No chance. Not as long as Frank is head coach. They will always have a run-first mentality.

It's in his DNA

First two plays vs Akron; to White for 35, to White for 11. Now those were passes to back up the defense to open up the run which did go for 381. Coach Solich would likely acknowledge others these past seasons, 2017 Albin/Johnson/Isphording, then 2018 Albin/Isphording as responsible for the game plans. Isphording I think is having more influence as the QB play is improving and he can bring the QB more to the front.

Since 2014 Ohio has had 10 games where they've attempted more passes than rushes. That five seasons and 64 games ...

So Ohio has thrown more than run in only 16% of their games.

And of those 10 games ... I counted 8 of them Ohio was playing from behind (2016: Tennessee, WMU, Troy; 2015: WMU, UB; 2014: UK, Marshall, BG)

No argument that the 2012 game vs ULM was an offensive onslaught ... but Ohio only threw the ball 23 times. They hit on some long balls and blew the game open, but Blankenship went for over 100 and 4 TDs and as a team they still ran the ball 38 times.

I don't think Frank & Co will ever convert to a pass-happy offense no matter how good of a QB they have back there. He's always going to want a team that controls the ground game.

That stubbornness I think cost them at NIU when it was apparent they weren't capable of running the ball, yet they refused to lean towards the pass. 32 carries for 46 yards. Yuck.

Yes, there have been game where the plan is to come out and throw early ... but ultimately that's so they can run.

Ohio will always be a run-oriented team is my point. You won't see them open things up like a Toledo or BG. At best, they'll be 50/50.

This is not quite accurate, under the current system, if OHIO finishes as the top ranked G5 team they go to a New Year's Day bowl game. Remember WMU in the Cotton, and NIU in the Orange? That could be OHIO one year in the future. Now, for OHIO to do this they have to win the MACC, but you seem to be implying that no matter how good the season we are relegated to what my wife calls a "loser bowl."

BTW, I read one story yesterday that said the B1G is now going to advocate for an eight team playoff. If true and if successful, I'm sure they'll be one slot reserved for the best G5 team, so in that scenario all FBS teams will have a theoretical shot at the national championship.

I'm not so sure. Knowing how much they don't care and disrespect G5 teams ... they won't have automatic bid. Will be P5 champions and three at-larges.

Hope I'd be wrong. Would LOVE to see G5 playing for a true prize

Probably the "small town" in me, but, the 2012 Independence Bowl was the most "real" experience I could want. The fairground feel, the inside pregame bash in the adjacent coliseum on a wet/cold day with a battle of the bands, a dance off between the cheer squads and a good meal was intimate and real. Getting to visit with the Branz family also helped. Good people from York, NE. Nothing more we need.

Family is as "real" as it gets. Christmas time especially.

Can't I have both? 

I do appreciate your kind thoughts . . . 

 

The run emphasis is about statistical probabilities and maximizing a big offensive line. Gashing run plays for 8 to 9 yards per carry to impose the Bobcat will on the opponent. Opposition would love to do the same I'm sure if they had the RBs or the OL for it. Its not run because we can't pass mentality of the Grobe/Knorr years as the receivers are pretty good too but we haven't needed them for bailing out the offense with big plays the last few years with a dominant run game in place.

I think where you finish only plays a small role on what bowl you end up in.

MAC is guaranteed X spots ... so if you finish in the top X, you're definitely going to a bowl. But a lot of times the MAC ends up with more than X bowl eligible teams.

So it then becomes a giant puzzle. I think you're conference finish is trumped a lot by which bowls you've just recently been.

For instance, had Ohio won the MAC the year after a Camellia Bowl ... its highly doubtful they'd go again the very next year.

So it's tough to say Ohio is considered the league's best because they're Frisco bound. It's more because Ohio and others turn in the bowl rotation.

You'll get no argument from me there. I felt Ohio was the best team in the MAC the last two years. But they're their own worst enemy in terms of not capitalizing and winning a championship.