Mid-American Conference

Preview Courtesy of Ohio Sports Information

OHIO FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW
FIRST AND 10
-The 2014 campaign marks the 120th season of Ohio University football.
-Ohio is one of only two current schools in the Mid-American Conference that has played in five straight bowl games.
-The Bobcats are also one of just 21 schools in the country that have played in five straight bowl games.
-Ohio features that a defensive unit that returns eight starters from last year’s squad.
-The Bobcats’ 62 wins since the start of the 2006 campaign are the most of any team in the MAC East Division during that stretch.
-In each of the last four seasons, Ohio has scored 350 points-or-more.
-Ohio recorded 36 sacks a year ago. The ‘Cats 36 sacks rank No. 2 on the all-time single season record list. Ohio returns all four starters from its defensive line unit.

YAZDANI NAMED TO THE 2014 GROZA WATCH LIST
Ohio University junior place kicker Josiah Yazdani was among 30 players named to the Watch List for the 2014 Lou Groza College Place-Kicker Award. Yazdani becomes the second Ohio place kicker in three years selected to the Groza Preseason Watch List. In 2012, former Bobcat Matt Weller was named to the Groza Preseason Watch List.

OHIO FOOTBALL NAMES 2014 CAPTAINS
Seniors Nathan Carpenter, Tim Edmond, Josh Kristoff and junior Derrius Vick were named captains for the 2014 Ohio University football team in a vote conducted by their teammates.

CONSISTENCY AT THE TOP
Head coach Frank Solich begins his 10th season at Ohio University this fall. Solich’s nine-year reign as head coach has become a rarity in today’s college football landscape. Only nine football bowl sub-division coaches have longer tenures with their current team.

Ohio is the only the team in the country that has kept its head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in place for the past nine seasons.

  FIRST  YEARS AT
COACH, TEAM SEASON SCHOOL
1.  Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech 1987 27
2. Larry Blakeney, Troy 1991 23
3. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 1999 15
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa 1999 15
5. Gary Patterson, TCU 2000 14
6. Mark Richt, Georgia 2001 13 
Gary Pinkel, Missouri 2001 13
8. Mike Riley, Oregon State 2003 11
9. George O’Leary, UCF  2004 10
10. Frank Solich, Ohio 2005 9
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State 2005 9
Bronco Mendenhall, BYU  2005 9
Kyle Whittingham, Utah 2005 9 
Les Miles, LSU 2005 9  Steve Spurrier, South Carolina 2005 9

A TURNAROUND FOR THE AGES
In the last 40 years, Ohio University football has been to just eight bowl games, however six of those bowl appearances have come during head coach Frank Solich’s nine years in Athens.

1973-2004 2005-13
Seasons  32 9
Coaches  7 1
Wins Per Year 3.7 7.3
Record 119-228 66-50
Winning Seasons 7 6
Bowl Appearances 0 6
Bowl Wins 0 2

A WINNING MARK
The Ohio University football team will enter the 2014 season with an all-time record of 533-535-48. As a program, Ohio has not had an all-time program winning mark since the start of the 1995 campaign.

AMONG THE BEST IN THE MAC
Ohio’s 62 wins since 2006 are the second most victories by any school in the Mid-American Conference during that period. Northern Illinois is the only school that has more wins in that stretch.

1. Northern Illinois - 68
2. Ohio - 62
3. Central Michigan - 56

TEN BOBCATS EARN PHIL STEELE PRESEASON ALL-MAC HONORS
The Ohio University football team earned 10 spots on the 2014 Phil Steele Preseason All-Mid-American Conference team. The teams will be published in the Phil Steele 2014 College Football Preview, which will hit newsstands June 24.

Junior Devin Bass and sophomore Tarell Basham highlighted the Bobcats’ preseason All-MAC honoree list as both were named First Team.

Senior Antwan Crutcher and junior Josiah Yazdani each earned Second Team honors. Seniors Chase Cochran and Josh Kristoff and sophomore defensive lineman Brandon Purdum each were selected to the Third Team.

Rounding out the Bobcats’ presence on this year’s squad were junior offensive lineman Mike Lucas, sophomore defensive lineman Kurt Laseak and junior Ben Russell as each were selected to the Fourth team.

OHIO FOOTBALL’S KRISTOFF NOMINATED FOR ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM®
Ohio University senior safety Josh Kristoff (Pickerington, Ohio) has been named one of a record-breaking 182 nominees for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, as announced by Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Tuesday (July 15).

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has served as one of the most coveted and prestigious off-the-field honors in college football. The award recognizes players whose charitable involvement and community service contributions stand out among all other student-athletes participating in the sport.

Kristoff is one of 90 NCAA Division I FBS student-athletes nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® -- including one of eight from the Mid-American Conference.

CARRIE SELECTED ON DAY THREE OF THE NFL DRAFT
Former Ohio University cornerback Travis Carrie was selected by the Oakland Raiders during the third day of the 2014 NFL Draft, which was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Carrie was picked fourth (219th overall) in the seventh round. The Antioch, Calif. native becomes the 32nd player in school history to be selected in the NFL Draft and the sixth to be taken in the Frank Solich Era. No current Mid-American Conference institution has had more players drafted over the past seven years. Ohio has now had a player selected in the NFL Draft in six of the last seven years.

DEFENSE SHINES IN SPRING GAME
The Ohio defensive unit tallied four interceptions, which propelled the defense to a 7-3 victory over the offense at the 2014 Green and White game. In addition to the four interceptions by the Bobcat secondary, the Ohio defensive unit also registered three sacks and three tackles for loss.

The first interception of the afternoon was courtesy of redshirt freshman Chad Moore (Grove City, Ohio), who picked off junior quarterback Derrius Vick (Lincoln, Neb.) on the first offensive series. He then raced 31 yards the other way for the game’s only touchdown. Moore finished with a game-high five tackles.

Redshirt freshman Bradd Ellis also turned in a strong performance as he finished with four tackles and an interception.

Defensive linemen Tarell Basham, Watson Tautuiaki and Tony Porter all tallied sacks for the Bobcats.

Vick led the way offensively for the Bobcats as he totaled 176 yards of total offense. Vick went 17-of-27 for 144 yards through the air and rushed for a game-high 32 yards on the ground. He also was picked off twice.

WALTER FIELDHOUSE IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS
For the first time ever, the Ohio football team did not have to battle the elements during spring practice as the University opened the doors to Walter Fieldhouse. The 12.5 million dollar facility features a climate controlled setting, a 100-yard field and two video platforms to shoot practice.

OHIO FOOTBALL NAMES WINTER WORKOUT AWARD WINNERS
Senior running back Tim Edmond highlighted winter workouts for the Ohio Football team as he earned the team’s highest strength and conditioning honor - the Iron Bobcat award. Edmond received the award after he bench pressed 381 pounds, squatted 528 pounds and power cleared 296 pounds.

In addition to the honors, two positional records fell this past winter. Redshirt junior Ian Wells (Dayton, Ohio) set the defensive back record for back squad at 528 pounds. Redshirt sophomore Kurt Laseak (Mentor, Ohio) posted the defensive end mark for the 225 bench press as he finished with 27 reps.

Other outstanding performances noted by Coach Sano:
OL Lucas Powell - Power Clean 316, Bench Press 419, Back Squat 518
RB Dorian Brown - Back Squat 501
K Matt Amicone - Bench Press 329
DL Cleon Alese - Bench Press - 408, Back Squat 501, Power Clean 301
DL Casey Sayles - Power Clean 308 , Bench Press 380
DL Tony Porter - Power Clean 301, Back Squat 501
DL Cameron McLeod - Power Clean 318, Bench Press 382
LB Blair Brown - Power Clean 335, Back Squat 504
LB Davon Donovan - Power Clean 328
LB Ben Russell - Bench Press 360, Power Clean 308, Front Squat 398

OHIO FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES COACHING ADDITIONS
Ohio University football head coach Frank Solich welcomed two new assistants with a combined 40-plus years of coaching experience in Scott Isphording and Dave Johnson and the promotion of former Bobcat player Chris Rodgers to his staff prior to spring practice. Solich named Isphording Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks coach and Johnson as the team’s Offensive Line coach. Solich elevated Rodgers to the role of Director of Football Operations. The three staff changes complete the vacancies left by former Bobcat staffers Gerry Gdowski, Keven Lightner and Jason Grooms, who departed for Vanderbilt. Gdowski, Lightner and Grooms joined former Bobcat coach and Solich assistant Derek Mason, who was tabbed as the Commodores’ head coach on Jan. 18.

BASHAM NAMED TO THE FWAA FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Ohio University football freshman defensive end Tarell Basham was named to the 13th annual Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-America Team following the 2013 season. Basham was named to the team after he led the Bobcats with 7.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss this past season. His 7.5 sacks are tied for fifth on the program’s all-time single season sack list. He also recorded 32 tackles (16 solo) and tallied five quarterback hurries.

OHIO FOOTBALL WELCOMES 24 NEWCOMERS ON SIGNING DAY
Ohio Football head coach Frank Solich announced the addition of 24 newcomers as part of National Signing Day. The class includes 21 incoming freshmen and three juniors. The 2014 class features student-athletes from nine different positions. The class also includes student-athletes from eight different states and one from Canada, including 16 from Ohio. In the last four years, the Bobcats have recruited 43 players from the state of Ohio.

OHIO UNIVERSITY WINS ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR’S “BEST UNDER-THE-RADAR NCAA FOOTBALL ATMOSPHERE” COMPETITION
The Ohio Bobcats were voted as having the “Best Under-the-Radar NCAA Football Atmosphere” in a nationwide fan vote. After winning the competition, Ohio University’s football gameday atmosphere was featured on a hour-long special entitled “Best of College Football 2013”. The feature was televised in front of a national audience on CBS, which aired Nov. 29.

GOING LONG
Ohio wide receiver Chase Cochran has made a habit of coming up with the big play. In his 30 career games with the Green and White, Cochran has hauled in 12 passes of 40 yards or more.
UMass (9/29/12) - 41 yards
Miami (10/27/13) - 45 yards
ULM (12/28/12) - 51 yards
ULM (12/28/12) - 68 yards
ULM (12/28/12) - 43 yards
North Texas (9/7/13) - 75 yards
Austin Peay (9/21/13) -59 yards
Central Michigan (10/12/13) - 48 yards
Central Michigan (10/12/13) - 69 yards
Eastern Michigan (10/19/13) - 80 yards
Eastern Michigan (10/19/13) - 41 yards
Massachusetts (11/29/13) - 40 yards

MAC INCREASES PRIMARY BOWL PARTNERS TO FIVE BOWL GAMES IN 2014
Beginning with the 2014 season running through the 2019 campaign, the Mid-American Conference will have a minimum five guaranteed bowl opportunities. On Oct. 11 the league announced the creation of the Boca Raton Bowl. The following week, the MAC announced the creation of the Bahamas Bowl.

PACKING THE HOUSE
The 24,836 fans in attendance on Sept. 14 vs. Marshall was the third-largest crowd in Peden Stadium history. Each of Ohio’s all-time Top 5 crowds have occurred in the Frank Solich era.

1. 25,893 New Mexico State  Sept. 8, 2012
2. 25,542 Akron  Oct. 13, 2012
3. 24,836 Marshall  Sept. 14, 2013
4. 24,617 Connecticut Sept. 5, 2009
5. 24,545 Pittsburgh  Sept. 9, 2005