 1958 Karl Koepfer Detroit 8th
• 1958 John Murnen Baltimore 19th
• 1960 Bob Zimpfer Denver 1st
• 1961 Bernie Casey San Francisco 1st Los Angeles (1961-68), NY Titans (AFL) 9th
• 1961 Bob Reublin NY Giants 19th
• 1961 Clarence Mason Green Bay 16th
• 1961 Ralph White Baltimore 11th, Houston (AFL) 9th
• 1961 Jack Harbaugh Buffalo (AFL) 25th
• 1961 Bob Bird Houston (AFL) 11th
• 1962 Karl Anderson Detroit 11th
• 1962 Jerry Croft Baltimore 5th, Buffalo (AFL) 11th
• 1962 Robert Fearnside Los Angeles 13th
• 1963 Gary Sherman Cleveland 19th, Boston (AFL) 21st
• 1963 Bob Reynolds St. Louis 2nd Boston (1963-75)
• 1963 Don Lisbon San Francisco 3rd (1963-67)
• 1964 Tony Lawrence St. Louis 10th, Boston (AFL) 21st
• 1965 Jay Cunningham Boston (AFL) 13th (1965-67)
• 1966 Jerry Jones Atlanta 2nd New Orleans (1966-68), Denver (AFL) 7th
• 1966 Tony Fire Cleveland 11th
• 1966 Heath Wingate Washington 13th, Boston (AFL) 4th
• 1966 Bill Earhart Buffalo (AFL) 17th
• 1967 Mike Weger Detroit 9th San Diego, Houston (1967-78)
• 1967 Stew Williams Green Bay 6th
• 1967 Dick Wagoner Minnesota 17th
• 1967 Jamie Rivers St. Louis 5th NY Jets, Houston (1968-76)
• 1969 Richard Perrin NY Giants 13th
• 1970 Dave Polak Baltimore 13th
• 1970 Honester Davidson Cleveland 8th
• 1970 Tom Lloyd St. Louis 5th
• 1971 Phil Villapiano Oakland 2nd Buffalo (1971-83)
• 1973 John Czerwinski NY Jets 16th
• 1973 Fred Sturt St. Louis 3rd Washington, New England, New Orleans (1972-82)
• 1974 Tony Bell Baltimore 4th
• 1974 Paul Miles Baltimore 8th Memphis (WFL)
• 1974 Myron Wilson Detroit 16th
• 1974 Phil Polak Philadelphia 10th
• 1974 Roger Wallace St. Louis 12th Memphis (WFL)
• 1974 Greg Meczka San Diego 15th
• 1976 Gene Jones New Orleans 16th
• 1977 Dave Preston New England 12th Denver (NFL), Denver (USFL), (1977-84)
• 1978 Mark Miller Cleveland 3rd Green Bay, KC, Oakland, Michigan (USFL), (1978-83)
• 1978 Jack Williams St. Louis 6th Ottawa (CFL), (1978-86)
• 1979 Jeff Groth Miami 8th Houston, New Orleans (1979-86)
• 1979 Dirk Abernathy Oakland 12th
• 1980 Bob Harris Philadelphia 9th
• 1983 Andre Young Cincinnati 12th Denver (USFL), Calgary (CFL), Green Bay (1983-86)
• 1984 Martin Bayless St. Louis 4th Buffalo, San Diego, Kansas City, Washington, Kansas City (1984-96)
• 1984 Mark Emans Green Bay 12th
• 1986 Brian McClure Buffalo 12th (1986-88)
• 1989 Kyle Kramer Cleveland 5th (1989-91)
• 1990 Reggie Thornton Minnesota 5th Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Birmingham (CFL) (1991-94)
• 1990 Ronald Heard Pittsburgh 6th San Diego, New England (1991-92)
• 1990 Derrick Carr New Orleans 8th Los Angeles Rams (1991)
• 1991 Cris Shale Washington 10th New York Jets (1994)
• 1994 Charlie Williams Dallas 3rd (1994-2000)
• 2003 Josh Harris Baltimore Ravens 6th Cleveland Browns (2004)
• 2004 Scott Mruczkowski San Diego 7th San Diego (2004-PR)
• 2005 Omar Jacobs Pittsburgh 5th
• 2007 Kory Lichtensteiger Denver 4th Minnesota Vikings (2008), Washington Redskins (2010-PR)