OCF Ask The Coach...Otterbein's Joe Loth
Sunday, June 21st 2009 @ 9:44 PM
Ask The Coach…
Name: Joe Loth
College: Otterbein
1) Who were your three biggest influences in your career?
a. Ron Shafer - He was our high school coach (Painesville Riverside) when I was in grade school. He had a heart attack on the field and had to retire. He came back and coached me in 8th grade basketball and 9th grade football because his son was in my grade. I still remember sitting down with him as I graduated from college when I had the option to go the college coaching route or high school coaching route. I remember his advice as if it was yesterday.
b. Don Anderson - My head high school coach at Riverside. When I was in junior high school Riverside was winning 1 game a year. He took over my sophomore year and we won right away. My senior year we won the first Conference championship at Riverside. He was a PMA guy. Really utilized a positive method of coaching. I continue to utilize his philosophy in the way we coach our guys at Otterbein.
c. Jon Tenuta - He was the Defensive Coordinator at SMU (Southern Methodist) where I started my college coaching career. He was always the first guy in the office. He really showed me the work ethic needed to be successful in this business. To this day I know I get more work done in those couples of hours in the morning when no one is in than I do the rest of the day.
2) What advice would you give to young coaches?
a. Breaking into college football coaching is difficult. You cannot major in College Football Coaching in college. Your first or second job is usually an intern or graduate assistant. So as your friends who just graduated are making money you will have to continue to struggle financially. It really is a survival of the fittest. In most cases those willing to make the sacrifice will make it as a full-time college coach.
3) What has been your favorite memory from your coaching career?
We built a new stadium 3 years ago. The former head coach at Otterbein from the 50’s and 60’s, Moe Agler, was one of the driving forces behind the project. He passed away the night before the stadium opened. The following day we have a huge win over the No. 8 team in the country.
4) If you had to coach another sport, what would it be?
Wrestling- My oldest son started wrestling recently. I had never been associated with the sport before. I really have enjoyed the technicality and toughness associated with the sport. If I could return to my youth I would have gone the wrestling route instead of basketball route.
5) Who do you think will be the surprise team in the OAC in 2009?
Marietta. You could see the progress they were making with their new head coach week to week as the season progressed last season.
6) What is your offensive philosophy?
- Balanced on offense (last year we ran for 187 and threw for 209)
- Run the football when you ultimately need to
- Run a conventional offense (Power-Zone-Counter-Trap) out of a spread look
- Adapt to our personnel
- Make the defense uncomfortable: Empty /End Over /Option /Bunch/Cluster/Gadgets
7) What are some of the trends you see in college football?
I see more teams going back to the 50 defense. Whenever teams have success like the Patriots and Steelers have at the professional level it all trickles down. The Cowboys and Hurricanes had everyone running the 4-3 in the 80’s and 90’s.
8) If there was a part of the game of football you could change, what would it be?
There is nothing I would change.
9) Should NCAA I-A have a playoff system?
Yes. Someone smarter than me should be able to figure out how to incorporate the current bowl games as host sites for the 1st-2nd-3rd etc round games. The bowls would be sold out and have some meaning to them.
10) Who are some of your favorite players you have coached?
Good question but hard to answer. My favorite players every year are guys that really want to prepare. There would be way too many to mention.
11) One word to describe yourself?
Organized
12) What is something very few people know about you?
I led the Ohio Athletic Conference in concussions my senior year in college.
13) What was the last book you read?
It’s Your Ship / Captain D. Michael Abrashoff. Our veterans are reading the book this summer. Our seniors will be summarizing it to the rest of our team during camp.
14) If you could invite anyone, dead or alive, to dinner, who would it be? And why?
My father- I would love for him to meet my wife and two kids. He passed away when I was in college. He would have been a great grandfather.
15) What do you do in your spare time? Hobbies?
I like to spend as much time with my family as possible. It is hard to have hobbies, coach football and see your family.
Favorites
Favorite Food: Steak
Favorite Place to Eat: Chuck’s Steak House (Danbury, Conn.)
Favorite TV Show: The Office, 24
Favorite Holiday: Christmas (especially now having kids)
Favorite Quote: Character is what you do when no one is watching
Favorite Movie: Scarface
Favorite Music: U2, Rush, Van Halen
This or That
Morning or Night: Morning
Grass or Turf: Grass
Steak or Fish: Steak
Run or Throw: Balance
Text or Call: Text
Email or Mail: E-mail
Golf or Fish: Golf
Day Game or Night Game: Day
Cards Make Top-25 Preseason Polls
Friday, June 5th 2009 @ 8:33 PM
WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein football team heads into the 2009 season ranked in the Top-25 by both Lindy’s and The Sporting News in a pair of preseason polls.
The Cardinals ranked 11th by Lindy’s and 25th by The Sporting News. Defending NCAA D-III champion and Ohio Athletic Conference opponent Mount Union checked in at No. 1 at Lindy’s and ranked second in The Sporting News.
“Being ranked nationally preseason is usually a reflection of your past season,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth. “Hopefully it reinforces our current expectations of our players and coaches as we head towards next season and provides motivation this summer.”
The recognition marks the first time in recent history that the team has been nationally ranked to begin a season.
The Cardinals, 9-2 overall and 8-1 in the OAC, made history last season, setting school single-season records for best start (8-0), most wins (9), and most points (427). Otterbein advanced into the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the first time in school history.
Otterbein will open its season with a pair of games on the road at Bethany (WV) Sept. 5 and Muskingum Sept. 19 before battling Ohio Northern in its home opener Sept. 26.
Lindy’s Preseason Top 25
1. Mount Union
2. Wisconsin-Whitewater
3. North Central (IL)
4. Delaware Valley (PA)
5. Monmouth (IL)
6. St. John’s (MN)
7. Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX)
8. St. Thomas (MN)
9. Willamette (OR)
10. Ithaca (NY)
11. Otterbein
12. Rowan (NJ)
13. Central (IA)
14. Wartburg (IA)
15. Hardin-Simons (TX)
16. Occidental (CA)
17. Washington & Jefferson (PA)
18. North Carolina Wesleyan
19. Wabash (IN)
20. Aurora (IL)
21. Franklin (IN)
22. Rensselaer (NY)
23. Redlands (CA)
24. Johns Hopkins (MD)
25. Trine (IN)
The Sporting News Top 25
1. Wisconsin-Whitewater
2. Mount Union
3. St. John’s (MN)
4. Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX)
5. Delaware Valley (PA)
6. Rowan (NJ)
7. Hardin-Simons (TX)
8. North Central (IL)
9. Wartburg (IA)
10. Wabash (IN)
11. Monmouth (IL)
12. Curry (MA)
13. Washington & Jefferson (PA)
14. Christopher Newport (VA)
15. Wesley (DE)
16. Bridgewater (VA)
17. Hobart (NY)
18. Johns Hopkins (MD)
19. Wheaton (IL)
20. Case Western Reserve
21. Cortland State (NY)
22. Redlands (CA)
23. Wisconsin-LaCrosse
24. Lycoming (PA)
25. Otterbein
News Release By: Ed Syguda, Otterbein SID
