College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Ohio Bobcats season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Ohio Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in MAC
Head Coach: Frank Solich, 16th year, 113-81
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 86
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 51
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 86
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Ohio Bobcats Offense 3 Things To Know
– The Bobcats scored 75 fewer points than the 2018 version, and they still finished 29th in the nation in total offense averaging over 442 yards and 34 points per game. The passing game led the MAC in yards per completion, and the running game averaged 222 yards per game.
There were a few power outages here and there, but it was another great season on the offensive side. This year’s attack should be even better, but …
– Ohio has to replace do-it-all QB Nathan Rourke. He was everything to the offense as a runner as well as an efficient passer, and now with a few transfers changing things up, there’s going to be a battle between junior Drew Keszei and Nathan’s brother, Kurtis Rourke. Keszei spent last year at receiver, and Kurtis is a bigger version of Nathan.
All of the receivers are back. All of them. It starts with junior Isiah Cox – who led the team with 39 catches for 663 yards and two scores, averaging 17 yards per grab – and continues with 6-4 sophomore Shane Hooks and his five touchdown catches.
Senior Adam Leuherman made five touchdown catches and was second with 28 grabs, and there’s a lot more experience where all of the other stars came from.
– The offensive line that was eighth in the nation in fewest tackles for loss loses three starters – all all-stars – but it’s still going to be excellent around junior Brett Kitrell, who played guard last year and will likely move to center. The front five has a fantastic running back to pave the way for.
Sophomore O’Shaan Allison led the team with 869 yards with six scores, and senior De’Montre Tuggle ran for 644 yards and 11 touchdowns. Throw in whatever is coming from the quarterback – Nathan Rourke ran for 867 yards and 13 scores – and Ohio will once again have one of the MAC’s best ground games.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Ohio Bobcats Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: Ohio Bobcats Defense 3 Things To Know
– Replacing all-everything safety Javon Hagan with a similar talent isn’t happening, but eight of the top ten tacklers are expected to be back, and they’re almost all seniors.
The defense was okay, but it allowed over 400 yards and 27 points per game. The run defense wasn’t great, and the pass rush wasn’t there on a regular basis. But the experience is in place to be better.
– The linebacking corps welcomes back the 1-2 tackling punch of Dylan Conner and Jared Dorsa after combining for 163 tackles. 227-pound sophomore Keye Thompson is about to play a much bigger role on the outside after making 51 tackles – this group is going to be strong.
Up front, three starters are back, starting with senior Austin Conrad – the team’s leading pass rusher – at one end. He came up with just four sacks, but he’s got the quickness to do more. Will Evans is back on the other side after leading the way with 7.5 tackles for loss, but both ends need a big year form the big man in the middle, 310-pound Kai Caesar.
– The secondary won’t find another Hagan, and there were only five interceptions – no one came up with more than one – but corner Marlin Brooks and safety Jarren Hampton can both hit, and Iyaas Motley is a veteran corner. Now they all have to come up with interceptions.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top Ohio Bobcats Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top Ohio Bobcats Players
Best Ohio Bobcats Offensive Player
RB O’Shaan Allison, Soph.
Who was going to take over the running back duties from longtime producer AJ Ouellette? Allison split the job with De’Montre Tuggle as they formed a terrific rotation.
Allison came up with a team-high 869 yards – with a 175-yard, three-score day against Bowling Green – and Tuggles scored two rushing touchdowns in four games. These two will be fantastic again.
2. RB De’Montre Tuggle, Sr.
3. WR Isiah Cox, Jr.
4. TE Ryan Luehrman, Sr.
5. C/G Brett Kitrell, Sr.
Best Ohio Bobcats Defensive Player
LB Dylan Conner, Sr.
Flip a coin between the 215-pound Conner – who’s the team’s leading returning tackler with 83 stops – and 235-pound Jared Dorsa for this spot. Go ahead and put in anchor Kai Caesar here, too – the Bobcats have plenty of nice defenders.
Conner has been an all-star in the classroom, and soon he’ll get All-MAC recognition on the field. He’s not huge, but he’s got great range and he ca be used more as a pass rusher on the outside.
2. LB Jared Dorsa, Sr.
3. DT Kai Caesar, Jr.
4. CB Marlin Brooks, Sr.
5. S Jarren Hampton, Sr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Ohio Bobcats Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Ohio Bobcats Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Ohio Bobcats Offense
Hang on to the ball. What can screw up this offense? Mistakes, and lots of them.
The Bobcats got whacked around by Louisiana after turning it over five times. They were -2 in turnover margin in the key loss to Miami University. There 18 fumbles, and they only recovered five of them on the year, giving away 13.
Overall, Nathan Rourke was good at not giving the ball away through the air – Ohio threw just six picks – but the O lost two fumbles in four games.
By the way, Ohio was -4 overall in turnover margin. It was +13 in 2018. On the flip side …
Biggest Key To The Ohio Bobcats Defense
Start picking off more passes. This was a big problem thanks to the lack of a steady pass rush, but the secondary didn’t generate enough big plays, either.
The 2018 defense came up with 16 interceptions, and the 2016 D came up with 15 – maybe it’s an even-year thing. Last season, Ohio came up with five.
Five.
Two of them came against Akron, one was against Rhode Island, and there was an ugly stretch with just one pick in nine games.
Key Ohio Bobcats Player To A Successful Season
QB Drew Keszei, Jr.
Not needed at quarterback last season, he was moved to wide receiver, but he didn’t do anything. Now he’s getting his shot to battle with Kurtis Rourke to try replacing first-team All-MAC star Nathan Rourke, who threw 60 career touchdown passes and ran for 2,634 yards and 49 scores.
Keszei is a good runner, and so is Kurtis Rourke. Either way, there might not be the same production at quarterback, but the rest of the offense is loaded. If the QB play is good, the offense is going to be great.
Key Game To The Ohio Bobcats Season
Buffalo, Nov. 18
It all depends on how the MAC season goes. If the conference play is able to stay as is, going to Miami University will matter, but dealing with a fantastic Buffalo team will be even more dangerous.
The Bobcats won 21-20 over the Bulls last year for the third victory in the last four games. The winner of this almost certainly takes the MAC East.
– Ohio Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Ohio Fun Stats
– 3rd Quarter Scoring: Ohio 124 – Opponents 57
– Time of Possession: Ohio 31:45 – Opponents 28:15
– Fumbles: Ohio 18 (lost 13) – Opponents 17 (lost 10)
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Ohio Bobcats Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: Ohio Bobcats Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
How has Ohio not won a MAC title under Frank Solich?
He went 4-7 in his first season in 2005, and that was it for the losing seasons. There were two 6-6 runs along the way, but he has managed to win four MAC East titles, his program has become automatic in bowl games over the last three years, and he keeps winning and winning and winning …
But he and Ohio just can’t take down the MAC Championship.
This year’s team is right there with Buffalo and Miami University to be among the best in the East, and it’s more than strong enough to guarantee another winning season and a bowl appearance.
At 75, Solich keeps on rolling, his teams keep on producing, and Ohio has been one of the consistently best Group of Five programs in the over the last 15 years.
This one – depending on how the schedule shapes up – is good enough to get through with one conference loss. This one has the veterans on both sides to take down the MAC for the first time since 1968.
Ohio football is WAY overdue.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
