CMU football needs pressure to disrupt Bowling Green’s passing game

The CMU football team is focused on disrupting the Mid-American Conference’s most prolific passing offense this weekend against Bowling Green.

CMU (6-1, 4-0 MAC) plays against the Falcons at noon Saturday at Doyt Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio.

BGSU has the conference’s best passing offense, averaging 341.1 yards per game, more than 30 yards more than its nearest competitor. However, the Falcons’ rushing attack is the worst in the MAC (67.6 yards per game).

BGSU senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan is the only quarterback in the MAC with more than 300 passing attempts (337) and 200 completions (220).

“If we allow him again to get back and set his feet, it’s going to be a long day,” said CMU coach Butch Jones. “You got to play disciplined defense. You can’t give up quick strikes, you got to tackle. You got to make them earn everything that they get.”

Jones said CMU will have to decide when to bring extra men on blitzes against such an aggressive passing offense.

“We’re going to have to pick our spots because, against them, it’s feast or famine because of the skill on the perimeter,” he said. “If you do come with it, you better make sure you get home with your blitzes.”

The speed on the perimeter is headlined by senior wide receiver Freddie Barnes, who leads the MAC with 85 receptions for 882 yards. He also has eight touchdown catches. Aside from Barnes, senior Chris Wright has 372 receiving yards and sophomore Adrian Hodges has 365.

“They also have, not only just that one great receiver (Freddie Barnes), the whole core,” said senior defensive end Larry Knight.

Knight’s role this week on the defense will likely increase due to an injury to senior defensive end Sam Williams. Williams has not been ruled out for Saturday, but Jones said it is likely.

“We all rotate a lot anyway,” Knight said. “We all play, so we just have to play our game and do what we do in his absence.”

Knight said Sheehan has a lot of pocket presence that makes it difficult to get to him.

“He can maneuver in the pocket to get out of trouble,” he said. “He knows how to avoid the rush without having to really scramble too much. He’s going to find the open receiver.”

Running the ball

Offensively, the Chippewas have a favorable matchup against the MAC’s second-worst run defense (203.7 yards per game).

Sophomore running back Paris Cotton is out of the lineup, so fellow sophomore Bryan Schroeder and junior Carl Volny will get the bulk of the carries.

“We go into every game trying to establish the run, and then you take what the defense gives you,” Jones said.

BGSU has given Jones extra incentive to run the ball, he said. The Falcons possess the ball a MAC-best 33 minutes, 42 seconds per game.

“We’re going to have to be able to run the football … Your touches on offense become limited,” Jones said. “It’s very critical that you take advantage of your possession when you have the football.”