Depth no longer a wish at BG

8/14/2003
BY JOHN WAGNER
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

BOWLING GREEN - While Devon Parks may become the true freshman who has the biggest impact for the Bowling Green football team this season, he isn't the only one to catch the attention of head coach Gregg Brandon.

“Dan Macon is a player we recruited as a linebacker but moved to running back,” Brandon said. “And he has showed up pretty good there. He's doing some nice things.”

Brandon said both lines are benefiting from the influx of new players.

“The two junior-college kids we recruited, Brian Gardner and Ryan Newble, are doing a nice job. They're both competing for starting positions [on the defensive line], but really they are providing us with some quality depth, which we haven't had.”

Brandon said his five freshmen offensive linemen - which he dubbed the “Five Blocks of Granite” - also have had an impact.

“They work together well as a unit,” Brandon said of freshmen Kevin Huelsman, Korey Lichtensteiger, Edmond Massey, Drew Nystrom and Patrick Watson. “They are giving us some good back-ups.

“It's the first time since I've been here [2001] that we've had that kind of depth on the line.”

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY: Brandon said the early returns of training camp have generally been positive.

“I love our enthusiasm and spirit,” he was saying earlier this week. “Our guys are focused. We did a lengthy two-minute drill at the end of practice, and they were sucking air and tired and dragging, and they fought through it.

“As long as we continue to get this kind of effort I'll be happy. Because if we play hard, with that kind of intensity, we'll have a chance to win.”

Brandon said he was hard-pressed to identify problem areas after watching his team work in pads this week for the first time since the spring. “I think we have quality players at all the positions. We're a little thin at linebacker, but we're so strong in the back end [defensive backfield], if we have to play with two linebackers, we could play with two linebackers.”

GET YOUR TICKETS: Bowling Green faculty and staff may pick up four free tickets to the Falcons' season opener against Eastern Kentucky on Aug.28. Faculty and staff with a valid university ID can pick up tickets at the Anderson Arena ticket office starting Monday.

PARING DOWN PERRY: Perry Stadium will have a different look this season as the bleachers located in the south end zone are being removed.

Instead of replacing the seats, the south end zone will contain the Falcon Club tent, a gift shop and inflatable games.

The change will take away 2,000 seats from the stadium's capacity, bringing that number to 28,599.