Ohio’s philosophy is simple on paper. A loaded receiving corps, not one but two capable quarterbacks and a very inexperienced backfield should equal a pass-heavy offense.
But that’s not the way head coach Frank Solich wants to play.
“We’re going to have to find a way to get the ball in (the receivers’) hands, but on the other side of it, we need to improve our running game,” Solich said. “That’s something we’re intent on doing.”
Solich certainly loves to run the football. As a fullback at Nebraska, Solich ran the option. As an assistant under Tom Osborne, they ran the option. As the Cornhuskers’ head coach, Solich ran the option. But the climate of college football today is such that three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust game plans don’t win any more. Balance is now the name of the game.
In his year lay-off between being fired at Nebraska at being hired at Ohio, Solich traveled the country observing and learning new offenses. The Bobcats now run what is best described as “The Frank-enstein Offense”: there are pieces and parts from nearly every offensive scheme imaginable. Ohio lines up mostly in shotgun (most specifically the “pistol,” where the quarterback lines up in shotgun but the running back stands two yards behind him as opposed to his flank), but will take snaps under center, too. They run four- and five-wide sets like a spread, but will use two or three tight ends at once like a power running team. Ohio usually uses zone blocking, but will play man-to-man sets as well. They show tons of option looks—traditional, triple, fast varieties using receivers, power versions with lineman movement—yet give the constant allure they will throw deep, which they often do.
“Picking up on different kinds of plays like zone blacking isn’t really that difficult to learn as an aspect of what you have to do technique-wise,” redshirt sophomore right guard Eric Herman said. “It’s just all the different fronts we have to go into—that’s the biggest thing.”
At it’s core, though, Solich’s offense has his mentality stamped into it.
“Everything is going to start with the running game,” offensive coordinator Tim Albin said.
Considering the dynamic of the Ohio roster, it may seem stubborn and downright foolish to operate a run-first offense. The Bobcats return 10 of their top 13 pass catchers from 2009. Among them are speedster LaVon Brazill, sure-handed Riley Dunlop, possession receiver Steven Goulet and freak of nature Terrence McCrae, whose Randy-Moss-like ability with the ball in the air makes him one of the best weapons in the country.
To boot, only two of Ohio’s running backs have seen any significant time. One is Donte Harden, who will sit out the first half of the season after a drunk driving arrest on Feb. 5; the other is senior Vince Davidson, who had been a change-of-pace back up until this year. Redshirt freshman Ryan Boykin will back up Davidson, and on paper, the Bobcats figure to struggle running the football.
Davidson has undoubtedly made strides, though, even from last year. His biggest problem—dancing and shifting in the backfield—has been replaced by good burst and vision. What’s more, he appears to have learned when to use his agility and when to fight for yardage.
“I think he’s going to be ready to take some carries and hopefully open us receivers up. (He’s) physical, he’s running real hard.,” Brazill said of Davidson. “He’s not back there toe-tapping and dancing, he’s back there trying to get yards. He looks like he wants the ball.”
As for the inexperienced players like Boykin and senior Devin Favors, they have won the respect of the men that will be clearing their paths.
“I don’t think the running game will be tarnished at all, I think the young guys will step up,” Herman said. “I don’t see anything going differently from last year in our running game.”
The running game was just good enough to to win the MAC East in 2009, but even more than last year, the Bobcats are most powerful through the air.
Solich, the old dog, has more to his repertoire than ever. Unlike many coaches, who will live and die by one sword, Solich adapted and, unlike many coaches, continues to change.
“If you’re really heavy on one (run or pass), (other defenses) can zero in on you pretty good, but if you’re able to have a good mixture of throwing the ball and running the ball, it complicates things for the defense that much more,” Solich said. “We’d like to do both.”
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Quick hits: – Redshirt senior Boo Jackson and redshirt junior Phil Bates are still splitting reps with the first team offense. Barring injury, the two will continue as one and one-A on the depth chart through the season opener against Wofford. As of right now, I give the slight edge to Jackson. Bates is the better athlete, but Jackson is no slouch himself and has more familiarity with the offense and chemistry with the receiving corps.
-Senior corner Shannon Ballard is going to take a pick or two to the house this year. His eyes are always in the backfield and he’s consistently shown good timing when jumping routes in practice.
-The Bobcats are going to sorely miss graduated Chris Garrett on kickoff returns. Garrett was a potent field position weapon, averaging over 27 yards per kickoff return last season.
-There’s a fun dynamic to this year’s fall practices. Preseason practices usually come with yelling, nastiness and a fight or two, but Ohio’s practices have been laid-back and positive. Almost to man, the Bobcats look and act happy to be there. As LaVon Brazill said, “There’s no point if you don’t love the game.”
-Kyle Snyder, the freshman quarterback from Barberton, has been very impressive in practice. He’ll likely get redshirted, but Snyder shows an uncanny confidence in the pocket for someone his age. He has a good grasp of the offense, has been very smart in his reads in the air and on the ground and throws a really good ball. Nothing is won in practice, but Ohio may have found a gem in Snyder if he continues to mature at this rate.