Caleb Troop

-  In case you missed it, the new online store for Bobcats gear at OhioBobcats.com is up and running.

-  Former Ohio Field Hockey goalie Jessie Martin will be the assistant General Manager of the Southern Ohio Copperheads in 2010.  Click here to read more.

-  I’ll be talking to all five Athens County high school football coaches on “The Sears Sports Fan” this week.  Trimble coach Phil Faires will be tonight.  Later on, I’ll have Athens’ Ryan Adams, Federal Hocking’s Al Green, Nelsonville-York’s Dave Boston, and Alexander’s Sean Arno.

-  The few interesting tidbits I took away Saturday’s media day at Peden Stadium:

-  It seems pretty evident incumbent punter Matt Schulte does not have the starting spot locked up in the eyes of the coaches.  Both walk-on wide receiver Paul Hershey and kicker Matt Weller have been getting reps in practice.  Hershey has the strongest leg by far among the three, but is the most erratic and has the slowest release.  Weller is solid, but coaches may want him to focus on kicking given that there is not a huge disparity between him and Schulte.

-  While a punting competition may not stir up the online message boards or the radio call-in shows, it’s vital to the success of a team.  Ohio’s net punting last year was second worst in the league.  The ‘Cats’ punting average was 11^th of 13 teams.  Maybe most concerning is Schulte’s leg does not appear to be improving.  As a senior at Colerain in 2005 he had a 44.6 yards/punt average.  In 2007 he was at 37.6 yards/punt with the ‘Cats, and last year, 38.2 yards/punt.  Still, Schulte always gets the ball off—in fact the ‘Cats have been blocked just three times over the last four seasons.

-  Junior defensive lineman Dak Notestine has been put on scholarship.

-  Among the players who could see action at nickle back this season: CB Idris Lawrence, CB Shannon Ballard and S Hilton Dawson.  Defensive Coordinator Jimmy Burrow did not mention sophomore Travis Carrie, but one could expect him to be there as well after playing the spot much of his first season.

-  Linebacker Jay Edwards is still not 100 percent.  There is a noticeable limp still remaining from that knee injury.

-  Recruiting coordinator Scott Isphording added another assistant coach on to the state of Ohio for recruiting purposes, bringing the total to seven coaches.  He expects to sign 20 or 21 players for the 2011 class and hopes for a few more verbal commitments before week one.  The team will look to sign four defensive linemen in this class, he added.

-  Senior Kris Luchsinger (6-4, 258), who played defensive end last season, could move to the inside during passing downs this season.  Jameson Hartke (6-4, 262) made a seamless transition to tackle last year, and if either Ernie Hodge or Marcellis Williamson goes down, Luchsinger would be the first to make the move.

-  Ohio will scrimmage tomorrow afternoon for the first time this fall.

-  More to come.