Although the quarterback is often considered the most important position on a football team, the players catching the passes can be just as important. Last year Ohio had a very solid group of weapons for Parker Navarro, and this year it remains fairly similar.
The Bobcats will look to keep up the solid play on the outside this year, so get know Ohio’s receivers.
Who’s gone
The biggest name gone from last year’s team is without question star slot receiver Coleman Owen. The graduate transfer from Northern Arizona put on a show in his final year of college football for Ohio, putting up 1,245 yards and eight touchdowns on the year.
He made first team All-Mid American Conference as a wide receiver, and made the All-MAC team again as a punt returner. His stellar season got him a spot on the Indianapolis Colts' preseason roster, and he has played well so far as a Colt, even catching his first NFL touchdown Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals as he looks to make the official roster.
Apart from Owen, the only other notable name that left the team is tight end Bryce Butler, who transferred to FCS school Towson after a year where he had one catch for a seven-yard touchdown.
Who’s back
Mostly every contributor not named Owen is returning for the Bobcats this season, but it starts with junior receiver Chase Hendricks, who projects to have a huge year as he moves into the slot. Last year, he had 40 catches for 470 yards and one touchdown.
The other returning wideout is Rodney Harris II, who should see increased production after a year where he had 23 catches for 289 yards.
Freshman All-American tight end Mason Willians returns as well, and he should also be in for a big year in his second year starting at the position. He is coming off of a 19 catch, 211 yards and two touchdown year last year.
Depth pieces in Max Rodarte and Caleb Gossett will be returning as well this year as Ohio has a very deep receiver room.
Who’s new
With the bulk of their productions outside of Coleman Owen returning from last year, The Bobcats didn’t add any huge impact players in the portal this offseason, instead getting experienced veterans from smaller schools.
Alfred Jordan Jr. is one of those vets as the graduate transfer comes from Idaho State where he had 48 catches, 569 yards and three touchdowns in two years as a Bengal. Before Idaho State he spent time at La Hoya Community College, where he played JUCO.
The other small school addition is Colton Grover, a redshirt senior from Phoenix, Arizona, who spent the last few years playing for the South Dakota School of Mines, a very small Division II school in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Grover caught 33 passes for 451 yards and five touchdowns last year as a Hardrocker, and he joins fellow Arizona native and Desert Vista High School alum in Parker Navarro on the Ohio offense.
