Ohio's starting QB out with injury
Just like Eastern Illinois, Ohio University is changing to a one-quarterback plan.
For Bobcats football coach Frank Solich, this was not really by choice.
Derrius Vick suffered an injury in the second quarter of last week's 36-24 win over Idaho and Solich said the junior quarterback is out for Saturday's 1 p.m. Central time game against Eastern Illinois.
Sophomore JD Sprague took over and completed eight of 13 passes for 167 yards in the game moving Ohio to 2-2.
That has Sprague 25-for-46 passing for 344 yards with one touchdown and no interception plus 56 net yards on 17 rushes in three games this season.
Vick ? not related to the NFL quarterback Michael Vick but the son of former Nebraska basketball player Derrick ? had gone 40-for-65 for 530 yards with four touchdowns and one interception while also running for 193 yards on 25 carries, a 7.7-yard average.
While Vick was the starter, he was not the only quarterback seeing action as Ohio looked to replace its record-setting passer Tyler Tettleton.
This may sound plenty familiar to EIU fans watching Jalen Whitlow and Andrew Manley split QB time in the first three games trying to fill the shoes of the Panthers' record-setting Jimmy Garoppolo
Solich does not regret his have two quarterbacks take snaps.
?There was never any questioni in our mind to try to get both guys as much experience as possible,? the Ohio coach said during Monday's Mid-American Conference coaches teleconference. ?When JD came in he missed a couple of throws but he settled in. I know the experience helped him. Certainly the fact that they both got playing time was advantageous for our football team.?
Now Ohio is gearing for an EIU team that got its first win after three losses on Saturday by beating Austin Peay 63-7 when for the first time this year Whitlow was the only quarterback to take snaps in the first half.
?Eastern Illinois is a talented football team,? Solich said. ?They have a lot of athletic ability. They are fast on film. They run a complicated offensive scheme. This week they started running a triple option. That will be a lot for us to prepare for.?
A former Nebraska All-Big Eight Conference fullback who then compiled a 58-19 record coaching the Cornhuskers from 1998 through 2003, Solich is now in his 10th season coaching Ohio standing 68-52.
Ohio was 7-6 last year losing to East Carolina 37-20 in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.
Now his Football Bowl Subdivision and Mid-American Conference team is playing host to EIU, which after reaching the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision quarterbacks when ranked second in that division has fallen out of this year's national rankings.
?You know, we have approached every game one game at a time,? Solich said. ?They are an established program. They obviously have done a tremendous job at their level getting into the playoffs, pulling upsets. We know the quality of the program and the athletes they have. We approach this the same as every game we have.
I know we never step on the field against a Big Ten team or whatever where we don't believe we have the chance to win.?
Earning his keep
Ohio's leading rusher is freshman AJ Oulette, who came to campus as a walk-in.
The Covington, Ohio, product was not listed on Ohio two-deep chart last week but ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns against Idaho and now has 201 yards on 38 carries this year.
?He came to us as a walk-on. I've said this several times,? Solich said. ?He was a walk-on who was overlooked for a scholarship and should not have been. We saw him in practice and put him on scholarship right away. He's been on special teams and we may have to look at that and give him some rest now.?
