TicketsBearcat Gridders Regroup During Open Week
Next Game: Oct. 23 vs. Memphis at Nippert Stadium, 7 p.m. ET.
Contact: Tom Hathaway
10/13/2004
Brent Celek had two TD receptions vs. Army. |
The University of Cincinnati will try to regroup and prepare for the second half of the 2004 football season during this week?s open week on the schedule. The Bearcats, who will be idle until hosting Memphis on Oct. 23 (7 p.m. kickoff), hit the midpoint of their season with a 2-4 overall record and a 1-2 ledger in Conference USA play.
The first order of business will be rebounding from last week?s shocking 48-29 loss to Army, a team which carried a nation-leading 19-game losing streak into the contest.
Cincinnati?s defense was shredded for 554 yards by Army, the most surrendered by the Bearcats since Syracuse amassed 601 yards on Oct. 10, 1998.
?Everybody in our program needs to take a deep look at how they affected this game and what did they do,? stated first year head coach Mark Dantonio. ?We need to look at who we are as people, at how hard we play, how much we know.?
The UC defense, which entered the Army contest having held its three previous foes to an average of 259.7 yards of total offense, will have its work cut out for itself when the Bearcats resume play on Oct. 23 vs. Memphis. The Tigers have the nation?s No. 9-rated offense, averaging 476.6 yards per game. Memphis is ranked No. 11 nationally in passing offense (294.6 yards per game) and 36th in rushing offense (182.0). Danny Wimprine is the nation?s ninth-ranked passer while running back DeAngelo Williams is ranked fifth nationally in rushing (150.4 yards per game).
This week?s national stat rankings have good news for a member of the Bearcat defense. Senior defensive end Trent Cole is the national leader in tackles for loss, averaging 2.5 per contest.
UC quarterback Gino Guidugli, who recorded the 13th 300-yard passing performance of his career when he threw for 350 yards and a UC record-tying four TDs vs. Army, topped the 10,000 yard marks in both career passing and total offense yardage. Guidugli, with 10,200 career passing yards and 10,244 career total offense yards, is second to only Timmy Chang (14,179 passing, 13,977 total) of Hawaii among active players.
Guidugli will garner another record when Cincinnati hosts Memphis, one which underscores the senior quarterback?s endurance. Guidugli will be making his 43th consecutive start.
Richard Hall continues to rank among the nation?s rushing leaders. Hall, who gained 94 yards vs. Army, is 38th nationally in rushing, averaging 92.5 yards per game.
Challenging is an understatement for the second half of Cincinnati?s schedule. The Bearcats will face five of the six teams ahead of them in the C-USA standings. Those five foes entered the week with a combined 17-5 overall record.
The Oct. 23 Cincinnati-Memphis game will be Youth Night with youth (age 12 and under) receiving a free ticket when accompanied by an adult purchasing a regular priced ticket in advance of the game. It will also be Parents Night at Nippert Stadium. UC?s student-athletes will be recognized for their academic success during halftime ceremonies.