TicketsOct. 11, 2005
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The University of Cincinnati will play host to the University of Connecticut Saturday in the first BIG EAST Conference football game to be played in Cincinnati. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. in Nippert Stadium.
The Bearcats will be seeking their first BIG EAST Conference football victory. UC opened BIG EAST play last Saturday with a 38-20 loss at Pittsburgh. The loss dropped UC to 2-3 on the season.
Connecticut brings a 4-1 record into Saturday's game, which includes a 26-7 win over Syracuse last Friday, the Huskies 2005 BIG EAST opener.
The Bearcats, who have experienced some problems with offensive consistency, will be tested by the Huskies' defense which is ranked No. 1 in the nation in fewest yards allowed (227.8). UConn also boasts the nation's stingiest pass defense and is No. 3 in points allowed (9.6).
After rolling up 469 yards of total offense in their season opener, the Bearcats have experienced some difficulties on offense in recent weeks. UC has averaged 299.6 yards per game in total offense over its last three contests.
Bradley Glatthaar continues to lead the Cincinnati rushing attack. The sophomore has scored a touchdown in each of UC's first five games this season. Dating back to last year, Glatthaar has tallied a TD in nine of the past 11 games.
UC is starting what is believed to be the youngest defensive unit in Division I-A. Five Bearcat starters are first-year freshmen. Two of them, outside linebacker Corey Smith and cornerback Mike Mickens, are second and fourth on the team in tackling.
Sophomore Haruki Nakamura continues to lead Cincinnati in tackles. The sophomore free safety has 39 stops on the year, an average of 7.8 tackles per game. Nakamura has had a pair of 12-tackle games.
The game will be the focal point of Homecoming activities on the UC campus. The men's and women's basketball teams will conduct open practices at 9 a.m. and 12 noon, respectively, in Fifth Third Arena and have an autograph session at 2:30 p.m. at Cattitude on the Commons. The Homecoming Parade will take place on Clifton Ave. beginning at noon. A complete schedule of the weekend activities is on page 8 of this release.
UC vs. UConn Saturday's game will be the second meeting between Cincinnati and Connecticut. The Bearcats won the previous meeting, 45-28, on Nov. 3, 2001 in Cincinnati.
UC vs. the BIG EAST Cincinnati enters its first season in the BIG EAST Conference with a 33-44-2 record vs. league teams prior to joining the conference.
UC-UConn Ties Hank Hughes, assistant head coach for defense and defensive line coach at Connecticut, served as defensive line coach at Cincinnati in 1993...UConn sophomore defensive end Harold Stanback and UC freshman defensive tackle Thomas Claggett are both from Temple Hills, Md., though they went to different high schools...UC junior linebacker Leo Morgan is the lone Bearcat with ties to the Nutmeg State, having helped Bloomfield, (Ct.) High to four state championships...The Huskies have one player from Ohio, freshman quarterback Billy Cundiff, who is from Uniontown in Northeast Ohio.
UC in Homecoming Games Cincinnati enters Saturday's game sporting a 45-21-3 record in its previous 69 Homecoming games. Last year, UC defeated TCU, 21-10, for Homecoming.
Honorary Captains Glenn Sample, a standout linebacker on the Bearcat teams of the early-1950s, and Jack Lee, who quarterbacked the successful UC teams of the late 1950s, will serve as honorary captains for Saturday's game. Sample was captain of the 1952 Bearcats and a principle player on the teams which compiled a 26-6-1record in 1950-51-52. Lee was the starting quarterback on the 1957, 1958 and 1959 teams before going on to the pro ranks. Head coach Mark Dantonio began recognizing former UC players and coaches by naming them honorary game captains last season. The honorary captains participate with the elected captains in the pregame coin toss.
Captains Three seniors and a junior have taken on the leadership role as team captains. The four, who were elected by their teammates, are offensive tackle Steve Eastlake (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson), defensive end Adam Roberts (Brooklyn, N.Y./Milford (Conn.) Academy), wide receiver Derick Ross (Marion, Ohio/Harding), all seniors, and junior tight end Brent Celek (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle).
On This Date October 15 has not been a very good date in Bearcat football history. Cincinnati is 3-8 in games played on this date, including six straight losses. In 1949, UC shut out Mississippi State, 19-0, at Nippert Stadium.
1994 at Rutgers. - L, 14-9
1988 Virginia Tech - L, 41-14
1983 at Florida State - L, 43-17
1977 at Tulane - L, 16-13
1966 at Tulane - L, 28-21
1960 Wichita - L, 25-8
1955 Marquette - W, 13-12
1949 Mississippi State - W, 19-0
1932 South Dakota - W, 7-0
1927 Dayton - L, 9-0
1921 at Pittsburgh - L, 21-14
Louisville Game Time Changed for ESPNU Telecast UC's Oct. 22 battle vs. Louisville will be televised by ESPNU. The game will be moved from 7 p.m. to a 12 noon start to accommodate the telecast. The game, in which the Bearcats will battle the Cardinals for the Keg of Nails trophy, will be UC's first football exposure on ESPNU, the new ESPN cable network which has a heavy emphasis on college sports. Cincinnati's volleyball match vs. Louisville this Sunday, Oct. 16, will also be televised by ESPNU. The UC-Louisville game becomes the sixth Bearcat contest this season to receive regional or national television exposure. UC will have two games on ESPN2 and three telecast by ESPN Regional in addition to the ESPNU telecast.
Bearcats Earn BIG EAST Honors Dustin Grutza was named BIG EAST Conference Offensive Player of the Week after passing for two touchdowns and running for a third in the Bearcats' 28-26 victory over Eastern Michigan in the season opener. The redshirt freshman from Maysville, Ky., completed 17 of 26 passes for 176 yards and ran for 49 yards, including a 21-yard TD.
UC junior safety Dominic Ross was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll for his performance in the Bearcats' 7-3 win over Western Carolina on Sept. 17. Ross entered the game in the fourth quarter and made two key interceptions to stop WCU. The first ended a drive on the UC 2-yard line with 5:46 remaining. The second, at the UC 37 with 22 seconds to play, clinched the victory.
Glatthaar on Scoring Spree Bradley Glatthaar is playing a key role in the Cincinnati offense. The sophomore running back has scored a touchdown in each of the Bearcats first five games on runs of 11, 7, 2, 1 and 5 yards. Going back to the 2004 season, Glatthaar has scored a touchdown in nine of the Bearcats' last 11 games.
Building a reputation for his ability to get the tough yard, Glatthaar has been held to negative yardage only five times in 68 rushing attempts this season and nine times in 130 running plays over his two-year career.
Glatthaar became the first Bearcat to rush for over 100 yards this season when he recorded career highs of 107 yards and 18 rushing attempts in the Sept. 17 win over Western Carolina.
Good Efforts from Goodman Freshman wide receiver Dominick Goodman is emerging as a major threat. Though he has played in only three games, Goodman has quickly climbed into second place at UC in all-purpose yards. He has amassed 264 yards, 195 via kickoff returns.
Goodman was one of the bright spots for the Cincinnati offense in the Sept. 28 loss at Miami (Ohio), piling up 141 all-purpose yards, gaining 64 yards on five pass receptions and returning four kickoffs for 77 yards. Goodman snagged a 24-yard pass from Dustin Grutza in the second quarter, UC's longest pass play of the night. He then hooked up with Nick Davila four times for 50 yards on the Bearcats' final scoring drive, and scored when he made a leaping catch of a deflected pass on a four-yard TD.
Tight Ends are Top Targets The Bearcat tight ends have been the big play performers in the Cincinnati passing attack to date. Junior starter Brent Celek is tied for second on the team in receptions with 16 and has UC's most receiving yardage with 209. Celek caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Dustin Grutza in the Oct. 8 game vs. Pittsburgh, the longest reception of Celek's career. Freshman backup Connor Barwin is fifth in receiving yardage with 106 on four catches and his 26.5 yards-per-catch average is tops on the team.
Celek Upping Numbers and Credentials Brent Celek has picked up where he left off last season, which could mean conference and national accolades for Cincinnati's junior tight end. Celek heads into Saturday's game second on the team in receptions with 16. His 209 yards receiving is tops among the Bearcats. Last season, Celek recorded 22 receptions for 254 yards and eight touchdowns, the latter figure representing a UC record for TDs by a TE. With the exception of the scoring plays, Celek is well on his way to exceeding those totals.
Eastlake Builds on Streak Steve Eastlake, one of the few veterans on the Bearcat offense, will try to extend a personal streak in Saturday's contest vs. Connecticut. The 6-6, 305-pound senior will be making his 30th consecutive start at left tackle, a position at which he has been a fixture since 2003. For a point of comparison, all other offensive linemen have a combined total of 21 games of starting experience.
Freshmen Lead Bearcat Defense Cincinnati may have the youngest defensive unit in the nation. The Bearcats
are starting five first-year freshmen--tackles Terrill Byrd and Thomas Claggett, end Trevor Anderson, outside linebacker Corey Smith and cornerback Mike Mickens. Byrd, Smith and Mickens have been starters all season. Anderson joined the starting lineup two games ago and Claggett became a starter in last Saturday's game vs. Pittsburgh. Additionally, Cedric Tolbert, another true frosh, started at strong safety vs. Western Carolina on Sept. 17.
Those freshmen are holding their own. Smith is second on the team in tackles (35) and is second in tackles for loss (4.5). Mickens is fourth in tackles (30) and leads the team in passes broken up (7).
Ross Coming of Age Junior Dominic Ross put together the two best performances of his college career during Cincinnati's games vs. Western Carolina and Miami. Ross, who did not start the Western Carolina game, replaced the injured Cedric Tolbert in the fourth quarter and made two interceptions, one on the 2-yard line to stop WCU's go-ahead scoring drive with 5:46 to play. His second pick, in the final minute, clinched the 7-3 victory. In UC's Sept. 28 contest at Miami (Ohio), Ross made a career-high 13 tackles, six of them solos, and had a tackle for loss.
Nakamura Tops in Stops Sophomore Haruki Nakamura posted his second double-digit tackling performance of the season in the Sept. 28 contest vs. Miami (Ohio). The Bearcat free safety matched his career high with 12 total stops to take over the team tackling lead. Nakamura has 39 tackles in five games, a 7.8 average.
Corey Seeks Freshman Honors Playing on a defense stocked with freshman standouts, Corey Smith is making a bid for conference and national all-freshman honors. The 6-1, 215 outside linebacker is Cincinnati's second-leading tackler with 35 stops and is second on the squad with 4.5 tackles for loss. Smith recorded 13 total tackles, including nine solo stops, vs. Western Carolina--a season high by a Bearcat defender.
Many Happy Returns
The Bearcats enjoyed one of their most productive games in terms of kickoff returns vs. Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 28.
Marshwan Gilyard nearly broke off a return for a touchdown. The first-year freshman was dragged down after a 60-yard return, the longest since Tedric Harwell took a kick back 71 yards vs. West Virginia in 2002. Dominick Goodman returned four kickoffs for a total of 77 yards, which featured a 27-yard return. Goodman is averaging 21.5 yards on five returns this season.
In the punt return department, Mike Daniels tied a UC single game record when he returned seven punts in the Sept. 17 game vs. Western Carolina. He compiled 47 yards on those seven returns.
Ervin Climbing Career Charts Senior Chet Ervin is climbing the UC career punting records lists. Ervin is No. 7 in career punts with 202 and is No. 7 in career punting yards with 7,869. With three more punts, he will reach fifth place in attempts. Ervin is ranked sixth in attempts and eighth in punting yards among the NCAA national career leaders.
Young Bearcats See First Action Over the first five games, a total of 27 Bearcats have seen their first college game action. Nine are first-year freshmen and 11 others are redshirt freshmen. Eight of those frosh have been starters: true freshmen Trevor Anderson (Detroit, MI/Crockett Tech) at defensive end, Terrill Byrd (Cincinnati, OH/Colerain) and Thomas Claggett (Temple Hills, Md./Frederick Douglas), at defensive tackle, Corey Smith (Salem, NJ/Salem) at outside linebacker, Mike Mickens (Huber Heights, OH/Wayne) at cornerback, Cedric Tolbert (Xenia, OH/Xenia) at safety, and redshirt freshmen Dustin Grutza (Maysville, KY/Mason County) at quarterback and Ryan Manalac (Pickerington, OH/Pickerington) at middle linebacker.
Dantonio Second-Winningest Rookie Head Coach Cincinnati's Mark Dantonio had the second-best record of any of the new 13 Division I-A head coaches in 2004, and the best among first-time head coaches. Dantonio directed UC to a 7-5 record, including a win over Marshall in the Fort Worth Bowl. Only Mike Price, who led UTEP to an 8-4 season, had a better record.
Dantonio had the fifth-best season of any head football coach in his first season at Cincinnati.
How Young Are Those Cats Cincinnati is one of the nation's youngest teams, in terms of returning starters, in terms of projected senior starters and in terms of lettermen on its two-deep chart. UC has starters returning at eight positions--tackle Steve Eastlake, tight end Brent Celek and fullback Doug Jones on offense; end Adam Roberts, cornerback Antoine Horton and Dominic Ross and JaJuan Hall, who shared the strong safety position on defense; along with punter Chet Ervin and kicker Kevin Lovell. Only two schools have fewer returning starters, Navy with six and Marshall with seven.
UC projected five senior starters on offense and defense, entering the 2005 season, second fewest to Rice which has three projected senior starters.
New Championship Trophy The University of Cincinnati will be eligible for the coveted Lambert Meadowlands Trophy, which recognizes the best Division I-A team in the East, due to the Bearcats affiliation with the BIG EAST Conference. To be eligible for the Lambert, a school must either be located in the East or play half of its schedule against teams eligible for the Lambert Trophy. UC, along with new BIG EAST members Louisville and South Florida have been deemed eligible for the award since they will play at least half of their games against Lambert-eligible teams via their new conference alignment. The ECAC will conduct weekly polls and issue a final poll in early January to determine the trophy winner. The team will be presented with their awards at the Eastern College Football Awards Banquet on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Pegasus Restaurant at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
Nippert Renovations Fans have observed several changes in Nippert Stadium, all leading to enhanced decorum for Bearcat home football games. A new 19-foot by 53-foot video board, with over twice the display area of the previous board, has been installed in the revamped scoreboard structure, which also contains a team statistics panel and 8-foot by 83-foot message center. Elements of the old video board will be installed in the Baseball Stadium and Gettler Track/Soccer Stadium, benefiting those playing venues. New permanent seating has been constructed in the North end zone. The new seating structure also contains a full locker room for the visiting team, a first aid room and a halftime room for the Bearcats. The FieldTurf playing surface has been replaced, with all markings and logos inlaid in the new artificial surface. Entry and access to the stadium has been improved, with all barriers removed from the West, Northwest and South sides. The stadium now opens to Bearcat Plaza, outside of the Tangeman University Center, on the West side, adding to the atmosphere. Access via the East side is limited by the construction of the Richard E. Lindner Athletic Center.
Looking Ahead The Bearcats host rival and No. 19 Louisville on Oct. 22 at 12 noon at Nippert Stadium in the battle for the Keg of Nails. Cincinnati will be trying to end a string of two consecutive losses to the Cardinals in the first-ever battle between the two teams as BIG EAST Conference members. The game will be televised nationally by ESPNU.