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Opponent Profile: Ohio Bobcats, Frank Solich Look to Ruin Gophers 2015 Homecoming
By Luke Gildemeister
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/556541?referrer_id=
It’s hard to believe, but the Minnesota Gopher’s non-conference schedule is nearing completion. The Ohio Bobcats will come to Minneapolis on Sept. 26 in an attempt to spoil the Minnesota Gophers’ homecoming weekend. Below is all you need to know before the 2:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday:
Players to Keep an Eye on
Ohio has split its quarterback duties so far this season, almost exactly what they did in 2014. Expect to see a lot of redshirt senior quarterback Derrius Vick under center on Saturday. Sophomore tailback A.J. Ouellette will attempt to frustrate the stingy Minnesota defensive line, while senior tailback Daz’mond Patterson and freshman Papi White should also get some carries. Ouellette ran for a notable 785 yards as a freshman in 2014.
Strong Start Offensively
Sure, Ohio’s first three opponents have been far from stellar. But the Bobcats haven’t wasted any time putting points onto the scoreboard so far this season. Ohio defeated lowly Idaho University by a score of 45-28 in their season opener. Next, they defeated rival Marshall University 22-10 on Sept. 12. In week three the Bobcats destroyed Southeastern Louisiana, an FCS program, winning 35-14. Can Ohio repeat their early offensive success against a top-notch Big Ten defense?
Recent Competitiveness
Within the past half-decade, Ohio has actually had a fairly decent football program. The Bobcats put together a very impressive stretch of consistency, making five straight postseason bowl games from 2009-2013, of which they won two. To put that into perspective, Ohio made just one postseason bowl game (2006 GMAC Bowl) in nearly four decades from 1969-2008. The recent turnaround is partially due to an improved coaching staff (see below).
Solich Factor
Does the name Frank Solich sound familiar? If so, it’s probably because you saw him coaching the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Solich is nothing short of a god in Lincoln, where he spent six seasons as head coach from 1998-2003. The peak of his campaign came in 2001, when his Huskers made it to the national championship before losing 37-14 to the Miami Hurricanes. Solich has continued his coaching success since taking over the Ohio program in 2005, turning a once-downtrodden football program into a force that has been bowl-eligible every season since 2009.
Head-to-Head History
Surprisingly, the matchups between the two teams date back to 1970. The Minnesota Gophers are 8-1-1 against Ohio. Yes, the Gophers and Bobcats actually tied in 1969 at Memorial Stadium. The lone loss for the Gophers came in 2000, when the Glen Mason-led squad was defeated 23-17 in the Metrodome. The two teams most recently met in 2003.
Campus Sneak-Peek
Ohio University is located in Athens, Ohio. The campus is home to 17,375 undergraduate students and was founded in 1804, almost a half-century before the University of Minnesota was founded in 1851. Ohio’s athletic teams participate in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division.
One Last Comment
It is worth noting that Ohio currently leads the MAC in scoring defense. The Bobcats have allowed an average of just 17.3 points per game to opponents. This could prove to be a challenge for the struggling Gopher offense, which compiled just 10 points against Kent State last weekend.
To summarize, the Ohio Bobcats are a little-known yet respectable program with a better-than-average head coach. They currently sit atop of the MAC East Division standings and will most likely provide Minnesota with a much tougher test than last week’s opponent. One would think that the Bobcats simply lack the offensive playmakers to score often on the Gopher defense. But if the Mitch Leidner-led offense repeats their performance from last Saturday, Ohio will provide Minnesota with a tough homecoming test.
By Luke Gildemeister
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/556541?referrer_id=
It’s hard to believe, but the Minnesota Gopher’s non-conference schedule is nearing completion. The Ohio Bobcats will come to Minneapolis on Sept. 26 in an attempt to spoil the Minnesota Gophers’ homecoming weekend. Below is all you need to know before the 2:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday:
Players to Keep an Eye on
Ohio has split its quarterback duties so far this season, almost exactly what they did in 2014. Expect to see a lot of redshirt senior quarterback Derrius Vick under center on Saturday. Sophomore tailback A.J. Ouellette will attempt to frustrate the stingy Minnesota defensive line, while senior tailback Daz’mond Patterson and freshman Papi White should also get some carries. Ouellette ran for a notable 785 yards as a freshman in 2014.
Strong Start Offensively
Sure, Ohio’s first three opponents have been far from stellar. But the Bobcats haven’t wasted any time putting points onto the scoreboard so far this season. Ohio defeated lowly Idaho University by a score of 45-28 in their season opener. Next, they defeated rival Marshall University 22-10 on Sept. 12. In week three the Bobcats destroyed Southeastern Louisiana, an FCS program, winning 35-14. Can Ohio repeat their early offensive success against a top-notch Big Ten defense?
Recent Competitiveness
Within the past half-decade, Ohio has actually had a fairly decent football program. The Bobcats put together a very impressive stretch of consistency, making five straight postseason bowl games from 2009-2013, of which they won two. To put that into perspective, Ohio made just one postseason bowl game (2006 GMAC Bowl) in nearly four decades from 1969-2008. The recent turnaround is partially due to an improved coaching staff (see below).
Solich Factor
Does the name Frank Solich sound familiar? If so, it’s probably because you saw him coaching the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Solich is nothing short of a god in Lincoln, where he spent six seasons as head coach from 1998-2003. The peak of his campaign came in 2001, when his Huskers made it to the national championship before losing 37-14 to the Miami Hurricanes. Solich has continued his coaching success since taking over the Ohio program in 2005, turning a once-downtrodden football program into a force that has been bowl-eligible every season since 2009.
Head-to-Head History
Surprisingly, the matchups between the two teams date back to 1970. The Minnesota Gophers are 8-1-1 against Ohio. Yes, the Gophers and Bobcats actually tied in 1969 at Memorial Stadium. The lone loss for the Gophers came in 2000, when the Glen Mason-led squad was defeated 23-17 in the Metrodome. The two teams most recently met in 2003.
Campus Sneak-Peek
Ohio University is located in Athens, Ohio. The campus is home to 17,375 undergraduate students and was founded in 1804, almost a half-century before the University of Minnesota was founded in 1851. Ohio’s athletic teams participate in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division.
One Last Comment
It is worth noting that Ohio currently leads the MAC in scoring defense. The Bobcats have allowed an average of just 17.3 points per game to opponents. This could prove to be a challenge for the struggling Gopher offense, which compiled just 10 points against Kent State last weekend.
To summarize, the Ohio Bobcats are a little-known yet respectable program with a better-than-average head coach. They currently sit atop of the MAC East Division standings and will most likely provide Minnesota with a much tougher test than last week’s opponent. One would think that the Bobcats simply lack the offensive playmakers to score often on the Gopher defense. But if the Mitch Leidner-led offense repeats their performance from last Saturday, Ohio will provide Minnesota with a tough homecoming test.
