Bobcats still searching for first home win

by Joe Arnold
Staff Writer

With Homecoming just a day away, the Ohio football team is looking to change its luck at home, where the Bobcats are winless in three attempts at Peden Stadium.

Ohio (1-5 overall, 1-3 Mid-American Conference) looks to recover from last week's 36-24 home loss to Miami when it plays Kent State Saturday. The Golden Flashes (3-4, 2-2) have lost their last seven games against the Bobcats, including a 41-7 loss to Ohio in 2000. But Kent State is looking for their first three-game winning streak since 1987.

To recover the enthusiasm and vigorthe Bobcats began the season with, the Ohio coaches have opted for full-contact workouts and brief intrasquad scrimmages in practice, coach Brian Knorr said.

"Whether you're a coach, player or passionate fan, no one likes to be 1-5," he said. "We're trying to kickstart our guys a little bit and they're responding."

Ohio receiver Joe Mohler said he noticed a change in the practice routine,.

"You can tell the coaches have structured practice a little bit differently," he said. "We're going against each other a little bit more. There's a lot of contact."

Through six games, the Bobcats are averaging 277 rushing yards and nearly 27 points per game. But defensively, Ohio is allowing more than 230 yards passing per game. Against Miami and Toledo, the Bobcats' last two home opponents, the defense surrendered a combined 709 yards passing while yielding only 211 yards on the ground.

Ohio's pass defense is just one area of concern, Knorr said.

"We need to get better in every aspect," he said. "We need to not allow so many yards passing, but I thought we did a great job against the run (against Miami)."

Mohler said the team takes a broad approach when evaluating the team.

"We're taking a holistic view," he said. "There are areas of the entire game—offensively, defensively and special teams—that we need to crispen up on. We've done a lot of good things, and we've shot ourselves in the foot at times."

If the team hopes to rebound against the Golden Flashes, it will have to start from the beginning with individual execution, Ohio linebacker Matt Weikert said.

"We're just trying to get some of our enthusiasm back along with some of the other things we were lacking Saturday," he said.

Against the RedHawks, individual breakdowns and injuries at key points in the game cost the Bobcats dearly, Knorr said.

"On three critical short-yardage plays, we had blocking assignments that were busted," he said. "Those particular assignments hadn't been busted all day. So, we're taking steps to correct those."

Quarterback Dontrell Jackson and fullback Ray Huston are questionable for Saturday's game. Jackson suffered a mild concussion in the fourth quarter against Miami, while Huston suffered a high-ankle sprain early against the RedHawks.

Despite the injuries and miscues, Mohler said the team expects to play hard and well its final five games .

"There's no quit in this team," he said. "We're still looking for more wins this season to give the seniors something to end on a good note. We're kind of searching right now, but we're not going to give up."

Ohio's Homecoming game against Kent State kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Peden Stadium.