By Annie Dunbar

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UK’s season opener against UT-Martin gave the Cats an opportunity to showcase their improvement that was developed through recruiting and offseason workouts. Saturday’s matchup against Ohio University will challenge the young Cats in a different manner.

The Cats took care of business in its season opener against UT-Martin, crushing the Skyhawks 59-14. In the game, there was evident improvement on both sides of the ball for the Cats. Saturday’s matchup will be a different story – the Bobcats are not a team that will beat themselves and will challenge the Cats’ mentally and physically, according to UK head coach Mark Stoops.

“It’s obviously going to be a much bigger challenge for us with Ohio,” Stoops said. “Looking forward to playing Ohio. Coach (Frank) Solich has been around for a long time and has been extremely successful. He’s building a very consistent program there at Ohio.”

The Bobcats football program has recently peaked under the command of head coach Frank Solich, who has been with the program for ten years after a stint in Nebraska. The team has made appearances in five straight bowl games since 2009, winning two.

“They return a tremendous amount of experience on defense, a bunch of guys that played very well a year ago,” Stoops said. “So they’re a good football team. A real challenge. I was very impressed with their quarterback. I believe that was his first start. He just was very poised, very good quarterback. He can run it and throw it.”

Ohio defeated Kent State in a season-opening nail biter, drilling a 44-yard field goal as time expired to take a 17-14 victory over the Golden Flashes. Ohio quarterback Derrius Vick was named Athlon Sports Mid-American Conference Player of the Week after his stellar performance. Vick was 18-for-24 passing, throwing for 262 yards with two touchdowns while also finishing second on the team in rushing with 35 yards. Senior wideout Landon Smith finished with seven receptions for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

One of UK’s focal points for Saturday’s game is on the defensive side of the ball. Stoops wants to see consistency out of his defense that gave up 398 total yards last week, most of which came during a second half that featured some of the same young backups that will play roles in vital spots throughout the rest of the year.

“Like I say, there was some good,” Stoops said. “Anytime you go eight, nine possessions with 150 yards and zero points (in the first half), you’ll take it. But there are still some things we fundamentally need to get better at. After that I was very discouraged. We need to get some depth and we need some guys to step up and compete. To give up two touchdowns and a bunch of yards the last four possessions is something that we can’t do and we won’t do.”

With the Cats facing off against their first fundamentally sound team with a strong offensive game, the Cats defense will have an opportunity to showcase that consistency that Stoops expects.

“They’re not going to give you things easy,” Stoops said. “You have to go earn them.”