With preparation for this weekend’s trip to Cincinnati underway, Ohio coach Frank Solich addressed the media Monday to recap the loss to Virginia and preview the Bobcats’ matchup with the Bearcats.
— On the ongoing struggles on the defensive side of the ball, particularly giving up big plays: "First thing we're going to do is get to be a better technique. Some of the things happening are just bad technique. Then, making sure that we're assignment oriented and not having a guy bust here or there that causes a big and explosive gain when nine or ten guys are playing really well and one guy is not. It's getting everyone on the same page and making sure that every time the ball snaps we're confident in what we're doing. I think that way our talent will show a lot more."
— Ohio has now struggled to perform early in both its games. The Bobcats have been down by double digits in both games this season. But Solich thinks his team can correct its slow starts. “This was a road game, the other was a home game, so it's hard to pin something down there. We just have to talk to our team about it and identify what is happened in the first two games and try to gather some energy, excitement and confidence to get off to a great start. That's the plan that I think is probably what we're going to try and see how that goes."
— Solich thinks his run game can get going, but it will take all 11 men to execute assignments. Ohio has four of its five offensive linemen back from last season, and it has two redshirt senior running backs to carry the ball. But the run game and defensive woes are both correctable: “I think with both sides of the ball, it comes to eleven men executing.”
— Nathan Rourke knows how to make plays with his feet. A season ago, he had 21 rushing touchdowns. The signal caller had a 70-yard run to set up a touchdown Saturday. Overall, he had five rushes for 41 yards against Virginia, but 29 yards were taken away by sacks.
“When he sees an opening, he's got the green light to take it,” Solich said. “It was not a designed run. All of Nathan's were on non-designed runs in that ballgame. There were one or two that, maybe, on the reads, maybe we had a chance to keep it, but when you're in the shoes of the quarterback and you're out there, there are a lot of things he's trying to do well, and he usually makes some really good decisions. And I'm not saying he made bad decisions because I can see where it could have gone either way."
— After missing Ohio’s opener against Howard, safety Javon Hagan returned to the field in the loss to Virginia. Solich likes what he saw out of•Hagan, but knows he can play better.
— UC has a daunting defense and an offense that can put up points. Solich knows the task ahead, and he took the time to compliment the Bearcats: "They have a really good football team. As you look at them, they're 3-0, they've dominated in the games they've played.”
