Ohio coach Frank Solich has his man – it’s Tyler Tettleton. After six months of speculation, Solich officially named the redshirt sophomore Ohio’s starting quarterback.
“Tettleton will be our starting quarterback,” Solich said 15 minutes into the press conference. “He does everything well. He finds the right receiver, he throws the ball really well. He has big play potential and great anticipation.”
Solich said Tettleton is the complete package. “He can sit and the pocket but also has the ability to escape out of the pocket and gain yards with his running ability,” Solich said. “I don’t like to have indecision about who the number one guy is going into fall camp.“
After coming into last season as the starter, Solich said senior Phil Bates will now be used in different aspects of the offense.
“Phil is now working not only as a wildcat quarterback but as a wide receiver as well. He’s got great hands, excellent speed and a big body. He has the ability to become a great blocker,” Solich said. “He has a lot of things that pro scouts will be looking for.”
Tettleton said he received the news that he had been named the starter just hours before media day began in Peden Stadium. Having not yet passed the news on to his family, Tettleton said he is trying to stay collected throughout the process.
“I feel like I need to stay even-keeled and not make a big deal of it,” he said. “I want to be myself and keep doing what I’ve been doing to get here.”
As a redshirt sophomore, Tettleton will be expected to lead a veteran group of offensive players – something he says he is ready to do.
Tettleton was a four-year starter at quarterback in high school and said that experience will help him feel more comfortable in his current position.
“I feel like I’m in the same situation here as I was then,” he said. “However I do have the benefit of having been able to sit back and watch over the past couple of years and see what it takes to win.”
As a backup, Tettleton has watched his predecessors reach bowl games and a conference championship game, yet fail to earn a postseason win. Tettleton said he is ready to take the program to the next level.
“Our expectations this year are to not only get to those games, but to win them,” he said. “I feel like we’re doing all the right things to get there. Being to the past bowl games and a (Mid-American Conference) championship makes me want to win them even more.”
“The fact that we have been in the national spotlight so much the past few years shows that we’re doing a great job here. We want to show everyone what we are,” Tettleton said.
