Guidugli Keys UC Offense
September 11, 2003 02:08 PM | General
September 11, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez calls quarterback Gino Guidugli “the center of Cincinnati’s offense.”
The third-year Bearcat signalcaller has had an impressive career to date. Entering this season, the Davey O’Brien Award candidate has thrown for more than 6,000 yards and 39 touchdowns.
Guidugli ranks 10th among active NCAA players in career passing yards (6,237) and is either second or third on the UC career list for completion percentage, touchdown passes, TD-interception ratio, attempts, completions, passing yards and total offense.
The second team all-Conference USA pick last year had one of the most prolific passing seasons in Cincinnati history, completing 258 of 472 passes for 3,543 yards with 22 touchdowns.
Guidugli had four 300-yard passing games in 2002 including a 324-yard performance in a close loss to eventual national champion Ohio State.
Guidugli lit up the West Virginia defense for 275 yards and accounted for three touchdowns in a close, 35-32 Mountaineer victory.
“He’s a great competitor,” said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. “I had a lot of respect for him before we played them and even more after. To me he is the key not only to their team, but to their entire program. They know that with him in there they have a chance to win every game.”
By the end of his junior season, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback should own nearly all of Cincinnati’s school passing marks.
Guidugli is not UC’s only offensive weapon, however.
In the Bearcats’ season opening win against East Carolina, Cincinnati amassed 361 yards rushing – the highest single game total since gaining 362 yards against Tulsa in the ’97 season opener.
Junior Richard Hall (5-11, 200, Jr.), taking over for graduated 1,000-yard rusher DeMarco McClesky, ran for 117 yards on 24 tries against East Carolina. Redshirt freshman Derrick Eddington (5-7, 192, Fr.), listed third on the UC depth chart behind senior Tedric Harwell (5-11, 184, Sr.), gained a team-best 138 yards on just 11 carries in the opener, making them the first duo to reach 100 yards in the same game since McClesky and Ray Jackson did it against Memphis in 2001.
Fullback Booker Vann (5-11, 218, Sr.) is used primarily as a blocker in short yardage situations, although he did manage to run for 608 yards in two seasons at Kent State before transferring to UC.
The Bearcat offensive line is anchored by senior center Josh Sheyderov (6-2, 272, Sr.), who has made 25 of 26 starters over the last three seasons. He was voted UC’s top offensive lineman in 2001 and was named to the C-USA all-freshman team in 2000.
Flanking Shneyderov are guards Kyle Takavitz (6-4, 299, Jr.) and Travis McGee (6-3, 301, Sr.). Takavitz played every game at left tackle last year before making the move to left guard. Lindy’s voted Takavitz the best pass blocker in Conference USA.
McGee started 12 games in 2002 after helping San Francisco City College to a 24-0 record during his JC career.
The starting tackle spots will be manned by Steve Eastlake (6-6, 287, Jr.) and Anthony Colton (6-3, 294, Sr.). Eastlake is a fourth-year junior who played in two games last year. Colton started one game last season after transferring from Middle Georgia College.
Tight end Dennis Hart (6-3, 220, Sr.) caught two passes for 40 yards against East Carolina in the opener, and had a three-catch, 77-yard performance against West Virginia last year.
Cincinnati’s wide receiver corps has had to make some adjustments after losing three exceptional players in LaDarius Vann, Jon Olinger and Tye Keith, the three of whom combined to catch 174 passes for 2,618 yards last year.
Some of the slack will be picked up by junior George Murray (6-1, 193, Jr.), who caught 26 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns last year including five catches for 47 yards in the West Virginia game. Murray led UC with three catches in the opener against East Carolina and he is also listed as Guidugli’s backup.
Also expected to make big plays in the passing game are junior Kevin Hazel (6-0, 197, Jr.) and sophomore Derrick Ross (5-10, 180, So.). Hazel played every game last year as a reserve and was a former prep standout at Columbus St. Francis DeSales High School.
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| Quarterback Gino Guidugli passed for 275 yards and two touchdowns against West Virginial last year in Cincinnati. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
Ross caught four passes in 2002 and shows five catches for his career. He is the older brother of UC freshman linebacker Dominic Ross.
“They are an explosive team on offense,” said Rodriguez. “Our players know from last year that if you get a lead on them they can come back and they have done it a number of times.”
Cincinnati coach Rick Minter has developed an emerging football program at Cincinnati. Now in his 10th season with the Bearcats, Minter has taken Cincinnati to four bowl games, including an appearance last year in the New Orleans Bowl. Minter’s 48 victories are just two short of Sid Gillman’s school record of 50 wins from 1949-54.
Last year Cincinnati posted a 6-2 league record to finish tied with TCU for the C-USA regular season title. Minter’s best season came in 1997 when he led Cincinnati to an 8-4 record and a win over Utah State in the Humanitarian Bowl.
There are still tickets remaining for Saturday’s game and can be purchased by calling the Mountaineer Ticket Office toll-free at 1-800-WVU GAME.
Saturday’s game is Papa John’s Family Day, with a family of four receiving four tickets and $15 worth of Mountaineer Bucks redeemable at the stadium concession stand for just $99. This offer is only good in advance by calling the Mountaineer Ticket Office.
Fans can also purchase tickets online at WVUGAME.com.
The contest will be televised by ESPN Regional (Dave Sims, John Congemi and Greg Roberts).
Prior to the game, Mountaineer fans can attend the 13th annual induction ceremonies for the WVU Sports Hall of Fame at the Caperton Indoor Practice Facility at 10 am. Included among the six inductees this year is former Mountaineer football coach Don Nehlen. The Hall of Fame ceremonies are free to the general public.
