Ohio Football: Preview, prediction for Bobcats’ 2019 season

Will the Ohio football program continue its winning ways under head coach Frank Solich? We preview the upcoming Bobcats season.

Ohio football coach Frank Solich has had an interesting coaching career. He’s been at Ohio since 2005, and that’s because nine wins isn’t good enough to keep your job at Nebraska. He’s had two losing seasons at Ohio and has been to 10 bowl games in those 15 years.

In that same time, Nebraska has had six head coaches and haven’t won a conference title since 1999.

Solich and the Bobcats are coming off of a solid 9-4 season which culminated with a 27-0 drubbing of San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl. How will they fare this season?

Here’s a look at their offense, defense, and a prediction of how they will do.

Previewing the offense

There’s good reason to think the offense will put up similar numbers as last season.

The key reason is All-MAC second-team dual-threat quarterback Nathan Rourke will lead the attack for one last season. He threw for over 2400 yards, 23 touchdowns and rushed for over 800 yards and scored 15 touchdowns on the ground. That was enough to lead the MAC in total yards and second in rushing touchdowns.

Although they are losing all-conference first-team running back A.J. Ouellette, all-conference first-team receiver Papi White and 800-yard rusher Maleek Irons, the Bobcats are not short on young talent to replace the production of their outgoing star players.

The Bobcats will be looking to true sophomore O’Shaan Allison to replace some of Ouellette’s production and rising junior Cameron Odom to replace White as Rourke’s go-to receiver.

Although they are young in the skill positions, they return an experienced offensive line that should protect Rourke and open holes for their young runners.