2011 Bowl: 31-24 Win at Liberty Bowl vs. Vandy
Head coach: Butch Jones
Offense
Cincinnati is a team in transition..they lack a running back to come in and replace Big East offensive player of the year Isaiah Pead and lack a QB heir as well, after Zach Collaros spent the last two years manning the saddle for the Bearcats. They’ll try to compensate using a rich host of talent, but it hurts to move forward without set-in-stone replacements.
The running back duties will be in part covered by Sr. George Winn who was the lead backup last year, yet still only registered 40 carries at an average of 5.4 yards per carry (219 total yds). Sophomores Jameel Poteat and Ralph David Abernathy IV will contribute some, as well. JUCO transfer Aaron Harris will also get some touches.
As for the QB situation, it’s going to go likely to Munchie Legaux. Legaux started three games last year while Collaros was injured, but didn’t experience vast success in that short span. It’s not that he lacks the tools; he doesnt, but beyond his athleticism and strong arm, there are his erratic throws and mental lapses. It doesn’t help that the other candidate for the job is just a running QB in Jordan Luallen, and Luallen has been switched to WR to use that athleticism more to his advantage. Still, he will see some QB duties at times. SR Anthony McClung will lead the way for the WRs, as he caught 49 passes for 683 yards last year while scoring six TDs.
Defense
John Jancek will be the new defensive coordinator after Tim Banks left for Illinois. Banks will try to work with a defense that has just lost tackle Derek Wolfe, the co-defensive player of the year in the Big East, as well as middle linebacker JK Schaffer, who was a first team all Big East selection. Jordan Stepp will replace Wolfe, and the Bearcats have two very good ends in Walter Stewart and Dan Giordiano, not to mention an experienced linebacker in Maalik Bomar, who should be able to make a difference in his own right. As for Shaffer’s replacement, expect it to be Soph. Solomon Tentman, as Tentman showed good promise in his first year for the Bearcats last season.
The Bearcats also still have an all-conference secondary in safety Drew Frey. The main issue for them defensively this year will just be an overall lack of depth, but Banks is hoping with the right tinkering he can overcome that and keep the Bearcats successful defensively, as they ranked 2nd in Big East run stoppage and 3rd in points allowed (only 20.3 per game).
Special Teams
Pat O’Donnell is a good punter who led the Big East in punting with 43.8 yards per punt and their kicker Tony Miliano was good his rookie season as well, but is going to have to work on being more reliable because he missed three extra points and eight field goal attempts. The aforementioned Abernathy finished second in the league with a 26.5 yard avg. and he also had a 90 yard return against Vandy in the Liberty Bowl, which resulted in a TD.
Outlook
The Bearcats have a lot of issues to be addressed this season before they can be taken seriously as Big East contenders. A 10-3 record last year speaks volumes about how good this program can be, but without an incumbent at both QB and RB, it’s going to take some rapid development before they can hang with the better teams, both in and out of conference play. Legaux must become a reliable QB and the offense must be varied to ensure his success. On defense, it is going to be a long season unless Stewart and Giodrdano contribute in a big way.
What will work in the Bearcats favor is a relatively soft schedule. West Virginia moved to the Big 12 and Temple replaced them, so the best team in the Big East is no longer around to whip butt, though the Bearcats did hang tough with WV last season, losing by only 3 points. The easy schedule may enable the new starters to adapt to their more significant roles this season. Coach Butch Jones says that “the (standards) never change” but is that enough to counteract the fact that the players do? The new faces may be exciting for Jones to coach, but that doesn’t always translate to wins.
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