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Miami will face ‘explosive’ Ohio University

Bobcats have won five straight in rivalry with Miami.

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer 11:46 PM Monday, November 21, 2011

OXFORD — Miami University football coach Don Treadwell called tonight’s season finale against the Ohio Bobcats “another fun, spirited rivalry game.”

Spirited? Sure. Anytime you mix red and green in a Mid-American Conference contest, you get spirit. And it’s not Christmas spirit.

Fun? That’s a matter of opinion.

Especially with these Bobcats. They have won five straight against the RedHawks, already have sewn up the MAC East Division title and rank among the league’s top three in both total offense and total defense.

On offense, the Bobcats own one of the nation’s more balanced attacks, having gained 2,284 yards rushing and 2,805 yards passing.

“They’re very explosive. They’ve got a great quarterback (sophomore Tyler Tettleton). I’m sounding like a broken record,” said Treadwell, who has made similar statements about upcoming opponents all too often this season.

“I don’t mean just throwing the football,” he said. “The leadership. You can see how he just carries the team on his back.”

Tettleton has run for eight touchdowns and thrown for 23.

“Their quarterback, as we’ve seen all season (with other quarterbacks), is a multi-threat,” Treadwell said, adding that he uses a lot of play action.

Although there are receivers in the league better known than Ohio senior LaVon Brazill, few are more dangerous. He has 54 catches, 878 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also leads the MAC in kickoff returns with a 28.3-yard average.

Brazill is one of three wideouts in this game with 50 or more catches. The others are Miami’s Nick Harwell (83) and Chris Givens (52).

It’s not like the old days.

“When you go back to the dark ages when I played, it was run-oriented, option football,” said Treadwell, who was Miami’s leading receiver with 30 receptions in 1980 and 21 in 1981. “A few teams were just scratching the surface of throwing the football.”

Now you might as well call the spread offense the widespread offense.

Treadwell said Ohio has an offensive line which is “massive, and they’re very physical.

“Their strength as a unit on defense,” he added, “is that they don’t make a lot of mistakes and they play with a lot of pride.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or Pete.Conrad@coxinc.com.

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