The Ohio football team is used to performing on the field at Peden Stadium with just a football. But this spring, some will represent the Bobcats carrying objects a little heavier or a little longer and more pointed.

A handful of football players will fill some much needed holes for the Ohio men's track team this spring. Halfback John Cosgrove will compete in the triple-jump. Fullback Sid Hall, linebacker Tom Smith, defensive end Nick Daniel, and offensive lineman Rob Winner will all throw either shot-put, discus or javelin.

Co-captain and hurdler Matt Kinsey said he hopes the football players will add to the team's unity.

"We need to support each other as a team," Kinsey said. "In the spring, we hope they can contribute to that."

Ohio coach Elmore Banton said because of the help the throwing events will be the strongest points of the team. The football players are there to fill large holes that were there last season, Banton said.

Smith, who Banton said has a shot at qualifying for nationals in the discus, is a much needed returnee. He was the 1996 Mid-American Conference champion in the discus and holds the Ohio school record.

"Our throws are going to be in good hands," Banton said. "Our next best area should be our middle distance and distance area."

The team's other co-captain, Josh Ritchie, will lead the pack for the Bobcats in these areas, Banton said.

Ritchie transferred to Ohio from Wisconsin. Excellence in track runs in Ritchie's family. His brother Shannan was a two-time All-American for Ohio in 1988-89.

As for Josh, he finished second in the 5,000-meter run and third in the 10,000-meter run at the 1996 MAC championships. He was also an All-American and Ohio Runner of the Year in 1996 while competing for the cross-country team.

But Ritchie will be out of action until at least the second meet of the year. He has tendinitis in his knee which has plagued him since cross- country season and kept him out most of the season.

Banton said if healthy, Ritchie should qualify for the NCAAs.

"As long as I can get back early enough, I'll have enough time to train," Ritchie said.

Junior Ben Myers, who Ritchie said has developed into a successful runner, will have to pick up Ritchie's slack.

"As a distance runner develops, it takes a couple years, and that's what he's done in cross country this past year," Ritchie said. "The way his workouts have been going, he's been putting a lot of effort into it. As long as he works at it, he'll be fine."

But throwing and distance runners are where the strengths of the team stop, Banton said.

"Right now, we're an average track team," Banton said. "The rest of the team is where we have the lack of depth. It's going to be a problem for us all year long. We have to hope that our strength areas overpower the opposition to make up for those holes. We are already better than we were last year."

But who will win the MAC? Banton said it should be defending champion Eastern Michigan.

"That's a foregone conclusion," he said. "They've got everything. You name it and they've got it. They win it almost every year."

Rounding out the top four in the MAC should be Kent, Western Michigan and Central Michigan, Banton said.