College Football Week #10: Where’s Frank Solich?
Ever wonder what happened to Frank Solich?
You remember that guy: He was the coach at the University of Nebraska for six seasons. He was the loyal lieutenant who took over Tom Osborne’s Cornhuskers, proof positive that he’s never good at being the guy who replaces The Guy. After compiling a 64-19 record as Nebraska’s leader, Solich was cruelly and controversially fired in favor of Beau Bridges. (Okay, no, it wasn’t Beau Bridges; it was Bill Callahan, who looks like Bridges.)
Solich took a sabbatical and then, in 2005, took over Ohio University’s moribund football program (which, if I digress, is quite a distance in prestige, if not geography, from Ohio State University). Ohio). Jim Grobe turned Ohio into a good, not great, MAC team after taking over an 0-11 program in 1995, but Grobe jumped to Wake Forest after the 2000 season (and let’s face it, he didn’t exactly have the best record in Ohio: 33-33-1). Between Grobe and Solich came four years of Brian Knorr, who undid almost everything Grobe did, going 11-35. Solich took over last year and went 4-7.
Things have been better in 2006. Ohio is 6-3 overall and 4-1 at the always exciting MAC, currently tied with Kent St. at the MAC East (and they own the tiebreaker, having beaten to the Golden Flashes on the last visit). week). Not a great team by MAC standards, but they have won a conference-high four straight, including an upset win at the University of Illinois just three weeks ago. The best thing for the Bobcats has been their defense: They currently rank 15th in the nation in terms of passing yards allowed per game, and they have intercepted seven passes compared to eight touchdowns allowed. Ohio has traveled to Rutgers, Missouri and Illinois (plus a silly game against I-AA Tennessee-Martin); if you just count the team’s five conference games, they’ve allowed just over 15 points and 278 total yards per game. In typically high-flying MAC, that’s pretty good. The Bobcats have eight returning starters on offense, and they seem to be working there, too, especially on the ground: During this four-game winning streak, Ohio is averaging 26.5 points scored and 210 rushing yards per game. At the same time, they have the 108th-best passing offense in Division 1 football; this really is a mini Nebraska around Three Yards And A Cloud Of Dust.
On the road against Eastern Michigan this week, I think it will work. The Eagles rank 106th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (181), also allowing 4.9 yards per carry. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a flashing red light. Eastern Michigan allowed 178 rushing yards to West Michigan last weekend, 175 to Toledo before that, 159 to Bowling Green before that, 179 to Louisiana-Lafayette before that, 176 to Central Michigan… oh Hell, you get the point. This huge run defense number is not an outlier: The Eagles are challenged on the defensive side of the ball. Also, we offend, Jeff Genyk’s team has scored 16 points per conference game, the worst MAC. Three different quarterbacks have started for Genyk: Andy Schmitt, Tyler Jones and Dontayo Gage, but the team’s sacks and interceptions outnumber their touchdown passes. Overall, Eastern Michigan is 1-7 and 1-4 in MAC games.
Ohio has probably been better at home than on the road, though its only conference loss came in Athens. Eastern Michigan has only hosted two games so far this year, and will play three of the next four in Ypsilanti. This line opened in Ohio at 4.5, but quickly increased to 6.5. But the trends look good for the Bobcats, too. They are 4-0 against the spread during this modest winning streak and 4-1 ATS in their conference games this year. Eastern Michigan, meanwhile, is 1-4 ATS against winning teams and 2-5 ATS as a home underdog. Most of all, I like Solich’s running game, with Kalvin McRae’s pace and his 11 touchdowns, to dominate the clock and score against a run-challenged East Michigan. The march to the MAC title game continues this weekend, and I’m taking Ohio (-6.5) in eastern Michigan.
Last week: Ohio State didn’t even bother to make it interesting against Minnesota, shutting out the hapless Gophers, 44-0. Taking the Buckeyes and giving the 27 points was the right thing to do and therefore I am very glad I recommended you to do so. That coverage puts us at 6-3 against the spread so far this year.