A Roster Overhaul Tests the MAC's Steadiest Program in Athens
Ohio finished 9-4 and 6-2 in the MAC in 2025, closing the year with a Frisco Bowl win over UNLV that pushed the program's bowl streak to seven straight. The bigger story sits off the field: for the third consecutive offseason the Bobcats are breaking in a new head coach, this time John Hauser, who was elevated from within after three years on the staff following the previous coach's exit late in the season.
Continuity is scarce elsewhere. Ohio lost the bulk of its production to graduation and the transfer portal, leaving Hauser to rebuild both lines, restock the skill positions, and settle an open quarterback competition. Offensive coordinator Scott Isphording is one of the few constants.
Offense
The starting job is genuinely up for grabs. Nick Poulos, a big-framed senior at 6-6 and 243 pounds, brings deep command of the offense and drew praise in the spring for his arm strength and play-action work, though he attempted only eight passes a year ago. Pushing him is Matt Vezza, a junior who arrives from New Hampshire after throwing for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns while adding 601 yards and eight scores on the ground. Freshman Levi Davis brings dual-threat athleticism and could earn snaps in specialized packages. The staff has not tipped its hand, and how quickly one of them separates will define the offense.
Receiver is a group in transition. Returning targets Dom Dorwart, Max Rodarte and Eian Pugh offer some continuity, though the trio combined for just 24 catches and 280 yards last season. Newcomers such as Preston Bowman, Riley Neer and Miles Cremascoli will compete for roles, with senior Delaney Crawford adding another option. At tight end, Ohio absorbed a blow when Mason Williams left for a bigger program, but Illinois transfer Jake Furtney and Kansas State transfer Andrew Metzger bring size and are hungry for playing time.
The backfield must replace a workhorse in Sieh Bangura, who ran for 1,392 yards and 15 touchdowns before moving on. Duncan Brune is the most proven of the returnees after a 585-yard, eight-touchdown season. UConn transfer Victor Rosa, who accounted for 302 total yards and three scores a year ago, and redshirt freshman Mike Taylor Jr. round out a serviceable committee.
The offensive line has been almost completely reworked, with the staff leaning heavily on the portal to add size and experience. CJ Dawson II projects as the anchor up front, with Jarian Shelby and Tigana Cisse expected to bookend the tackle spots. Preserving the physical, run-first identity that has defined recent Ohio teams is the group's charge, and it stands as one of the roster's biggest question marks entering the fall.
Defense
Depth is the calling card of the defensive front, and it may be the strength of the team. Ohio expects to rotate as many as six players across the interior, where Austin Mitchell, Nehemiah Dukes and Derek Reagans form a sturdy, experienced core. Off the edge, Michigan State transfer Tyler Gillison, who also spent time at Cincinnati, is the name to watch as a boost to the pass rush. New coordinator Kurt Mattix, who was on the Ohio staff in 2024, is installing an aggressive, attacking scheme built on disruption up front, and this group could become one of the MAC's more troublesome units if it adjusts quickly.
Linebacker is the most settled unit on the roster. Michael Molnar anchors the group after piling up 62 tackles in just eight games, and Jack Fries brings experience and production, including an 11-tackle outing against Western Michigan. Charlie Christopher is poised for a larger role after logging 63 tackles, giving the Bobcats three trusted pieces in the middle.
The secondary blends returning experience with portal additions. DJ Walker headlines the group at safety, though he missed spring practice while recovering from offseason surgery; his presence is viewed as vital to the back end. JT Haskins is in line for heavy safety snaps alongside him. At cornerback, Kendall Bannister leads a crowded competition that also includes Elon transfer Darren James-Hamilton, Holy Cross transfer Eli Thompson and Barry Dillon.
Special teams lean on a strength at punter, where Magnus Haines ranked among the MAC's best a year ago at 42.3 yards per attempt. Placekicking is less settled, with the job still to be sorted out heading into the season. In the return game, Brune and Rodarte give Ohio some big-play potential.
Overview and Prediction
The schedule sets up reasonably after a demanding opener at Nebraska. Road trips to South Alabama, Kent State, Sacramento State, Akron and Miami (Ohio) dot the slate, while home dates with Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Ball State, plus a late-November meeting with Toledo, will shape the MAC race. The preseason consensus slots Ohio around fifth in the conference, a nod to how much the roster has turned over even as the program keeps winning.
Ohio has banked 40 wins across the past four years and just claimed a seventh straight bowl victory, and it has a habit of beating expectations. The make-or-break is clear. If Hauser settles the quarterback spot and the retooled lines hold up, the favorable middle of the schedule leaves the door open for another run at contention. If those pieces come together slowly, this looks like a year that drifts toward the middle of the pack.