ATHENS — Each year, a contingent from the Ohio University football team travels to Ford Field in Detroit for Mid-American Conference Media Day and gives its reasoning why it’ll be back for the conference title game in a few months.

The past few years, media members have agreed in unison the Bobcats have possessed enough firepower to return to the Motor City, not only to play in the game, but to hoist the trophy after the clock runs out.

But for some reason or another, Ohio hasn’t cooperated. Whether it be injuries, bad luck, or the fact their opponents were just better at the right time, the Bobcats haven’t been able to wrap up the school’s first conference crown since 1968.

Nathan Rourke aims to change that this year.

“I have no doubt we can have success (this year),” he said last month at this season’s MAC media gathering. “We’re going to have to go out and execute the gameplan.

“We have a lot of talent around the offense. I’m looking forward to seeing the team jell together.”

This is Rourke’s last go-round. The quarterback is a senior and he’s anxious to bring the long-awaited title to Athens.

“We’re trying to win the MAC title,” he said of the team’s expectations for this season. “We want to see how far we can take this team.

“We’ve been so close to where we want to be. We’ve played our best football at times the last years, but we just haven’t been consistent.

“We feel like when we play our brand of football no one can play with us.”

The Bobcats finished 9-4 last season, with three of those defeats coming by a combined nine points. The two MAC losses came on the road (at Northern Illinois and Miami), but it still wasn’t enough to get them into the MAC title game as both Ohio and Miami finished a game back of Buffalo in the MAC East. The Bobcats handed the Bulls their only conference loss, 52-17, at Peden Stadium.

Fourteen starters return from that squad for the Bobcats, one that rolled to a 27-0 victory against San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl — the first MAC bowl shutout in league history. Ohio is one of three MAC programs — Northern Illinois and Toledo being the others — that have earned bowl invites in seven of the last eight seasons.

The pundits figure the Bobcats and Rockets will make it eight of nine as those programs were picked to win their respective divisions at media day. Ohio was tabbed to win the title game.

Ohio head coach Frank Solich had heard those words before, though. So, as he spoke with reporters, he pumped the brakes when it came to talking about returning to Ford Field later this fall.

“I like the fact other people think our program is to the point where they pick us to win games,” he said. “But what I take stock in is the kind of athletes that we have and how hard they work and drive themselves and their teammates. Those are the things that determine to me what type of team you’re going to be.”

Solich, entering his 15th season in Athens, was happy with the offseason and is looking forward to seeing if his players can rebound from what they thought was a disappointing campaign, considering they didn’t reach the goals they’d set at the start of the season.

“I like a lot of things (about this team),” he said. “Just their attitude … their drive, their energy. It’s a fun group to work with.”

Already having established himself as a top-tier coach when he arrived at Ohio from Nebraska, Solich has carved out quite a “second act” for himself in the MAC. With 106 victories in Athens, Solich enters 2019 needing five victories to become the all-time winningest coach in conference history. Bill Hess, who guided the Bobcats from 1958-77, has 108 wins, while ex-Central Michigan grid boss Herb Deromedi (1978-93) leads the way with 110.

Solich has staying power, and his players respect his formula for success.

“He’s a great coach, very laid back,” smiled defensive back Javon Hagan when talking about Solich, the dean of MAC head coaches.

“We respect him.”

Solich also seems to have a knack for bringing in the right assistants. Turnover in his staff has been rare. Tim Albin — associate head coach/offensive coordinator/running backs coach — has been with Solich during his entire tenure in Athens.

Solich did make one big change this past offseason — elevating former linebackers coach Ron Collins to the role of defensive coordinator after longtime associate head coach/defensive coordinator/safeties coach Jimmy Burrows retired following 14 years under Solich.

Hagan said it’s been a seemless transition.

“He’s done a great job transitioning to the safeties,” he said. “He played safety back in his day, so it’s pretty cool that he has knowledge about the position. It’s a great fit.”

Ohio opens its season August 31 at home against Rhode Island. From there, the Bobcats embark on a two-game non-conference road trip with stops at Pitt and Marshall, before returning home to battle Louisiana. MAC play begins two weeks later at Buffalo and his followed by a stretch of four home games in five weeks.

Solich is eager to see if his offense can produce like it did last fall when it put up 40.1 points per game, just a shade behind Toledo’s league-leading 40.4 average.

Rourke keyed the attack, throwing for 2,434 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushing for another 860 yards and 15 more scores. But A.J. Ouellette, the team’s leading rusher in 2018 (1,306 yds., 12 TDs) and two of its top receivers (Papi White and Andrew Meyer) no longer on the roster. Rourke knows it will be a challenge, but he’s confident the new faces will rise up.

“Everyone has had a good summer and spring,” he said. “Up front, we’re not as bad as some people might think. We have four or five guys who’ve started at some point. So we’re going to be fine. I have full confidence in those guys and I think we’ll be able to move the ball up and down the field.

“Outside, we’re a little bit younger, but I’m excited about what they bring to the table.”

Rourke’s younger brother, Kurtis, a freshman, is among his backups.

“My understanding of the offense has grown,” Rourke said. “I’ve always tried to do a better job of trying to understand what we’re trying to do. I think every year I’ve tried to stake steps to become a better passer.”

Sophomore Julian Ross is Ohio’s top returning running back. He played in four games last year. Also look for redshirt sophomore Jake Neatherton and redshirt freshman O’Shaan Allison to be in the mix.

White left Athens as Ohio’s all-time leader in receiving yards (2,620) and in the top five in career TD receptions and career receptions. Cameron Odom, a redshirt junior, is the team’s top returnee. Isaiah Cox (r-So.) and Jerome Buckner (So.) will also be looking for catches.

Up front, the Bobcats lost a trio of all-MAC selections in Joe Lowery (LT), Durrell Wood (RG) and Joe Anderson (LG). Still, Ohio returns a bevy of talent, including senior Steven Hayes, who started four games at center in 2018, and junior Brett Kitrell. He started nine games at center last year and moves to left guard this fall.

Junior Hagen Meservy will play at right guard, while redshirt senior Marques Grimes is slotted at right tackle.

“It can be an exciting group, and I expect it will be,” Solich said of his offense. “We scored a lot of points last season, and I think we have the ability to score that many or more this year.

“We lost some quality players, there’s no question. If you look at the running backs we lost, we lost some really special players. I truly believe we have the ability to replace those guys and I think we can put quality players out on the field.”

Joining Hagan at safety will be redshirt junior Jarren Hampton. Also in the secondary, the Bobcats return corners Jamal Hudson and Marlin Brooks, both juniors.

“I’ve never seen the work ethic like I’ve seen it this year,” Hagan stated.

Redshirt junior Dylan Conner returns at a linebacker spot, as does classmate Jared Dorsa. Senior Eric Popp is expected to see extensive playing time, as is redshirt senior Austin Clack.

A pair of redshirt seniors — Cole Baker and Brian Arp — move into defensive tackle roles this season, replacing Kent Berger and Andrew Payne.

Both defensive ends return in redshirt junior Will Evans and redshirt sophomore Amos Ogun-Semore. Former Linsly standout Chukwudi Chukwu, now a senior, will play in a reserve role

Ohio is solid at special teams as Louie Zervos, a redshirt senior, is back at kicker. He ranks first in Ohio history with 164 career extra points made. Michael Farkas, also a redshirt senior, returns at punter after earning all-MAC first-team honors in 2018.

“We’ll have good team speed, which I think is something you always want to start with,” Solich said. “We’ll be pretty good with depth at most positions.”