Ohio
Ohio

Ohio Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 02:35 EST

Ohio wrapped up the spring season with an intra-squad scrimmage on April 21.

It didn't turn out quite like head coach Frank Solich hoped.

Quarterbacks Tyler Tettleton and Derrius Vick completed a combined 19 passes, but were also intercepted six times. Granted, the play by the quarterbacks left something to be desired but several of the turnovers were the result of wide receivers not finishing routes or too easily giving up position when covered.

The final scrimmage lent weight to what had been Ohio's most worrisome prospect entering 2012: finding a way to rebuild a passing game that lost five of its top six receivers from 2011.

"We have to get better in the throwing game, period," Solich said. "We need some of those guys to start stepping up."

In most other respects, Ohio is poised for another big year in 2012. The defense returns eight starters and virtually all of its depth players from a year ago. Tettleton is the clear-cut No. 1 quarterback after a record-setting season last fall. The offensive line returns three starters and has plenty of dept. Ohio has good depth at running back and one of the Mid-American Conference's best kickers.

Ohio was 10-4 in 2011, won the MAC East title for the third time in six years and capped the year with the program's first-ever bowl win. The Bobcats believe more is coming this fall, if they can sort out just a couple of nagging questions.

"I like our depth, I like our speed, I like our experience in a lot of spots," Solich said. "But there is a lot of work to be done. We're not ready just yet for Penn State."

Ohio visits Happy Valley in season opener on Sept. 1. It may be the only game this season where the Bobcats will be the underdog.

"We've developed the program to a certain level," Solich said "The goal though is to keep growing. We're still not there yet."

--Ohio had just one change to the coaching staff during the offseason as Jesse Williams replaced Pete Germano as the team's defensive line coach. Germano left to accept a similar position at Fresno State. Williams doesn't have a personal tie to Solich or the current staff, but did coach against the Bobcats last season as an assistant at New Mexico State.

--Ohio still has not broken ground on a new Indoor Practice Facility. The $11 million project was announced 15 months ago but fundraising for the project has stagnated of late. Ohio hopes to have the final $1.5 million needed to begin the project in line by June, with construction set to begin soon after. The athletic department had hoped to have the IPF in place for the start of the 2013 season.

SPRING MOVERS:

CB Devin Bass -- No player helped himself more this spring than Bass, a feisty, redshirt freshman corner out of Nebraska. Bass was a nuisance in every live action session of the spring, and capped the season with two interceptions in the spring game finale. Though on the small side (5-9, 178), Bass has shown the ability to jam at the line of scrimmage, make catches and run the ball in the open field. He'll get reps next fall, and is the running to be one of Ohio's return guys on special teams.

RB Beau Blankenship -- The junior started spring locked in a dogfight to be the No. 1 running back with fellow junior Ryan Boykin, but may have claimed the starter's job with a terrific spring. He was sharp on pass pro assignments, caught the ball well out of the backfield, and had at least one big run in every live action scrimmage of the spring. He also has chemistry with Tettleton; the two were high school teammates as well.

LT John Prior -- Tettleton's new backside protector watched mostly last season and replaces an All-MAC talent at left tackle this spring. He stepped in seamlessly. A Florida State signee out of high school, Prior returned to his home state a year later. He's been able to develop as a backup the past two seasons and it's anticipated there won't be much drop off.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think we progressed well enough. I was ready to pull my hair out after two weeks, but we really made some stride the third week and carried that over through this week." -- Ohio coach Frank Solich summing up the spring season.

2012 OUTLOOK: The Bobcats have improved by leaps and bounds in seven years under Frank Solich, with 2011 going down as possibly the best for the program in the modern era. Ohio won the MAC East Division for a third time in six years, reached the 10-win plateau for the first time since the late 1960s and capped the year with the first bowl win (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) in team history.

Ohio has a chance to perhaps exceed those triumphs in 2012. The Bobcats return eight defensive starters, welcome back starting quarterback Tyler Tettleton -- who set a slew of school records last year -- and has quality depth nearly across the board thanks to heavy redshirting over the past two recruiting classes.

To top it all off, Ohio has a schedule tailor-made for 10+ wins. The toughest test will be the opener when the Bobcats go to Penn State for the first game in Happy Valley in the post Joe Paterno era. After that, Ohio should be favored in the final 11 games of the season and likely will be the preseason pick to win the MAC East once again.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The offense may tweaked a tad in terms of pass-rush ratio, but should still be effective. QB Tyler Tettleton shattered nearly every Ohio QB benchmark as a first-year starter as a sophomore in 2011. The offensive line replaces both tackles, but is as strong at center and the two guard spots as any team in the MAC. And the Bobcats have depth at running back where Beau Blankenship, Ryan Boykin, Kyle Hammonds and Daz'mond Patterson should all see some work this season.

The concern in on the outside and if Ohio has the type of receivers that can stretch the field and make plays in crunchtime. The group was pedestrian during spring drills, and will need to improve dramatically if the Bobcats are going to continue to be a pass-first ballclub.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Ohio should be set in the back end as the Bobcats return eight players who saw significant time in the secondary last season. The group should be the defense's strength, which again will rely on scheme and speed to confound opponents.

Ohio's front four was sorely lacking in pass rush ability last season, and may not get much of a boost unless some of the young ends recruiting in 2011 start to develop quickly. NT Neal Huynh is one of the best run stuffers in the MAC, but the Bobcats' have few options to really harass the quarterback off the edge.

At linebacker, vets Jelani Woseley and Alphonso Lewis give Ohio two quality outside linebackers. The big question is who replaces five-year leader Noah Keller at MLB? Right now it looks to be former walk-on Keith Moore, but the competition there will continue into fall camp.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Senior Matt Weller returns at place kicker and has been a consistent weapon for Ohio and is coming off a season where he made 25 of 34 attempts -- though just 6 of 14 from outside 40 yards. The other pieces will be new. Redshirt freshman Grant Venham is the leader to be the new punter, and Ohio is expected to have a new collection of punt and kick returns and a new long snapper.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

RB Daz'mond Patterson -- Patterson enrolled early, in time for winter quarter in fact, and the high schooler quickly adapted to the college level. Despite working with a broken hand most of the spring, Patterson impressed with his ability to cut, make people miss in the open field, and his knack for finding daylight. Though small -- he's just 5-6 and 185 pounds -- Patterson is will play some snaps next fall as a change of pace back and on special teams where he has a chance to be an electric returner.

DE Ty Branz -- One of two junior college DE's brought in to shore up the front four, Branz established himself as a steady, solid player this spring. He's didn't dominate the line of scrimmage or blow by opposing tackles, but he picked up the defense and should be a solid bonus to the rotation next fall.

WR Matt Waters -- Another junior college transfer, Waters rose to the top of the depth chart at the slot receiver position in spring camp. With good hands and a decent frame, he'll be used to probe the middle of the field on intermediate routes. Waters has a chance to be in the opening day lineup at Penn State.

LS Miles Chapman -- Chapman wasn't on the roster at the start of spring camp and didn't see his first practice until halfway through the month. A former wrestler at Ohio, the 160-pounder shined as a specialist the last two weeks of camp however. He was the most consistent of any of the five long snappers Ohio used during the spring, and had as much pace on the snaps as any other as well. He wasn't named the starter, but took the most reps during the spring game.

ROSTER REPORT:

--The biggest spring season injury was DE Tremayne Scott, who was hurt in the second week with a broken foot. Scott had surgery and will miss at least 2-3 months, but is anticipated to be able to return in time for fall camp. Scott is Ohio's best DE the Bobcats will need him on a front four that had trouble generating pressure in 2011.

--The defense took another kind of hit this spring as well. Senior CB Omar Leftwich will not be a part of the roster moving forward as fell short in his academic responsibilities during winter quarter. Leftwich was a starter, when healthy, last season, and was regarded as the club's second-best CB behind Travis Carrie.

--OLB Alphonso Lewis, a starter, and DT Antwan Crutcher were both held out of spring practice as they recovered from off-season surgery. Both should be ready for the start of fall camp in August.

--The two most notable position changes came in the secondary. Former safety Brandon Atwell has been moved up a tier in the defense and will be playing at OLB. Former corner Ryan Clark has switched sides as he moved to WR.