Frank Solich has done a good job here of late, after taking the Ohio Bobcats to their 5th straight bowl game in a row. This year he must rebuild his offense but the defense may just have enough to get this team to their 6th straight bowl game. Preview & schedule are below.
The offense has major holes to fill with the loss of QB Tettleton, their top two RBs and 4 of their top 5 pass catchers all gone from last year’s squad that averaged a solid 27.4 ppg. Derrius Vick has been waiting for a chance to run the offense and now he will get it. Most of the weapons are gone from last year, but Chase Cochran does return after catching 31 balls for 689 yards and 4 TDs last year. He will be joined by Iowa transfer Cameron Wilson, who has the skills to be one of the best in the league. Maleek Irons is a freshman at RB and he will lead a group that is pretty lean on experience and depth. The OL does have 3 starters back, but no seniors in the starting lineup and little depth behind these guys. The defense doesn’t have such problems, as they return 24 lettermen, including 8 starters. The DL is stout, with all 4 starters back and actually rates the 2 nd best DL in the league. The LB Corp will be a solid group, while the secondary has a chance to be very good with CB Devin Bass back after having 15 PBUs and 2 INT last year, along with Thad Ingol, who had 3 INts a year ago.
The Bobcats could be in many low scoring games this year, especially early as the offense will go through many growing pains out the gate, with having to replace so many skill players and their QB, while the defense will be very stout, especially up from and in the secondary. Will be hard to run or throw on this team. They will need that defense to play awesome out the gate as this offense, must take on Kent State, Kentucky and Marshall all on the road and in the first 3 weeks of the year. The rest of the schedule is very manageable as they play Idaho and Eastern Illinois at home out of conference and get Bowling Green, Buffalo, Akron and Northern Illinois at home in the MAC, while having an easy MAC Road slate of C.Mich, W.Mich and Miami. Even with their offensive deficiencies I see this team going at least 7-5 on the year, while also being a player in the MAC East division. KEY TREND: 1-10 ATS after scoring 35 or more points.
2014 Ohio Bobcats Football Schedule
Aug. 30 at Kent State
Sep. 6 Kentucky
Sep. 13 at Marshall
Sep. 20 Idaho
Sep. 27 Eastern Illinois
Oct. 4 at Central Michigan
Oct. 11 Bowling Green
Oct. 18 Akron
Oct. 25 at Western MIchigan
Nov. 1 OPEN DATE
Nov. 5 Buffalo
Nov. 15 OPEN DATE
Nov. 18 Northern Illinois
Nov. 25 at Miami Univ.
Info gathered From Phil Steele's CFB Preview and Athlon Sports
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