The ONU Football Season Was Anything But A Disappointment

If you are an ONU Football fan like myself, you are more than satisfied with how the team performed this year; if you’re not satisfied, you are looking at it all wrong my friend. The team didn’t make it to the championship, which is always the ultimate goal, but what they did accomplish is very admirable and respectable. The season had many components that made it so memorable, and exactly what ONU needed.

Lets start with every sports analyst favorite topic, adversity. The ONU Polar Bears realized early on in their season what it meant to have to overcome adversity. Look at the 1-point loss to Baldwin Wallace in the first night game. If you know how things typically go in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) that meant the team either needed to beat nationally ranked John Carroll or Mount Union if they had any playoff hopes. What did they do? They responded a few weeks later when they beat at the time #11 John Carol in a fight to the finish. That to me was when the Polar Bears started to realize just how capable they were of making it to the big dance, which is exactly what they did.

The polar bears made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Not only did they make it, but they also beat a team who has made the playoffs consistently over the course of the last decade in the first round (Franklin Grizzlies). Also, 12 ONU players received OAC honors. That was not a misprint I said 12. Head coach Dean Paul received OAC coach of the year, and assistant coach Mike Schmitz received OAC assistant coach of the year. Additionally, players were breaking records ever other week it felt like. Freshman QB Will Freed broke the single game passing record in the very first game with 439 passing yards. Senior Justin Magazine tied the school record with 6 touchdowns in a single game. Senior Devon Price broke the all time receiving record in a regular season with 3,051.

I could go on with highlights all day, but I would like to wrap things up by simply congratulating the ONU Polar Bear Football team on a season that was everything but a disappointment. I had the chance to play with this group of juniors and seniors, and can attest to how hard these guys worked on and off the field to be able to play in the playoffs. The season may have ended in the Sweet 16 against Oshkosh, but the mark the 2015 Polar Bears made at ONU will always be remembered. I look forward to hearing how the underclassmen respond, and move forward in the seasons to come. Congratulations on the great season ONU Polar Bears, and keep those heads high. You made many fans proud this year.