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Trevor Stephens
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Member Since: 12/13/2017
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| RE: Ohio Football Preview |
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Posted: 7/14/2026 6:22:23 PM |
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https://www.on3.com/sites/inside-nebraska/news/nebraska-o... /
Ohio’s successful season gave way to an ugly offseason
Ohio is one of the consistently good football programs in not just the Mid-American Conference, but Group of Six football as a whole.
Former Nebraska fullback and head coach Frank Solich went 115-82 in 16 seasons leading the Bobcats. When he retired after the 2021 season, Ohio promoted longtime assistant Tim Albin, who coached under Solich at Nebraska from 2000-03 before following him to Athens.
After a 3-9 debut in 2021, Albin quickly turned the program around. Ohio went 10-4 in 2022, 10-3 in 2023 and 10-3 in 2024. Following a dominant win over Miami (Ohio) in the 2024 MAC championship game, Albin became the leading candidate for Charlotte’s head coaching vacancy. The 49ers officially hired him the following day.
Ohio again promoted from within, elevating offensive coordinator Brian Smith to head coach after he initially served on an interim basis. Smith guided the Bobcats to an 8-4 regular season in 2025, but his tenure ended abruptly when Ohio fired him for cause, alleging he engaged in “serious professional misconduct” and conduct that reflected unfavorably on the university.
The Bobcats once again turned to an internal candidate, promoting defensive coordinator John Hauser to head coach. Hauser led Ohio to a 17-10 victory over Anthony Colandrea and UNLV in the Frisco Bowl.
Smith is now suing Ohio for breach of contract and wrongful termination following his dismissal last December.
Ohio Bobcats interim head coach John Hauser is doused with water following a game against the UNLV Rebels at the Ford Center at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Newcomers to the coaching staff
Hauser added four new members to his coaching staff for this season, one of whom once coordinated Nebraska’s offense under Mike Riley. Here are a few quick hits on each newcomer:
>> Kurt Mattix (Defensive Coordinator)
Mattix was hired in January to be Ohio’s DC. This is his second stint with the Bobcats — he was Ohio’s pass rush specialist and defensive ends coach in 2024. He followed Albin to Charlotte as co-defensive coordinator in 2025, but now he’s back in Athens.
With Hauser’s DC background, it remains unclear if he or Mattix will be calling the defensive plays in 2026.
>> Lamar Conard (Assistant head coach/running backs coach)
Conard comes to Ohio after spending the past three seasons as Purdue’s running backs coach, so he knows Nebraska and Memorial Stadium well, though the Huskers won both matchups Conard was on the sideline for.
Conard coached a couple notable Purdue running backs Nebraska fans should remember: Devin Mockobee and Tyrone Tracy Jr. Conard also helped Tracy transition from receiver to running back, a move that’s worked out for him as Tracy has recorded 1,579 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, as well as 74 catches for 572 yards and three scores the past two seasons for the New York Giants.
Conard replaces Blair Cavanaugh, former Nebraska O-line coach Mike Cavanaugh’s son, who coached Ohio’s running backs on top of being the special teams coordinator in 2025. Blair is still on staff as STC.
>> Ron Crook (Offensive Line Coach)
Crook replaces Tavita Thompson — a former graduate assistant for three seasons at Nebraska under Riley — who was Ohio’s O-line coach in 2025. Thompson is now the assistant O-line coach at Stanford.
Crook has three decades’ worth of coaching experience and comes to Ohio from Nevada, where he was an offensive analyst. Crook was Luke Fickell’s offensive line coach from 2017-21, so he has College Football Playoff coaching experience. From 2023-24, Crook served as Virginia Tech’s offensive line coach.
>> Danny Langsdorf (Wide Receivers Coach)
Former Nebraska OC Danny Langsdorf was hired to be Ohio’s receivers coach in March. Langsdorf takes over for Andre Allen, who held the role in 2024 and 2025. Prior to Ohio, Langsdorf was a senior offensive analyst at Oregon State.
The OC: Scott Isphording
Isphording is a longtime coach at Ohio, having been with the program since 2014 when he was hired by Solich to coach the quarterbacks. He’s developed a few of the all-time greats at Ohio, like the Rourke brothers (first Nathan, then Kurtis) and most recently Parker Navarro, a second-team All-MAC selection in 2025.
Isphording has held multiples roles within the program, but 2025 was his first as OC in title, though Smith was the one calling the plays. The Bobcats were a heavy-run team with the dual-threat Navarro at quarterback, as 64% of their total offensive plays were rushes. Their 42.92 rushing attempts per game ranked 13th most in the country.
Here’s a quick look at Ohio’s basic offensive statistics from 2025 (national rank/MAC rank):
Points per game Total yards per game Rushing yards per game Rushing yards per carry Passing yards per game Passing yards per attempt
2025 27.8 (66th/2nd) 411.5 (37th/2nd) 227.38 (9th/1st) 5.3 (16th/1st) 184.2 (109th/7th) 7.7 (41st/4th)
Navarro attempted to get a seventh season of eligibility this offseason, but his waiver request was rejected. Ohio now has a question mark surrounding its quarterback situation heading into the fall. More on that later when we take a look at a handful of Ohio players to keep an eye on.
The DC: John Hauser/Kurt Mattix
While Mattix has the DC title, Ohio’s defense will most certainly be a tag-team approach with Hauser heavily involved.
Hauser primarily used a 4-2-5 scheme in 2025. Here’s a quick look at Ohio’s basic defensive statistics (national rank/MAC rank):
Points allowed per game Total yards allowed per game Rushing yards allowed per game Rushing yards allowed per carry Passing yards allowed per game Passing yards allowed per attempt
2025 21.9 (42nd/4th) 352.1 (51st/6th) 144.0 (61st/5th) 4.36 (84th/8th) 208.1 (48th/8th) 7.5 (90th/8th)
The Bobcats were top-50 in the country in opponent third-down conversions (33.33%, 19th) and awfully stingy in the red zone, limiting opposing offenses to just a 51.28% touchdown rate on 39 attempts.
Ohio’s offense must replace nearly all its starters from 2025
According to Bill Connelly, Ohio returns just 18% of its offensive production from 2025. Of the 18 players who logged at least 50 snaps last season, 13 have departed, including all 10 of the team’s snap leaders.
Ohio must replace several key pieces from last year’s team, including its starting quarterback, entire starting offensive line, starting running back, top four pass catchers and starting tight end. Without a doubt, the Bobcats will field a dramatically different offense at Memorial Stadium, which should make things interesting on Rob Aurich’s end when he’s preparing for this game.
Here’s just a snapshot of what Ohio’s offense loses:
>> Davion Weatherspoon, Ohio’s first-team All-MAC left guard, transferred to Arkansas. Jordon Jones, the starting right tackle and a second-team All-MAC pick, transferred to Troy. Starting center Nick Marinaro, who was third-team All-MAC, exhausted his eligibility, as did starting left tackle Shedrick Rhodes Jr. and right guards Trent Allen and Kam Wright.
>> Ohio’s first-team All-MAC running back, Sieh Bangura, exhausted his eligibility, too. He rushed for 1,392 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2025.
>> Ohio’s WR1, Chase Hendrichs, a second-team All-MAC pick, transferred to Cal. He caught 71 passes for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns and will now run routes for star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. Ohio’s WR2, Rodney Harris II, who caught 30 passes for 419 yards, transferred to Oklahoma State.
>> Ohio’s TE1, Mason Williams, a third-team All-MAC pick, transferred to Ohio State. He was a strong run blocker who also caught 26 passes for 276 yards.
Ohio’s defense retained more than the offense did
According to Connelly, Ohio’s defense returns 48% of its defensive production from 2025. Of the 22 players who logged at least 50 snaps, 12 return while 10 departed, including six of the eight players who ranked among the defense’s top 10 in snaps.
A look at Ohio’s special teams
Let’s start with the field goal unit.
Ohio used two place kickers last season — David Dellenbach and Brack Peacock — who went a combined 7-of-12. Dellenbach went 4-of-6 on the season with a long of 45 yards. Peacock went 3-of-6 with a long of 44.
Peacock returns to Ohio while Dellenbach has moved on, transferring to FCS Weber State. Dellenbach doubled as the kickoff man as well. Peacock, who was 2-of-5 on attempts between 30-39 yards, will be in another competition, however, because Ohio added veteran kicker Will Hryszko to the mix.
Hryszko spent the past four seasons at Kent State. In 2025 as the starter, he went 8-of-11 with a long of 39. He was 6-of-7 between 30-39 yards.
Ohio’s starting punter, Magnus Haines, returns for 2026. He held an average of 42.33 yards on 40 punts, pinning 13 inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. With the Bobcats’ run-heavy, ball-control offense finding success in 2025, Ohio averaged just 3.3 punts per game, fewest in the MAC.
Ohio averaged 13.33 yards on 12 punt returns in 2025, tops in the MAC and 18th nationally. The Bobcats’ top return man, however, Hendricks, transferred to Cal. He returned eight punts for 143 yards, with a long of 52. Max Rodarte, a receiver coming off a season-ending injury, returned three punts for 19 yards before going down.
Ohio’s punt coverage unit was middle-of-the-pack in the MAC, allowing 117 yards on 13 returns (a 9-yard average, which ranked sixth) and one touchdown.
At kickoff return, Ohio averaged 23.41 yards on 17 returns, with that average ranking third in the MAC and 22nd nationally. Receiver Eamonn Dennis was the top kickoff return man as he returned nine kickoffs for 182 yards. Dennis has exhausted his eligibility, so the Bobcats will need to find a new kickoff returner.
Ohio’s kickoff coverage unit allowed an average of 22.37 yards on 30 returns, which ranked ninth in the MAC and 99th nationally.
The QB: Nick Poulos or Matt Vezza
Which quarterback will Nebraska’s defense play? It will likely be either Nick Poulos or Matt Vezza, and they are two completely different quarterbacks.
Ohio Bobcats quarterback Nick Poulos (8) makes a pass in the first half at the Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Standing 6-foot-6 and 243 pounds, Poulos is a big, tall pocket passer who is entering his third year in the program. He was Navarro’s backup the past two seasons and has played in 12 games during that stretch while completing 46% of his passes (26-of-57) for 290 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. In 2025, he went 4-of-8 for 19 yards.
As a ball carrier, Poulos has rushed for 183 yards and one touchdown on 39 carries the past two seasons. In 2024, he rushed for 149 yards and one score on 28 carries.
Vezza is a dual-threat transfer from FCS New Hampshire, where he started for the Wildcats in 2025 and racked up 3,278 total yards and 27 touchdowns while leading his team to a 8-5 (6-2) record.
The 6-foot, 198-pound Vezza looks and plays more like Navarro than Poulos does. Last season Vezza completed 61.2% of his passes (226-of-369) for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He also rushed for 605 yards and eight scores, so he could provide some of that dual-threat style Ohio has seemed to always have at quarterback.
A third quarterback to be aware of? That’d be Levi Davis, a dual-threat true freshman from Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy Orange. Davis hasn’t played in a college football game yet, but considering the quarterback situation at Ohio right now, the door of opportunity could be open for the 6-foot, 192-pounder who threw for over 7,000 passing yards and rushed for over 3,000 yards in his high school career.
Other players to know
RB Duncan Brune
Brune, a native of Germany, was Bangura’s top backup in 2025 and rushed for 585 yards and eight touchdowns. In a win over Northern Illinois in October, the big and physical 5-11, 218-pounder racked up 126 rushing yards and two touchdowns while averaging 7.9 yards per carry.
RB Victor Rosa
Ohio went to the transfer portal to land a veteran running back and did so with Victor Rosa, who spent the past four seasons at UConn. During his career with the Huskies, he rushed for 1,413 yards and 17 touchdowns while catching 34 passes for 247 yards and one score.
Rosa rushed for over 1,000 yards and had 14 rushing touchdowns in his first two seasons at UConn. As a true freshman, he rushed for 636 yards and 11 scores. His running backs coach that season? None other than Nebraska’s EJ Barthel.
A finger injury in 2024 limited Rosa to five games. He then fell behind others in the room in 2025, prompting his transfer for his final season of eligibility. Now he’ll be part of the 1-2 punch at running back with Brune.
WR Preston Bowman
Bowman is a transfer from Kentucky, where he redshirted and didn’t play in a game in 2025. The 5-11, 207-pounder was a three-star recruit in the 2025 class.
With Ohio needing to replace the top four pass catchers from last season, Bowman will be expected to step up, even if he has no playing experience in college yet.
WR Dom Dorwart
Dorwart is Ohio’s leading returning receiver. As a redshirt freshman in 2025, he played in all 13 games and recorded 11 catches for 119 yards.
S DJ Walker
Walker started all 13 games at safety for Ohio in 2025, logging a defense-high 795 snaps. The 6-1, 198-pounder is entering his fourth year in the program and will provide continuity and leadership in the back end for the Bobcats.
Walker had 61 tackles, six tackles for loss and two interceptions in 2025. Walker is used in a variety of ways, including in the box and on the line of scrimmage. The past two seasons, he as 13 TFLs.
DL Nehemiah Dukes
Dukes spent his first three seasons playing FCS ball at Youngstown State. He transferred to Ohio last offseason and made an immediate impact, starting all 13 games along the interior of the defensive line.
The 6-1, 288-pounder played 550 snaps and had 10 tackles with one sack.
LB Jack Fries
Fries is entering his fifth season in the program, so he’ll be considered one of the leaders on defense. Last season the 6-2, 222-pounder played the most snaps out of everyone at linebacker (409) and finished with 54 tackles, which ranked sixth on the unit.
LB Charlie Christopher
Christoper played from day one as a true freshman in 2025. The native of Uniontown, Ohio, ranked third on the defense in tackles with 63 while playing 384 snaps. Now he’s back for his sophomore campaign and is one of the young, good-looking ‘backers in the program.
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