The Post analyzes Ohio coach Frank Solich's Monday press conference.
Another Monday morning, another Frank Solich press conference.
The Bobcats' head coach addressed the media in regard to Ohio's next matchup, which will be with Western Michigan on Saturday.
Here are a few points:
On Ohio's defense
“We are going to continue to get tested throughout the season. There are really a lot of great football teams in the MAC. You look at our schedule now, we will be facing a good portion of those teams. We will be tested. At the beginning of the year, we thought our linebackers could be very impactful with their ability to run and make plays. We have gotten a little bit banged up in that area. We are still trying to come back from those injuries to get us back to full strength. This is the same situation as rush end. So, injuries start to play a little bit of a role. We were pretty deep going into the season as far as talent goes on the defensive side of the ball. Our corners are playing well. Our interior people have held up very well, as well."
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="30f37d90-6f95-11e5-ad6a-dfd06ec69ae0"}}
Pretty honest response from Solich. The Bobcats' defense is finally getting healthy with Jovon Johnson and Tarell Basham returning. They will be tested in the next few weeks. Western Michigan is the fourth-best scoring offense in the Mid-American Conference, and Bowling Green, in two weeks, will be similar. Bowling Green averages close to 41 points per game.
On kicker Josiah Yazdani
"They all are a little different. It is a position that you can have success with, but then, all of the sudden, it’s just not going through. You can offer some tips, but you don’t want to do it too often. We wanted him to get himself back on track. He’s proving to be a good kicker. He started rolling his shoulders forward a little and is focusing on keeping square now. He worked himself through it and had a excellent week of practice. He felt a lot more confident.”
Yazdani seems to be in a groove as of late. After struggling early on in the season, he made a 50-yard field goal and 41-yard field goal against Miami. Yazdani's consistency could be a point to look out for as the Bobcats look to become bowl eligible.
On Western Michigan
“You can’t look at their stats at all, actually. I don’t think they are relevant because of the quality of teams they have played on their schedule. You can’t read anything into it. We have watched them on film, and it is pretty evident they have a good football team.”
Fair statement. After five weeks, Western Michigan has played two ranked teams (No. 1 Ohio State, No. 5 Michigan State), but also scored 41 points on Central Michigan. Western Michigan's defensive statistics are inflated because of its difficult schedule, so my point: Saturday's game will be closer than stats predict.
@Lukeoroark
Lr514812@Ohio.edu
