After a 10-3 season that saw them finish second in the East Division to eventual champion, the Ohio Bobcats have reloaded and return for 2024 looking to make it back to the MAC Championship game again after doing so in 2022. Let’s take a look at the top 10 players that will help the Bobcats to compete for the MAC title this season.
Ohio Bobcats Top 10 Returners in 2024
Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal era. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes that were included on each team’s roster page to open fall camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.
10) Austin Brawley, Defensive Back
Austin Brawley led the Bobcats in interceptions in 2023 with two and had four deflections to go with them. His 39 tackles and one fumble recovery were a boost for a strong Bobcat defense, and at 6′ and 180 pounds, he’s a tough guy at the safety position.
He’s a true junior, having played in 13 games in 2022 and starting in nine games in 2023. Brawley should take a big step forward in becoming a playmaker on defense, and his nose for the ball should lead to more turnovers in 2024.
9) Christophe Atkinson, Offensive Line
Christophe Atkinson is part of a strong returning unit for the Bobcats, and his presence on the edge will be a critical part of helping them duplicate the success that they had offensively in 2023. He’s got good size at 6’4″ and 308 pounds and has the experience to help continue the success Ohio had in protecting the quarterback.
Atkinson started in 12 games in 2023, and his offensive unit put up 24 points and averaged 348 yards per game, which was good enough for fourth in the MAC.
8) Jeremiah Wood, Safety
Jeremiah Wood started in five games for Ohio and had a solid impact with 26 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. He also posted an interception against Georgia Southern. As Wood enters his final year in Athens, Ohio, his improvement from 2023 to 2024 should be substantial.
Wood has great size for a safety as he measures in at 6’1″ and weighs 216 pounds. He has been in the program since 2018. While his career has been up and down, seeing time early and then missing all of 2022, Wood is primed to finish his career with a strong finish.
7) Jacob Dennison, Offensive Line
Jacob Dennison will be a relative newcomer to the offensive line as a starter, but he has plenty of experience playing for the Bobcats. He’s got great size at 6’5″ and weighing in at 299 pounds.
He’s also been in the program for a few years after transferring from Jacksonville State, so his leadership and experience will be a big factor in helping him become a foundational piece after starting one game in 2023.
6) Adonis Williams Jr., FLEX
Adonis Williams Jr. started in 11 games for Ohio in 2023 and tallied 39 tackles along with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Williams also managed three pass breakups and one interception to go with his stops.
He’s a long, versatile defender who stands at 6’2″ and weighs 217 pounds, giving him a great frame to go with his speed in the back end. Williams may be at his best playing all over the field, but if he can find a rhythm to continue making plays, look out. A big season may be coming.
5) Parker Titsworth, Offensive Line
College football internet’s favorite meme player is also a talented center, having started every game for Ohio over the past two seasons. His offensive units have averaged 24.3 and 31.8 points respectively during those seasons, and his unit was one of the best in the MAC at protecting the quarterback last year.
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The 6’1″ and 290-pound senior is nasty up front, he gets under the pads of opposing players, and he does a fantastic job of keeping the offensive line on the same page. His presence will be a key part of a group returning a lot of experience.
4) Parker Navarro, Quarterback
Parker & Parker might be the best non-law firm duo in Ohio this year as Parker Navarro will line up behind Titsworth as the signal caller for the Bobcats this season. Navarro enters the season as a senior, with six appearances and one start in 2023.
Navarro has waited his turn to take over the reins for a bit now after transferring to Ohio from UCF in 2021. At 6’1″, he’s got some speed to his game and can move the ball on the ground when his number is called. He also has thrown three touchdowns to just one interception; if he can use his legs to complement the arm talent, we may see a return to big numbers for the Bobcat offense.
3) Bradley Weaver, EDGE
Bradley Weaver has a great frame to play on the edge at 6’4″ and 262 pounds. It was part of the reason that he started 12 games last season for Ohio and notched 34 total tackles in addition to his six sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
Weaver should be on the radar for every offense in the MAC after coming on strong last season. He’s a strong and stout prospect and should be primed for a breakout year as a redshirt junior. His steady improvement will be big for a defense that did well getting after the quarterback in 2023.
2) Coleman Owen, Wide Receiver
A graduate transfer from Northern Arizona, Coleman Owen will have one year in Athens to make an impact, but the odds are he will do just that. He’s a tough, speedy wide receiver with great vision that also has explosive potential in the return game.
His career numbers tell the story; 18 touchdowns total with 17 of those being receiving touchdowns on 177 catches for 2,272 yards. He brings instant production to an Ohio roster that will be happy to have his talents available to mix in with some already promising pieces.
1) Rickey Hunt, Running Back
Rickey Hunt was a redshirt in 2023, appearing in just three games, but that was enough of a glimpse to find out how good he can really be. His 134 yards rushing were fifth-best on the team, and his 5.83 yards per rush average would have been better than departed starter Sieh Bangura, who left for Minnesota.
Hunt is a strong runner; he scored four touchdowns on the ground, and he should have an experienced offensive line in front of him that will help if teams decide to stack the box on early downs. With so many new pieces, the Bobcats will depend on him early and should do so often as well.
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