Aaron Rodgers is going into the final year of his contract. He doesn’t feel any pressure because he has a plan.
The 2014 soccer season was too cluttered with unappealing storylines.
Ohio missed the Mid-American Conference Tournament with a 6-13 record (3-8 MAC). It lacked a standout goalscorer. And then there were injury problems – including the loss of the team’s captain in a career-ending leg injury.
Coach Aaron Rodgers, in his third and final year of his current contract, feels no pressure as he hopes for a fresh start in 2015.
“The administration understands what it takes to rebuild a program and they’re very supportive,” Rodgers said.
Throughout the 2014 season, Rodgers said he wanted more aggression from his team. This offseason, he has made moves both on and off the pitch, in an effort to fund the Bobcats’ hidden venom.
On The Pitch
Rodgers said he is changing the team’s play style for the upcoming season.
He said last year, the team’s focus was maintaining possession and not attacking aggressively. This year he is going to look for more consistent, attacking-third pressure on the opposition.
“Our formation is going to change,” he said. “I want (them) to create turnovers higher up the field.”
Rodgers has adopted the traditional 4-4-2 formation through his first two years here at Ohio.
This year, he wants to run a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. He also said he wants his wing-backs to play up the field, essentially as hybrid of wide-midfielders to bolster attacks.
As far as solving the split weekends (winning the first game in a weekend but losing the second), he said his team is going to have to become more mentally tough.
Rodgers also said the team must understand that they have two games within 36 hours and they are going to have to be more physically and mentally prepared for the Sunday matches.
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In addition to his recruiting class, Rodgers is looking forward to having returning senior, forward Holly Harris. She hasn’t played since the 2013 campaign as she was out with a torn ACL a year ago.
She will fit well in Rodgers’ new scheme because of her ability to put the ball behind the goalkeeper — something the Bobcats struggled with last year.
Defensively, the Bobcats will miss former captain, Gabby Hausfeld, who played a key role in Ohio’s backline.
“Losing Gabby will definitely hurt us,” Rodgers said. “Looking to the bright side, Megan (Niebuhr) has been doing good for us this spring.”
Niebuhr, a sophomore center-back, didn’t waste anytime making an impression in her first appearance last season as she took the field to replace the injured Hausfeld in a home match against Ball State. She scored in that game, and went on to play the center-back position for the remainder of the campaign
Off The Pitch
Continuing on the defensive side of the field, Rodgers has made some additions to his backline with his recruiting class. He has high expectations for incoming freshman, Rianna Reese.
She was recruited as a center-back, but Rodgers said he could also use her on either the left or right outside channels.
“She is a phenomenal defensive player,” he said.
The Bobcats have also brought in a transfer goalkeeper, Vanessa Cordoba, who has international experience, playing with the Colombian U-20 national team.
After graduating both Nicole Amari and Rachel Fryan as keepers in 2014, Cordoba should seamlessly slip into the side’s goal.
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But part of the roster changes include the dismissal of six players from the 2014 roster.
Lauren Heger, Allie Cislo, Erin Wrubel, Sasha Haverchak, Brooke Mauro and Brienna Charlebois are not on the 2015 roster.
It’s a sizeable chunk from a squad, not to mention the additional graduating seniors, but it could open spaces for the eight new freshman to make early appearances.
A final off-the-pitch move coach Rodgers has made is the strength of the non-conference matches.
“I think (in terms of) strength of schedule, it’s good to have a balance,” Rodgers said.
He added he schedules the non-conference matches, he wants to test his side with competitive opponents.
The Big Ten, Big East, SEC and A-10 are all conferences the Bobcats will face before getting into MAC play.
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