Football Blog
Bobcats set for Ragin' Cajuns
By Michael Weisman, Senior Sports Writer
September 6, 2007 | 10:45 p.m.
Neither conference will send a team to a BCS game anytime soon, but that doesn’t stop these two conferences from playing tough.
Both the Mid-American Conference and the Sun Belt conference are non-BCS conferences and struggle to gain national attention, while annually hoping to do what Appalachian State did a week ago and knock off the top dog.
“The MAC and the Sun Belt don’t receive the credit some of the big conferences receive, but I think both conferences want that respect, that national attention that everyone else is getting throughout the country,” starting middle linebacker Taj Henley said.
The Sun Belt added Western Kentucky to its football conference, as the Hilltoppers were already in the Sun Belt in all other sports, but was 1-AA in football prior to this year.
Similarly, the MAC added Temple, but for football only. Both conferences continue to attempt to make their conferences stronger and better known.
The MAC has had more success as of late, with a conference championship game and three bowl tie-ins, while the Sun Belt only has one bowl lock.
Even after only one weekend, Bowling Green beat Minnesota out of the Big 10 and Kent State beat Iowa State out of the Big 12, showing the MAC is not to be taken lightly.
The MAC has annually knocked off BCS conference schools and has had top 20 teams such as the 2003 Miami RedHawks who went 13-1 while knocking off Northwestern and Louisville with Ben Roethlisberger at the helm. T
he Sun Belt is yet to break through however, with the Troy Trojans pulling off one of the biggest wins in conference history as they defeated No. 7 Missouri in 2004.
The two conferences met up a not too long ago, as Central Michigan took care of Middle Tennessee State in the 2006 Motor City Bowl.
The Bobcats will continue the MAC/Sun Belt battle as they take on UL-Lafayette Saturday at 7 p.m. in Lafayette, La.
Although the two teams may come from similar conferences, for the Ohio defense, this week will be completely different.
Against 1-AA Gardner-Webb a week ago, the defense was forced to watch the Runnin’ Bulldogs pass non-stop out of the shotgun throwing for 265 yards.
UL-Lafayette will mostly run this Saturday, forcing the Bobcat defense to change from a week ago.
“Our number one goal as a defense is to always stop the run,” Henley, a co-captain, said. “We’re focusing on the run, and the pass, but as linebackers we focus more on the run.”
Last year, Ragin’ Cajun running back Tyrell Fenroy rushed for 1,197 and 10 touchdowns. Last week, the Ragin’ Cajuns put a scare into SEC foe South Carolina, eventually falling 28-14.
Whether Ohio is playing a 1-AA school, a non-BCS conference school, or Virginia Tech (next week), they prepare the same.
“Everyday we go out and prepare like we’re playing for a national championship,” Henley said. “Whether we’re playing Athens High School or whoever, we’re going to go out and prepare the same way.”
McRae challenges record
With 142 yards last week against Gardner-Webb, senior running back Kalvin McRae moved within 900 yards of becoming Ohio’s all-time leading rusher. The Bobcats still have at least 11 games left, plus potentially a MAC Championship game and a bowl game—wow, look what one year of success does to your optimism—so the record is clearly in reach. However, with the offensive line a bit banged up, it might be tougher than it should be.
“(The record) would be huge. It’s something I was looking forward to when I came into this University as a freshman,” McRae said. “It’s a huge honor to have my name listed with the great running backs and rushing quarterbacks at Ohio University.”
Steveland Hookfin (1995-98) holds the record for career yards with 3,972 and also had 19 career 100-yard games, the most of any Bobcat rusher. McRae sits at 3,106 career yards and with a 100-yard game a week ago, he moved into a tie for second on the all-time 100-yard rushing games list with Kareem Wilson at 15.
McRae should get five more 100-yard games making him tops on the 100-yard rushing games list. However, the career rushing record will be close.
With a different set of starters on the offensive line from week one to week two, the line could determine whether McRae breaks the record.
Mike Eynon, who started at left guard against Gardner-Webb, tore his MCL during the game and is out indefinitely, but the Bobcats return Paul Johnson who missed last week with an MCL injury of his own.
Offensive line coach Keven Lightner wasn’t concerned saying he’s been playing 11 lineman during practice.
“We lose one and get one back and Paul was a starter coming into the season,” he said. ‘I play a lot of guys in practice. David White played last year so I feel like I can go seven or eight deep.”
Senior right guard Matt Miller also exited Saturday’s game early, but Lightner said he only took him out because Ohio had a comfortable lead. Miller did have his knee drained this week, however, so perhaps there was a small injury, but he should be ready to go against UL-Lafayette this Saturday.
Another wildcard in McRae’s run to the top is the Bobcats’ passing game. Last week, it looked much improved from a year ago, and that could open up more lanes for the Decatur, Ga. native said.
“The passing game is huge. With defenses knowing we run the ball a lot, they’re going to stack the box,” McRae said. “It’s important for us to go out and have a great passing that and that’s something I think the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends did a great job of in the off-season.”
Lightner agreed, saying the better the passing game, the fewer players teams will have in the box, making it easier on the line.
Neither McRae nor the line say they feel any pressure, but both would share the glory as McRae credits his line for getting him to this point. Lightner added that his line will continue to work hard and would take pride in McRae’s record, as they feel like they’ll have played a part in the record.
Now if they can only stay healthy.