Frank Solich wants Ohio to be aggressive. The question, though, is how aggressive?
Solich backtracked. Ohio will be aggressive, but not ruthless.
He said that Aug. 8 during media day at Peden Stadium. And since then, there’s been a sweeping sense of optimism around camp.
Even when former starting quarterback JD Sprague left the team, the Bobcats were sad for their former teammate but ready to move on.
So what does the future hold?
Well, for the offense, there will be new formations and new packages.
Offensive coordinator and running back coach Tim Albin said the unit could easily transform between big, powerful players and smaller, more elusive ones.
The Bobcats will play with three running backs on the field at the same time on occasion — or at least have the ability to do so if interested. The power of Dorian Brown and A.J. Oullette should come across as a nice contrast to Papi White, a running back/wide receiver hybrid.
Essentially, the offense should not be as predictable.
Assuming opposing defenses will apply heavy doses of blitzes to rattle new starting quarterback Greg Windham’s passing game, the ability to spread an opponent on the ground or in play action will ease the pressure off Windham — although he says there’s no pressure about his new role.
The Bobcats should be even better defensively.
The team not only brings back its front seven linemen and linebackers, but it’s also got depth, which it was lacking last season.
Blair Bown, Quentin Poling and Chad Moore across the middle at linebackers should be a nice buffer zone between the linemen and a less-experienced secondary. But even the cornerbacks and safeties could fill out the defense perfectly if they’re as talented as they are confident. That’s a good thing for Solich.
Defensive coordinator Jim Burrow also wants his group to be more aggressive (i.e. blitzing more often). Not to say the Bobcats are going for a title at all costs, but they're throwing out conservative ideologies Bobcat fans may have previously been accustomed to.
Sure, the season doesn’t start until next Saturday. And even when Ohio kicks off, there’s still a lot of time before Mid-American Conference play begins in October.
In that timespan, Ohio should be able to work out kinks that may build up while also adding game-time experience to guys on the lower end of the depth chart.
Of course, Ohio wants to upset Tennessee. That could arguably be the talking point everyone looks back to this season. But if that doesn’t happen, getting second-stringers on the field in the last few series — and good portions of the Gardner-Webb game — should help the Bobcats get off to a positive start to conference play.
With an away game at Miami to start, followed by Bowling Green at home for Homecoming, maybe the aggressiveness will lead to something grandeur.
