The 2017-2018 Ashland University football team will forever be etched in Eagles history. From winning their first outright GLIAC title in five years to advancing to the Super Region semifinal, the team has many accomplishments to their name.

While it was a historic season, it was also the end of an era for AU as quarterback Travis Tarnowski played his final game as a senior.

He was the leader of the 2017-2018 Eagles team and the many seasons prior. He finished the season with 3,044 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, setting many records along the way.

Tarnowski also finished his career with many accolades to his name as he was the 2017 GLIAC player of the year, an All-American, and finalist for male collegiate athlete of the year.

With Tarnowski graduating, the Eagles knew they would be having a competition for the signal calling position next season.

What the team didn’t account for, however, was a former division I player reaching out to head coach Lee Owens about being added to the mix for the 2018 season. That player was Miami (OH) RedHawks quarterback, Billy Bahl.

“He contacted us looking for a school to go where he could play right away,” Owens said. “As a division I to II transfer, you have immediate eligibility and I think he knew we were in transition at the QB position.”

Owens initially had mixed feelings about the prospect wanting to join the team due to the already abundant depth at the quarterback slot competing for the job.

“Initially, it was tough because we have some guys here already,” Owens said. “With John Davies, a two-year backup, Jacob Heath a junior college transfer, David Murray a scholarship player and Austin Brenner, we all felt good about our QB room and the players that we had here competing for the job.”

Even though the Eagles had many talented quarterbacks already on the roster, Owens knew he just couldn’t turn down a player of Bahl’s caliber.

“I don’t think you ever turn down a good player,” Owens said. “I think that competition makes everyone better.”

Owens said he made sure to tell the other quarterbacks competing for the starting job that no promises were made to Bahl.

“I visited with the QB’s prior to Billy getting here and wanted to make sure we had some discussion about it,” Owens said. “I made them aware there were no promises made and that we were going to play the best player. They weren’t surprised by it.”

As a RedHawk, Bahl had many ups and downs throughout his collegiate football career at Miami. Even though he was always under constant pressure and scrutiny, he tried not to ever let that to him.

“Any quarterback is under a lot of pressure, but you just try not to think about it too much,” Bahl said. “You just have to do your job and the things you know you can do well while working on your weaknesses to help the team and be a leader.”

Bahl started out his career playing in eleven games as a true freshman. He started in seven of those during the 2015 season. For the season, he put up 1,409 passing yards and eight touchdowns.

“I started my career as a freshman and that was kind of a little bit of a shock,” Bahl said. “I probably wasn’t mentally mature enough to play yet, but just getting thrown into the fire taught me a lot of experiences.”

In the next year, he started the first five games of the season before succumbing to injury with a separated shoulder. While the injury was devastating to Bahl, he knew it was a part of the game and that he had to come back stronger than before.

“Injuries are a part of the game,” Bahl said. “Everyone gets hurt playing football but its just being able to come back after where you are stronger, better and stronger mentally.”

Bahl put up 820 yards and five touchdowns in his final year with Miami, starting for three games and playing in four. It was at this point in his career that he decided he wanted to transfer to a different college to play out his senior year.

Bahl made his decision on where he wanted to transfer to after being in contact with Taylor Housewright, a former quarterback that played for the Eagles and is a current assistant coach to the team.

Housewright was already somewhat familiar with Bahl during his last official visit to Miami in 2014. During this time, Housewright was an assistant coach for the RedHawks.

“Coach Housewright got into contact with me after I had decided to leave Miami,” Bahl said. “We had known each other from before when he was a GA at Miami during my last official visit there, so I had already met him back then.”

The exchange between Housewright and Bahl eventually got the ball rolling for the quarterback to decide to transfer to Ashland.
“We kind of just started talking and probably a week later, I was talking to coach Stacy,” Bahl said. “Coach Owens came down for a visit after that and I just really liked the school and how the offense seemed to fit me very well.”

From the moment Bahl set foot on the AU campus, it was comforting and familiar to the quarterback.

“It’s a beautiful school that I really liked” Bahl said. “It kind of reminded me of Miami a little with all the brick buildings and campus being so close together.”

Bahl has a 6’4 and 233-pound frame, a pro-style body.

He said his coaches at Miami told him his abilities matched the Eagles style of play and offense for his skillset, convincing him to join.

“I felt like my skillset kind of fits this offense well,” Bahl said. “It’s more pro-style and a little spread so I’m not going to run around all the time, but I feel like what I do throwing the ball could really help the team.”

Bahl knew that he wouldn’t just be handed the job and that he would have to compete for the starters position.

“I know they lost Travis this year and it will be difficult for a guy to come in and take his spot,” Bahl said. “Nothing was promised but I was told I would have to come in and work my butt off to compete for the job. That’s something I look forward too.”

I liked the idea of coming in under the circumstances of having to compete Bahl said.

Bahl has already gotten to meet most of the team, including his competition.

“I have met most of the guys by now, John Davies, Brenner and J. Heath,” Bahl said. “All of those guys are competing for the job with me and I feel like we have gotten along well.”

Even though Bahl is driven by his competitiveness, he still tries to make sure that the team will be put in the best situation to be successful, no matter who starts.

“The fact of the matter is that only one guy can play the position,” Bahl said. “I try not to worry too much about what the other QB’s are doing, just what I’m doing and how I can do the best I can to put the team in a situation to be successful.”
Owens sees an advantage to the other quarterbacks competing that have already been on the roster.

“The guys here know our offense and have an advantage because there’s a learning curve for Bahl,” Owens said. “That’s why spring football will be critical for him because he has to catch up in terms of what we do in our checks and reads and our style of ball with our pro-style offense.”

Even though Bahl will have to get over a new learning curve, Owens knows exactly what he does brings to the table as an advantage with his division I experience.

“The one thing that Bahl does have is he’s got a lot of experience playing in division I,” Owens said. “He’s played a lot and with good competition, so he does have that advantage to his part.”

Owens said he watched his games against Iowa and Buffalo before Bahl arrived on campus to see this experience in action.
Bahl’s experience in division I is something that he has learned a lot from.

“I’ve learned a lot of things from my three years at Miami that have helped my game,” Bahl said. “Having experience of playing against the best guys in the country has taught me that preparation is huge. Also, the mental part of the game is much bigger than the physical part.”

Overall, Bahl said he looks forward to trying to earn the starting spot and continue the rich tradition of winning that the Ashland Eagles football team has.

“The tradition here is something unmatched and that’s something that I knew coming in,” Bahl said. “Just knowing that this team cares about football and winning, that was the one thing that really drew me in.”