Better know a ’12 opponent: Cincinnati
We’ve reached the final non-conference game of the season in our opponent previews. Here’s Cincinnati, a game that will be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
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Coach: Butch Jones (14-11, 7-7 Big East, entering third season at Cincinnati; 27-13 overall in five seasons at Central Michigan and Cincinnati)
2011 record: 10-3 (5-2 Big East, t-1st), beat Vanderbilt 31-24 in Liberty Bowl
Looking back: The Bearcats rebounded after a 4-8 mark in 2010, Jones’ first as head coach since taking the reins from Brian Kelly. Running back Isaiah Pead, the Big East Offensive Player of the Year, senior quarterback Zach Collaros and a disruptive defense helped Cincinnati start the season 7-1, with its lone loss coming at Tennessee. That streak included wins against N.C. State (44-14), Louisville (25-16), South Florida (37-34) and Pittsburgh (28-23), but it came to an end when Collaros broke his ankle against West Virginia. The Bearcats stumbled in the immediate aftermath, losing to the Mountaineers and Rutgers. But they righted the ship under his replacement, sophomore Munchie Legaux, finishing the regular season with wins at Syracuse and against Connecticut, good enough to tie them for the conference title (although West Virginia would earn the BCS bid and head to the Orange Bowl). A win against Vanderbilt in the Liberty Bowl capped the Bearcats’ fourth 10-win season in the last five years. Jones earned Big East Coach of the Year honors.
2011 stats/rankings:
- Rushing offense: 178.54 ypg (36th nationally, 2nd Big East)
- Passing offense: 207.15 ypg (78th nationally, 7th Big East)
- Total offense: 385.69 ypg (61st nationally, 3rd Big East)
- Scoring offense: 33.31 ppg (26th nationally, 2nd Big East)
- Rushing defense: 96.23 ypg (6th nationally, 2nd Big East)
- Passing defense: 261.15 ypg (99th nationally, 7th Big East)
- Total defense: 357.38 ypg (42nd nationally, 6th Big East)
- Scoring defense: 20.31 ppg (20th nationally, 3rd Big East)
- Turnover margin: .92 (9th nationally, 1st Big East)
Offensive starters returning/lost: 4/7
Defensive starters returning/lost: 7/4
Losses: QB Zach Collaros (2nd Big East, 1,940 yards, 15 TD, 10 INT), RB Isaiah Pead (1st Big East, OPOTY, 1,259 rushing yards, 12 TD, 319 receiving yards, 3 TD), WR D.J. Woods (37 catches, 450 yards, 2 TD), TE Adrien Robinson (12 catches, 183 yards, 3 TD), LT Alex Hoffman (2nd Big East), LG Randy Martinez (1st Big East), C Evan Davis, DT Derek Wolfe (1st Big East, DPOTY, 70 tackles, 21.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks), DT John Hughes (51 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 5 sacks), LB J.K. Schaffer (1st Big East, 114 tackles, 13 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 3 INT, 3 FF), FS Wesley Richardson (71 tackles), DB Chris Williams (46 tackles, 4.5 TFL)
Returnees: QB Munchie Legaux (749 yards, 5 TD, 4 INT), RB George Winn (219 yards, 2 TD), RB Jameel Poteat (108 yards, TD), WR Anthony McClung (49 catches, 683 yards, 6 TD), WR Kenbrell Thompkins (44 catches, 536 yards, 2 TD), RG Austen Bujnoch, RT Eric Lefeld, RT Sean Hooey, DE Walter Stewart (44 tackles, 11 TFL, 6 sacks), DE Dan Giordano (35 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 sacks), LB Maalik Bomar (61 tackles, 3.5 TFL), LB Nick Temple (35 tackles, 2.5 TFL), SS Drew Frey (1st Big East, 73 tackles, 2 INT), CB Deven Drane (42 tackles, 3 INT), CB Cameron Cheatham (59 tackles, 3 INT), PK Tony Miliano (17-25 FG), P Pat O’Donnell (1st Big East, 43.8 avg.), RB/KR Ralph David Abernathy IV (26.5 avg., TD)
2012 schedule:
- Sept. 6: vs. Pittsburgh
- Sept. 15: vs. Delaware State
- Sept. 29: vs. Virginia Tech (Landover, Md.)
- Oct. 6: vs. Miami of Ohio
- Oct. 13: vs. Fordham
- Oct. 20: at Toledo
- Oct. 26: at Louisville
- Nov. 3: vs. Syracuse
- Nov. 10: at Temple
- Nov. 17: vs. Rutgers
- Nov. 23: vs. South Florida
- Dec. 1: at Connecticut
Strengths: Although he has plenty of development to go, Legaux got good experience late in the year and has some weapons to throw to in the passing game in McClung and Thompkins. Jones’ spread offense is conducive to quarterbacks, which should help Legaux along. Defensively, the Bearcats were an aggressive group that led the nation in tackles for a loss and was second in sacks and led the Big East in turnovers. Stewart, at end, emerged in the spring, while Frey, a first-team All-Big East pick, is back for a sixth year because of an earlier injury, giving the defense some parts to work with.
Weaknesses: It’s not clear if Legaux is completely ready to take the reins of the offense based on some up-and-down performances at the end of last season. This much is for sure, though: nobody can do what Pead did last year as running back. Three starters on the offensive line — including All-Big East picks Martinez and Hoffman — are gone, meaning the offense won’t be able to be as run-based as last year (although Jones’ teams have been adept at throwing the ball in the past). The Bearcats lose a lot in the middle on defense, with Wolfe, Hughes and Schaffer gone. Now there are new faces filling in. It remains to be seen if they can fill the void.
Fun fact: (Via the team’s game notes) “[Munchie Legaux's] full name is Benton Shannon Legaux. The nickname Munchie has existed since age 2 when family members tickled by the sight of his attempts to chew food minus two front teeth replaced Benton Shannon with Munchie.”
Series with VT: Virginia Tech leads 5-4
- 2009: No. 21 Virginia Tech 20, No. 12 Cincinnati 7, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Orange Bowl)
- 2006: No. 11 Virginia tech 29, Cincinnati 13, in Blacksburg
- 1995: Cincinnati 16, Virginia Tech 0, in Blacksburg
- 1991: Virginia Tech 56, Cincinnati 9, in Blacksburg
- 1988: Virginia Tech 41, Cincinnati 14, in Cincinnati
- 1987: Virginia Tech 21, Cincinnati 20, in Blacksburg
- 1986: Cincinnati 24, Virginia Tech 20, in Blacksburg
- 1985: Cincinnati 31, Virginia Tech 14, in Cincinnati
- 1947: Cincinnati 18, Virginia Tech 6, in El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl)
- Georgia Tech — Team overview | Ask a beat writer
- Austin Peay — Team overview | Ask a beat writer
- Pittsburgh — Team overview | Ask a beat writer
- Bowling Green — Team overview | Ask a beat writer
May 30, 2012 - 12:25 AM
Another Big game for tech. Go tech!!
This game have potential upset alert written all over it. Factor in Beamer’s all-time record at neutral stadium, it does give me reason to pencil in an upset alert for Tech, especially if they come in riding a winning streak and are undefeated at this point.
I know, I know, Cincy is reloading just the same as Tech, but whenever those two clubs meet, it always wind up as a tight contest.
Looking at the series history is just painful. That ’95 game was just absurd. It wasn’t as bad as Temple in ’98, or JMU, but it was a similarly horrible home loss.
However, in the span of a single week, Frank Beamer went from the biggest bum in Blacksburg to the biggest hero.
Pead is a huge loss for Cincinnati. A year ago, this is a very tough game. I’m not so sure it is this year. It is too early in the season for Cincy, they have too many key slots to fill. Losing 6 first or second team all BE players is creating a lot of holes to fill.
I say Tech wins by double digits, pretty easily, maybe even a woodshed game.
Please don’t try to boost Cinncinnati, they aren’t a top 25 team, probably not even a top 30 team. They play in a bad conference who just lost it’s best team(WVU), who beat the ACC Champion(Clemson) by 37 and it could have been much worse. So please don’t make Cinncinnati out to be Oklahoma or Alabama, or make a big deal out of their 10 win seasons. Are they a solid team, yes, they are just like ECU, solid, nothing more, nothing less. Cinncinnati will play hard, but just because you play hard, doesn’t mean you play well.
Stack you are way over reacting. Who is boosting the Bearcats? Could they upset us? You have to say “yes”. You say they are roughly equal to ECU. OK, I agree. ECU has upset us. Or is your memory short?
These guys should not beat us but it sure looks to me like this will be their biggest game all year. This will be the one they point to. This will be the one they are focused on. This is the one their coaching staff is spending extra time preparing for. Doesn’t concern you at all?
If not, you are mistaken. Ever heard of JMU? They are a Div down from Tech and whipped our butts just a couple seasons ago. Where there reasons? Sure. A tough loss agianst Boise left us emotionally spent. But we alsolooked at that game as though it was a scrimmage.
We are, more than any other program in the NCAA that I can think of, emotionally driven. We lead big time teams (like Alabama) after 3 and lose in the 4th. We miss a key play at the end (a dropped 2 point conversion). Or get in a position where an unclear replay decides the game (Michigan). But we can also get on top and just crush the opposition (really quality opposition) as we did against Syracuse (60-0?) on ESPN. Or the game in Miami when the U was still tough (34-17?).
Considering the quality of our strength program I have to believe that it isn’t fitness that causes 4th qtr loses. Considering how hard our kids work I don’t think its preparation. Maybe other teams have a deeper bench but I consider us well loaded. No, I think it is emotional. We run ourselves out of gas against some teams – especially when we start off over excited a hand them a lead (Boise and just about every game a season or two ago). When he have them we can step on their neck. This is a confidence thing.
Don’t look past anyone. You don’t need to be Oklahoma or Alabama to beat us. You just need to take advantage of our emotions if you can.
Stack, thank you for everything that you do to make the Hokies look better.
That 1995 game angered me possibly more than any other, at the time. The good news was that we didn’t lose another game that year. Best season in school history (at the time).
By the way, Stack, Andy is providing a sound analysis, and he’s done an excellent job at providing us look at the Hokies’ opponent.
So, keep on munching Little Debbies and cry about getting a boost around the waistline.
Those 4th Qtr. losses couldn’t have anything to do with coaching could it? Seems like I have noticed a little weakness in the play calling in the past, or is it just me!!
Why would I be eating on Little Debbies? That makes no sense…I’m just giving another view point, Andy doesn’t seem to mind…
Zman,
That emotional aspect that prevents us from winning the big games is a weird thing. What is it that holds us up from winning that big marquee match up in bowl games etc.? I think it’s safe to say that our program has been stronger and more consistent than West Virginia’s over the last 15 to 20 years. We’ve beat them soundly several times and they’ve beat us a couple of times too. But why do they seem to handle the big games so much better than us? They’ve had some huge wins over the years.
I’m baffled how some teams can get over the hump and some can’t.
Going from memory, not research:
1. Against FSU for the national championship we were ahead after 3 but we ran out of players because of injury. Don’t think that had anything to do with coaching. Brent Mushmouth apologized on the sir for not realizing how good Vick was until he saw him in person. His cohort asked “Is there a re-vote in this Heisman thing?”.
2. The “dropped” 2 point conversion was a dropped 2 point conversion. Earnest Wilford still hasn’t lived it down. I think it was Spike Lee who taunted him nationally.
3. Last year’s Orange Bowl loss looked like decent coaching to me. Good play and open receiver. I still think it was a good catch.
4. Against Alabama in the Chick-Fill-A I might go for coaching (I was in the stands that day) but thought Alabama was really tough. The fact they had the Heisman winner and a Championship that year might mean they were pretty good.
5. The 4th qtr loss that sticks in my mind as coaching was the BC Matt Ryan game. That was the one where Foster played a “prevent” that “wasn’t a prevent” and Ryan took advantage.
5. I might classify the Boise game as a coaching issue since we killed ourselves in the 1st qtr and then fought back hard as hell. I really think that was an emotional issue.
6. USC (Reggie Bush catches the winner). Bush said after the game something like “Covering me with a linebacker? C’mon man”. This one is a little tougher to judge since we played them to the wire.
7. Bowl loss to Kansas. Close at the end and this was one of those where they made a big play. To me, this was a classic example of where our defensive scheme makes them beat us through the air and sometimes that happens.
8. Gator Bowl loss to FSU (Andre Davis TD catch got us close). I was in the stands for that one, too, and thought it was just a hard fought game. Also my first exposure to FSU in-game chants. After that game I knew how Custer felt.
9. Peach Bowl loss to Miami (led by Jim Kelly). We won the second half but lost a close one. The first game I can really point to as where we gagged in the first half and had to fight back. We were driving for the game winner but had a ball picked off in the end zone. I was in the stands for that one, too.
10. Another game I point to as an emotional problem was the Kevin Jones game at WVU. We jsut did not expect them to be nutso and we paid for it. I believe this was our first visit back there after the “Vick Game”.
Yup, I get frustrated with our play calling although not so mcuh last season. I recall the best plays in our book were “Mike, do your thing” and “Tyrod, do your thing”.
I get more frustrated when we come out flat and need to give the opposition a lead. I can’t remember the opponent but I remember the AP article that said “VT woke up late and woke up angry”. We stomped some team after giving them a 14 -17 point lead about 10 years ago. I was still in Europe and saw the AP article in the Stars & Stripes. Think I saw this one on AFN, too.
The 2004 team really was upsetting because they just imploded in their own egos. Even Beamer said after the season that “We expect more around here”.
It is not for nothing that some of us old timers call ourselves the “Chokies”.
As fans we get frustrated that we are soooo close and can’t break through as we would like. Bowl games are the main thing we point to but it seems like every season we hit a bump that didn’t need to be. We can whine about schemes and all that but I really think the psychology of the game is where we fall down. I don’t have an answer to that and I wish it was so easy as to say that we had a “Curse of the Bambino” or equivalent.