Now that everyone is expecting an encore, Bowling Green coach Urban Meyer is trying to inject a little reality into a football balloon that soared into the stratosphere last season.

After six straight losing seasons, the Falcons catapulted to an 8-3 record in Meyer’s first year as head coach. But Meyer has lost 14 seniors from a team that beat Missouri and Northwestern and routed Mid-American Conference champion Toledo.

No doubt the Falcons won’t slip up on anybody this season.

“We finished extremely strong last year, but we lost some tremendous players,” Meyer said. “We were nine scholarships down a year ago, and we’ll still be two or three down next season. That’s my number one concern.”

Nevertheless, when a team wins it changes the whole atmosphere.

“It should be easier for this group because they have seen the rewards,” Meyer said. “But last year’s seniors had a lot to do with the success we had, and this group has to make the same commitment.”

With eight starters returning, the BG offense seems to be on fairly solid footing, although the receiving corps will be young. Meyer’s biggest worries are on defense, where the Falcons lost seven starters from the MAC’s top-rated unit.

QB Andy Sahm may provide a lot of that senior leadership Meyer is seeking. Sahm passed for 166 yards and a couple of touchdowns in the spring game.

Sahm outperformed soph Josh Harris, who had claimed the QB’s job from Sahm last season. Harris had BG’s best big-play threat, receiver Robert Redd, with him on the other spring-game team and the two hooked up on a 24-yard pass play

“Andy Sahm did a terrific job,” Meyer said. “He settled down, he took coaching, and he listened. Andy Sahm made plays.”

Sophomore running back B.J. Lane had 18 carries for 77 yards for the winning team.

Meyer was also excited about a 43-yard field goal into the wind by freshman Nate Fry. Place-kicking was a trouble spot for the Falcons last season.

Despite Meyer’s concerns about the 2002 season, most publications have picked Bowling Green to win the MAC West division.