2008 Cincinnati Bearcats Football
Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly put together one of the best coaching performances in the country last season. The Bearcats were a force last year, finishing with a 10-3 record following their Papajohns.com Bowl victory over Southern Miss. With a tougher schedule this season, can they match their 10-win campaign from a year ago? Find out as the team at Info Plays give our 2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football predictions and season preview below.
Offense:
The Bearcats return seven starters from an offense that set a team-record with 472 points last season. If only it were eight. The NCAA denied quarterback Ben Mauk a sixth year of eligibility. He threw for 31 touchdowns passes last season and led Cincinnati to 10 wins for the first time since 1951. Mauk will be missed desperately to say the least. But the Bearcats went though spring practice preparing for life without him. Redshirt freshman Chazz Anderson, athletic Notre Dame transfer Demetrius Jones and junior Tony Pike all did positive things this spring. But senior Dustin Grutza came out on top in the end. Grutza started 21 games before Mauk transferred from Wake Forest last fall.
The offensive line returns four players who combined to make 35 starts in 2007. Dominick Goodman is a senior receiver who caught 68 balls last year, and sophomore Marcus Bennett made his mark in ‘07 by catching a school-record 13 touchdowns. These two will lead the receiving corps. Senior Marshwan Gilard and junior Charley Howard also bring experience to the wideout position. Adrien Robinson is an intriguing prospect with a 6-4, 250-pound frame producing 4.5-speed in the 40-yard dash. The Bearcats lost three seniors in the running game, but the coaches are excited about junior Jacob Ramsey as well as versatile sophomore John Goebel. Redshirt freshman Scott Johnson will be waiting for his time at tailback as well.
Defense:
The Bearcats tied for the nation’s lead in takeaways with 42, and led the country with 26 interceptions. But this defense lost five starters who will be very tough to replace. They already have to replace two standout ends. Then All-American tackle in senior Terrill Byrd was arrested for smoking marijuana and demoted to second team in the spring. He’ll be suspended for the season opener, so look for Byrd to be hungry to redeem himself once he gets the chance.
At the ends are senior Lamonte Nelms and Connor Barwin, a converted tight end. Nelms recorded 10 tackles for a loss last season so he’ll be ready to go. Senior corners DeAngel Smith and All-America candidate Mike Mickens for one of the nation’s finest duos in the secondary. Smith picked off eight passes in 2007, and Mickens added six. Strongside linebacker Corey Smith is the Bearcats’ top returning tackler, and senior Ryan Manalac should be solid in the middle.
Cincinnati Football Predictions at Info Plays: 7th in the Big East
Kelly took a shaky football program and turned it into the first 10-win team Cincinnati has seen since 1951. The next step is winning the Big East, a goal that would be much easier to accomplish with Ben Mauk at quarterback. Still, it’s not as if the Bearcats don’t have options or the talent to do it. It just doesn’t look good for this team on paper without Mauk.
The 2008 Cincinnati Bearcats are also previewed here at the official site of the Big East.
Big East Wins Expected in ‘08: SYRACUSE
Potential Scares/Losses:
RUTGERS, at
Connecticut,
SOUTH FLORIDA, at
West Virginia, at
Louisville, PITTSBURGH
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