2007 Cincinnati Bearcats Football Preview

2007 Cincinnati Bearcats season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Cincinnati Bearcats football preview as well as the 2007 Cincinnati Bearcats Football Schedule. Dont miss Maddux's winning NCAA picks against the weekly college betting lines from the best college sports handicapper.

Coach: Brian Kelly (1st year at Cincinnati)
Team Name: Bearcats
2006 Overall Record: 8-5
Returning Starters: 16

The Cincinnati Bearcats (8- 5 overall, 4- 3 Big East) finished tied for 4th in the conference and then beat Western Michigan 27- 24 in the International Bowl. In the past six years, the Bearcats have been to five post-season contests. Another bowl appearance is not a shoe-in, but it is a possibility.

New coach Brian Kelley, who coached the International Bowl win, will change things around as he gets rid of former coach Mark Dantonio's lumbering ground game and installs a West Coast style offense. Last season, Kelley coached Central Michigan to the MAC crown. Either senior Ben Mauk, a transfer from Wake Forest, or junior Dustin Grutza will start at QB. Mauk was once a promising talent in the college ranks and could be the guy to go to. Junior Dominick Goodman ((40 REC, 452 YDs, 5 TDs) is the main guy in a dependable receiving corps. Junior Derrick Stewart is the team's finest deep threat. Senior RB Greg Moore (162 CAR, 709 YDs, 4 TDs) anchors the running unit. The "O" line is trying to learn to cope with the fast-paced tempo of the new attack scheme.

New defensive coordinator Joe Tresey, who comes from Central Michigan, looks to install a 4- 3 scheme that will induce sacks and turnovers. DE Trevor Anderson returns as the team's sack leader with 6, while CB Mike Mickens comes back having swiped 3 passes in 2006. DT Terrill Byrd is a dependable force on a veteran line. OLB Corey Smith (60 tackles, 34 solo) in the main guy on that unit, while FS Haruki Nakamura (66 tackles, 43 solo) is a smart, versatile player and team leader.

Six wins are certainly possible and a swing victory against Pittsburgh can be the key to this clubs' success. An early season upset against visiting Oregon State will be a reason to celebrate and be optimistic. If the team can do better than 21.1 PPG on offense and still hold opponents to 19.6 PPG, the Bearcats will be growling in victory.

Cincinnati Bearcats Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away
Aug 30	SE Missouri St	Home
Sep 6	Oregon St	Home
Sep 15	Miami Ohio	Away
Sep 22	Marshall	Home
Sep 29	San Diego St	Away
Oct 6	Rutgers	Away
Oct 13	Louisville	Home
Oct 20	Pittsburgh	Away
Nov 3	USF	Away
Nov 10	Connecticut	Home
Nov 17	West Virginia	Home
Nov 24	Syracuse	Away

 

For more info on the 2007 Cincinnati Bearcats football program, view the Bearcats football site or you can read about other Big East teams below.