For two quarters of Monday's Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, Ohio looked like the team that was predicted to finish atop the Mid-American Conference’s East Division before the season.
Powered by big plays on offense, combined with their defensive stands in the redzone during the second and third quarters, the Bobcats played at a level that really hasn’t been seen since their season-opening defeat of Penn State last year.
Ohio was getting to the edge on offense against a quality opponent with sweeps, reverses and whatever other rabbits coach Frank Solich and offensive coordinator Tim Albin could pull out of their hats.
Running back Daz Patterson saw an increased role in the offense and was the recipient of a pass on a double reverse flea-flicker. Backup quarterback Derrius Vick even found his way into the offense, hitting a wide-open Donte Foster for an 80 yard score.
Heck, Ohio even recovered an onside kick.
But the stretch that Ohio outscored East Carolina 17-3 was short-lived.
It was as if the final quarter of the game was a microcosm of what has been a tumultuous season for a Bobcat squad that accrued its highest loss total since an eight defeat campaign in 2008.
The Pirates exposed Ohio’s lack of speed, owning the perimeter for the last fifteen minutes and limiting the open receiving options for quarterback Tyler Tettleton, putting him into situations where he had to force throws that turned into interceptions.
Eastern Carolina scored the final 20 points of the game and controlled the pace, knocking Ohio out of what had been an impressive, fast-paced offensive rhythm in the second and third quarter.
“We picked up our tempo in the second half,” Foster said. “I feel like that affected them a lot and we could see that they were getting tired. … We got in a good rhythm there for a while and then adversity hit us and we didn’t respond the way I wish we would’ve.”
The problems that plagued Ohio throughout the season reappeared during the contest.
The rushing attack of East Carolina appeared to be unstoppable in stretches, as Pirate running back Vintavious Cooper rushed for 195 yards on 18 carries, with the team gaining a total of 281 yards on the ground.
It was the seventh time the Bobcats allowed at least 195 yards on the ground this season. And unsurprisingly enough, Ohio went 1-6 in those contests.
And perhaps the biggest indictment of the Ohio in its season finale was not only the mistakes it was making, but who was making them.
Tettleton ended his collegiate career, barely completing 50 percent of his passes (21 of 40) and throwing three interceptions, including a game-sealing pick late in the fourth quarter with the Bobcats down by 11 points.
Even cornerback Travis Carrie, who has scared opposing quarterbacks to throwing to his side of the field for a good deal of the season, was prone to error.
He was flagged for two pass interference calls that extended East Carolina drives, including one on the Pirates’ game-winning touchdown drive.
It was a fitting end to what was a frustrating season for Ohio, who despite showing flashes of greatness, ultimately couldn’t come up big when it mattered most.
@c_hoppens
ch203310@ohiou.edu
