The Weis Guy
New and improving
Bobcats show potential in season opener
By Michael Weisman, Senior Sports Writer
September 2, 2007 | 2:32 p.m.
It was a new look and a new place for the Bobcats when they took the field Saturday night at Peden Stadium, dawning new uniforms of all green with white stripes on their shoulders and standing on the opposite sideline of where they had stood in years past.
Perhaps the uniform and change of sidelines will be symbolic of their season, as new faces and a renewed passing game also made their debut in Ohio’s 36-14 win over 1-AA, or Championship Subdivision, as the NCAA likes to call it, Gardner-Webb.
The 19,823 students and fans that showed up were treated to an offensive explosion by Ohio football standards, as the team only averaged 19.7 points per game a season ago.
But with a new starting quarterback in Brad Bower, the Bobcats managed to spread the ball to tight ends over the middle, fullbacks out of the backfield, and a plethora of wide receivers. Bower connected with 10 different receivers, going 15-25 for 180 yards in his second-ever career start in green and white.
“I felt like I played well and took care of the ball,” Bower said. “I was just taking what they were giving me and not trying to force anything. The receivers were running good routes and the offensive line gave me time all day.”
Bower’s numbers could have been even more impressive if not for two drops early on by Taylor Price and tight end Andrew Moony. Coach Frank Solich commended Bower for his play, but summed up the game best when he said the Bobcats never separated themselves from the Runnin’ Bulldogs, who were playing their first-ever game against a 1-A team (or Bowl Subdivision).
Fans, myself included, kept waiting for the Bobcats to “blow it open” and put Gardner-Webb away, but that killer instinct was missing. Perhaps it was because it was the first game, and the leadership needed to put the dagger in has not developed yet, but in future games that killer instinct will be a must.
The guys who gave the Bobcats the killer spark last year are all gone. The trio of linebackers of Matt Muncy, now with the Cincinnati Bengals, Tyler Russ, and Michael Graham were the heart of the Bobcats but all three graduated. The group of guys assigned to fill the void left behind showed glimpses that they were up to the task, but aren’t there yet.
“We’ve got some work to do,” Solich said. “They don’t have a great deal of experience coming in, but they’re athletic, they can run, but they’re learning on the run. I’m pleased with what they’re about and they’ll only get better and better.”
Leading the way in Saturday’s game was starting linebacker Jordan Meyers who recorded seven tackles and a sack, while backup linebacker Lee Renfro totaled six tackles with a sack and two tackles for loss.
The linebackers weren’t the only group on defense learning on the run as the Bobcat secondary had its hands full with a Gardner-Webb offense that operates out of a no-huddle, shotgun set with as many as four or five receivers spread wide.
The Bulldogs ran numerous inside screens and slants, forcing an inexperienced secondary to adjust. Junior Mark Parson returns as a starting cornerback and helped keep the secondary in check. He intercepted one pass and almost had another, but an official review overturned a call, ruling his foot was out of bounds.
Parson disagreed and felt he was in bounds when he hauled in what would have been his second pick of the game. He explained the difficulty in facing a no-huddle offense saying he’d get the call for the defense and turn around the ball was about to be snapped, leaving no time to adjust to the offense.
Gardner-Webb did have success passing for a combined 265 yards using two quarterbacks, more than Ohio’s 226. The Bobcat defense did hold the Runnin’ Bulldogs runnin’ to only 68 yards, however. Ohio used two quarterbacks as well, as junior college transfer Theo Scott saw his first action with 13:31 left in the second quarter, giving Bower, who struggled with cramps for part of the game, a rest.
Scott played two series and struggled with clock management and overthrowing receivers. He was also sacked and left the pocket to early in his second series. Scott would see more action in the fourth quarter after Ohio put the game out of reach and led the Bobcats on a 6:28, 12-play, 89-yard drive capped off by a Kalvin McRae touchdown.
During the drive, the Bobcats put themselves in a first and 30 after three penalties, but managed to still convert a fourth and short to keep the drive alive.
Solich said he wanted to continue to give Scott some reps in games, implying perhaps Bower still has not solidified the starting job, despite his solid performance Saturday night.
Even with the new look and new faces, there were still two Bobcats who have been around awhile. Senior tailbacks Kalvin McRae and Josh Abrams both had big games Saturday. McRae moved into third on the Ohio all-time rushing list and after rushing for 142 yards against the Bulldogs, needs only 867 yards to become the all-time leading rusher.
McRae looks set for his third straight 1,000-yard season. Abrams became the star of the game after blocking three punts and scoring his first career touchdown as a Bobcat. The three blocks gave him six for his career, with the third block of the night resulting in a safety.
However, the full student section at the beginning of the game had dwindled down to only a few hundred, as drinking time called their name, and wasn’t there to see Abrams’ stellar play.
“The formation (Gardner-Webb) used (on punts) wasn’t anything compared to what we saw on film, it was actually similar to us.” Abrams said. “Every week we’ve been practicing against our own punt team, so after I missed the first (chance to block) I knew what I was going to be able to do.”
Solich said he didn’t think the three blocked punts in a game was a record, but said he’d never seen or coached in a game where it has happened.
The rest of the Bobcats special teams looked impressive as well, as punt returner Chris Garrett returned a punt for a touchdown only to be called back because of a penalty and kicker Michael Braunstein, another new face, connected on both field goals.
Penalties were one of the weak points for the Bobcats, as they committed nine penalties for 83 yards, including a block in the back that negated the punt return for a touchdown.
Ohio’s offensive line also will be a focus over the next few weeks, as senior lineman Paul Johnson did not play Saturday due to injury.
Starting left guard Mike Eynon left the field on a cart with an MCL injury, but Solich had no further word on his status. All-conference guard Matt Miller was also “dinged up” during the game, thinning out the offensive line.
When the final canon boom sounded, declaring the Bobcats’ victory, the team can feel good they have a win under their belt, and even though it was a I-AA school (forget NCAA terminology), just ask Michigan that a win is no sure thing.
But with Wyoming upsetting Virginia, Bowling Green knocking off Minnesota, Kent State winning at Iowa State, and Virginia Tech ranked in the top 10, there is one sure thing –– the Bobcats’ schedule is about to get much tougher.