Day in and day out Ohio defenders go head-to-head with the Bobcats’ hurry-up offense, leaving defenders drenched in sweat, and more conditioned than many of their opponents.
So when Ohio’s defensive line squares up across from Marshall’s high-octane offense Saturday, it won’t have to ratchet up to speed, but will be able to play at its normal pace.
This season, the Thundering Herd has made its mark offensively by establishing the nation’s most prolific passing attack, and has thrived off the long ball.
It’s the responsibility of the Bobcats defensive line to disrupt Marshall’s fast-paced flow by breaking through the Thundering Herd’s front line and making a mark on sophomore quarterback Rakeem Cato.
“Our job is to be destructive and cause havoc on the line of scrimmage so we can try to interrupt (Cato’s) throws and make him uncomfortable in the pocket,” said redshirt senior defensive lineman Neal Huynh.
Marshall coach Doc Holliday mentioned in a Tuesday news conference that the Bobcats are well conditioned, a trait that will bode well when going up against the Thundering Herd’s bang-bang attack.
“All through summer camp and spring ball we’ve been going against our fast-paced offense, so I don’t think we’ll get surprised by it like most teams,” said Ohio redshirt senior defensive lineman Corey Hasting.
More so than just keeping up and disrupting the Thundering Herd, the Bobcats will have to find a way to disrupt their rhythm as well.
Cato, who threw four interceptions and was sacked once last season against Ohio, is one of the most prolific passers in the nation, and has thrown for 790 yards this season.
“He does a good job of getting the ball out on time, so it’s going to come down to us as a defensive line and a defense making him uncomfortable as the game goes on,” Hasting said.
For all the talk of Marshall’s strength through the air, its ground game is far from pedestrian, averaging 158.5 yards per game.
Their backfield force lies in numbers, as five players average double-digit yards per game. Kevin Grooms, Travon Van and Steward Butler share the brunt of the workload, combining for almost 120 yards on the ground each game.
Last week, the Bobcats ratcheted up their defensive-line presence, being that they recorded six sacks as opposed to none the previous week. However, redshirt junior offensive lineman Nic Barber said they were working with what they were given, which was more opportunities for takedown plays.
“(New Mexico State) passed more than Penn State, so we had more chances on third downs and more (aggressive) calls,” Barber said.
With the Battle for the Bell on the line, the Bobcats will take whatever opportunities they can get to retain the rivalry’s upper hand for the second-straight year for the first time since 1980, when they won their last of six straight games against the Thundering Herd.
r992810@ohiou.edu
