After losing the Battle for the Bell, coach Frank Solich discussed potential ways to revamp his gameplan
After three straight weeks on the road, Ohio is ready to finally play at Peden Stadium this weekend.
The Bobcats have lost each of the past two weeks at Kentucky and Marshall, in a pair of tough road environments, but will return to the friendly home confines against Idaho.
During coach Frank Solich’s weekly press conference yesterday afternoon, he addressed potential changes and his gameplan moving forward after losing the Battle for the Bell on Saturday for the first time in four years, 44-14.
Offensive switch ups?
Although Solich said the running backs as a group are among the best he’s had since taking the helm a decade ago, the Bobcats rank 94th in the FBS with 130 rushing yards per game.
Daz Patterson, a junior, leads Ohio with 47 yards per game, and has been receiving the starting nod in the backfield, but the next leading rusher on the team is quarterback Derrius Vick.
Solich said that changes in the backfield rotation could be coming.
“It’s not that Daz is not doing well or not performing well, we just have to find more ways to keep drives alive and that doesn’t just come back to Daz, that’s really across the board,” Solich said.
A.J. Oullette, a true freshman, saw playing time during the final and game-winning drive against Kent State, and has received a few carries the past two weeks as well. He’s averaging 6.3 yards per carry, and recorded the longest run of the season Saturday at Marshall. Solich said Oullette could see a higher number of touches moving forward.
“A.J. came in and provided us a little bit of a spark and I think he gets a lot out of a play,” he said.
Covering wideouts
From the get-go Saturday, the Bobcats’ secondary was not only overmatched by the Thundering Herd wide receivers, but Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato was making passes that were tough to defend.
Devin Bass, a redshirt junior, was given the responsibility to cover Marshall receiver Davonte Allen, who recorded 113 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter alone. Although Bass wasn’t completely to blame — Allen was making highlight-reel quality catches — he allowed both touchdown connections.
Eventually, Bass was reassigned to cover other receivers, but Solich still has confidence in his cornerback.
“I think he’ll respond fine,” Solich said. “He’s played a lot of great football. That was kind of an oddity — it happened, no one competes harder than he competes, and he is talented.”
“He’s held up and has been very, very durable. I love what he’s all about. He’ll perform well.”
Finally, a turnover recovery
Ohio’s turnover margin is 120th out of 125 FBS football teams.
The minus-six ratio is inflated because of the Bobcats’ four fumbles during the season opener at Kent State, but the defense hadn’t forced one until last week.
Redshirt senior safety Nathan Carpenter picked off Cato in the end zone to record Ohio’s first turnover recovery of the year. It was Cato’s first interception in 152 passing attempts, and was much needed for the morale of the Bobcats’ defense.
Soich said they will need to continue to improve their turnover margin moving forward.
“You’re always going to struggle to win football games unless you get turnovers,” Solich said. “That has got to change. We have got to come up with ways to produce turnovers. It’s obvious that we have to go into a game and be thinking about zero turnovers.”
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