Quarterback Grant Loy looms large in Chippewas' preparation for BGSU offense
Central Michigan defensive coordinator Robb Akey speaks with his defense during a timeout against New Mexico State Oct. 12 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Heading into Bowling Green State’s game against Toledo on Oct. 12, redshirt junior quarterback Grant Loy had not started a full game since his high school days at Buckeye Central High School, a school in Ohio with an enrollment of 180 students.
A former walk-on, Loy’s first appearance as the Falcons’ first-string quarterback came against the Rockets -- BGSU’s biggest rival.
From the very first play from scrimmage, Loy set the tone for the afternoon: he rattled off a 56-yard run that put BGSU in range for a field goal and a lead that BGSU would maintain the rest of the game.
Loy finished with 185 yards and an interception through the air on 14-of-21 passing, including a 66-yard touchdown strike to junior Bryson Denley.
But it was Loy’s legs that did the most damage in the Falcons’ 20-7 home upset win over Toledo (4-2, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) at Doyt Perry Stadium. With 137 yards and a score on the ground, Loy rushed for more yards than any Falcons quarterback since 2002.
Behind Loy’s breakout performance, BGSU (2-4, 1-1 MAC) broke its nine-game losing streak in the Battle of I-75. For his efforts, Loy was awarded MAC East Offensive Player of the Week following the victory.
The Falcons hope that Loy’s successes will translate into their 2 p.m. home game against Central Michigan (4-3, 2-1 MAC) on Oct. 19.
However, the Chippewas have other plans for Loy.
“We saw on film that he likes to run the ball, so when we go in the game we’re going to try to get ‘hand on, hand down’ and just go against our man,” senior defensive end Sean Adesanya said.
Adesanya believes that as long as every man on the CMU defense stays true to his assignment, Loy will struggle to get anything going on the ground.
The Chippewas have locked up against the run game in each of the past two weeks: they held star running back Jason Huntley and his New Mexico State Aggies to 121 yards rushing on Oct. 12 and allowed a mere 63 rushing yards in the Eastern Michigan game a week prior.
According to Adesanya, the credit for the improved run coverage goes to defensive coordinator Robb Akey, who has been preaching the entire season that the key is to force opposing offenses to operate in long second-down situations on a consistent basis.
“We’ve been good against the run system because of coach Akey and how we emphasize stopping the run on first down,” Adesanya said.
Nonetheless, CMU must respect Loy’s ability to step in and control the game, doing what it takes to put BGSU in a position to win.
“I saw a guy who did what the quarterback coach and the offensive coordinator and head coach wanted him to do, and did it well,” CMU head coach Jim McElwain said of Loy. “He was successful when he needed to throw it, he’s obviously a big-bodied guy and you’re going to have to a heck of a job wrapping him up.”
If all goes as planned, the Chippewas will stop Loy from using his legs as a weapon to set the pace of play for the game. Instead, CMU hopes to pressure Loy into being one-dimensional and encourage him to win in the passing game, where Loy has been less effective.
The challenge of containing Loy looms large; the Chippewas square off against BGSU on Oct. 19 in a game at Doyt Perry Stadium for a 2 p.m. kickoff.
A win over the Falcons would mark CMU’s first road victory of the season. The team is currently 0-3 as the visiting team in 2019, with losses to Wisconsin, Miami (Florida) and Western Michigan.
