5 Keys To The Cincinnati Bearcats vs. The SMU Mustangs
By Chris Bains
The Cincinnati Bearcats face the SMU Mustangs in their second AAC game of the season tomorrow afternoon. It will be UC’s first trip to the Dallas/Ft. Worth region since visiting TCU on November 15, 2003 in the Conference USA days.
As always, we’re going with a templated five keys to this game what with the Bearcats continuing to do the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results on both sides of the ball. Until they make tweaks, we will as well. But for now, I think the following five keys suits us just fine on a weekly basis.
1) Control The Line Of Scrimmage
I’m talking both sides. The Bearcats reeled off just [LAUGHABLY SMALL NUMBER] yards per carry on Saturday. To keep the defense fresh, UC’s offensive linemen need to control the line of scrimmage and help get the rushing attack going. Speaking of the defense, the tackles and ends need to improve as much as any unit. They were manhandled by [INSERT LAST OPPONENT HERE] last week and [INSERT NEXT OPPONENT HERE] will probably attack them the same way. If Cincinnati’s defensive linemen don’t start getting off blocks and plugging the gaps, the [INSERT NEXT OPPONENT HERE] will run all over UC.
2) For Goodness Sake, Swarm And Tackle Somebody!
If Cincinnati wasn’t getting out-schemed last Saturday, they were getting flat out bulldozed by [INSERT LAST OPPONENT HERE]’s ball carriers. The [INSERT LAST OPPONENT HERE] averaged [A NUMBER ILLUSTRATING A CRAP TON] on the ground in large part because the UC defense couldn’t stick their tackles. If the first guy even got to the ball carrier, many times he bounced off or was dragged several yards. It was as embarrassing a performance as they come. The Bearcats need to shore up their gang tackling this week as [INSERT NEXT OPPONENT HERE] looks to get the ball into their playmakers’ hands as much if not more than the [INSERT LAST OPPONENT HERE].
3) Spread [INSERT NEXT OPPONENT HERE] Horizontally
As much as I hope Cincinnati’s offensive line improves in creating holes for the running backs, it won’t be easy going tomorrow. The Bearcats need to spread [INSERT NEXT OPPONENT HERE]’ defense out as wide as possible with 4- and 5-receiver sets to take pressure off the linemen up front and create numbers that are in Cincinnati’s favor. UC will likely lean on the pass against the [INSERT NEXT OPPONENT HERE], as they have all season but this offense is built to be balanced. That’s how Cincinnati was so successful on both sides of the ball last year, dispersing the defense horizontally then gashing them with the rushing attack and that’s how they’ll win this week.
4) Still, Go For The Throat If You Want
Tommy Tuberville wants to sustain longer drives. It would probably be better for the defense is UC sustained longer drives. In general, longer scoring drives are better for the team as a whole. That being said, Cincinnati’s receivers are really good at getting open and [WHATEVER WARM BODY IS PLAYING QUARTERBACK] should try to get them the ball. So if the Bearcats want to throw in a few 3 play, 77 yard drives in which Mekale McKay makes a [INSERT NEXT OPPONENT HERE] defensive back look like a fool tomorrow, I can probably get on board with that.
5) My Kingdom For A Punter
Tuberville put his faith in freshman Sam Geraci this season, who’s been shaky in the starting role in 2013. He’s had his fair share of shanked punts and quite honestly senior John Lloyd has only been marginally better. If UC’s offense isn’t effective enough to score every time they touch the ball like against [INSERT LAST OPPONENT HERE], I’m not incredibly confident in the Bearcats’ punting game flipping the field and giving the defense some much needed help.