1. The pomp and circumstance
that accompanies Homecom-
ing is merely white noise for the
Ohio football team.
While the Bobcats (4-1, 1-0
Mid-American Conference)
appreciate the raucous atmo-
sphere the crowd will provide
in Saturday’s tilt against Central
Michigan (2-4, 1-1 MAC), ulti-
mately, it’s no different than any
of Ohio’s other home games.
“As a team, we have to stay
focused,” said redshirt senior
wide receiver Donte Foster.
“Central Michigan isn’t a joke.
We’re going to come out there
with a lot of intensity and
hopefully we can feed off our
great fans.”
After dropping the sea-
son opener against Louis-
ville, Ohio has compiled four
straight wins and defeated its
last two opponents in Austin
Peay and Akron by a com-
bined score of 81-3. The back-
to-back blowouts signaled the
first time since 1999 that the
Bobcats held their opponents
without a touchdown in two
straight games.
Redshirt senior linebacker
Keith Moore said a change in
attitude and more productive
practices have sparked the re-
cent string of strong play.
“I think our practices have
been a lot different than in
the past,” said Moore, who
returned from injury against
Akron last week. “People are
hustling more and we’re mak-
ing a huge emphasis to run to
the ball, wrap up. … People are
kind of practicing harder than
we’ve ever done.”
Ohio will look to reap the
benefits of those efforts against
Central Michigan, which has
struggled to cope with the loss
of starting quarterback-run-
ning back duo Cody Kater and
Zurlon Tipton, which is side-
lined for the season because of
injuries.
But even considering the
loss of Tipton, a former MAC
second-team selection, the
Bobcats are preparing for a
Chippewa team that lives and
dies with pounding defenses
using their four-man running
back corps.
Central Michigan will try to
make Ohio load the box so it
can open the field for redshirt
freshman quarterback Cooper
Rush with the play-action pass,
redshirt senior cornerback Tra-
vis Carrie said.
Rush has had trouble getting
the ball to his receivers at times
this season, throwing eight in-
terceptions and completing
only 51.9 percent of his passes,
which ranks him second- and
third-worst mark in the MAC,
respectively.
He will have to deal with
an Ohio linebacking core that
has been the MAC’s best in
defending the run this sea-
son and also is quick enough
to make an impact on the op-
position’s aerial attack, Ohio
coach Frank Solich said.
Solich praised redshirt soph-
omores Jovon Johnson and Ben
Russell, who held down Ohio’s
defense during Moore’s ab-
sence. Russell leads the Bobcats
with 33 tackles.
“I really believed, coming
in, that we were going to have
linebackers that could really
run,” Solich said. “They seem
to have the kind of makeup that
enables them to be able to pick
up what has been a fairly com-
plicated defensive system.”
Florida Atlantic coach Carl
Pelini said he still shows game
film of Landon Cohen to his
players — a testament to the
former Ohio defensive tackle’s
athletic ability.
One play in particular stands
out to Pelini. During the first
half of Ohio’s 2007 loss to Vir-
ginia Tech, Cohen applied pres-
sure on Hokies quarterback Ty-
rod Taylor. He got the pass off,
but it ricocheted off a receiver
and was recovered by none oth-
er than Cohen himself.
“I talk about hustle, and
when we coach our D-line,
we tell them, ‘When the ball’s
thrown, run to the football,’”
Pelini said. “Early in camp
when we’re talking about effort
and pursuit, I always show this
play.”
Cohen, a current Chicago
Bear, made his first start for the
team on Thursday against the
New York Giants. He used his
athleticism to make an impact
on not only Ohio but also Peli-
ni, who was Ohio’s defensive
line coach from 2005 to 2007.
“He really changed the way
that I coached defensive line,”
Pelini said.
Pelini left Ohio after the 2007
season to join his brother Bo at
Nebraska, where he coached
current Detroit Lions defensive
tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Cohen, a defensive tackle,
was drafted in the seventh
round of the 2008 NFL Draft by
the Detroit Lions and has since
played for five NFL teams.
Cohen had his best NFL sea-
son in 2009, when he had 14
individual tackles and 21 tack-
les overall. The Chicago Bears
picked up Cohen on Sep. 27.
Cohen had an illustrious col-
legiate career from 2004 to 2007
and was named to the Mid-
American Conference second
team during his junior and se-
nior seasons.
He recorded a career-high
40 total tackles and was second
among Bobcat players with 14
tackles for loss during his junior
season — the 10th best total in
Ohio history.
He also made 27 solo tackles
during his senior campaign and
assisted on an additional 32.
Cohen said even though he
has played for several teams,
he doesn’t mind being an NFL
journeyman.
“It’s fun,” he said. “You’re still
getting to go fulfill you’re child-
hood dream, so it doesn’t really
matter who you’re suiting up
for as long as you’re suiting up.”
Cohensaidhemakesitapoint
to recognize other MAC players
while playing because he feels
they have a special bond.
“Whenever you see a MAC
guy on your team or on the op-
posing team, you kind of give
each other a shout-out,” Cohen
said. “Just knowing the confer-
ence we come from is not one
of those typical big confer-
ences, but there’s a lot of guys
(from the MAC) that make it to
the next level and stay.”
Dak Notestine, Ohio’s assis-
tant strength and conditioning
coach and former defensive
end, said Cohen was one of
the quickest players he’s ever
seen. He also said Cohen had a
sense of humor on the field and
would wear dress socks under
his cleats to stay comfortable
during practice.
“Landon’s a hilarious guy,
first of all, and he’s always got
his little niches that he sticks
to,” Notestine said. “But as far
as development of young play-
ers, I really looked up to him
and I appreciated every little
piece of mental knowledge he
could pass along.”
Cohen said the 2004 hire of
Ohio coach Frank Solich ush-
ered in a new era of Ohio foot-
ball and that practices during
that time period were intense,
which allowed him to thrive.
Solich said Cohen’s success
at the next level is a testament
to his work ethic.
“He had a big impact on our
program,” Solich said. “Obvi-
ously (he) had excellent quick-
ness, toughness. … He had
great natural strength and so
ended up being a complete
player for us, the kind that you
look for in order to certainly
move the program forward.”
THE POST 9WWW.THEPOST.OHIOU.EDU FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013
THE HUDDLE
Keep up with the Bobcats @thepostsports
AN INSIDE
LOOK AT
OHIO FOOTBALL
Post senior writer Christian
Hoppens corresponded via email
with Central Michigan Life foot-
ball beat writer Aaron McMann
this week for a Q&A about the
Chippewas’ 2013 campaign.
CH: What were the realistic ex-
pectations of Central Michigan
entering the season?
AM: They were reasonable.
After back-to-back 3-9 seasons
under coach Dan Enos, CMU
seemed to have turned a corner
in 2012 with a 7-6 record and bowl
victory. There were questions at
quarterback, but the Chippewas
have playmakers at receiver, as
well as running back with Zurlon
Tipton (1,492 yards, 20 touch-
downs) returning for his senior
season. At worst, I expected an-
other 6-6 season and 7-5 if they
played their cards right.
CH: What are some of the
strengths of this Chippewa team?
AM: There aren’t many
strengths, per se, but several piec-
es can make a difference. When
Cooper Rush is on, he has one of
the best arms in the league. Look
for the linebackers and safeties —
CMU plays a 4-2-5 defense — to
make a lot of tackles (linebacker
Justin Cherroci leads the MAC
with 62 total tackles). The key,
however, is not giving up a lot of
yards after a catch.
CH: What finally clicked for
Central Michigan in its 21-9 win
against Miami last week?
AM: I’m not sure if anything nec-
essarily clicked, although the jury is
still out on Rush — he looked much
better in the second half, partially
because of a successful run-game
— in that CMU was just a better
team than the RedHawks. In fact,
the Chippewas were outgained by
a more than two-to-one and only
lead 7-3 at half. The defense line
played much better but I think that
was more of a testament to Miami’s
weak offensive line — the Red-
Hawks are last in the MAC (Mid-
American Conference) in rushing
yards.CMUmadeplayswhenithad
to, contained Miami’s play-making
quarterbacks and left Oxford with a
win it was expected to get.
CH: Who are some of the offen-
sive playmakers quarterback Coo-
per Rush will be looking to find on
Saturday?
AM: Titus Davis. The guy is in-
credible and can turn it up when
CMU is in trouble. For example,
with the Chips trailing 3-0 in the
second quarter last week, Davis
turned a punt return from noth-
ing into something, spinning and
eluding tacklers like he was in a
video game. It set up CMU’s first
touchdown of the game. He also
had a couple of key catches in the
second half helping put the game
away. He can make plays in space
and often draws double coverage.
Ohio would be naive not to do the
same on Saturday.
Visit thepost.ohiou.edu for the
full Q & A with McMann
Q&Awith‘CentralMichigan
Life’beatwriter
CHRISTIAN HOPPENS
SENIOR WRITER
CH203310@OHIOU.EDU
Former Bobcat Cohen credits
NFL success to Ohio roots
BRANDON KORS
STAFF WRITER
MK277809@OHIOU.EDU
Staff Picks
CHAD LINDSKOG (5-0)
POST SPORTS EDITOR
“The Bobcat defense continues
its dominance and doesn’t
allow a touchdown for a third
consecutive game.”
OHIO 38, CMU 17
BRANDON KORS (5-0)
POST STAFF WRITER
“Bobcats play inspired football
against Central Michigan on
Homecoming.”
OHIO 31, CMU 14
ALEX BUSCH (4-1)
POST STAFF WRITER
“CMU hasn’t been able to score
much this year,and it’s Home-
coming.Ohio comes out on top
for fifth straight win.”
OHIO 34, CMU 14
TIM BURKE
DEADSPIN EDITOR (OU ALUMNUS)
“I think CMU is shut out by our
first team defense but scores a
few times on our backups late.”
OHIO 38, CMU 17
BOO JACKSON
OHIO QUARTERBACK (’08-10)
“We are just finding our stride.
It’s Homecoming,if needed,
they can put us out there — OU
Oh yeaaa!”
OHIO 30, CMU 3
SKYLAR ALLEN
OHIO DEFENSIVE LINEMAN (’08-10)
“The O-Line is going to answer
the call this game,and Ohio is
going to get their running game
going.The defense will have
four takeaways.”
OHIO 28, CMU 14
CHRIS GARRETT
RB FOR SASKATCHEWAN ROUGH
RIDERS (OHIO RB FROM ’06-09)
“We are tough to beat at home,
plus we’re coming off a huge
conference win.I see us steam
rolling over CMU!”
OHIO 34, CMU 14
JASON CHOW (2-1)
POST DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
“It will be a long day for Central
Michigan as the Bobcats domi-
nate on both sides of the ball in
front of the OU crowd.”
OHIO 43, CMU 9
’Cats approach Homecoming confidently
CALVIN MATTHEIS | FOR THE POST
Ohio senior Donte Foster (#3) runs toward the endzone during a game against
the University of Akron at InfoCision Stadium. Ohio won the Oct. 5 matchup 43-3.
PROVIDED BY OHIO ATHLETICS
Former Ohio defensive tackle Landon Cohen lines up for the Bobcats. Cohen, a 2008 NFL draft pick, now plays for the Chicago
Bears.
CHRISTIAN HOPPENS
SENIOR WRITER
CH203310@OHIOU.EDU “AS A TEAM, WE HAVE TO
STAY FOCUSED. CENTRAL
MICHIGAN ISN’T A JOKE.
WE’RE GOING TO COME
OUT THERE WITH A LOT OF
INTENSITY AND HOPEFULLY
WE CAN FEED OFF OUR
GREAT FANS.”
— Donte Foster
Redshirt senior,
wide receiver