Bobcat football program avoids signing ‘drought’

National Signing Day, February 2, flourished a green and white banner in its wake. It’s the day when college football recruits upgrade their verbal commitments to signed contracts, and a day when Ohio committed arguably one of the best freshman rosters in the MAC.

“I think this could be one of the better, if not the best – at least on paper – class that we’ve recruited so far,” said Bobcat Head Coach Frank Solich.

Their success didn’t happen by accident. Earlier this season, Solich said the team likes to “recruit a guy or two at each position so that we don’t get to where we have a drought one year.”

But balance is out of the picture when Ohio loses six valued defensive linemen, including its entire starting defensive front, to graduation in 2011.  Half of the 24 newly signed players are offensive and defensive linemen.

“As far as the whole class goes,” said Solich, “we targeted kids early and did a good job of building relationships and getting kids we want.”

As early as Spring Quarter 2010, said Solich, coaches were looking at the roster, thinking about what gaps needed to be filled two seasons ahead.

Brian Haines is the recruiting coordinator and tight end coach for the Bobcats, and steam-headed the effort to recruit early. 

“We targeted them, we wrote them,” said Haines, “and we did everything that we could to do the best job we could – recruit them.”

Aside from just watching high school film, getting personal was the goal, said Solich, and knowing as much about the high school student as possible in order to write a good letter or share a meaningful phone call. 

“Brian was shoving letters in front of us [coaches] to write to these prospects,” said Solich. “Every week we communicated with them in the form of letter writing, much more than we’ve ever done.”

The NCAA this year allowed 10 coaches – instead of only seven – to simultaneously hit the road and recruit. Ohio took full advantage of the modified rule. The 2010 by-week arrived, and the coaches were nowhere to be seen on campus.

In the recruitment phase, Solich said another selling point was the promise of access to a new multi-purpose center, funded by the Walter Family Foundation, at some point in the players’ time at Ohio.  

“If you want to separate yourself from other athletes out there,” said Solich, “you need to constantly be working year round and that will give the football team the ability to practice in bad weather year round.”

The result: Bobcat coaches successfully recruited two quarterbacks, 12 offensive and defensive linemen, four quick cornerbacks, two high school students who graduated early, and a few players from the talented Cleveland market.

Glenville High School senior Antwan Crutcher will be coming in from Cleveland as a 6’1 defensive tackle for the Bobcats. A record-holding wrestler, Crutcher was also ranked by ESPN 66^th best defensive tackle in the country. He also arrives having been coached by the notable Glenville Head Coach Ted Ginn, Senior.

“We put our foot in the door,” said Haines. “Coach Germano [Ohio University defensive line coach] works very hard up in the Cleveland area and that’s a huge get. Hopefully they’ll keep coming from there.”

Still from that area, two Solon High School seniors are joining the pack as linebacker and the class’s only running back, Kyle Hammonds.

It’s yet to be seen if the two-quarterback system will remain for the 2011 season, but two new quarterbacks were signed on Wednesday. 2010 was a flop season that ended with senior QB Boo Jackson showing up late to the New Orleans Bowl and QB Phil Bates churning his legs to no avail against a defense that gave up an average of 30 points a game.

While still having to compete with Bates and to-be junior Tyler Tettleton, high school senior QBs Ronnie Bell and Derrius Vick have their eyes set on the future.

“Both those guys are excellent quarterback prospects,” said Coach Solich. “These are the type of guys that have movement as well as have the ability to throw the ball.”

Bell went 29-1 in his high school career in Georgia, where he broke 12 school records. He passed for 4,675 yards and mowed the field with 13 rushing touchdowns.           Derrius Vick is a multi-dimensional player who had to make the choice between playing collegiate football or basketball. Nebraska tried to recruit Vick as a defensive back, but he ended up signing with the Bobcats, who offered him the quarterback position.

The wide receiver and linebacker positions were not a high priority. Star wide receiver LaVon Brazill and middle linebacker Noah Keller both will return to the field next season, after season-ending injuries plagued their hopes for the 2011 NFL draft.