Terion Stewart not playing this year at BGSU

Bowling Green State University will open its football season Saturday against UCLA in the famed Rose Bowl. Terion Stewart won't be playing. Stewart, Sandusky High School's all-time leading rusher and BGSU's leading rusher the last two years, is no longer a student at the university, a BGSU spokesman confirmed Monday afternoon. Stewart announced Sunday night on Twitter that he will not play this season. "Football is my meditation, my medicine and my happiness," Stewart wrote. "I will be missing the 2022 season to focus more on my health and academic responsibilities." BGSU coach Scot Loeffler didn't add any clarity to Stewart's situation during his news conference on Monday. "I love Terion, but it's my responsibility as his coach, and it's the university's responsibility, to protect his privacy," Loeffler said. "We're going to do that. I'm not gonna comment on Terion anymore in terms of that situation. "The team was explained the situation inside and out. That's gonna be an in-house matter the rest of the year." Stewart led the Falcons in rushing in his first two seasons with the Mid-American Conference program. He appeared in nine games last year — missing three due to injury — and carried 70 times for 412 yards and five touchdowns. Stewart, who did not respond to a message seeking comment, was upbeat in his social media post. "I know this will be hard for me but will better me as a person," he wrote. "It will not be a long time before I come back. I wish my boys the best as they take this year over. "I will miss all my seniors and the guys that I know that's gonna make it to the NFL after this season. … I love y'all see you soon." The highlight of Stewart's 2021 season came in a 56-44 win at Buffalo. Stewart carried 11 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns. As a freshman in 2020, Stewart played in four of the Falcons' five games and carried 37 times for 295 yards and four touchdowns. He has averaged 6.6 yards per carry in his college career. His BGSU debut during the 2020 COVID season was a memorable one. He finished with 162 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries — all in the fourth quarter — in a nationally televised loss to Kent State. "I think he's going to be a real good football player," Loeffler told the Register after Stewart's first season with the Falcons. "He has a few things to work on, but he's super talented. I think we can bring him to the next level as a player and a student. "He's smart enough and has a good heart." The powerful and fast 5-foot-7, 210-pound Stewart was a first-team All-Ohio running back at Sandusky. He finished his high school career with 6,133 rushing yards. His senior year started slowly because of an ankle injury, and he missed most of Sandusky's regional final loss to Mansfield Senior after injuring the same ankle. BGSU had three former Sandusky players on its roster this spring. Senior receiver Cavon Croom is the only former Blue Streak remaining in the program. Croom played in 11 games last year. He started two games last year and finished with 18 catches for 200 yards. Former Sandusky star Noah Caston has transferred from BGSU to Campbell University. Norwalk graduate Trevon Raymore is on the BGSU roster but hasn't been assigned a jersey number. The 5-foot-10, 240-pound running back missed last season with an injury. The junior, who has three years of eligibility remaining, carried 23 times for 108 yards in 2020. Loeffler, whose team finished 4-8 overall and 2-6 in the MAC last year, has solid depth at running back. "The one area we thought we had a lot of really good players was the running back position," he said. "What we're gonna do is it'll be a little bit of a committee. They all have different styles but we're excited about all of them." Loeffler also is confident the offensive line — buoyed by experienced transfers — will be an improved unit this year. "The addition of the transfer portal made this possible this year. We were very fortunate," he said. "We did well in the transfer portal. We got good character guys and guys who can play." The Falcons' home opener is Sept. 10 vs. Eastern Kentucky. BGSU also hosts Marshall (Sept. 17) and travels to Mississippi State before opening MAC play Oct.1 at Akron. Loeffler, in his fourth season leading the program, feels that he has his best team at BGSU. "These first three years here it was hard standing in front of the team in all actuality and in your mind going, 'We don't have enough guys to be super competitive,' " he said. "Year 1 was challenging, the COVID year was a disaster. Last year we felt that we had some really good character guys, but we were too young to win. "Are we completely where we wanna be? No, but we are so much closer. I think we can have a very competitive team in the Mid-American Conference this year."