Sports
Brian Smith Week Five Press Conference Notebook
By: Andrew Bowlby
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – Ohio Football’s non-conference schedule has come and gone and it’s now time for the Bobcats to get into Mid-American Conference play. Here are some of head coach Brian Smith’s comments from his Monday press conference.
Opportunity to grow from Gardner-Webb win
At the end of the day, in college football a win is a win. And Ohio’s 52-35 victory over Gardner-Webb over the weekend was marked down as such, but the manner they did it left plenty of room for growth.
“We talked about the opportunity for growth that comes from this game which I think is still very high,” Smith said. “There were a lot of career days within this game, but as you watch it you see the opportunity for us to grow and learn from this game and how we approached it mentally.”
One of the big things Smith took away from Saturday’s game was the team’s weaker than usual tackling. Smith said Ohio’s defense gave up 181 yards to Gardner-Webb off missed tackles. That includes a 68-yard score in the second quarter that could have been limited to a short gain. Giving up those yards is ‘not Ohio’s style of football’.
Smith also noted that he wants his defense to create more turnovers and limit big plays. The Bobcats did force an early interception snagged by Mike Mack II, but couldn’t turn GWU over at any other point.
The defense also conceded a number of big plays that Smith wants to see limited in the coming weeks. He finished by reminding that ‘Ohio doesn’t beat Ohio’, and for the Bobcats to have success going forward into conference play, they have to execute a clean game.
Starting MAC play at home vs Bowling Green
Ohio didn’t play BG last season breaking a three-year stretch where the programs met each season. The Falcons are a team Ohio has had success against in recent years currently on a two-game winning streak and the Bobcats have won five of the last six head-to-head.
“I think it’s a great way to start your conference schedule. To start it off at home on a Saturday, it should be a great crowd and a really good atmosphere again,” Smith said.
History also leans on the side of the Bobcats as they host BG. Ohio hasn’t lost at Peden Stadium to the Falcons since the 2014 season.
This version of Bowling Green looks considerably different than it did over a decade ago. The program is under the leadership of first-year head coach Eddie George. He is, of course, a legendary figure in college football having won the 1995 Heisman Trophy with Ohio State.
He now leads Bowling Green and has the team off to a 2-2 start this season with wins over Lafayette and Liberty and losses to Cincinnati and Louisville.
“I like their defensive line, I think they really get after it up front,” Smith said.
The BG defense has recorded 10 sacks through four games, and nine players have at least a half sack. The defensive line also has limited the opposing rush attack to 110 yards per game, the third lowest total in the MAC.
Wide Receiver updates
Ohio’s receiving room is in a bit of an obscure place through the first month of the season. Starting with the good, Chase Hendricks is the country’s leader in receiving yards with 456 through four games.
“You can see the contested catches he’s making, it’s extremely impressive,” Smith said. “He’s playing at a really high level right now, and what’s great is Parker [Navarro] has developed a good relationship with him and has developed a lot of really good trust in him.”
Hendricks will unquestionably be a key fixture in the offense for the remainder of the season as he’s on pace to break the Ohio single season receiving record by over 150 yards.
On the flip side, there is quickly going to become more competition for the rest of the room.
Max Rodarte, who has been the Bobcats clear No. 3 receiver this season went down last week and was carted off the field. With him out, there are doors opening for other players.
Dom Dorwart came into the Gardner-Webb game and caught a pair of passes for 51 yards. He is one player Smith said he’s proud of and could see more action as the season progresses. Caleb Gossett is another receiver who will be competing to fill in that third spot. Plus, Ohio also has other options in Eamonn Dennis and Delaney Crawford.
Kicking Game Questions
There is no doubt that from week one against Rutgers to week five against Bowling Green there has been an improvement in the Ohio special team’s room. However, there is still an on-going competition for the starting kicker spot.
Week one saw David Dellenbach take the kicking duties on kickoffs, field goals and extra points. Dellenbach made a 30-yard field goal against Rutgers but has not attempted one since. He has been used strictly on kickoffs while Brack Peacock has been kicking field goals and extra points in weeks 2-4.
Peacock is 3/4 on field goals with makes of 37, 44 and 31. On the extra points, Peacock is 7/9 having missed one in each of the last two games.
“Will continue competing at the kicker spot just like we have been. Obviously, we don’t want to hit the crossbar anymore,” Smith said. “If David has a more consistent week this week, he may get an opportunity to kick in the games.”
While Smith does not expect a change now, something could flip before game day.