UC Defense = Speed
September 10, 2003 11:03 AM | General
September 10, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Cincinnati comes into Saturday’s game against West Virginia looking for its first-ever win in Morgantown. The Bearcats are winless in seven tries, having tied West Virginia 7-7 in 1940.
And while Cincinnati has become known more for its offense with the emergence of quarterback Gino Guidugli, it is the Bearcat defense that could ultimately determine Saturday’s outcome.
Against East Carolina in its season opener on Monday, Sept. 1, Cincinnati limited the Pirates to just 203 total yards, including 57 on the ground. Aside from recovering a fumble at the UC 38, which led to ECU’s only score, the Pirates crossed the 50 yard line just twice for the game. ECU’s deepest offensive drive ended at the Bearcat 42 yard line.
Pirate quarterbacks Desmond Robinson and Paul Troth combined to pass for just 146 yards on 16 completions.
By comparison, the West Virginia defense allowed East Carolina 328 total yards including 226 through the air in last week’s win in Greenville.
WVU coach Rich Rodriguez says Cincinnati’s team speed is its most impressive characteristic.
“Watching them against East Carolina they looked faster than we did at times,” said Rodriguez. “I think their defense is faster than it was last year.
“There’s no question speed wise they match up pretty well with us and that causes us a lot of concern.”
Cincinnati’s defense has helped the Bearcats win six straight C-USA games dating back to last year, and has surrendered an average of just 15 points in those six games. In its last eight games dating back to last year, the Bearcats are giving up only 16.8 points per game.
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| Rich Rodriguez says to keep an eye out for defensive end Trent Cole, who will be wearing number 90 Saturday. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
Rodriguez believes the Bearcat defense starts with 6-foot-4, 227-pound junior Trent Cole.
“He will be one of the most explosive defensive players, regardless of position, that we play this year,” said Rodriguez. “In the East Carolina game he was the single most dominant player on the field on both sides of the ball.”
Cole was credited with 10 total tackles, two tackles for losses and a sack against the Pirates. The Ted Hendricks Award candidate was a preseason all-Conference USA pick and is coming off an 87-tackle, five-sack season in 2002.
Cole teams up front with defensive tackles Ka’son Love (6-2, 267, Sr.) and Mike Wright (6-5, 267, Jr.). Love and Wright are both former transfers; Love came to UC from Chaffey Junior College while Wright transferred from Ashland University. The two combined for five tackles against East Carolina. Backup Lonnie Simmons, a Michigan State transfer, is Cincinnati’s biggest defensive lineman weighing 295 pounds.
At the other defensive end position is junior Andre Frazier (6-5, 213, Jr.), who had two tackles for losses against East Carolina. Last year Frazier made eight starts, collecting 62 total tackles.
Like the defensive line, UC’s linebacking corps is not very big, but they can cover the field. Outside linebackers Jason Russell (6-2, 207, Sr.) and Tyjuan Hagler (6-2, 220, Sr.) both played in every game in 2002 and combined to make 137 tackles last season. Hagler had eight stops in the ECU win.
Backing Hagler is junior Jamie Murphy (6-2, 229, Jr.), who played in every game in 2002 and finished the season with 49 stops.
The middle linebacker is junior Jamar Enzor (6-1, 222, Jr.), who recorded five stops against ECU and was responsible for a safety. Enzor shared the middle linebacker post last year, making 101 total tackles and 15 tackles for losses.
The secondary is led by senior cornerback Zach Norton (6-0, 184, Sr.), a three-year starter who returned two interceptions for touchdowns last season. At the other cornerback spot is junior Daven Holly (5-11, 179, Jr.), a converted wide receiver pressed into duty at cornerback midway through last season. He responded with 17 tackles.
Senior Franklin Callicott (5-11, 195, Sr.) has quality experience at free safety, producing 19 tackles in a game last year against UAB and returning a fumble 43 yards in the New Orleans Bowl loss against North Texas.
Callicott is paired with junior strong safety Doug Monaghan (6-3, 210, Jr.), a physical junior who has made 23 career starts and was fourth on the team in tackles last year with 88. Monaghan was a second team freshman All-American in 2001 after making 101 tackles.
Rodriguez is expecting Cincinnati to load up the box and force the Mountaineer to throw the ball Saturday.
“I think they will put them down in there,” said the coach. “The difference is they are a little more athletic in the secondary than East Carolina is at this point. Both their safeties and their corners can run pretty well, so they will be able to run with our wide outs.”
Last year West Virginia quarterback Rasheed Marshall had one of his most effective passing games against Cincinnati, completing 16 of 24 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for two scores in helping West Virginia to a 35-32 victory.
Saturday’s game will kickoff at noon and will be televised by ESPN Regional (Dave Sims, John Congemi and Greg Roberts).
For ticket information, contact the Mountaineer Ticket Office toll-free by calling 1-800-WVU GAME or order online at WVUGAME.com.
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