Ohio Football Looks to Defend the Frank Against Stonehill

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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio football team (1-2) is back in action for its last non-conference game against Stonehill on Saturday, Sept. 26. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Frank Solich Field inside Peden Stadium and can be seen on ESPN+ with Bill Spaulding and Doc Holliday on the call.

The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on The Varsity Sports Network. Veteran Ohio radio personality Marty Bannister is reprising his role as Ohio's play-by-play broadcaster. Bannister will be joined by color analyst Rob Cornelius, who has been part of the broadcasts for more than two decades.

SCOUTING STONEHILL
The Skyhawks are currently 1-3 overall and 1-0 in Northeast Conference play. Stonehill enters Saturday's matchup at Ohio following a 36-14 road loss to Mid-American Conference team UMass, which marked Stonehill's first time competing against an FBS opponent.

Overall, the Skyhawks rushed for 27 yards, while passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Individually, quarterback Jack O'Connell went 10-for-21 for 69 yards and one touchdown, along with one interception. Quarterback Drew Eason also saw action, completing six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown through the air.

On the ground, running backs Shane Eason and Joshua Roberson combined for 33 rushing yards. Wide receiver Shawn Corchado led the Skyhawks with 41 receiving yards on three receptions, with Alijah Turner and Derek Varley each catching a touchdown pass.

On the season fifth year, quarterback Jack O'Connell is 70-for-113 in the air, completing 61.95% of his passes for 210 yards a game, throwing seven touchdowns and one interception. On the ground, O'Connell is third on the team with 60 rushing yards.

The Skyhawks have four players who have recorded over 100 receiving yards, with fifth-year tight end Cole Clarke leading the team with 169 receiving yards and one touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Jaylin Baker has 129 receiving yards on the season with a team-leading two touchdown receptions. Senior wide receiver Torance Washington Jr. and sophomore wide receiver Alija Turner have each hauled in one touchdown catch with over 100 yards on the season.

Junior linebacker Caden Henritzy leads Stonehill's defense with a team-high 26 tackles for the season, including 15 solo stops and two tackles for loss. Fifth-year defensive back Jordan Irvine leads the Skyhawk secondary with 19 tackles through four games and has intercepted one pass with one breakup so far.

Fifth-year linebacker Tyler Bannon has 18 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss on the season, while senior defensive lineman Christopher Gill has 17 tackles including a sack and two quarterback hurries.

THE LAST TIME OUT

The Ohio football team (1-2) traveled south to take on the South Alabama Jaguars (2-1) in a game that saw Ohio come up just short, falling by a score of 41-36.
The Jaguars got off to a hot start and took a big halftime lead, but Ohio competed hard in the second half, ultimately falling short of completing the comeback.

Individually, quarterbacks Matt Vezza (Elmhurst, Ill.) and Levi Davis (Lewis Center, Ohio) each had good performances. Vezza claimed his first start as a Bobcat, throwing for 113 yards and two touchdowns while Davis came into the game and threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Graduate running back Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn.) ran for 78 yards and one touchdown.

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Dom Dorwart (Leonardtown, Md.) caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown, while fellow redshirt sophomore wide receiver Riley Neer (Bellefontaine, Ohio) caught six passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, redshirt senior linebacker Michael Molnar (Mason, Ohio) led the team in tackles with 16 while adding a tackle for loss. Redshirt junior safety DJ Walker (Aliquippa, Pa.) had nine tackles, three tackles for loss, and a pass breakup.

South Alabama received the opening kick and put together a quick drive to find the end zone, taking an early 7-0 lead.

The Bobcats came out ready to respond, marching down the field thanks to some big runs from Rosa and Vezza. Ohio had a key third-down conversion from Neer that set up a touchdown from Vezza to Neer just a few plays later. The touchdown drive lasted for 13 plays and took over seven minutes off the clock en route to tie the game early.

After the opening drive touchdown from Ohio, South Alabama was again able to march down the field, scoring a long touchdown on a fourth and one. The next Ohio drive ended with a turnover, and the Jaguars were able to capitalize and turn it into points, scoring their third touchdown of the day and taking a 21-7 lead.

Down two scores, Ohio put together another good drive and looked to bounce back from the turnover. The offense moved down the field and got inside the five after a big catch-and-run from redshirt freshman wide receiver Preston Bowman (Pickerington, Ohio.), but the drive ultimately ended in a turnover after a scramble for a loose football in the end zone, with South Alabama recovering possession.

The Jaguars' offense was in a rhythm, and they kept it going after getting the ball back. They were able to make it into the red zone, but a big stop from the defense forced a field-goal attempt for a 24-7 lead. Following the field goal, Ohio got the ball back but was unable to score before halftime, sending the teams to the locker room with Ohio down by a score of 24-7.

Ohio and electric return man Darren James-Hamilton (Charlotte, N.C.) came out of the locker room after halftime hot, with James-Hamilton's kickoff return bringing Ohio into South Alabama territory. Rosa did the rest, taking a handoff 33 yards to the house for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to just 10.

After forcing a punt, penalties got Ohio's drive started on the South Alabama 25-yard line, and it took just two plays to find the end zone. Vezza and Neer connected with a touchdown pass for the second time, this one cutting the deficit further to just three points.

The Jaguars converted a big downfield throw on the next drive, putting the ball at the one-yard line. They punched the ball into the end zone a few plays later, making the score 31-21 in favor of South Alabama. After both teams traded punts, South Alabama got in the end zone yet again, making it a three-score game.

On the next drive, Davis entered the game at quarterback and led a great drive, making plays with his legs and arm before finding Miller for a touchdown. Davis found Miller once more on the two-point conversion to make it a 38-29 game.

South Alabama ran down the clock and got the ball into field goal range on its next drive, converting the kick to make it 41-29 with just over a minute left.

The Bobcats got the ball back, and Davis continued to make plays, finding open targets downfield. He found Dorwart for a 21-yard score with eight seconds left. The ensuing onside kick attempt was recovered by South Alabama, and Ohio fell on the road by a score of 41-36.

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Ohio Football Looks to Defend the Frank Against Stonehill

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Players Mentioned

Preston Bowman

Levi Davis

Dom Dorwart

Darren James-Hamilton

Michael Molnar

Riley Neer

Victor Rosa

Matt Vezza

DJ Walker

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