A football team can pull out a win if just one of its units plays well enough to make up for the other two. It's impossible if they all sputter.
So far this season, when one of the three phases of the game - offense, defense or special teams - faltered, another would step up and cover. That didn't happen Saturday in Ohio's 20-11 loss to Kent State.
Ohio was outgained 372 to 164 in total yards in an ugly game that Kent State dominated during the fourth quarter.
Offensively, the Bobcats didn't make any of what they call explosive plays, which are plays that gain 25 or more yards. They also struggled to convert on third downs, converting only three of 13.
When you're not converting third downs and you're not making the explosive plays
then where do the plays come from? Well they don't come said coach Frank Solich.
Poor quarterback play was the main factor in the sluggish offensive performance. Theo Scott was ill before and during the game and was ineffective. The redshirt senior threw for only 62 yards and two interceptions.
Scott was so ill that he missed large portions of the game, forcing true freshman Tyler Tettleton to play in a tough situation. He also underperformed, throwing for 111 yards and a key interception in the end zone when Ohio was driving in the red zone.
The offensive line didn't exactly give the quarterbacks much time to make plays. After going five games without giving up a sack, the offensive line allowed seven. Tettleton's inexperience and inability to evade defenders the way Scott can contributed to the high sack total.
Our quarterback play was below par
Solich said. It was the worst that it's been. Some of that came down to decision making.
But the offense also couldn't run the ball and the quarterbacks aren't necessarily to blame for that, Solich said.
Ohio rushed the ball for -9 yards. The running backs, Vince Davidson and Donte Harden, combined for only 8 yards.
If you're not getting really good play
really consistent good play from your quarterback
then you need to have a ground game going
Solich said. And we were not able to get that done
so a lot of problems there.
The defense kept the Bobcats in the game for a while, but it eventually broke down.
We gave up four explosive plays to them
Solich said. That's one thing we went into the ball game saying that we could not afford to do was to give them the big play
because that's what they thrived on. Yet we gave it up.
Special teams, which Solich said rarely underperform, gave Ohio poor field position most of the day. The Bobcats average starting field position was their own 32, but that number is inflated.
One Ohio drive officially started at the Kent State 4-yard line, but that's only because a Kent State defender fumbled the ball after intercepting a pass. Ohio recovered the ball, and the fumble counted as a change-of-possession, so Ohio began a new drive.
LaVon Brazill did return a punt for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but by that time the game was out of reach.
Injuries and Illnesses
Solich said linebacker Errik Ejike (knee) and defensive tackle Carl Jones (ankle) are both questionable for next week's game at Ball State. Both will attempt to practice early in the week.
Scott (ill) was feeling better on Sunday, Solich said. He didn't have a fever, and Solich said he wouldn't be surprised if something Scott ate made him sick. He didn't think it was the flu.
Running back Chris Garrett (ill) had not recovered yesterday, Solich said. He would likely try to practice in the middle of the week. Unlike Scott, Garrett did have a fever.
When asked if he thought the sicknesses were a team-wide problem or just a couple isolated incidents, Solich said he hadn't seen anything to indicate there was a team-wide problem.
