Ohio Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up

Strengths & question marks coming out of spring

The challenge for Ohio this spring was to rebuild an offensive unit that was pillaged heavily via graduation.

The Bobcats lost eight offensive starters and 12 seniors from the offensive two-deep from last season. For all intents and purposes, Ohio will be starting with a clean slate on that side of the football in 2014, and used the spring season to begin to iron the kinks as a host of new faces will be thrown into the mix this fall.

However, Ohio should be solid defensively and on special teams. The Bobcats return six of their starters in the front seven, and have more depth on the defensive line than ever before in head coach Frank Solich’s 10-year tenure.

Also back is potential All-MAC kicker Josiah Yazdani and Ohio added a scholarhip punter for the first time under Solich.

Ohio will try to win games with defense and special teams, while the offense gets up to speed. It’s a familiar formula for Solich, who used the same approach to guide Ohio to the 2006 MAC East title — his first in Athens.

Name a few breakout players to keep an eye on in 2014

Sophomore DE Tarell Basham was a terror off the edge as a situational pass rusher in 2013, and will only get better. While he becomes a better every-down defender, Basham will only improve as one of the best threats to the quarterback in the conference.

Junior CB Devin Bass racked up an impressive 17 passes defended last season, and doubles as an all-conference talent on kick returns.

Senior WR Chase Cochran is Ohio’s leading returning receiver and one of the best deep threats in the MAC. He’s nearly the only proven commodity returning offensively for Ohio, and should see his role expand this fall.

Junior PK Josiah Yazdani was not the starter until a month into the season. But once given a chance he shined. Yazdani made his first 14 field goal attempts — he finished 14 of 15 for the year — and had a knack for directional kicks on kick-offs.

Position groups

QB — Junior Derrius Vick and sophomore JD Sprague will continue their battle to be the starter in fall camp. Vick has more experience, but Sprague has improved dramatically since his arrival as a walk-on. Neither is likely to be near the finished product in the passing game that Tyler Tettleton was the last three years, but both candidates will bring more of a rushing threat to the position. Freshman Joey Duckworth is the prize of Ohio’s 2014 recruiting class, but will likely redshirt this year.

RB — Like QB, Ohio is replacing a multi-year starter and will be looking a few different options. Junior Daz Patterson is the projected starter, and has a diverse skillset, but at 5-8, 175 pounds won’t be counted on to handle the whole load. Senior Tim Edmond will see action in short yardage situations, and redshirt freshman Dorian Brown has a chance to be fine every-down back.

Receivers — It’s a largely untested group, both out wide and at tight end. Senior WR Chase Cochran will be the likely No. 1, senior Landon Smith will be returning in the slot and Iowa transfer Cam Wilson will be in the mix. Beyond that, it’s wide open going into fall camp. At TE, returning sophomore Troy Mangen and junior college transfer Brennan Boland will be learning on the fly.

OL — This unit lost four seniors to graduation, and another three after the season ended for a variety of reasons. The Bobcats are set with a front six, but depth will be an issue. Ohio does have upside at tackle where junior Mike McQueen (LT) and sophomore Troy Watson (RT) have tons of potential. Depth will need to be found in the fall when six true freshmen join the roster.

DL — This is Ohio’s deepest, and perhaps most talented, group on the roster. Sophomores DEs Tarell Basham and Casey Sayles impressed in spot duty last year, while sophomore DE Kurt Laseck and junior DE Kendric Smith provide more depth and potential. At tackle, seniors Antwan Crutcher and Cameron McLeod give Ohio two big run stoppers in the middle, and excellent depth and versatile options in Brandon Purdum and Tory Davis.

LB — The perceived weakest point of the defense coming out of the spring. MLB Ben Russell is a returning starter, and still has room to grow. On the outside, junior Jovon Johnson and sophomore Blair Brown have the speed to play but have yet to prove they can be effective stoppers in the run game. The depth here is young, but fast.

DBs — At CB, Ohio will field two juniors — Devin Bass and Ian Wells — who both have starting experience and all-conference potential. At safety, Josh Kristoff, Thad Ingol and Nate Carpenter are all multi-year returning starters. CB Devin Jones, and safeties Toran Davis and Blake Scipio give the unit a solid base of backups.

ST — Returning kicker Josiah Yazdani should be one of the most dependable kickers in the conference. Solich finally sprung for a scholarship punter — previously Ohio looked at walk-ons or gray shirts for the role — and the results from Mitch Bonnsetter this spring were encouraging.

2014 expectations…

Unlike the two previous seasons, Ohio won’t be a preseason favorite to win the MAC East. Given the offensive rebuilding underway (new QB, new RBs, new OL, ect), it’s believed the Bobcats will find it difficult to score enough to be considered a legitimate MAC contender.

But Ohio needed a change up regardless. The Bobcats have endured November fades each of the previous two seasons, and skidded to a 7-6 finish a year ago despite lofty expectations.

Seven wins in 2014 won’t be seen as a disappointment however. If Ohio can run the ball more effectively than it did a year ago, it’s possible for the Bobcats to be a surprise this fall. The defense should be improved, and the special teams more consistent. Ohio may not outscore foes in 2014, but should again be in the mix for perhaps a division title and a bowl game. Predicted record …. 7-5.

---

Jason Arkley is the Ohio University beat writer for The Athens Messenger, and he breaks down the Bobcats for us in our Ohio Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up. For more Ohio football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Jason on Twitter @JasonAmessenger.

---