As Dak Notestine walked off the field with the Ohio trainers, the defensive end winced and grimaced because of two things: the throbbing pain in his shoulder and the hurt of possibly missing another game.
Notestine has battled shoulder labrum problems since early in the season. With it nagging him, he attempts to heal it by sitting out two practices every week. Even without his shoulder fully healed, he takes the field on Saturdays.
It's a week-to-week thing
Notestine said. Some days it feels better other days it doesn't feel good. It's not ideal and it's not what I want but I'm doing everything I can.
The injury forced Notestine out in the first half against Akron, and it acted up again last week in Oxford as he laid on the field again after sacking Miami quarterback Zac Dysert.
This time, Notestine wouldn't let the pain keep him out. He returned on the next series and led a stalwart Bobcat pass rush that stifled the RedHawks.
I just had a good feeling for that day (against Miami)
Notestine said. The trainers were all over me and I didn't know if I was going to get cleared or not. Even when I tweaked it a little
the pain subsided quickly.
Safety Donovan Fletcher said that if Notestine can fight through his injury, it motivates the rest of the defense to play if they're a little dinged up.
When he's doing it hurt
he's putting his body on the line
Fletcher said. Ten years from now
he doesn't know how it's going to act
but he loves the game to the point that it doesn't personally matter to him right now. He wants to help this defense.
Ohio's defense sacked Dysert five times last Saturday. The pressure was a welcomed sight to a line that has struggled to get to the quarterback throughout the season. The Bobcats accumulated only eight sacks in the six previous games before last Saturday.
We kind of came out slow
Notestine said. Coach Solich was harping on (defensive line coach Pete) Germano and it's come down through the waterfall to us. He's come down on us.
The pressure also has been an integral factor in the Bobcats' increase in turnovers. Ohio has forced 10 turnovers in the previous three games to raise its season total to 18.
Hurrying quarterbacks has made it easier for them to make mistakes, which allows for the Ohio defensive backs to take advantage, Fletcher said.
Defensively
we want to do everything to put the offense at a disadvantage and make those mistakes
