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Ohio 36 Gardner-Webb 14

Overall, I would give the Bobcats a solid B rating in this game. They did some
things remarkably well(special teams), and some things remarkably bad(offensive
line), and some things in-between the two extremes(passing offense). Let’s get
down to the nitty gritty shall we!

The game ball goes to: backup running
back Josh Abrams: Rarely in my 23 years of existence have I seen a player
change the complexion of a game on special teams like Josh Abrams did on
Saturday night against Gardner-Webb. The punt blocking assassin blocked three
punts against the Runnin’ Bulldogs, giving the Bobcats a much shorter field on
two occasions and recording a safety on the other. Without his three blocks, a
very scrappy Gardner-Webb team likely would’ve made this game much more
interesting than it was down the stretch. Abrams’ three blocked punts were one
shy of an NCAA and MAC record. His impressive performance was enough to earn
him MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

 I simply couldn’t be happier for the
senior, because Abrams had been one of the Bobcats’ best practice players for
the past two years, it is just nobody outside the program ever heard about it.
He’s a special teams’ demon and had three blocked punts in 2006. He currently
has six blocked punts for his career, moving him even closer to the NCAA record
of 10. The NCAA single-season record for punt blocks is seven and I would look
for Abrams to break both records as the season progresses for the Green and
White.

Teams will likely scheme against him starting next week with
Louisiana-Lafayette, but I’m not sure if there is any way you can stop him. His
blazing 4.30 speed makes him a nightmare to block coming off the edge and I
feel sorry for any special teams’ coach that tries to stop him.

Abrams also had a touchdown on the ground. Did I mention that he was also
usually the first "gunner" down the field on punt coverage units for the
Bobcats? He racked up a tackle on a punt coverage play as well. He made a
splash in his first contest as a senior and I’d look for the "special teams’
demon" to be wreaking havoc against opposing teams all season long. He also
knows how to fire up the fans, jumping on the fence at Peden Stadium before the
game to get everybody fired up. He is also a leader on the team, yelling at his
teammates before the kickoff as they sway back and forth in a circle. No player
on the team is as popular on Ohio
University’s campus as
Josh Abrams, who is a "local celebrity" in the eyes of many, including myself.

Speaking of the Bobcat ground attack: running back Kalvin McRae was back to
his old ways. He pounded and pummeled the Gardner-Webb defense to the tune of
142 yards and two touchdowns. He carried the rock 24 times and averaged an
impressive 5.9 yards per carry. His longest run was only 20 yards, but McRae
once again displayed the tremendous field vision, cutting ability, and pure
power that will make him a highly coveted running back in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Kalvin "Big Play" McRae had an excellent performance even though the offensive
line was clearly missing dominant left guard Paul Johnson. The 6’2", 318 pound
behemoth is a key cog in the Bobcats’ rushing attack and the offensive line
wasn’t quite the same without him on Saturday night. They were the victims of a
few holding penalties and false starts, and never really dominated the
Gardner-Webb defensive line the way they should have. Out of all the units, the
blocking from the big boys up front was clearly the worst, but I look for the
offensive line to bounce back once Paul Johnson makes his return to the
lineup. 

McRae gave Bobcat fans, players, and coaches a scare when he hobbled off the
field in the second half with an injury. Not to worry, it was a minor injury
and McRae should be ready to go for Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday(7 p.m. ESPN
Gameplan). The season for the Bobcats would be entirely different if they lost
what I like to call the "beating heart" of their offense. In 2006, McRae rushed
for over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season, becoming the first
Bobcat in 30 years to accomplish such a feat. He strapped the Bobcats’ offense
on his back and along with dominant defensive play and stellar special teams’,
helped to carry the Bobcats to a MAC East crown and GMAC Bowl appearance.

Make no mistake about it folks, McRae is the engine, he is the catalyst of this
Bobcat offensive attack, he’s the man that makes them go. It all begins and ends
with Mr. McRae on offense for the Green and White. Even though teams are likely
to crowd the line of scrimmage with extra defenders and "stack the box", I
would still look for McRae to rush for over 1,500 yards this season. He
currently has 3,106 rushing yards for his career, placing him third all-time in
Ohio football
history and only Kareem Wilson(3,597) and Steveland Hookfin(3,972) stand in
front of him. I’d look for Ohio’s career
rushing yardage record to fall to the Decatur,
Georgia native
this season as long as he stays healthy. His two touchdowns also gave him 31
touchdowns on the ground for his career, placing him second in Ohio history behind
Kareem Wilson(49). That record might be out of reach for McRae, but after
finishing his career in Athens,
McRae will have bruised and pummeled his way through defenders and into the
hearts of Bobcat fans everywhere. He’ll wrap up his career as one of the most
decorated players in Ohio
football history.

I was most surprised by the performance of two players: punter Matt Schulte and quarterback
Brad Bower: Schulte had been one of the most inconsistent performers in
fall camp for the Bobcats, launching a 40 yard punt one second, then shanking a
five yarder the next. He was constantly having problems with his constituency,
but rest assured Schulte had a top-notch performance on Saturday night. The Cincinnati native averaged
42.5 yards per punt on six attempts, including a 58-yard punt which just seemed
to rocket off his foot. His performance drew praise from head coach Frank
Solich. "I was pleased with Matt Schulte also," Solich said. "And I had
not been pleased with Matt through most of fall camp so it was good to see him
come on and punt the ball better." The Bobcats will need performances like
that one from Schulte all season long and let’s hope he develops some
consistency, because he’s displayed the potential to be a solid punter for the
Green and White.

Quarterback Brad Bower wasn’t one of
my favorite signal-callers and to tell you the truth I was downright scared
that Bower was once again commanding the Bobcat offense. Heading into the first
game, the Illinois
native hadn’t done much to win over fans, coaches, or fellow teammates. His
inconsistency and bad-decision making were still plaguing him for most of fall
camp and while he had won the starting job, he hadn’t won it by very much.
While Bower didn’t have the best performance on Saturday night, he certainly
didn’t have the worst, either. He completed 15 of his 25 passes for 180 yards
and one interception. He definitely had his bad moments as well, poorly tossing
an option behind running back Kalvin McRae who couldn’t recover the loose ball.
The miscue not only killed the Bobcats’ offensive drive but also helped to give
Gardner-Webb more hope late in the contest. Bower easily could’ve had another
interception in the end-zone because he underthrew a ball that was dropped by a
Gardner-Webb defender. The much-maligned signal-caller still impressed me when
he made several beautifully placed throws that were uncharacteristically
dropped by tight ends David Carter
and Andrew Mooney. Mooney and Carter
normally catch most of the passes thrown their way during practice and I would
look for a big season from both of those guys. They are easy targets for Bower
to find across the middle of the field and they can both get open with
tremendous ease. Both players are very fast for their size.

Speaking of David Carter….the best pitch
and catch of the entire contest came when back-up quarterback Theo Scott rolled
to his left in the end zone and fired a 36-yard strike to tight end David
Carter. Carter juggled the ball, but hauled it in with one hand, making it the
most impressive snag of the night.

Another receiver who had a good night was California native Chido Nwokocha(pronounced Woe-ko-cha), who caught a pass from Brad
Bower and streaked down the sideline for a 34-yard touchdown. I would look for
a solid year from Chido, who has great hands, runs solid routes, and has decent
speed in the open field.
{mospagebreak}
Speaking of the receivers, I liked the rotation of receivers that new receivers
coach Dwayne Dixon used against
Gardner-Webb. He always seemed to have an interesting mix of players in there. Dixon has tremendous
energy and is an amazing coach. You can always hear him bellowing the words,
"Great daaaaaaaay toooo get betttttaaa" when the receivers are stretching
before practice. He is constantly teaching and is a high energy guy. One time
when Jameson Hartke picked off a pass during a scrimmage, Coach Dixon ran
across the field and lowered his shoulder into the All-MAC defensive end,
sending Hartke stumbling and nearly sent him to the ground. Coach Dixon’s
energy and enthusiasm for the game of football are infectious. He coached three
of the greatest receivers in college football history in Ike Hilliard, Jacquez
Green, and Reidel Anthony at Florida.
The Bobcat players’ are extremely lucky to have the staff they have in place,
one I truly believe is the best in the MAC and one of the best in the country.

One more note about the receivers is that true freshman Matt Donahue had an
impressive debut, snagging two balls for 30 yards. The kid has had a tremendous
fall camp and really came out of nowhere, because he was a late signee for the
Bobcats. He is one of those players that the ball just seems to stick to his
hands. The Nebraska
native will be a dangerous asset for Brad Bower to hit in the open field,
because his superb hands coupled with his lightning quick speed will be
downright lethal. Look for a big season from the fab frosh.

Another freshman I would look to have a very big year is a player that I think
could very well end up being the best linebacker in Ohio football history. His name is of
course, Noah Keller, and Bobcat fans
that have seen his high school highlights probably understand why I would dare
to make such a bold assessment. If you need to see them click on the link here: Noah Keller Link

Keller was one of my favorite Ohio
football recruits entering fall camp and the fab freshman has not disappointed.
The two-time Nebraska
state shot put champion is blessed with a tremendous amount of lateral speed(4.65
forty time) and is a ferocious hitter. He drew rave reviews from Coach Solich
during his radio show last Tuesday for the great instincts he has displayed so
far. He delivered a bone-rattling hit against a Gardner Webb player that drew
oohs from Ohio’s
cornerbacks reviewing film from Saturday night’s game. The former Nebraska
Defensive Player of the Year is a "heat-seeking missile in pads" and is
destined for greatness on the gridiron. He’s already become the second string
middle linebacker and will add some quality depth at the position, behind the
team’s emotional leader Taj Henley. Keller is still learning the nuances of
pass coverage and ran into some rough spots during fall camp, but rest assured
the kid from the land of the Cornhuskers is oozing with potential.

Another linebacker who I have been very impressed with is the pride of Tyler, Texas,
nickel back Errik Ejike. The Texas native has very
impressive football instincts and is tremendously fast. He’ll be an excellent
weapon for defensive coordinator Jimmy Burrow to deploy during nickel
coverages, because Ejike is an excellent cover man. He’s got a tremendous nose
for the football and that will only help him make more and more plays as the
season progresses for the Bobcats.

Another impressive performance at the linebacker position came from Kentucky native Lee Renfro. The former safety showed
why coaches decided to switch him to linebacker in the first place after he
racked up 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and one sack. That stat line is very impressive
and it is enough for me to give him my vote for Defensive MVP of the game. I’d
look for Renfro to add some high quality depth at the linebacker position this
season for the Green and White.

Linebacker Jordan Meyers lead the
team in tackles and stuffed the stat sheet for the Bobcats. He racked up 7
tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack to pick up where he left off during the
2006 season in which he led the Bobcat defense in tackles before going down
with a leg injury against Missouri.
Meyers is a "heat-seeking missile in pads" with an excellent nose for the
football an amazing amount of lateral speed. Linebacker Taj Henley calls Meyers
one of the best linebackers he has ever played with and that is saying
something because Henley attended Fork
Union Military
Academy in Virginia. FUMA is well-known for producing
some of the nation’s top football talent year in, year out. It is practically a
whos who of college football when you list Fork Union Alumni but here are a few
names of some people who have attended there: former Virginia receiver Billy McMullen and former
Tennessee Titans’ running back Eddie George. Did I mention that the coach of
their post-graduate team, John Shuman, is rather legendary in Virginia football circles? Shuman sends 24
to 36 kids to Division 1 football programs across the country each year and has
had more than 50 players go on to play in the NFL or other professional
leagues.

Ohio’s
promising young cornerback Julian
"Joonie" Posey took advantage of his first taste of playing time as a
Bobcat. The redshirt freshman has improved vastly in the past couple of months
under the tutelage of cornerbacks coach David Brown and had an excellent
showing Saturday. Posey is a cornerback that is bursting at the seams with
athleticism and is starting to get the football IQ to go with it. On Saturday,
he was third on the team with five tackles and had one impressive pass breakup.
The Cincinnati LaSalle product dove in front of the receiver and swatted the
ball to the ground. 

The corner back who had the best performance and would be a candidate for
Defensive MVP honors was junior Mark
Parson. Big things were expected from Parson this season and the All-MAC
candidate did not disappoint in his 2007 debut, snagging two interceptions. One
of them was called out of bounds, but the replay seemed to show that he was in
bounds when he made the leaping grab on the sideline.

 If he puts up staggering numbers like he
did last season, Parson will be on the radar of NFL scouts across the country.
He still has some spots where he can improve, but I still think Parson will
have a huge year, because his football IQ is increasing more and more every
day. Coach David Brown is a tremendous teacher in the film room and has an
extensive amount of knowledge about the cornerback position. Under Brown’s
tutelage I would look for Parson to make sure the opponents’ top receiver is
locked down for the Bobcats. A first-team All-MAC type of season from the Richmond, Virginia
native is a very good possibility.

Game ball for the worst call of the game
goes to: This one is a tie between the referee who called Parson out on the
second interception and the referee that called a holding penalty on cornerback
Thad Turner.

The defensive stat that I expected from this game the most: 65 rushing yards
allowed by the Ohio
defense. The Bobcats’ front four did a tremendous job in clogging up the
rushing lanes like they have all fall camp. There were no surprises here.
Limiting the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs to just 65 rushing yards was very impressive
and they will be tested on Saturday when they face one of the best running
backs in the Sun Belt in Tyrell Fenroy. This kind of peformance will be
expected from the Bobcats’ front four for most of the season, because when you
have athletes like Landon Cohen, Ernie
Hodge, Jake Williamson, and Jameson Hartke on the defensive line, then you
expect dominant numbers.

The defensive stat I least expected from
this game: 264 yards of total offense allowed by the Bobcat defense. The
Bobcat pass defense was getting eaten alive all evening by quarterback Devin
Campbell playing pitch and catch with his receivers. Many of the cornerbacks
missed a few tackles during the game and Mark
Parson was a victim on a few plays. Donovan Flagler had a solid evening and
Gardner-Webb was able to move the ball with ease because of Campbell’s ability to utilize the three-step
drop when the corners were playing loose coverage. Gardner-Webb failed to
capitalize on a few drives for two reasons: one was one of the worst calls of
the game in which a Gardner Webb receiver hauled in a pass inside the five yard
line, landed on the ground, and then the ball came loose. The referee ruled the
pass incomplete, which was a bad call in my opinion. The second was because of
band hands by the Garder-Webb receiver, who caught the ball then coughed it up
in mid-air, allowing Ohio safety Ervin Jackson to snag his first
interception. Jackson
was just in the right place at the right time and it really seemed like a gift
from the Gardner-Webb receiver. Safety
Steven Jackson’s presence on the field will be welcomed with open arms,
because he provides much more "high-quality depth" at the safety position. Neil Jereb simply doesn’t have the
athleticism of somebody like Jackson, who had a phenomenal year last season,
posting impressive numbers in the few games that he saw action(Kent State, Eastern Michigan). Jackson
sat out Saturday night and the Bobcat secondary simply didn’t look the same
without Mike Mitchell or him out
there. Jackson
could have a very big year for the Bobcats as long as his turf toe is not a
chronic problem for him. Another man who should also help the Bobcat defense
because of his tremendous ability to rush the passer off-the-edge is standout
sophomore Ernie Hodge.
The 6’2, 271 pound defensive lineman is a freak of nature and is amazingly fast
for somebody his size. That’s not even mentioning he has the strength of an ox
and was one of the strongest players on the squad in the team’s annual "Samurai
Bobcat" competition over the summer. Hodge was blessed with an amazing amount
of athleticism and if he stays out of trouble, the NFL will come calling some
day. He’s a freak.

Another reason I think the defense allowed so many yards was that Ohio’s coaches were
rotating a lot of players in and out of the game in order to get a variety of
players game-experience. It is hard for any defense to maintain consistency
when you are constantly dealing with different players being on the field at
different times.

I’d look for the Bobcat pass defense to improve as the season progresses and
the secondary will bounce back from this performance.

Hard hit of the night award goes to:
wide receiver Taylor Price. The hardest hits in football usually come on
special teams and Saturday night was no different as Taylor Price eyeballed a
Gardner-Webb defender who was trailing Chris
Garrett down the sideline on his punt return. Price then lowered the boom
on his unsuspecting victim and dropped the player to the turf. Price even had a
few words to say about it after the hit, which isn’t surprising. It was a
bone-rattling hit and it is too bad Garrett’s electric punt return that he
returned for a touchdown was called back because of Ejike’s penalty. Garrett
made some moves on that return that looked like something out of a video game,
dodging defenders and breaking tackles from nearly every direction. The Bobcats
should find more ways to get Garrett the ball in space, because with his
speed(4.29 40 yard dash) and amazing acceleration, he’s a threat to take the
rock to the house every time his hands touch the pigskin. He’s electric and I
like to call him "lightning in a bottle", because while he may be small, he’s
super-explosive. Garrett can put the pedal to the floor and leave defenders in
his wake in an instant.

Another special teams player that had a good performance was the transfer from
Washington, kicker Michael Braunstein.
Braunstein had been pretty inconsistent in practice for most of fall camp until
the week leading up to the game. He was looking sharp in practice and did not
disappoint on Saturday, connecting on field goals of 21 and 43 yards. He also
averaged more than 57 yards a kick on the seven kickoff attempts he booted
throughout the game. Hopefully he keeps his consistency up and makes the transfer
worthwhile for both parties.

Hats off to the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs
passing attack: They made this game much closer than I thought it was going to
be and they had their fair share of opportunities, but were robbed by some very
bad calls and some mistakes.

News and notes: Cornerback Idris
Lawrence is a very physical corner and had an excellent fall camp, but had to
have been disappointed when he didn’t reel in an interception that hit him
right in the hands. Lawrence also
recovered one of Abrams’ blocked punts, to help give the Bobcats excellent
field position. Lawrence also delivered one of the most jarring
hits I have ever seen in football in fall camp when he laid a punishing hit on
Josh Abrams. Bobcat fans should look for a very solid season from the physical
corner, who might be small in size but plays with a big heart.

 Freshman
running backs Vince Davidson and Donte Harden looked very impressive in their
first few weeks of college football dancing around the Bobcat defense with
ease. Davidson had one of the nicest moves in fall camp when he had a Bobcat
defender in his hip pocket and put it in the spin cycle to his right side. It
was pretty sweet.

This is the first Ohio
Bobcat football column I’ve written for the 2007 season and let me finish it
off by paying tribute to Herb Edwards, a former film staff member for Ohio football who passed
away this summer. Herb was one of the biggest Ohio
football fans I have ever met in my life and the man truly loved what he did:
filming Ohio
football. Herb didn’t ask for money and he didn’t ask for any type of
recognition. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what this world is all about. Herb
just loved being a part of the team. Everybody around Ohio football knew Herb, at least in the
administration. He had been around Ohio
football for longer than I have been alive and he served as an inspiration to
me. I loved hearing his knowledge about the old Ohio football teams, because Herb had been
around so long. Herbie, rest in peace my man, you will be missed. Like BC said,
at least you went out on a good season-2006 MAC East Champs. Here’s to hoping
that 2007 is even better!