Walking off the field after a 30-10 blowout win against Akron, senior cornerback Roman Parodie was disgruntled. Parodie was pleased with the win; he and his teammates just picked up their first conference win and dominated almost every facet of the game, but Parodie knew they could still do better.
Since that game, Ohio has displayed one of the best defenses in the Mid-American Conference. Parodie's leadership and success, both on and off the field, are big reasons why.
“Ever since the Akron game, things started really clicking for me on the field, and I started playing a lot faster,” Parodie said.
Coming into the season, Ohio’s three defensive captains were safety Jeremiah Wood, defensive end Bradley Weaver and safety Adonis Williams. By the start of conference play, every defensive captain besides Weaver was injured and Wood was already out for the season.
All the injuries opened a spot for players like Parodie to step up as leaders for Ohio.
“I think the role kind of fell on to me,” Parodie said. “We had a lot of the older guys hurt, and I’ve been here for a while ... I just started taking advantage of what was going on.”
Parodie, hailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been with Ohio longer than anyone, having used all of his eligibility to stay in Athens. However, after that pivotal Akron win, Ohio coach Tim Albin noticed that “a different (Parodie)” started showing up to practice.
Parodie knew that his time with Ohio was coming to an end, so he decided to take the role of leader by the reins and take the defense to heights that seemed previously unachievable due to injuries.
“I started getting into film a lot more and taking practice a lot more serious,” Parodie said.
With Parodie spearheading Ohio’s defense, the team finished the regular season ranked in the top three in the MAC in scoring and rushing defense and in the top five in pass defense.
Parodie has been a big reason Ohio has had so much success on the defensive end. He currently leads the team with nine pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
In Ohio’s pivotal 24-7 win against Toledo, the defense shined the brightest. The Ohio secondary held Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason to under 150 yards passing en route to one of the lowest scoring days the Toledo offense has seen all season.
The turning point of Ohio’s win against Toledo was Parodie picking up a fumble to give Ohio possession with the lead, a play that took all hope away from the Rockets offense.
Ohio’s defensive unit has been special this season, which is a big reason why the team was able to clinch a spot in the MAC Championship game this Saturday. For Parodie, the team has been able to find such success because of the bond everyone has formed.
“Even though we’ve only known each other for under a year, it feels like I've been playing with this group for my whole career,” Parodie said.
That bond, combined with Parodie’s leadership on the field, has led Ohio to the MAC Championship game. A win in the championship game would be the perfect end to Parodie's incredible tenure at Ohio.
“It would mean a lot for my last year here; I’m trying to go out with a bang,” Parodie said. “I think we have a special group of guys who can get it done.”
