Caleb Troop

-  Tons of Bobcat football news and notes.  I’m trying to make up for a long absence on the blog.

-  All in all, realistic Bobcat fans can’t be too disappointed with the 11-point loss to Tennessee or the 2-2 start through the non-conference portion of the season.  Sure, 3-1 and even a 4-0 first month was never out of the question, but Ohio is in a very good position to be bowl eligible this year.

-  Keep in mind, Buffalo is without running back James Starks, Bowling Green played without star safety P.J. Mahone yesterday and Kent State RB Eugene Jarvis and Akron QB Chris Jaquemain are done for the year.  And Miami (OH) is, well, Miami (OH).  This is an extremely winnable division.

-  Two major goose bumps moments for me last night: first, Tennessee’s entrance, even though about only 80,000 Vols fans were there at seven o’clock.  Second, a standing ovation for the Marching 110 during and at the end of its halftime performance.  The band was phenomenal, and made me proud to go to Ohio University and probably made many of you alums proud as well.

-  Ohio did something top-ranked Florida did not do against Tennessee: score points off the Vols in the final quarter.

-  The Bobcats scored their first offensive touchdown in the first quarter this season on WR LaVon Brazill’s touchdown grab.

-  Other bright spots:  No sacks allowed in 52 pass attempts is good to see, but that’s a little deceiving.  Theo Scott definitely felt the pressure all night, one pass rush attempt which resulted in a pick six for the Vols.  Tennessee blitzed a lot, so Ohio countered with fewer five and seven step drop backs and more quick screens up the seam and out in the flats.  Credit the offensive game plan for adjusting.  The Bobcats knew Scott would not have time to sit back and pick apart UT’s secondary.

-  Those 52 passes, by the way, marks the first time this season Ohio has thrown more times than it has ran the football.

-  Injury news: RB L.J. Flintall did not return with a concussion sustained in the first half.  DE Brandon Weaver, CB Kenny Jackson, S Steven Jackson, did not travel with the team.  OL Kadre Pinder was banged up in the second half, but it did not appear serious.  Overall, the ‘Cats are in good shape injury wise heading into league play.

-  All six of UT’s second half drives began with a Montario Hardesty rush.  After toying around with the air game in the first half, Lane Kiffin and company decided to give way to their bread and butter—and it worked.  By the way, if the Vols had just a respectable passing game, they’d be an SEC contender.  Hardesty and Bryce Brown are scary.

-  Only four penalties for 39 yards in that environment is good to see from the ‘Cats.  Ohio had two penalties for just nine yards last year at Ohio State.

-  Still no rushing touchdowns this season for Ohio’s backfield.  That needs to change—quickly.

-  That was the most vocal effort I have seen from Scott in his career in Athens.  He was more involved with his teammates on the sidelines last night than I can ever remember.  A large part of that is because he knows he is the guy.  This is his team now.

-  I don’t know how UT is going to win many SEC games this year or in the next couple of seasons with the current quarterback play.  Jonathan Crompton, while a great recruit out of high school, just doesn’t have “it”.

-  The ‘Cats settled for field goals in each of the final three quarters.  If just one of those drives ends in six, we may be talking about a different outcome.  Remember, those field goals came on drives of eight, nine and seven plays, respectively.

-  Safety Donovan Fletcher has filled in just fine for Steven Jackson.  And Gerald Moore is a serviceable young backup.

-  There has not been a more complete team in the MAC than Central Michigan, and it’s not even close.  The Chips are first in the league in offense and defense.  And their schedule has not been an easy one.

-  Why did UT continue to kick to Chris Garrett after his 95-yard untouched kickoff return for a touchdown?

-  Remember one thing that entering the year we said had to change for Ohio to turn around from a 4-8 campaign: turnovers.  Ohio is plus-four, second-best in MAC.  Great to see.

-  On the flip side, though, this statistic is alarming.  Ohio’s touchdown percentage inside the red zone is 31%.  The ‘Cats have scored touchdowns just four times in 13 red zone chances, including a one-for-five performance against Tennessee.  That needs to change.

-  Are Ohio fans giving Frank Solich enough credit for preparing his team for these big time games?  That’s three years in a row now that Ohio has gone out and played very well, (VT, OSU, UT) and through all the changes the one constant has been Solich’s leadership.  Some things in football are hard to gauge—there’s no statistic to backup Solich’s ability to mentally ready his program.  But it’s real.

-  In case you missed it, Chicago Cubs TV broadcaster Bob Brenly, an Ohio University alum, was a guest on “The Jim Schaus Show” last Thursday night.  Click here to listen.

-  Thanks again to the entire media relations department at UT—very classy, organized and well-run.  They defined southern hospitality, and the Friday night dinner at Ye Old Steakhouse was very solid.

-  Before the year I said Ohio needed to be at least a .500 team after non-conference play and then at least win one of the two opening MAC road games against BG and Akron to be a bowl team.  Part one is complete.

-  The ‘Cats are dead last in the league in red zone defense.  Opponents have scored on Ohio 11 of 12 times inside the 20 yard line.

-  Great to see WR Taylor Price put together a strong game against the UT secondary.  Price and CB Brett Vinson were going at it all night long.  Number 23’s effort Saturday night will only help his NFL draft status.

-  Ohio LB Noah Keller still leads the MAC with 48 tackles, one better than Toledo’s Archie Donald.

-  Some things just did not go Ohio’s way Saturday night.  The Noah Keller fumble return that was called back was the accurate call–his foot was indeed barely on the line.  Second, Ohio blitzed seven players up the shoot on the Bryce Brown touchdown reception in the fourth quarter where Brown caught a ball out in the flats and went 26 yards up the sideline to paydirt.  I think DE Stafford Gatling was supposed to drop back in pass coverage on that scheme, but I doubt it would have mattered–Brown had plenty of green in front of him.

-  More to come.

Filed under: 2009 Bobcat Blog, September '09 Blog Notes |