The Cincinnati Bearcats finished their first season under head coach Butch Jones with a disappointing 4-8 record, as the team lost one more game in the final three years of the Brian Kelly era combined.
Optimism is definitely found on the practice field with a team that has plenty of offensive weapons and a defense that returns all 11 starts. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Bearcats could challenge for the Big East Conference title in 2011.
Senior quarterback Zach Collaros led the Big East in passing yards and total offense last year, but will need to take better care of the ball, as the squad finished last year with a minus-15 turnover margin. He contributed to the cause with 14 interceptions.
Cincinnati possesses a dangerous rushing attack that is led by senior Isaiah Pead, who averaged 6.6 yards per carry in gaining 1,029 yards. He finished the season with four 100-yard games and his numbers would have been even better if not for missing two games due to injury.
The top-ranked passing attack in Big East action will welcome back senior wide receiver DJ Woods, who caught 57 passes and scored eight times. He’s a playmaker on the outside and averaged 15.8 yards a reception a year ago.
The Bearcats’ fortunes this season will once again rely heavily on the offensive line, as the group was manhandled early last year and never recovered. The group has a little more depth this year, but is inexperience, as just two starters return.
Few units will ever have the luxury of bringing back all 11 starters from a year ago, as Cincinnati brings back everyone to try and improve upon a below average year on defense. The Bearcats were 68th nationally in scoring defense by allowing 28 points a game.
Opposing passers had a field day against a porous secondary, connecting on 64.9 percent of their attempts, while averaging 234 yards through the air.
The front seven was staunch at times against the running game, but still allowed 19 rushing touchdowns and 135.4 yards per game. Middle linebacker JK Schaffer will need to do a better job of getting personnel in the right spots in goal-line situations.
He has registered back-to-back 100 tackle seasons.
Place-kicking duties are still up in the air with the departure of four-year starter Jake Rogers, while junior Pat O’Donnell returns as one of the best punters nationally.
Cincinnati will likely win the field position battle on most weekends with Woods and Anthony McClung leading a return game that can threaten to take it the distance at any given time.
This team will likely be incredibly undervalued to start the season, as 63 players from last year were either freshmen or sophomores.
Backing the Bearcats as a road favorite may be the play all year long, covering four of the last five such opportunities the last two seasons.