WMU is down this year and won't be able to keep pace with Ohio, they simply don't have the offense to score with Ohio. I think Ohio wins this game by double digits.

Just win baby!!! Just win!!!! OSU fans bemoan their margin of victory! Just win!

Would you either look better Saturday and lose to Western or win? Do you go to a Bowl game with "moral victories"? Do you win MAC titles with "moral victories"?

Correct. I agree with BTC that winning is what is important, and that the margin of victory is not a concern. I was simply adding to that that, while I don't see the margin of victory as important, in addition to winning, I hope we see the team continue to improve. The goals presumably are:
1. Win the MACC
2. Win the MAC East
3. Go to a bowl game

To accomplish any of these, they need to continue to improve. To accomplish either of the first 2, they probably need to win all remaining games, and that will require improvement.

Make no mistake, these goals are not impossible. In the MAC, any team can win it in any given year, and the Bobcats, while not a favorite, are certainly in the running. Team Rankings gives them a 1 in 15 chance of winning the MAC East, and a 1 in 59 chance of winning the MACC. Those are low, but they are not zero.

In regards to net punting, Wieland was the primary punter the first three games. His net punting average was 30.5 yards. Last year he averaged 40.2 yards. The last few games, Wilson has been the punter, and his average for the year on net punting is 33.1, also down from last year, where he averaged 35.7, and from 2020 where he averaged 36.9. So:
1. Both punters are capable of better than they have done so far this year.
2. Clearly the coaching staff is making changes to address this area
3. The average in FBS is about 39 yards
4. Things have improved, and I hope they continue to improve

Also in the special teams area, I note that Ohio has returned 32 kickoffs, far more than anyone else in FBS. Number 2 is Arkansas State at 26. Ohio's average return yardage is 18.5 yards per return, in the lower half of FBS. Granted, Ohio has allowed opponents to score 40 times (31 TDs, 9 FG), so they are going to have a lot of chances to return kickoffs, but perhaps Ohio should fair catch kickoffs more often?

I like seeing returns, if that is old school so be it. It is all a judgement thing by the receiver. Judge how high the kick is and where it is going to land in time to make the decision. It would appear that OUr guys lack in quickly determining whether to fair catch. And to be fair, that is a NEW skill that players in the past didn't have to consider.

An example of a poor decision was last week vs Akron when the Bobcat return team tried a little razzle dazzle that went nowhere. OUr guys decided to do it on a line drive kick where the reverse happened too soon and all Zips were still in their lanes. Had it been a high kick that would have sucked the Zips to a smaller area on the field, a reverse may have worked better.

Gotta keep practicing and know what kicks to try to return. Of course they know they have Rourke and Company to back them up as the returners try to do their thing.

Go Bobcats; Break the Broncos.

As BTC has pointed out, if they fair catch it every time, they will average taking the ball at slightly better than the 25, once you factor in kicks out of bounds and onside kicks. In an effort to see how the players are applying their judgement, I went back and looked at the play-by-play of all the games, to see how many times Ohio has elected to fair catch a kickoff this year. I may have missed something, but this is what I found:
                Kickoffs      Returns      Touchbacks  Out-of-bounds  Onside  FairCatch
FAU              7                 5                     1                     1                 0             0

PSU              8                 5                      3                     0                0              0

ISU               9                 6                      3                     0                0              0

Fordham       9                 7                      2                     0                0              0 

Kent             5              3                  2                 0             0           0 

Akron        7              5                  1                 0             1           0

It appears that Ohio receivers aren't exercising judgement, but rather automatically returning every kick. How is that working out? Well, they do have one long TD from a return, and a couple balls at the 40 or so, but almost all of the other returns have been short of the 25. Let's look at the Akron game to see the latest progress. Other than the touchback and the onside kick, the five returns went to the 11, 20, 22, 40, and 19, or an average of the 22 yard line. The chance of injury are higher on kickoffs than on other plays, so returning all kicks is a risky strategy. Are they getting a reward?

      

 

 

On a side note; Kent has a huge game today vs Toledo. Miami currently struggling vs BuGs. Could be in good position in the East with things playing out to OUr advantage! Gotta win in KalamazooZooZooZoo.

Any ideas on who’s back from injury?

They mentioned Torrie Cox is back.

#23 has caught 3 passes and fair caught a punt. #23 is listed as Julian Ross on the roster but I don't think it's Ross. And there is no last name on the back of his jersey. Anyone have a thought on who it might be?

Appeared that he should have had help over the top, but didn't get it.

Offensive missteps later in the half can't happen if Ohio is going to win this game.