2008 Woodie Awards
Campbell, Rothenbuhler to serve as co-offensive coordinators this season
By: Chris Voloschuk
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Sports
When former offensive coordinator Mick McCall was hired on to the same position at Northwestern in January, BG football coach Gregg Brandon had a number of people to choose from, and ultimately decided to promote from within.
But his approach to nominating a new offensive coordinator took somewhat of a different turn when he decided to split the duties of the job between two deserving candidates. Offensive line coach Matt Campbell was chosen to take charge of the running game, while assistant head coach Troy Rothenbuhler was selected to run the passing game.
Brandon said he went with two coordinators because each was deserving.
"Coach Campbell is a good young line coach," Brandon said. "He knows the system and knows the running game. He has a good offensive football mind. Coach Troy's been with me for five years now and is very knowledgeable with offensive football."
Both coaches have a lot of experience on the offensive side of the ball.
Campbell is a 2002 graduate of Mount Union College who also spent some time coaching there. As a player and a coach an MUC, he won five Div. III national championships. He's been serving as the offensive line coach at BG for two years.
Rothenbuhler graduated from Ohio State in 1995 and spent some time on the football team's staff working with quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends. He's been on Brandon's coaching staff for six years in various roles ranging from recruiting coordinator to assistant head coach.
Offense was the name of the game for the Falcons last season. They ranked near the top of the Mid-American Conference last year in points per game with 30.2 and passing yards per game with 278.8. Altogether, Falcon ball carriers rushed for 123.6 a contest.
According to Campbell, the overall offensive system hasn't really changed much, but there will be room to throw in a few wrinkles.
"The neat thing about Bowling Green is that the system is the system," Campbell said. "I think maybe we all bring our own little pitches to the offense, but I think when you look back at it it's still coach Brandon's offense. It's what's been here since day one."
The most critical part of Campbell's and Rothenbuhler's job in the fall will be to bring their individual expertise together throughout the week to make the Falcon offense shine on Saturdays.
Both men are confident that splitting the job will work out well.
"You've got to have a good relationship, and Matt and I do," Rothenbuhler said. "You just have to be on the same page … Once you get into game planning, it gets a little bit easier because you have a complete plan on what you want to do."
"Troy and I both have been here from day one," Campbell said. "We know the system well, and I think we mesh well together … I think that we work pretty well together and it'll make it a nice transition."
Campbell and Rothenbuhler will get to coach in more of a real game atmosphere tomorrow when the orange team meets the brown team for the annual spring football game.
But his approach to nominating a new offensive coordinator took somewhat of a different turn when he decided to split the duties of the job between two deserving candidates. Offensive line coach Matt Campbell was chosen to take charge of the running game, while assistant head coach Troy Rothenbuhler was selected to run the passing game.
Brandon said he went with two coordinators because each was deserving.
"Coach Campbell is a good young line coach," Brandon said. "He knows the system and knows the running game. He has a good offensive football mind. Coach Troy's been with me for five years now and is very knowledgeable with offensive football."
Both coaches have a lot of experience on the offensive side of the ball.
Campbell is a 2002 graduate of Mount Union College who also spent some time coaching there. As a player and a coach an MUC, he won five Div. III national championships. He's been serving as the offensive line coach at BG for two years.
Rothenbuhler graduated from Ohio State in 1995 and spent some time on the football team's staff working with quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends. He's been on Brandon's coaching staff for six years in various roles ranging from recruiting coordinator to assistant head coach.
Offense was the name of the game for the Falcons last season. They ranked near the top of the Mid-American Conference last year in points per game with 30.2 and passing yards per game with 278.8. Altogether, Falcon ball carriers rushed for 123.6 a contest.
According to Campbell, the overall offensive system hasn't really changed much, but there will be room to throw in a few wrinkles.
"The neat thing about Bowling Green is that the system is the system," Campbell said. "I think maybe we all bring our own little pitches to the offense, but I think when you look back at it it's still coach Brandon's offense. It's what's been here since day one."
The most critical part of Campbell's and Rothenbuhler's job in the fall will be to bring their individual expertise together throughout the week to make the Falcon offense shine on Saturdays.
Both men are confident that splitting the job will work out well.
"You've got to have a good relationship, and Matt and I do," Rothenbuhler said. "You just have to be on the same page … Once you get into game planning, it gets a little bit easier because you have a complete plan on what you want to do."
"Troy and I both have been here from day one," Campbell said. "We know the system well, and I think we mesh well together … I think that we work pretty well together and it'll make it a nice transition."
Campbell and Rothenbuhler will get to coach in more of a real game atmosphere tomorrow when the orange team meets the brown team for the annual spring football game.
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