BGSU's Scot Loeffler returns to Michigan with chance to play the spoiler

Bowling Green head coach Scot Loeffler returns to Michigan with mixed emotions. A Wolverine former player and coach, Loeffler established his roots in Ann Arbor. Everything he knows about the game of football started at U-M.

Now, he's heading back to his old stomping grounds trying to play the spoiler with his Falcons program against his alma mater who are playing the best football he's seen in quite some time.

"There’s not a position on the field that you see that has weakness," Loeffler said. "I think they’re way better than they were last year. I think they’re physical. I think they run to the ball really well. They’re violent, super athletic. I think J.J. is outstanding. The offensive line reminds me of the five that we had in 1999 that all went in the first round. They’re a very good football team and very well-coached. The thing that’s most impressive is how they play, they play hard.

"We’ve got to go in there we’ve got to play our best football. We’ve got to be creative. There’s some mismatch problems that we’re going to have and we’ve got to be able to adapt and adjust to all their strengths and do what we do well, try to eliminate a couple things that they do excellent, and go give ourselves a chance to go compete."

The memories will come flooding back for Loeffler as soon as his program arrives in Ann Arbor, though it'll be short-lived as his focus quickly turns to beating the program that has given him everything.

His roots in Ann Arbor run deep, as he remembers the people that helped him along the way fondly.

"The people, without a doubt," Loeffler said when asked about his memories of U-M. "It all started with Coach Schembechler. Coach Schembechler is from my hometown, it's probably the biggest reason I went to Michigan, believe it or not. All my life was a Buckeye and Coach Schembechler was really the reason why I probably went there. Obviously, Coach Moeller recruited me, Lloyd Carr who I consider a father figure without a doubt. The ties that Coach Schembechler had to Doyt Perry I think was really cool. You look at the Harbaugh family, Jack was here. Jack and Jackie I believe met here. Jim and John lived some of their youth here. Went to St. Aloysius.

"My roommate in college is the defensive line coach there, Mike Elston, who is a great man. Great memories. Mike Hart and Ron Bellamy I coached. The running back, receiver coaches. Dave Ablauf who is the media guy, Phil Johnson who is now the head trainer. Phil Bromley who is still the video guy. They're still there whenever I was fortunate to be in those doors. It's a special place. Probably the reason I love our alum and our former players so much here at BG. They remind me of my teammates here. Whenever you talk to a BG guy that's played at BG, they're the same way as my teammates. They love their school, they appreciate what they had, they give back and that's why I love our alum so much here. They are awesome. They love BG, they appreciate BG and my teammates feel the same way about where I played."

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