Ohio has faced some talented signal-callers in its first games, but taking on Marcus Vick and the others seems to have been just a warm-up for facing Bowling Green's Omar Jacobs.
The Falcons' dreadlocked quarterback and last year's Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year has been putting up Heisman-caliber numbers so far this season. He is averaging 358 passing yards per game and has thrown 17 touchdowns.
The high-powered Bowling Green offense averages 43 points a game, and the Jacobs-led pass offense contingent is ranked third in the nation. Jacobs himself is second in the nation in total offense.
We're used to seeing good quarterbacks
but we don't have anybody that matches his statistics Ohio coach Frank Solich said. He not only has the ability to make big plays but he's a very accurate thrower. He's a threat any way you look at it.
The Bobcats enjoyed a break with their bye week, giving them extra time to prepare for Jacobs and the Falcon offense.
(We worked on) just consistency and being relentless in our pursuit
defensive lineman Seth Ream said. We want to play as a team.
We'll try to mix things up
Solich said. The problem you have with a zone is that (Jacobs) is such an accurate thrower that he can hit those seams and pick you apart.
The Falcons come into Saturday's game with a 2-2 record, losing non-conference games to Wisconsin and Boise State. In those losses, Jacobs threw for a combined 678 yards and eight touchdowns, but he still was not pleased with his performance.
Omar wants to win
Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon said. That's the biggest thing in his mind. He doesn't care how many touchdown passes he throws or how many yards; he just wants to win.
And in order to win, Jacobs has to perform well at every game. To call the Falcons' offense pass-oriented is an understatement. Bowling Green has racked up 1,432 yards passing compared with just 418 on the ground. The team has not even attempted a field goal, and Jacobs has accounted for 102 of the 172 points the Falcons have scored so far this year.
Bowling Green did not get a rest after three tough non-conference games and a hard-fought MAC win over Ball State, all on the road. Jacobs and his teammates excelled in front of their home crowd and notched a huge, 70-7 win over Temple. Jacobs contributed 325 yards through the air and four touchdown passes while compiling an 87 percent completion rate.
Ohio could be facing a future NFL draft pick Saturday. Jacobs, as a star quarterback in the MAC, is following the path that several other professional players, such as Chad Pennington and Ben Roethlisberger, have taken to the NFL Jacobs has aspirations of playing at the next level.
I'm kind of riding that wave right now
Jacobs said in an interview with ESPN Radio. I think (previous MAC quarterbacks who have gone on to the NFL) kind of opened up doors for other great quarterbacks.
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Molly O'Hare
