Sports
Ohio’s Defense Will be Key Against Eastern Michigan
By: Mike Rizzo
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A young star is in the making for the Ohio Bobcat football team, and it is coming at a perfect time for the Bobcats.
Freshman safety Javon Hagan was voted the Mid-American-Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Bowling Green. Hagan managed to have seven tackles, an interception and a forced fumble.
He will hope to keep his high level play this Saturday against Eastern Michigan (4-2) which will be a home game that starts at 2:00 p.m. Hagan’s play on the field is certainly not going unnoticed by his head football coach as well.
“Congratulations to Javon I think he’s had a great year.” Ohio Coach Frank Solich said. “He’s not only been special to us in the secondary and can play either strong safety or free safety, which is remarkable for a young guy.”
However, Ohio (4-2) did lose many player makes on defense and most of them were play makers like cornerback Ian Wells who is on the IR for the Detroit Lions this season. Hagan is proving that he can play at a high level and is solidifying himself as a threat on defense and to be a headache for opposing offenses.
The young Freshman from Jacksonville, Fla. is coming onto the scene at a time that is vital for Ohio. Before the season started and after the season opener against Texas State, people were very critical of Ohio’s young secondary that gave up over 400 yards through the air to the Texas State Bobcats
“He’s (Hagan) gotten off to a great start.” Solich said. “Obviously we need guys to rise up who are young guys in the secondary to really help with a couple of things.”
Ever since that Texas State game, the Ohio secondary has stepped up and gotten better every single game moving forward. Senior free safety Toran Davis said after the Bowling Green game that all the negativity the secondary unit hears just gives guys like him and Hagan more motivation to prove people wrong.
By the way Hagan has been playing, the comparison of Mike Mitchell comes to mind. The way Hagan has made his presence known in the secondary has been major and that is exactly what Mitchell did.
Mitchell was one of the best to ever come through the Ohio football program at the position and is currently the starting safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are contending for a Super Bowl just about every year.
The most ironic part about this comparison is that Ohio plays Eastern Michigan this week and Mitchell had one of his most memorable moments as a Bobcat against the Eagles.
In 2006, Mitchell’s sophomore year, he had his first career interception against Eastern Michigan that set up the Bobcats game-winning touchdown. Who knows, maybe Hagan will have a similar play in this week’s game against the same team.