Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Ohio Bobcats season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Ohio Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 9-4 overall, 6-2 in MAC
Head Coach: Frank Solich, 15th year, 106-75
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE OHIO OFFENSE
– There’s a whole lot of turnover from the MAC’s best offense. Four starters are back from the attack that came up with 467 yards and 40 points per game and came up with 49 or more six times in the last ten games. Ohio is a machine now when it comes up with putting up big offensive numbers, but after the highest-scoring season in the program’s history, there will be step back. However …
– The offense that was so effective on the ground and so efficient with the passing attack gets back the guy who ran it all. Senior Nathan Rourke is among the nation’s best all-around quarterbacks, but key backup and part-time starter Quinton Maxwell left as a grad transfer to Indiana University fo Pennsylvania. It’s now Rourke, and a slew of freshmen.
– Top running back AJ Ouellette is gone after closing out his great career with 1,306 yards and 12 scores. Rourke will be one of the team’s top rushers, but the attack needs more options – three of the top four running backs are gone. Sophomore Julian Ross is a quick option, and 202-pound sophomore Jake Neatherton got in 81 yards in his little bit of time.
– The top two receivers – Papi White and Andrew Meyer – are done, but 6-1 junior Cameron Odom is back after finishing third on the team with 30 catches with 418 yards and three scores, and 6-0 sophomore Isiah Cox returns after averaging over 28 yards per catch. The tight ends aren’t used too much in the passing game, but 6-5, 240-pound Ryan Luehrman can block.
– Three starters are gone off the offensive line – all of them all-stars – but junior Brett Kittrell and senior tackle Austin Pleasants are back. They’re good parts to start with, and the other three spots aren’t starting from scratch. There’s some shuffling to be done, but there was depth last year, and now it’s shining through.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE OHIO DEFENSE
– The offense gets all the glory, but the defense that wasn’t all that bad gets seven starters back after a great year against the run. Considering the turnover on the offensive side, the defense has to do even more.
– Leading tackler Evan Croutch is done from the linebacking corps, but 230-pound Jared Dorsa is back after tying for third on the team in stops. Veterans Dylan Conner and Eric Popp are veterans ready to fill in, but Croutch is a huge loss on the weakside.
– Both tackles are done, but the senior combination of Cole Baker and Brian Arp is more than capable of stepping in and producing. The ends – sophomore Amos Ogun-Semore and junior Will Evans – are back, but they have to get into the backfield more. Overall, the pass rush has to improve.
– If safety Javon Hagan isn’t the best defensive player in the conference, the all-star safety will be the leader and star of the secondary again, and the corners are back to make the pass defense stronger. With a little help from a better pass rush, the combination of Jamal Hudson and Marlin Brooks will be all-star caliber.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP OHIO PLAYERS
Best Ohio Offensive Player
QB Nathan Rourke, Sr.
One of the nation’s best all-around quarterbacks over the last few seasons, the 6-2, 208-pound Rourke has thrown for 4,637 yards and 40 touchdowns with 1,767 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns. He could stand to be a little more accurate, but he’s a baller’s baller with MAC Player of the Year talent and potential.
2. PK Louie Zervos, Sr.
3. WR Cameron Odom, Jr.
4. C Brett Kittrell, Jr.
5. OT Austen Pleasants, Sr.
Best Ohio Defensive Player
S Javon Hagan, Sr.
The 6-1, 210-pound veteran has been one of the MAC’s best defensive players over the last few seasons. he has range, size, and big-hitting ability, finishing second on the team with 78 tackles and two picks after coming up with 85 tackles as a sophomore. As the leader of a good returning secondary, consider him a lock for First Team All-MAC honors again.
2. LB Jared Dorsa, Jr.
3. CB Marlin Brooks, Jr.
4. DE Amos Ogun-Semore, Soph.
5. CB Jamal Hudson, Jr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Ohio Offense
Just play loose and free like it did late in the year. The Frisco Bowl performance by the Ohio offense in the 27-0 win over San Diego State was … fun.
The defense did its part by flying around and shutting down the Aztec attack, but it was the offense that took the game over right away and made it a breeze.
There weren’t any penalties, there was an almost perfect offensive balance, and there wasn’t any drama whatsoever. There’s a whole lot of turnover, and fumbles – a problem over the first half of last year – will be a bit of a concern again with the new backs, but maintaining the Frisco Bowl energy and keeping up the sharpness – even with all the new starters – should lead to another big year.
Biggest Key To The Ohio Defense
More third down stops, and that starts with more of a pass rush. The Bobcats get pressure from several spots, but there isn’t an established killer who can live behind the line. No matter what, the D has to do a better job of getting off the field.
The Ohio defense allowed teams to convert on 44% of their third down chances, allowing five teams to hit on 50% or more of their tries. The defense did get better as the season went on, and time of possession wasn’t a problem, but the lack of third down stops proved costly in the close losses to Cincinnati and Miami University.
Key Player To A Successful Season
RB Julian Ross, Soph.
Ohio star quarterback Nathan Rourke takes a lot of shots – running the ball 134 times with 15 touchdowns – and 1,306-yard, 12 touchdown running back AJ Ouellette is done.
The Bobcats always find runners who produce, but the leading returning running back – Jake Neatherton – came up with just 81 yards. It’ll be a rotation to try replacing Ouellette, and yeah, Rourke will get his carries, but the less he has to do, the better.
Key Game To The Ohio Season
at Buffalo, Oct. 5
The East – once again – is the far easier of the two MAC divisions, and the tough divisional game against Miami University is at home. Buffalo will take a big step back from last season’s juggernaut, but it’ll still be dangerous enough to take the East again.
Ohio won 52-17 last season, but the Bulls still had the division all but wrapped up. This time around, it’s the MAC opener on the road and the tone-setter for the season.
– Ohio Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Ohio Fun Stats
– Penalties: Opponents 60 for 538 yards – Ohio 42 for 437 yards
– Time of Possession: Ohio 33:32 – Opponents 26:28
– Average Yards Per Play: Ohio 7.2 – Opponents 5.6
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. OHIO WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
It’s Ohio under Frank Solich, so it’ll be a fifth-straight season with eight wins or more, and likely a third straight year with eight regular season wins with a ninth coming in the bowl.
There’s a whole lot of turnover on offense, but QB Nathan Rourke will make everyone around him better, and Ohio is one of the few MAC teams that can lose three all-star on the offensive line and still be fine.
The defensive side might not have too many all-stars outside of S Javon Hagan, but it’ll be a sound group that could be a whole lot better with more of a pass rush.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 8
There isn’t a game on the slate the Bobcats can’t win, but the personnel turnover on offense will be just enough to be costly in a few early games.
They have to go to Pitt and Marshall, and they have to deal with Buffalo on the road. Assume they’ll lose two out of those three, and like last season, there will be a few blips along the way, even though five of the last six games are against teams that didn’t go bowling last year.
The real X factor in the win total could be need. MAC teams have a way of chilling out before the MAC Championship if they have things wrapped up, and Ohio just might be the East champ by the time it goes to Akron.
No matter what, it’ll be another good, strong bowl season …
Because it’s Ohio.
What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
