DETROIT — The narrative has already been told many times: gone are the names familiar to Ohio fans.
Most Ohio students have never watched a game where Tyler Tettleton wasn’t starting under center, but this season will begin a “new era” of Ohio football.
After being selected to win the Mid-American Conference East Division before last season began, the Bobcats struggled down the stretch and finished just 7-6. That might be a reason media is predicting Ohio to finish third in the MAC East this year.
Redshirt senior safety Josh Kristoff says players and coaches try to avoid looking too much into the rankings, but they will push the squad to prove people wrong.
“They picked us third, but I wish they picked us fifth. It’s more fuel to the fire, man,” Kristoff said. “The underdog is always fun because they don’t see you coming. I don’t really pay much attention to it, but if I had to guess I’d bet in the MAC East whoever has been picked to win probably hasn’t won in past couple years because the MAC East is so competitive.”
It will take time for the Bobcats — especially the offense — to become a collective unit and build chemistry, but coach Frank Solich said he hasn’t needed to give the players much motivation to have a better season.
“I have not had to talk to this team about that, they have shown signs from winter conditioning, to spring ball, to summer conditioning, wanting to be a different football team,” Solich said. “They came off last year really disappointed and upset and they don’t want anything to do with that season again.”
Solich continued to say last year’s finish wasn’t acceptable and the Bobcats’ effort this offseason was at a new level, and he hopes to see the results on the field when Ohio opens its season with a MAC game for the first time in his 10 seasons at the helm.
“Obviously as we get to fall camp and we start to prepare for Kent, we’ll zero-in on them,” Solich said. “But you can’t throw all your eggs in one basket. I’ve learned that too. If you build that up to where it’s just so important and it doesn’t get done, it’s just such a huge let down.”
With Tettleton gone, a new Bobcat will man the starting quarterback duties this year. Although redshirt junior Derrius Vick is listed as the top guy on the depth chart, Solich has yet to declare a starter. He mentioned the possibility of using different quarterbacks depending on the situation, because of the skills Vick and redshirt sophomore JD Sprague possess.
“Ideally I’d like to have one guy, kind of like a Johnny Manziel, just take over,” Solich said. “But there are years where it’s so close, guys can offer something unique, and they can give you a little change of pace … we’re a long ways from making those kind of decisions, we need to see how fall ball unfolds before we decide that.”
Although the offense will lack the experience that it had the past few seasons, players like wide receiver Chase Cochran and running back Daz Peterson will hope to continue to provide explosiveness.
“I think we’re going to have a very explosive offense this year. There’s a lot of playmakers on offense that can turn a three-yard play into and 80-yard play,” Kristoff said. “Whoever plays quarterback, Derrius Vick or JD; they both have the ability to create big and explosive plays."
"Chase Cochran, one of the fastest guys in the MAC, he’s been making big plays since he started playing. Daz, if you give Daz a hole he might get through and go 80 yards.”
After a pair of sluggish regular season finishes, outsiders’ expectations for the Bobcats may not be as high as year’s past. That’s something redshirt junior offensive lineman Lucas Powell said he hopes will change.
“We’re young and we’re excited to get out there and show people what we can do, show people that we’re going to change Ohio Football and what its about,” he said confidently. “It’s going to be on our shoulders for the first time and we’re ready for that.”
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