Ohio vs Temple: Blackout Live Blog

4:25- All black everything.

When the 2011 schedule was released, I along with many others saw this as just another weeknight game in November. Boy, was I wrong.

For the third consecutive year, this matchup will determine who controls their fate in the final three weeks of the season. Throw in the first time that ESPN is broadcasting from Peden, along with the school’s inaugural “blackout”, and you’ve got a recipe for the most hyped Ohio Bobcat football game in ages. I’ll be heading to the stadium around 6 p.m.. Keep it here for updates throughout the night.

6:29- Made it to Peden. Some things to start.

-Plenty of scouts are here tonight. The New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, and New England Patriots all have representatives here. No idea who they are looking at in particular but scouts always come in droves to weeknight games.

-More importantly, a representative from the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is expected as well.

-Senior linebacker Noah Keller is wearing number 62 tonight.

6:35- Going to try and get on the field for warmups to get some pictures.

7:37- I’m back. Lot’s of recruits here which is nice to see.

7:42- Student side has filled in nicely, rest of the stadium not so much. But that is to be expected on a Wednesday night.

7:44- Temple has allowed 5.8 points per game on the road this season. Wow.

7:50- It’s go time.

7:56- Your random nugget from the media notes: Temple is the only one of the 13 teams in the MAC to play their home games on grass.

7:59- You know what would be cool, if the scoreboard at Peden would be big enough to showcase these awesome intro videos by Evan Shaw and co..

8:02- The team enters with Johnny Cash blaring. Temple wins the toss and defers. Now the first of many times that we will wait for TV tonight.

8:11- That didn’t take long. Tyler Tettleton making it look easy as the ‘Cats march down the field in 2:05 to go up 7-0. Mind you Temple averages just 10 points allowed on defense per game. After the huge scoring drive it’s time to see the defense handle Temple’s running game.

8:29- ‘Cats take over on their own 10 when LaVon Brazill showed his incredible speed on a 56 yard end around. Ohio goes three and out immediately after and Weller’s 53-yard FG misses. First missed opportunity of the night for the Bobcats, something they can’t do much longer.

8:32- Safe to say the blackout looks good on TV.

8:35- Temple trying to get a spark by sending Chris Coyer in at QB. Expect plenty of runs with him in.

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER

Ohio 7
Temple 0

-Ohio had three plays of 25 or more yards in the first quarter. Very uncharacteristic of the Temple defense.

-Coyer leads Temple with 23 rushing yards. He has played one drive. The Owls running nothing but zone reads with him trying to keep the Bobcats on their toes.

-Tyler Tettleton’s composure with the pressure Temple has been bringing is outrageously good. He has dodged numerous sacks.

-If the Owls want to have a chance, they need to get Pierce the ball.

8:52- Donte Foster coughs up the ball which is recovered by the Owls. A late hit allows Temple to set up shop at the Ohio 17. 5 plays later Coyer finds Evan Rodriguez on his first pass attempt of the year for a touchdown. All of a sudden it’s a completely different ballgame.

9:02- Bobcats strike back led by the arm of Tyler Tettleton. He throws, receives and then finally runs to get a touchdown for the Bobcats.

9:11- Ohio forces a thee and out. Temple winning the time of possession battle 12:01 to 11:25. They are used to a much bigger margin.

9:22- Another missed FG and Temple pounces on the opportunity. They go 69 yards in under two minutes. It’s a tie game that shouldn’t be. Coyer finally found Rod Streater who has been burning Omar Leftwich all night.

9:32- HALFTIME

Ohio 14
Temple 14

Some tidbits

-Ohio is dominating this game on paper. They are out-gaining the Owls 261 to 153 and are winning the time of possesion battle. Turnovers and missed (field goal) opportunities are the difference.

-Temple’s Bernard Pierce has just 28 yards on 12 carries. Backup QB Chris Coyer on the other hand is taking advantage of the fact Ohio is unprepared for him.

-It’s going to be an interesting second half. Hopefully the student body hangs around.

9:49- And with that, the exodus begins. I love this student body but hate them at the same time. So apathetic.

9:55- Ohio gets a lucky three-and-out to start the half. The receiver falls out of bounds just short of the first down mark. Ohio ball at their own 17.

10:03- Teams trade punts early in the 3rd.

10:06- Huge swing after a Streater catch at Ohio’s 2 gets called back due to pass interference. A net of -44.

10:08- Coyer fumbles at the Ohio 15. Harden makes them pay with an 81-yard run. Everyone thought it was coming back as a ref threw a flag as he dove unnecessarily into the end zone. Instead it was a sideline foul on Ohio. Run stands 21-21.

10:22- Things starting to open up. Bernard Pierce is free at last. 20-yard run ties the game up. 2:43 left in the third.

10:30-END OF THE THIRD QUARTER

Ohio 21
Temple 21

-Ohio cannot contain Chris Coyer. He has 131 yards on 11 carries. If they keep biting on his reads, Ohio will lose this game.

-Don’t know what else to say for Ohio offensively in the 4th. They get momentum but then have the drives stall abruptly. The Temple defense is playing much much better in the 2nd half.

-Updates will be a little more sparse here late. Tune it to the twitter (@suhlmann12) for more info on the game.

10:34- Temple’s gutsy move of a fake punt pays off for Temple. Huge gain into Bobcat territory could be the difference.

10:40- Bobcats get a stop but not quick enough. Brandon McManus sneaks a 27-yard field goal into the uprights to give Temple their first lead of the night. 24-21 with 10:57 left.

10:51- 8 plays, 80 yards, Ohio has the lead again. LaVon Brazill’s ridiculous catch inside the Temple 5 survives a review and sets up a Tettleton pass to Thompson. 28-24 with 7:51 remaining.

Ohio vs Akron: Bobcats back in MAC East race with win over Zips

The Akron/Kent State writer took care of the recap for MAC Report Online this Saturday, but since I’m a loser with nothing better to do on a Saturday night I wrote a recap anyway.

A game against the lowly Akron Zips was just what the doctor ordered for the Ohio Bobcats, as they snapped their two-game losing streak with a 37-20 victory at InfoCision Stadium Saturday.

The “big-play offense” of the Bobcats was clicking as Ohio outgained Akron 556 yards to 249.

While the offense was able to move the ball at will, three turnovers and 100 penalty yards dampened what was otherwise a good performance.

“I think we showed some signs of coming out of (our slump),” Head Coach Frank Solich said. “Three turnovers again today. That’s not what we’re after, but we were able to overcome that.”

The first turnover, a Tyler Tettleton interception on the team’s first drive, stalled the early momentum. Despite the mistake, Tettleton continued his efficient ways completing 21 of 29 passes for 328 yards.

Another long drive in the first quarter resulted in a Matt Weller field goal. The kick made him Ohio’s top scoring kicker.

Akron would counter with a 72-yard drive that was capped with an A.J. Fox field goal.

With both teams scuffling through most of the first half, a big blow came when Tettleton would find his favorite target, LaVon Brazill for a 78-yard touchdown with 6:17 remaining in the second quarter.

“I think it came at a good in the game,” Solich said. “Neither team had the game in control and both teams were fighting for a little bit of an advantage, but there was a lot of football to play.”

The Bobcats were able to do a much better job keeping drives alive compared to last week’s game against Ball State as they converted 11 of 14 third-down conversions.

Ohio then went on a run where they would score 27 of the next 34 points, featuring two Tettleton touchdowns (one rushing, one passing), A Beau Blankenship touchdown run and two more Matt Weller field goals.

Akron was hoping to take advantage of a banged-up Ohio defensive line by going to running back Jawon Chisolm early and often. Ohio contained him well as he only had 49 yards on 21 carries. The Zips as a team had just 81 total rushing yards.

For Ohio, Donte Harden had a good game statistically, picking up 123 yards on 22 carries, but another costly fumble saw him benched for a short while.

In addition to getting their season back on track, losses by Temple and Buffalo bring the Bobcats back into the running for the MAC East title. While the sudden change of fortunes will have the team looking to go for the kill, both the players and coaches are keeping it in perspective.

“We’ve got to play one game at a time,” cornerback Travis Carrie said. “We can’t focus on other teams.”

“I have no idea where that stands and how that all works, but obviously that helps us,” Solich said. “We’re going to have to win out in order to be in the game. We got four more to go in order to get that done and a huge one next week with Temple coming to our place.”

The Bobcats next game will be a pivotal matchup with the Temple Owls in Athens next Wednesday. Akron will play Central Michigan at home Saturday.

Ball State vs Ohio: Running Blog

Happy Homecoming, and what a day for it!

I have a hard time believing that there is a more beautiful setting in college football in fall than Peden Stadium.

Ohio is looking to rebound after a terrible loss to Buffalo last week against a less than stellar Ball State Cardinals squad that is coming off a 42-0 loss to Temple.

2:13- Some notes:

-Warrior Jeff King will be wearing the number 62 today in honor of Marcellus Williamson.

-Wicked winds here along the Hocking today. Gusts are expected in excess of 40 mph. It’s going to affect the kicking, punting and passing games.

-LaVon Brazill needs eight receptions to become Ohio’s all-time leader in receptions.

-Reps from the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants have spots in the box today. No idea who they are here to look at but it’s getting to that time where we see scouts around Peden.

-As it plays on the video board, I can’t stress enough how good The Bobcat Showcase on WOUB is. It covers all Ohio sports and does a great job of covering the teams from unique angles. You can check out full episodes HERE.

2:43- Ball State is 3-3 but like previous opponents they have been battle-tested. They have played Oklahoma, South Florida and Indiana.

2:50- Ball State quarterback Sean Baker has thrown the most interceptions in the nation. The Bobcat secondary has feasted on turnovers all season and could use some today.

3:00- Now that I’m done feeling bad for myself over another horrid effort from the Pitt Panthers, some more news. DL Neal Huynh is still a couple of weeks away from playing and won’t dress. CB Xavier Hughes is officially out for the year.

3:09- Tyler Tettleton has been incredibly efficient. He is one of 11 quarterbacks in D-I with at least 1o touchdowns and two or less interceptions. He is in the same company with players such as Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck.

3:30- Just about game time and the place has filled up. The crowd is louder than in past home games so it should be a very fun afternoon of football.

3:34- Teams are out. Rufus’s motorcycle has returned. Ball State will start with the ball. Let’s play.

3:42- Both teams can’t get much going on their first drives. With the wind, the run game will be very important. Donte Harden had 11 yards on his first carry but the drive stalled immediately after.

3:48- Ohio forces another three and out and has much better field position on the Ball State 38.

3:55- LaVon Brazill gives the crowd some life with an impressive 37 yard return on a 65 yard punt that featured a huge block by Mose Denton.

3:58- A bit puzzling how Ohio continues to pass when it clearly isn’t working so far.

4:02- 11 minutes in Ball State gets the first 3rd down conversion of the day. They are driving, now inside the Ohio 35.

4:06- END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Ball State 0 Ohio 0.

Pretty mundane quarter of football there, but we have seen things get crazy i a relatively short amount of time.

-Ball State is in the middle of a 5:43 drive and are down to the Ohio 20. They have figured out a way to move the ball with the wind.Ohio should look to do the same.

-Just 24 total yards for the Bobcats- 21 rushing, 3 passing. It would be in their best interest to keep the ball on the ground.

-Time of possession: Ball State-11:05 Ohio: 3:55.

4:11- 14 play 59 yard drive is capped with a field goal. Ball State 3 Ohio 0.

4:16- Funny how Ohio gets a first down and the chain gang forgets to move the sticks as they were asleep from the lethargic first quarter.

4:18- Six for the ‘Cats on a reverse pass from Phil Bates to LaVon Brazill for the score. 7-3 Bobcats after tripling their 1st quarter output on their first drive of the 2nd. That is Brazill’s 6th TD of the season and he is now just three receptions away from the all-time mark.

4:36- We’ve hit another lull in the middle of the second. BSU trying to make the best of good field position starting their drive on the Ohio 46.

4:40- BSU gets down to the OU 24 before stalling. The Bobcats dodge a bullet when Steven Schott misses the 41-yard field goal attempt. Still 7-3 as the game inches toward half.

4:50- Horrible drive for the Bobcat D who allow the Cardinals to go 9 plays and 81 yards in less than four minutes. 10-7 Cardinals with less than a minute left in the half.

4:54- Wow. A deflected Tettleton pass with 38 seconds remaining in the half picked off by Travis Freeman and returned all the way down to the Ohio 8. The Cardinals settle for a FG and have a 13-7 lead at the half.

HALFTIME: Ball State 13 Ohio 7

-What a downer. Ohio had seemed to seize control of the game with their first touchdown but Ball State put together a nice drive and then a big play on defense to sneak away with the lead at half.

-This was without a doubt Ohio’s worst offensive half of the year. They cannot move the ball on a regular basis today.

-Phil Bates on his one touchdown pass has more yards than Tyler Tettleton. That’s all you need to know about how the passing game has been.

-The defense broke down on BSU’s first touchdown of the half after tackling and doing their jobs well all half.

-Donte Harden has just seven carries. The Cats absolutely need to get him involved if they want to get it going offensively.

-God bless the Alumni Marching 110. Well worth the price of admission for fans.

-Jahwan Edwards has 91 yards on 15 carries for BSU. Not the bounce back effort the front half of the Bobcat defense was looking for.

5:19- Donte Harden comes out like a man possessed to start the half. Runs over Joshua Howard on a carry up the middle and knocks him out of the game. Brutal.

5:27- Bobcats get a TD on a drive that relied on the vertical passing game. Tettleton completes two passes to Riley Dunlop before a play action pass to Harden in the end zone completes the score. A blocked PAT almost results in two points but holder Paul Hershey makes the stop. 13-13 with 11:28 remaining.

5:38- A short QB sneak completes the counterpunch by Ball State. 10 plays, 77 yards, in  5:11. Things are about to get real for the Cats if they don’t get it together.

5:45- All-American effort by LaVon Brazill on a 74-yard TD reception, the longest play of the year for Ohio. He is one away from tying the all-time reception mark. 20-20 with 5:02 in the 3rd.

5:54- END OF THE 3RD QUARTER: Ohio 20 Ball State 20

-Game is tied but Ball State is in the red zone. Defense needs to dig deep if Ohio wants to win.

-Remember in the first half when it was nothing but punts?

-Ball State has nearly doubled Ohio in time of possesion.

-Bobcats held Edwards to just 18 yards, but the pass defense has looked bad.

5:57-Ohio gets the stop in the red zone and Cardinals get another FG. 23-2o with 14:19.

6:02- To give an idea of how much BSU has controlled this game, the Cardinals have run 66 plays to Ohio’s 38.

6:05- Wrapping up the running blog. Keep it to my twitter (@suhlmann12) for the updates in this barn-burner.

The War on Fans

As much as I hate anything pertaining to West Virginia University, I have to admit their fan loyalty can be matched by few in collegiate sports. They live and die with their Mountaineers, and while I think it can be over the top at times, they would be the last to have their devotion questioned.

But Mountaineer Football Head Coach Dana Holgorsen did just that last weekend following their 55-10 victory over Bowling Green. 46,603 fans showed up on a day featuring temperatures in the 50s and cold rain to see a low-end MAC team play. This apparently wasn’t good enough for Holgorsen, who was expecting sell outs similar to the LSU game every week. One comment he made at his weekly press conference really upset me.

 What’s so hard about it? Is it too cold? It wasn’t too cold for our players. It wasn’t too cold for our coaches or managers or trainers. They were out there. So why did we have 20,000 people less at this one than we did last week?

Well Dana, If I were a coach such as your self making hundreds or thousand or even millions of dollars to coach a team, well yes I would show up regardless of the weather. The same would go if I were a player receiving a free education to play a game.

The nerve Holgorsen has to attack fans who spend their hard earned money to attend games, in this economic climate no less, in which the money goes toward his and his staff’s salary is ridiculous. He fails to realize that West Virginia consistently is the top school for attendance in the Big East. Which leads me to this point.

Teams should never “call out” fans. Ever. Period.

Frank Coonelly did so in March, claiming that the Pirates would not be able to spend money until the fans show up in greater numbers. He was rightfully chastised for doing so by Pittsburgh media. People like this are much like those in government, out of touch with the “common citizen”.

Not all season ticket holders are able to make every game. Not everyone has the money for tickets in the locations that you mistakenly overpriced (ahem Yankees). As long as you aren’t in the red there isn’t really that much that you should be worried about. You do your job running the teams and let the fans do as they please.

As long as you guys are turning a profit, why should you even care who comes?

(Here is the press conference where Holgorsen goes off. You’d think the team is going to relocate because of it.)

Pittsburgh Pirates: Year in Review

Another year of baseball has come and gone for 22 cities. This one was a very noteworthy one for the beloved Pittsburgh Pirates. They gave their fans a taste of first place in July for the first time since 1992. Although they completely collapsed down the stretch, they finished with their best record (72-90) since 2004.

Instead of focusing on the huge negative that is the team’s 19th consecutive losing season, I’m going to take this space to focus on the memories that this season left me with by thanking the players. There were plenty.

Joel Hanrahan- Thank you for being the shut-down closer this team envisioned you being when they traded for you in 2009. I’d take you over Nyjer Morgan in a heartbeat.

Pedro Alvarez- Thank you for keeping it cool this year, even though it was a lost year. You took a nearly radioactive situation with your struggles and the reaction of the fan base and kept it from getting out of control. Clear your head up and come back ready in 2012. We need you.

Jose Tabata- Thank you so much for having a love for the Pirate franchise. It showed when you signed your extension this summer. You know the great history of this team and want to be a part of it. How can you not like that?

Paul Maholm- Even though this was most likely your last year with the club, thank you for being a great pitcher to watch during your time here. No matter what kind of crap you were faced with, you took the ball and tried to do your job to the best of your ability every time out. Not one complaint or excuse. It’s something I feel the younger pitchers fed off of.

Jeff Karstens- Thank you for showing in this era of obsession over power arms that a pitcher with control can get the job done too. Keep up the good work.

Michael McKenry- Thank you for making grown men cry on the night of July 8th, 2011 just by hitting a home run. Seriously.

Charlie Morton- Thank you for not giving up when it seemed everyone else had done so. One of the best stories of this season.

James McDonald- Thank you for being the lighthearted guy on the team. Your goofing around even made the 10-0 losses watchable when they cut away to you and the other guys in the dugout.

Neil Walker- Thank you for carrying this team at times when no one else could get it going. You were a catalyst all year with clutch hitting. You are a fun player to cheer for.

Andrew McCutchen- Thank you for having the breakout season that we were waiting for. You are a true “star-level” talent and it showed this year. While you faded down the stretch, you are quickly turning heads in the baseball world.

Clint Hurdle- Thank you for coming into what many consider an impossible situation and bringing hope back to this fan base. Your interactions with fans and players have meant a lot and went a long way to bringing back the positive vibes this young team desperately needed. You believed, so then we believed.

 

187 days until Opening Day 2012.

 

Conference Realignment: Pitt, Syracuse to the ACC

The ticking time bomb that is college athletics came closer to a full explosion when it was announced that Pitt and Syracuse would be leaving the Big East for the ACC.

It was a surprising move, given that the brass at Pitt made it seem like the school would be reactive rather than proactive. I suppose that after the first domino fell (Texas A&M to the SEC) they felt the timing was right.

There are both pros and cons to the decision. Let’s take a look at them.

PROS

Chumps no more?

With the lack of depth that the Big East has for football, the program should get  a boost from making the jump to the ACC. There will be more money to be had from bowl games and good seasons will be rewarded with better than the Meinike Car Care Bowl.

ACC hoops, baby!

Although the Big East has cemented its place as a power in college basketball, the ACC should give the Panthers a chance to show their stuff against perennial powers such as Duke and North Carolina yearly. It will be very exciting to have those teams coming to Pittsburgh regularly.

Hello old friends

 

The move in the conference will also rekindle old rivalries with Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech who left the Big East in 2004 or 2005. Pitt had many great match ups with these teams in football in the late ’90s and early 2000s’. It could potentially wake up a very dormant fan base and get them out to Heinz Field for games.

CONS

They aren’t who we thought they were

Although the conference features Duke and UNC for basketball and Florida State and Virginia Tech for football, there is a lot of dead weight in the conference. Teams such as Wake Forrest, Georgia Tech, Virginia, and NC State to name a few struggle to compete consistently. The conference lacks depth, especially in basketball as the others just can’t keep up.

Still moves to be made

There are still many moves to come in conference realignment. Many schools have been rumored to move including some ACC ones. Once the dust settles, there is a chance that Pitt could still find themselves in an inferior conference compared to the rest of the country.

End of the Backyard Brawl?

Since Pitt has bolted, they will no longer have a mandatory game with West Virginia. Although it wouldn’t be tough to schedule the matchup out of conference in basketball, it may be a sticky situation for football. It is often the highlight of the season for both teams so the inability to play it every year will be a tad disappointing.

I can’t really come up with a final verdict on whether the move is good or bad since there is still so much that could happen with the rest of the conferences. Only time will tell. I still applaud the schools proactive approach to realignment as they are moving on their terms rather than doing so because they had to.

 

 

Marshall vs Ohio: Liveblog

Hello all from Athens. A lot of stuff going on tonight so let’s dive right in.

5:44- Going back to their time in the MAC, Marshall and Ohio have been big rivals. Since the Thundering Herd left for Conference-USA the teams haven’t faced off as much. The last two meetings (2009 Little Caesars Bowl and 2010 at Marshall) have been heated affairs with both coming down to the wire. I’d expect the same tonight.

5:56- There was a rumored “surprise” for tonight’s big game. This afternoon it was revealed that Ohio would be wearing special jerseys. They’ve got a nice video package that will run on the video board before the team enters (you can check it out HERE).

5:58- Here’s a better picture of them.

They were designed by the equipment staff in the offseason. My favorite feature is the small Ohio logos on the sleeves. Reminds me a lot of Hawaii’s jerseys.

6:15- Just some housekeeping from the game notes.

-The teams are playing in what is called the “Battle for the Bell”. The winning team gets to claim a bell trophy.

-Ohio holds the all-time series lead at 29-19-6 however they have not beaten the Thundering Herd since 2000.

-The Bobcats will be honoring the late Marcellis Williamson with a pre-game ceremony. He died after just completing his senior season last year of a blood clot in his lung.

-If you are a student and plan on coming down, I’d suggest that you do so soon. The game is just about sold out of tickets for the paying public and there is already a huge student turnout.

6:21- Should also mention for those who wish to watch, the game will be on ESPN3.com.

6:27- Both teams out on the field for warm ups. Marshall gets a rousing ovation from their faithful as they took the field.

6:32- The Bobcats doing a breakdown with the Marching 110.

6:47- Early arriving students were invited down on the field to make a tunnel for the players.

6:48- Really lively crowd tonight. A bunch of recruits were on the field pre-game. Should leave a good impression.

6:54- Packed house, the most exciting band in the land, this is what college football is all about.

7:04- The teams have entered. Ohio wins the toss and has elected to defer. Will be interesting to see how they handle Marshall’s offense.

7:08- That didn’t take long. Omar Leftwich picks off a batted Rakeem Cato pass. Bobcats take over on the Herd 39.

7:12- Bobcats strike first. A Tyler Tettleton scamper set up a one yard TD pass from Tettleton to Lavon Brazill. Brazill made an amazing one-handed catch in the back corner for the score. The offense is clicking right off the bat which is needed.

7:20- Marshall wastes no time in offering a counter punch. Rakeem Cato finds Aaron Dobson and makes a perfect throw for a 45 yard touchdown. 7-7 with 10:28 left in the first. Game on.

7:22- Donte Harden says “GET OFF ME” and breaks numerous tackles while returning the kick all the way to the Herd 19. This game has the feel of an Arena Football matchup.

7:30- Donte Foster pulls in one of the best catches you will ever see (even received a collective “Woaahhhhh” from the media in the press box). Bobcats have to settle for a 20 yard field goal. They lead Marshall 10-7 with 6:43 left in the 1st.

7:43- Scrum. Bobcat interception. Marshall fumble recovery. Another Bobcat interception. All in the span of 3 minutes. Bobcats take over on the Herd 33.

7:46- Donte Harden is a man on a mission tonight. Another impressive run with numerous broken tackles puts the ‘Cats inside the Marshall 10.

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER (deep breath)

Ohio 10 Marshall 7

7:49- Tettleton scrambles and dives his way into the end zone for a touchdown. Bobcats get some separation and now lead 17-7 with 14:17 remaining in the half.

7:55- After running 23 plays on offense, Ohio is on pace for nearly 100 on the game. The no-huddle is working big time.

7:56-Marshall’s turnover woes continue. Xavier Hughes this time strips the Herd receiver and Nathan Carpenter recovers.

7:59- Whether they run or pass, Marshall can’t stop the no-huddle, Bobcats unleash a 8 play 72 yard drive in 2:40. But once inside the Herd 5, the Bobcats can’t find the end zone. Another short Weller field goal will have to do. 20-7 Ohio with 7:59 remaining.

8:09- With 5:10 remaining in the second quarter, we have our first punt of the game. Incredible.

8:17- Phil Bates catches a swing pass and blows through the Marshall defense for a 50 yard TD. It was unknown what his role would be, but as a receiver he is most dangerous.

8:24- Turnover 5 for Marshall leads to another TD. Same swing pass but this time it’s to Brazill for his second TD of the game. 34-7 Bobcats heading into the locker room with a chance to eclipse 40 points with the first possession of the second.

8:28- Trying to create something late in the half, Ceto sends a bomb downfield that is intercepted by Travis Carrie, his second of the game. I don’t know if Marshall will return after a half like that.

HALFTIME

Ohio 34 Marshall 7

8:43- Tyler Tettleton is going off tonight. 17-22 for 259 yards and 4 TDs (3 passing 1 rushing). He also leads the team with 51 yards rushing. If the team gets a performance like this from him week in and week out, they will be very tough to beat.

8:47- For the second consecutive week, Ohio outscored their opponent 24-0. Good way to show how the team has been able to make early adjustments.

8:49- The Bobcats are on pace for over 700 yards of total offense.

8:53- Ryan Boykin getting carries to start the 2nd half. Has looked strong in his few opportunities to play so far in 2011.

8:59- Yet another well-played drive that stalls in the end. Matt Weller (AKA Mr. Automatic) hits yet another field goal. He is now tied for the all-time lead in Ohio history.

9:06- Marshall has nothing going on offense again and punts. Going to start writing as this one is all but over. Keep it to the twitter (@suhlmann12) for major updates.

Ohio vs Gardner-Webb Live Blog

5:42- Greetings all from “The Crowned-Jewel of the MAC.”

The Bobcats are opening their 2011 home schedule against the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs. Keep it here as I’ll update the blog pre-game with notes and tidbits and then during the game for thoughts.

6:04- Props to the Ohio U marketing department making this game both “Band/Cheerleader Night” and “Youth Night”. It will really help out what would otherwise be a lackluster night for attendance.

6:09- Ohio allowed just 6 rushing yards in week 1 which was the third lowest in all of the nation.

6:28- Guess it would be a good time to do some shameless plugs. I will have the recap of this game for MAC Report Online. It’s a great place for recaps of all the action in the conference. The fearless staff of Speakeasy will have coverage of the team on lockdown this year. Be sure to check the site out frequently.

6:31- Don’t know how many teams have their band huddle up with the team at the end of warm ups. It’s quite a sight.

6:37- In honor of fallen defensive lineman Marcellus Williamson, members of the Bobcats defense will take turns wearing his number 62. Tremayne Scott wore it for the first game at New Mexico State. Tonight, it will be Carl Jones’ turn.

6:57- Linebacker Noah Keller is not in pads tonight after he aggravated his hamstring last week. No need to have him risk further injury in a game like this.

7:03- Awaiting the teams’ arrivals in the stadium. If you care to watch you can do so for free HERE.

7:08- GW gets the ball to start the game. Gain 11 yards rushing on their first two plays. Have doubled the defense’s total allowed on the season.

7:12- After gaining two first downs, the Runnin’ Bulldogs drive stalls. Time for the fans to see the new no-huddle offense for the first time.

7:26- Great crowd for the game tonight.

7:26- The Bobcats’ new no-huddle offense uses coaches in bright shirts holding up poster boards with symbols to call the plays. Very similar to Chip Kelly’s system at Oregon.

7:31- Two drives for each teams, and not much going on. A long run by Tyler Tettleton was brought back because of a block in the back penalty.

7:37- Finally a breakthrough. Donte Harden has a 27 yard gain that finally gets the Bobcats into GW territory with 2:30 left in the first.

7:41- Tettleton hits Donte Foster with a 33 yard pass to get the ball down to the five. On the ensuing play, Tettleton gets leveled and fumbles. GW recovers. It’s been that kind of night so far.

7:43- END OF THE 1ST QUARTER:

GARDNER-WEBB 0
OHIO 0

Pretty bad quarter there by the team as a whole. The defense has been getting stops when needed but they don’t have the tenacity they did last week. Offense is struggling mightily and mental mistakes are killing them.

7:51- The Cats needed a spark and they get one from Nathan Carpenter. He gets his first career interception and returns it 27 yards inside the GW 30. Ohio needs to capitalize on the short field.

7:56- Bobcats take advantage of the short field. Tettleton lays in a beautiful pass to LaVonn Brazil for a 15 yard TD. Bobcats lead 7-0 with 10:57 left in the second.

8:01- Defense responds with a stop. Bobcats could really break it open with another big play on offense.

8:04- Phil Bates makes his first appearance under center tonight. Is a very valuable weapon on the ground in the option attack.

8:09- The drive stalls just inside the GW 30. Matt Weller booms a 45 yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 4:53 remaining in the second quarter.

8:19- The defense gets things going again when Jelani Wosley intercepts a pass and takes it 26 yards to the end zone. Don’t know how many more times they will be able to bail the offense out.

8:23- The pass defense is coming back in a big way tonight. They have only allowed two completions for a total of 15 yards and have forced two picks.

8:25- Yet another interception. This time it’s Gerald Moore. he returns it 30 yards all the way to the GW 40 yard line.

8:31- Bobcats take advantage of the short field. Tettleton finds Dunlop in the very back of the end zone for a 14 yard touchdown. The play was reviewed but stood. Tettleton is getting beat a lot in the backfield but is still making good throws.

8:34- HALFTIME

GARDNER-WEBB 0
OHIO 24

Thoughts—-

Ohio was able to break the game open with big plays from the defense. Tettleton has looked really good at quarterback, taking a lot of hits but still making good throws. Stats to come.

Stats—-

-The quarterback play tonight have been polar opposites

Chandlar Browning (GW) 2-14, 15 yards, 3 interceptions
Tyler Tettleton (Ohio) 13-22, 137 yards, 2 TDs

-Kenny Little of GW is leading all rushers with 79 yards on 18 carries. It’s something the Bobcats will need to correct in the locker room.

-Neal Huynh is leading Bobcat defenders with 6 tackles. A couple were big play savers (if that is even a word).

9:00- Bobcats come out with guns blazing. Donte Harden returns the kickoff all the way to the GW 28. The Cats go three and out but Weller makes a 31 yard field goal. 27-0 now. Would have liked to see a touchdown.

9:08 A long kickoff return in rebuttal leads to a 41 yard field goal. An onside kick catches the Bobcats off guard and the Runnin’ Bulldogs take over again.

9:15- This will be about it for updates as I have a deadline to meet. Keep it to my twitter for major updates (@suhlmann12).

9:57- Ohio has this one all but locked up with less than two minutes to play. They will win 30-3. Congratulations to head coach Frank Solich on his 100th career win.

Pirates Raise Ticket Prices; People Freak Out

For the first time since 2002, the Pittsburgh Pirates are raising ticket prices. Here is the new seating chart for 2012.

My thoughts?

It’s not too bad. A lot of people are complaining, although they may have a point given that the Pirates are 15-30 since the all-star break. There are still of plenty of affordable tickets to be had though. The “Upper Grandstand” make the final seven rows of 22 upper deck sections for just $10. The kids pricing will help families out as well. A family of four can attend a ball game for $32. That has to be among the lowest in all of the MLB.

Their division of pricing is confusing. Take the regular grandstand for example. The view from section 333 row R is horrible compared to behind the plate in section 316 row A. However, both seats will run you $16. My seat in 329 row B ran me $140 for a 20 game plan in 2011. In 2012 it will run me $300. That’s a pretty steep increase.

The Pirates did the right thing by keeping the dent on full season ticket holders as little as possible. Those value plans with all 81 games for as low as $399 will be available to those who renew. Good move there by rewarding their most loyal of fans by keeping their prices ridiculously low.

While I won’t complain about the $40 increase for my 20 game plan in 2012 (I will be relocating), there will still be many who do.

For those who don’t understand, I suggest taking a look at the prices of teams in similar to the Pirates (Cincinnati, Washington, Baltimore to name a few). Theirs are still more expensive than the Pirates.

So before you curse out the team for what they did, think for a second. The same people that don’t like the increases probably are the same ones that willingly shell out $8 for a 16-ounce beer at a game or $5 for a cotton candy as if that makes any more sense. I’m willing to bet the Pirates will still offer discounts (Advantage Card days, PNC check card nights) to keep the prices lower and giving fans more bang for their buck.

I suggest you save your anger for something else, such as if/when the teams signs the next Matt Diaz over the winter or if they were to discontinue Free Shirt Fridays.

Quality Websites Worth Bookmarking

This summer was very different for me. I spent it interning with The Almanac, the weekly newspaper of the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Being that I had to be in the office for 32 hours a week, and not always having 32 hours worth of work to do, it became important that I find some web sites to pass the time waiting for people to call me back on interviews and things of that nature. Tired of the back-and-forth between Twitter and Facebook, I was able to find some gems that you should check out too.

Uni-Watch (www.uni-watch.com)

Headed by Paul Lukas of ESPN.com’s Page 2, this site is billed as “The Obsessive Study of Athletics Aesthetics.” Paul and his staff have jersey news for all sports on lockdown and have plenty of entertaining features and interviews as well. The always-informative ticker points out nuances in uniforms from the previous night’s action. If you have an eye for details and love sports, you could kill a lot of time here.

Stadium Journey (www.stadiumjourney.com)

Planning a road trip to a sports venue? Just return from a place and want to share your opinions with others? Look no further. Stadium Journey provides a great resource for those making a trip to a ballpark, stadium or arena. Its staff gives good tips and reviews to make sure your trip will go as smoothly as possible. It also allows fans to post their own reviews and lend advice. If you’re thinking about traveling to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, Stetson Hatters, or any team in-between, make sure you stop here first.

Grantland (www.grantland.com)

I’m sure most of you have heard of this website, but I really didn’t get into checking it regularly until those drab days in the office. Bill Simmons of ESPN (one of the few associated with the network that I can actually stand) and his all-star team of writers share their thoughts on sports in addition to pop-culture happenings (in a section cleverly called “Hollywood Prospectus”). This “super blog” so to speak can be very entertaining and features a ton of talent. Simmons’ weekly mailbag can put a smile on your face even on your worst of days.

Sports Pickle (www.sportspickle.com)

This satirical sports site is very similar to The Onion, providing humorous fake sports stories.

If my readers have any other sites to add, feel free to comment below.