On most Tuesdays throughout the regular season, coach Frank Solich could be found at Peden Stadium, leading the Bobcats through a two-hour, full pads practice.
After landing in Mobile, Ala., this Tuesday, the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year and the Bobcats were greeted by a group of old-fashioned southern belles. Later in the evening, Solich received the key to the city.
To say the least, it hasn’t been a normal gameday week for the Bobcats as they prepare to take on the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in Sunday’s GMAC Bowl.
Although he has coached in a number of hype-driven bowl games that dwarf the eight-year old GMAC bowl, Solich said he knows that the pre-game hoopla could have an effect on his bowl-inexperienced squad.
“We want to make sure it doesn’t hit them so hard that when it comes time for the kickoff they’re not still standing around and enjoying the festivities of the bowl,” Solich said.
Linebacker Matt Muncy said that while the pre-game festivities will be a unique experience, come Sunday, it will be business as usual for the MAC East Division champions.
“We’re going down there for one reason, and that’s to win a football game,” he said.
Getting back in the game
Rust may be another variable Ohio will have to overcome if they hope to knock off the Conference USA East Division champion Golden Eagles. The Bobcats have not hit anyone wearing a different jersey than their own in more than a month and seem anxious as ever to do so.
“It’s been four weeks now, so it’s about time,” said Ohio’s leading tackler, linebacker Tyler Russ.
Four weeks off may have been just what the Bobcats needed after their disappointing 31-10 loss to Central Michigan Nov. 30 in the MAC Championship. Hampered by injuries to quarterbacks Austen Everson and Brad Bower, Ohio’s offensive attack looked anemic against a tough Central Michigan defense, while the Chippewas’ offense made big play after big play against an overwhelmed Bobcats’ defense.
“We’ve put that behind us,” Solich said. “We did address it when they came back. We talked about the game and talked about what we needed to do better in order to put ourselves in position to win.”
Offensive lineman and team captain Matt Coppage said that Ohio’s poor performance in the conference championship should not tarnish its accomplishments from the entire season.
“We played good football for a lot of games and we’re trying to bring all these things together that allowed us to be successful and put it all together for one last one,” he said.
Scouting the Golden Eagles
Keeping with a common trend from the regular season, the Bobcats will have their hands full Sunday trying to contain one of the nation’s best running backs.
After facing Northern Illinois’ Garrett Wolfe and Rutgers’ Ray Rice earlier this season, who finished the year first and third respectively in the nation for total rushing yards, the Bobcats defense will be tested by a strong Golden Eagles’ running attack, led by freshman Damion Fletcher. Fletcher finished the season 11th in the country in rushing yards, compiling 1,330 yards on 256 carries with nine touchdowns.
During the regular season, a strong performance from Fletcher would usually translate into victories for the Golden Eagles, as they won all but one of the games in which he ran for more than 100 yards, a statistic Solich hasn’t failed to recognize.
“They’re an athletic team that likes to run the ball, and they do a very good job of it. It’ll be a challenge to get that ground game controlled,” Solich said. “They’re a very diversified attack, but it’s obvious you like to start off by shutting down their running game and trying to make them as one-dimensional as possible.”
Making Southern Mississippi’s running attack even more potent is the mobility of quarterback Jeremy Young. While he may not have one of the best arms in college football, his legs have kept opposing defenses guessing whenever he decides to roll out of the pocket.
“I think he’s very mobile and has a chance to rank among the top that we’ve faced this year in terms of making plays with his legs, regardless of whether you’re talking the option game or scrambling,” Solich said.
The Bobcats will be looking for a boost from their own mobile quarterback, Everson, who will be returning to action after aggravating an ankle injury in the first quarter of the MAC Championship.
Everson’s numbers have been nowhere near impressive during his career at Ohio, however, a lack of cohesion was apparent in his absence.
“He’ll be in much better shape in this game than what he was for the MAC Championship Game,” Solich said. “We’ll see what that means. Hopefully, he’ll be able to play and hold up.”
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