Will the real Ohio defense please stand up?
In three games at home, the Bobcats’ defense has allowed less than seven points per game. Away from Peden Stadium, however, that average has ballooned to more than 33 points per game after allowing 38 points for the second straight road contest.
The unit has also allowed more yards and forced fewer turnovers on the road.
While they have given up 656 total yards and forced 11 turnovers at home, the Bobcats have allowed 1,288 yards and forced only three turnovers outside of Athens.
Though Ohio coach Frank Solich could not give an exact reason for the disparity, he said injuries and the level of competition have been factors.
“I think (injuries) probably had more to do with it than anything else this past game,” Solich said. “We just didn’t have everybody. When you lose half your football team defensively, it’s going to show.”
After losing three more defensive starters before or during Saturday’s loss, Solich said defensive lineman Curtis Meyers will be ready for Saturday’s game against Ball State. MRIs taken on Monday revealed that safety Xavier Hughes is likely out for the year and lineman Carl Jones might miss more time.
“It didn’t look at the time like it is something they will be able to come back off of immediately,” Solich said.
With a depleted defensive line, Solich said the team might have to break the redshirt off freshman lineman Antwan Crutcher.
One of the few positives for the defensive line against Buffalo was the return of senior captain Jeff King, who played his first snap of the season on Ohio’s second defensive series.
“He got many more snaps than we had hoped,” Solich said. “Obviously he doesn’t have the speed and quickness, but he’s got a great heart and excellent strength, and he utilized those two things as well as he could.”
King was expected to return against Kent State two weekends ago, but a setback delayed his debut another week.
“It felt great to be able to get back out there. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do that,” King said. “I’m probably 75 or 80 percent. I don’t think my knee will be 100 percent for the rest of the year, but it’s good enough where I can get my assignments done, take the right steps and be a factor.”
King recorded one tackle in his first game back.
After a third-consecutive road game in which Ohio’s secondary struggled to stop the passing game, Solich said the unit will need to make adjustments.
“We can’t make too many adjustments personnel-wise because there’s just nobody to make them,” Solich said. “As far as schemes, we’ll do a few things differently.
“I don’t think that you just all of the sudden throw away what you’re doing and try to start anew. I think there’s a lot of good there, and we can find ways of winning football games with the group that we’ve got. There’s no question about that."
ro137807@ohiou.edu
