Whatever distracts you from the terrible college football season on the way…that’s what we’re here for with the first few teams of the 77 in 77 series. Actually, we don’t. Not at all.
We’re here to preview your season Ohio Bobcats fans. Just 76 more days till it kicks off. Ohio U. has made some funny news in recent years. Not actual news, but Fark. And Fark is one of my favorite news sites. It’s the best!
Here’s a couple stories Fark would love. Remember when the Ohio Bobcats mascot attacked Brutus the Buckeye ? Fun times in this program. (watch video here) I mean believe me I want to repeatedly punch everything and everyone Ohio State too, but I wouldn’t act on those impulses.
Former Ohio Bobcats punter Paul Hershey did some squawking through social media before the bowl game in 2011. Let’s say he wasn’t happy that his Bobcats were going to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho, Hershey tweeted:
“Idaho?? Who the fuck wants to play there in December??”
I’d link it, but his account is now gone. Ahhhhhh, my kind of team these Ohio Bobcats are. My kind of team!
Ohio Bobcats last season: 9-4 with a win over a school you’ve never heard of in the Independence Bowl. Not bad! The postseason W was redeeming given how awful these guys finished the year. Which was rather disappointing as OU started out so hot. They really ran over everybody. The rushing attack worked effectively out of a three-receiver set to roll up yards, points and manage clock.
Reasons to get EXCITED! ALL CAPS! QB Tyler Tettleton is back. And he’s good. So there’s that. The star tailback with 1,600 yards and 15 TDs returns as well. Back-to-back bowl wins, and the entire backfield coming back. And with Frank Solich at the helm, get ready for some MACtion in ’13. Things will probably get worse though. Last year, the 7-0 start degenerated into a 1-4 finish and the Ohio Bobcats looked like a team that peaked. And this year features talent but inexperience on both lines.
Reasons to get worried :( They do run the ball very very well. However, other than rushing, what exactly does this team do exceedingly well? They really only have a returning starter in both the linebacking corps and the secondary. Zero coming back up front. They have some other guys who have played a lot in the defensive backfield coming back, but they probably won’t start. And Ohio U. is ranked dead last in the MAC in recruiting. Lots of question marks. But hey, the other teams in conference are much much worse.
Key games: August 31st vs Louisville Cardinals. (good luck with that!), Sept 7th vs North Texas begins the stretch of every game being then winnable. Well, you would think.
Key & Peele East/West College Bowl Roster: RB Beau Blankenship, KR Daz’mond Patterson, LB Davon Donovan,
Ohio Bobcats bottom line: There’s nowhere to go but down. With their soft schedule, at least 5-7 is a lock. 7-5 or even 8-4 is doable. However, they’ll still be a pretty bad team. Even if they finish 2nd in the MAC East, which many believe will happen, it doesn’t mean they’re really good. Solich has 6 RS on O to work with. Other than the Cardinals in opening week, there are no world-beaters on the Ohio Bobcats schedule. However, that streak of no conference championships since 1968- look for that to continue a little longer.
For the 2013 College Football rankings 1-77
#76 Kansas Jayhawks
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. (“Quasi-endorsed” by Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly) He’s also an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
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