Ohio needs offense to come through for it to compete for the MAC title.
The Bobcats, during the 2016 season, could move forward to earn the team’s first MAC Championship since 1968 thanks to their strong defense.
Or, Ohio could once again break down as the season goes on, faltering down the stretch to a pedestrian record.
And it all might depend on how the offense performs.
“We’re gonna go into the offseason and work our butt off,” redshirt senior quarterback Greg Windham said after the spring game. “We’re gonna do everything we can to get ready for the fall and put on a show.”
But if the spring game was any indication of the Bobcats' upcoming season, the defense will have to carry the team this season.
The defense beat the offense 62-18 during the April 9 spring game.
“I thought the defense as a unit looked good,” coach Frank Solich said after the game. “Their effort was really good, but I can’t say the same for the offense.”
Junior middle linebacker Quentin Poling, who acts as the heart of the team, leads the defensive unit.
With Poling in the middle, the Bobcats' defense shined. With him on the sidelines injured, the entire team struggled.
Ohio went on a three-game losing streak last season when Poling was out of the lineup. They were outscored 152-55 in his absence. With Poling there, they went 8-2.
If Poling, among others, can stay healthy, teams are going to have a difficult time finding the end zone against the Bobcats.
It will be the offense, however, that determines if Ohio’s season is a success or failure.
The Bobcats boast a tremendous set of skill players, with an incredibly deep group of running backs led by A.J. Ouellette and Papi White and a sure-handed wide receiver group led by Sebastian Smith and Jordan Reid.
At the quarterback position, the Bobcats will be led by two player's veteran presence.
Redshirt seniors Windham and J.D. Sprague appear to be the two frontrunners for the job, and will compete in fall camp for the starting spot.
With a young, inexperienced line in front of them, the Bobcats will look to get the ball out in space to their playmakers. If not, that could prove worrisome for them.
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With visits to the Big 12's Kansas and SEC's Tennessee, the firepower is there on the schedule to make for an interesting season.
If the team can hold up injury-wise, there really isn’t a reason that the Bobcats cannot compete for a MAC Championship.
With a talented defense and quick-strike offense, Ohio fans have to be thinking, “why not us?”
@Andrew_Gillis70
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