Football: A Look At The Rockets' Sixth Opponent - Ohio
8/15/2001 12:00:00 PM | Football
Written by Ohio University Sports Information Office.
Aug. 15, 2001
ATHENS, OH - Ohio Football enters a new era in 2001 - the Brian Knorr era. But those who expect big changes in the Bobcats may be surprised with the conspicuous continuity in the program.
Knorr took over the Bobcat reins in December 2000. After five seasons as an assistant coach and then defensive coordinator for the Bobcats, he was promoted to replace his mentor, Jim Grobe. The style will be very similar as both coaches developed their coaching techniques under Air Force's Fisher DeBerry.
The 2001 Ohio edition also brings continuity based on the return of 44 letterwinners and 19 of 25 starters. Only two true freshmen played last year, giving the talented class a year to develop in a system that will have only minor changes. The six starters lost represent key holes to be filled in 2001, providing opportunity for Ohio's wealth of young talent.
OFFENSE
Ohio will continue to build around its Multiple I offense in 2001. The team returns nine of 11 starters from a year ago when it boasted the nation's second-best rushing offense (323.0).
Junior quarterback Dontrell Jackson will once again lead the offense. The two-year starter showed improvement in every category last season and was the team's leading rusher (864). Junior Freddie Ray has established himself as the favorite to backup Jackson, playing in seven contests in 2000.
The remainder of the backfield features a wealth of talent and depth, but will face the challenge of replacing the versatility of Raynald Ray. Ray was the team's leading receiver and punt returner and the fourth-best rusher.
Freshman Stafford Owens is expected to step into Ray's shoes at Z-back after redshirting in 2000. Owens, a high school teammate of Jackson, was the Player of the Year in the Metro-Chicago area and should provide the versatility to fill the multi-purpose position. Junior Jason Caesar will share the duties with Owens. The former wide receiver returned to the team this spring.
The tailback position returns Ohio's second- and third-leading rushers from a year ago in Chad Brinker and Jamel Patterson. Both tailbacks shared time in the backfield and, along with Jackson, have at least 1,300 career rushing yards. Brinker rushed for 734 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also grabbing a pair of TD receptions last year, but missed spring practice after undergoing shoulder surgery. Senior Jamel Patterson netted 660 rushing yards with seven TDs last year.
Junior Joe Sherrill returns as the starting fullback along with sophomore Keland Logan who filled in for an injured Sherrill early in 2000. But freshman Ray Huston had a great spring and may challenge both veterans for the starting spot.
At the split end position, the Bobcats enjoy a wealth of young talent. Junior Joe Mohler grabbed 13 receptions for 251 yards and three scores last year. He will be joined by senior Mareion Royster, who moves over from Z-back, and junior Tierra Pought.
Senior Chris Knaack returns to lead the Ohio tight ends after starting every game at the position last year. Junior Randy Pennington, the backup two years ago, missed most of 2000 after suffering a preseason knee injury. The position will be highly contested by a corps of underclassmen including sophomore Derek Gandy who was Knaack's backup last year.
Ohio's offensive line features a wealth of experience, but will need to build depth. The only loss up front was starting guard Zach Holt, but a pair of seniors will fill both spots this year. Left guard Nick Glowacki, an All-MAC pick in 1999, missed much of the second half of last season with a dislocated elbow. Senior Khalid Johnson, who sat out the 2000 season, and junior Paul Stanko will provide depth at guard.
The center position will continue to combine the talent of a pair of Bobcats who split time last year. Senior Taylor Ketchum, a transfer from Glendale CC, started the first half of the season, while junior Doug Wooten started the second half.
A trio of talent will rotate through the tackle positions. Juniors Chris Jackson and Erik Grahovac lead the returning talent, along with Dennis Thompson who saw action as a true freshman.
DEFENSE
The Bobcat defense will continue to use a frequent rotation of players in its Pro 3-4 alignment. The Bobcats return eight of 11 starters and 20 letterwinners on defense, with an experienced replacement for each position vacated.
The front three returns a strong corps of talent, but must solidify the nose guard position. Junior Lamar Martin returns after splitting time with departed starter Damion Washington. But Martin missed the spring after knee surgery, opening the door for young talent to emerge. Sophomore Andre Parker moved from an end position during the spring, while walk-on track athlete Eli Kiener made a good showing as well. In addition to Parker's ability at the end positions, the Bobcats return 11-game starter Mike Fox and Art Adams, both seniors. Fox paced the front linemen in tackles (43) last year, while he and Adams posted five TFL each.Freshman Garrett Bush had a great spring and should contend for playing time on the line as well.
The defense's most solid position should outside linebacker where everyone returns. A trio of seniors - Greg Baskin, Trendale Perkins and Matt Weikert - shared the starting roles last year. Baskin started all 11 games on the left side, tallying 46 tackles. Perkins started the first seven games and tallied 22 tackles in the rotation. Weikert was the team's leader with 16 TFL and 5.5 sacks as part of his 47 tackles. He had at least one TFL in 10 of 11 games and finished the season strong with 21 tackles and seven TFL in the last three games. Sophomores Hugh Grant and Willie Sherman will also rotate into the mix at outside linebacker and on special teams.
Junior Tom Weilbacher returns to lead the inside linebackers. He led the team with 92 tackles and added eight for a loss last year. The two-year starter at Will is moving to replace Matt Spitler at sam this season. Senior Shawn Murphy will vying for the starting position, while sophomores Demetri Taylor and Rich Constantine are slated as the backups through spring practice.
Ohio's secondary returns three of four starters with depth and experience at each postion. The corners return junior Bop White, but must replace his older brother Donnie White. Bop White has eight career interceptions after leading the team with nine passes defended (3 int, 6 PBU) last year. Senior Arden Banks will be counted on to fill the hole left by Donnie White. Banks started three contests in 2000 and broke up five passes. Junior Thomas Stephens and freshman Rahman Shavers will add depth at the corners. Stephens is a three-sport athlete also playing basketball and competing in track. He played in all 11 games last year with 20 tackles and a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown against Kent State.
Senior Chris London was an 11-game starter at strong safety last year. He paced the secondary and ranked third on the team with 78 tackles last year, while tallying a pair of interceptions and seven PBU. He enters his final campaign with 250 career tackles. Sophomore James Taylor will serve as his backup, moving from his split end position during spring drills. Junior Joe Sellers returns at free safety after starting six games last year. Despite missing two contests with an ankle injury, he tallied 33 tackles. Junior Aaron Hall and freshman Roy McCullough will also contend for playing time.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The most solid aspect of the Bobcat game in 2001 should once again be the kicking game. Senior punter Dave Zastudil is looking to become the MAC's first punter to lead the league in punting average for four seasons. He paced the league again last year with 44.34 average, becoming just the fifth player in MAC history to lead the league three straight seasons. He ranked fifth in the nation with that average which is second only to his 45.3 average as a freshman on the Ohio charts. His career average of 44.23 yards per punt is already over four yards better than the Ohio career record and puts him on pace with the all-time MAC mark.
Junior Kevin Kerr returns to handle Ohio's place-kicking duties. He was 39-of-42 on PAT attempts last year, hitting 93 percent, and handled most of the kickoff duties. He also was 12-of-18 on field goals, slightly down from his freshman campaign. However, four of his misses last year were for 47 or more yards. He did score 75 points to set the Ohio kick-scoring mark and rank fifth in scoring. The only spot to fill in the kicking corps will be to replace departed snapper Jay Roden. Sophomore Brandon Swiger is the early favorite to fill that role after doing so throughout spring drills.
