2009 Weekly Previews, Connecticut News, Raphielle Johnson, Uncategorized

A LOOK AT UCONN WEEK 1 FOE: OHIO U

Huskies must stop the run

By Raphielle Johnson

Below is the Ohio depth chart (from the Ohio game notes) for Saturday’s game against the Connecticut Huskies, along with a little information on each unit. Ohio will give the Huskies a variety of looks when on offense in hopes of springing a few big plays. Their passing game ranked in the middle of the pack within the MAC last season. However the Bobcats struggled on the ground last season, ranking tenth in the MAC in rushing offense. On offense Ohio will line up in a spread formation with three receivers, a tailback and a tight end. Defensively Ohio runs the 4-3 scheme.

OFFENSE

QB 3 Theo Scott

8 Boo Jackson

Both will play on Saturday, and they’ve got similar skill sets. Scott was the starter heading into 2008 before a broken collarbone in the second game of the season at Ohio State ended his campaign. Jackson set school records in touchdown passes and total yards in Scott’s stead last season, but ironically his own nicks in the fall resulted in Scott winning back the job. Coach Solich said in Monday’s teleconference that both quarterbacks will see time on Saturday however, so the Huskies will prepare for both.

RB 2 Chris Garrett

26 Vince Davidson

21 L.J. Flintall

28 Donte Harden

None of the top four backs on the Ohio depth chart weigh in at more than 190 pounds, and they all seem to be cut out of the same mold. Each can be characterized as a speedy back that can find the hole and hit it quick and can also help out in the passing game. There’s not much separating the four heading into the opener, so expect to see them all on Saturday. In terms of big play ability, keep an eye on Garrett and Flintall, who were two of the best kick returners in the MAC last season.

X-WR 23 Taylor Price

11 Terrence McCrae

16 Jerry Gross

F-WR 15 Riley Dunlop

87 Steven Goulet

17 Bakari Bussey

Z-WR 7 LaVon Brazill

87 Steven Goulet

24 Gary Fortune

TE 88 Jordan Thompson

38 Adam Olsheski

The top two receivers from 2008 return in Price (51 catches, 694 yards) and Brazill (34 catches, 384 yards), as does redshirt sophomore Riley Dunlop. The two leaders are on the outside while Dunlop works out of the slot. There are a number of unproven options within the passing game, but the Huskies had better be on the lookout for Price and Brazill. As for the tight ends, neither had a catch in 2008 (Thompson redshirted) and the top two receiving options at the position last season are gone (Andrew Mooney and David Carter) so it remains to be see what the production will be.

LT 57 Chris Rodgers

66 Jonathan Lechner

LG 64 Vince Carlotta or

50 Dustin Laudermilch

C 58 David White

68 Alex Mitchell or

65 Skyler Allen

RG 77 Eric Herman or

53 John Flowers

RT 60 Cole Bunner or

78 Joe Flading

The Bobcats are young up front with Rodgers and White being the lone seniors. There are just two returning starters (White and Bunner), and a unit that looked to be one of the older lines in the MAC took a hit with the losses of Michael Philibin and Gary Schussler. They had their fair share of issues in 2008 ranking tenth in the MAC in sacks allowed (23), and the rush offense was nothing to write home about either. The Bobcats also finished last in the conference in red zone offense, a tell-tale sign that you’re having problems up front.

DEFENSE

DE 51 Dak Notestine

36 Stafford Gatling

NG 62 Marcellis Williamson

93 Neil Huynh

DT 95 Ernie Hodge

89 Carl Jones

DE 54 Kris Luchsinger

92 Conor Reilly

The front four took a hit with the loss of Curtis Meyers to a knee injury. While Meyers is expected back, possibly for their next game, he won’t be on the field Saturday. Luchsinger and Reilly are the only two seniors on the line’s two-deep, and Luchsinger led those who are available with twenty-one tackles last season. None of these players will rack up the tackles, and truth be told the Bobcats don’t need them for that purpose. Tying up blockers is their main job, freeing up a solid group of linebackers to make plays.

WLB 32 Lee Renfro

30 Erik Benjamin or

44 Chad Clemens

MLB 47 Noah Keller

55 Melvin Payne

SLB 27 Erik Ejike

46 Alphonso Lewis or

34 Jelani Woseley

Keep a close eye on Keller, who is one of the best middle linebackers in the MAC. Keller finished 2008 with a team-high 104 tackles, followed by weakside linebacker Lee Renfro who finished with eighty-three stops. The issue for the Bobcats is experience beyond the starters (two seniors and a junior). Chad Clemens is the only other underclassman listed on the depth chart, with the majority of the backups being either redshirt or true freshmen. Benjamin is the unit’s lone sophomore, and after the aforementioned Keller and Renfro Erik Ejike’s thirteen tackles are next in line for the returnees. Ohio cannot afford an injury to either of the two stalwarts, although the youngsters do have the ability to make plays.

CB 4 Idris Lawrence

9 Julian Posey

FS 42 Steven Jackson

29 Donovan Fletcher

SS 20 Patrick Tafua

13 Gerald Moore

CB 12 Thad Turner

22 Shannon Ballard

The secondary has a chance to be solid with the return of Jackson and Turner. However, they do have to account for the graduation of safety Michael Mitchell, who was drafted by the Raiders in April’s NFL Draft. Also lost was corner Mark Parson, who led all Ohio corners with forty-six tackles and two interceptions. The Bobcats ranked fourth in the conference in pass defense, allowing 191 yards per game.

Outside of Moore (redshirt freshman) the secondary is made up entirely of upperclassmen, so they should be able to adjust well to life without Mitchell and Parson. But this is not a defense that generates a plethora of turnovers; the Bobcats had nineteen takeaways in 2008. If the offense, which turned the ball over thirty-two times last season, can’t take care of the football it could be a long day for the Ohio defense.

SPECIALISTS

K 49 Matthew Weller

P 43 Matt Schulte

KR 2 Chris Garrett

21 L.J. Flintall

PR 2 Chris Garrett and/or

7 LaVon Brazill

The positions to watch on Saturday will be placekicker and long snapper, as the other roles are filled by upperclassmen. Waller is a redshirt freshman who hasn’t attempted a kick at the collegiate level, and he replaces a solid kicker in Barrett Way. Long snapper Jeremy LaVoie is a sophomore who beat out senior Kyle Robbins for the job in fall camp.

Garrett and Flintall ranked third and fourth respectively in the MAC in kick return average, and both had 97-yard touchdowns to their credit last season. Garrett only returned two punts last season but Brazill averaged over sixteen yards per return (one touchdown) on punts. Schulte averaged just over thirty-eight yards per punt with a long of fifty-eight and managed to drop fifteen punts inside of the twenty yard line.