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Way back in the July Andrea Adelson who covers the Big East for ESPN pegged the Cincinnati defensive line to finished 7th in the Big East as a unit, just ahead of Rutgers. Understanding how terrorizing guys like Derek Wolfe and Walter Stewart truly are, in addition to the added depth provided by players such as Brandon Mills and Jordan Stepp, I knew they would be far better than that. So after a quick back-and-forth via Twitter, I bet Andrea that the Cincinnati defensive line would finish in the top half of the conference in 5 categories: Tackles, Tackles for Loss, Sacks, Quarterback Hurries, and Forced Fumbles. Cincinnati’s defensive line was suffocating this season, leading the Big East in four of those five areas. You can see the final stats here. In short, the Bearcats DL paced the rest of the conference and won my bet with Andrea.
With victory in hand, Andrea and I engaged in a Q & A about the Cincinnati Bearcats football program. So, without further adieu…
Bearcats Nation: Let’s get started with some bowl news since ‘Tis the Season! What are you thoughts on Cincinnati going to the Liberty Bowl instead of the Belk Bowl because those representatives did not want a rematch with North Carolina State?
Andrea Adelson: The bowls have the power to decide based on matchups, and what will generate the most interest for their game. Clearly the No. 1 priority was getting NC State into the game because of the local ties, and that is completely understandable. I understand fans get worked up about the pecking order of bowl games and might feel “disrespected” that the team got passed over in favor of Louisville. But this does not come as a surprise, and getting a shot at an SEC opponent is important. Yes, Vanderbilt is 6-6, but the Commodores did beat UConn this year. Vanderbilt is much improved this season, and I think a win over an SEC team would look better than a win over an ACC team.
AA: Who is your defensive MVP, Derek Wolfe or JK Schaffer? I think this is one of the hardest decisions I had to make in my team wrap up reports.
BN: I agree, these two seem to be equally deserving of the title and I was pleased to see both of their names on your Defensive Player of the Year poll. Breaking them down statistically Wolfe and Schaffer boast great resumes. Wolfe led the Bearcats with 19.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. His presence on the interior of the line also did wonders for those around him. Opposing offensive line coaches found that the only way to slow down the 6’5″ 300 lbs defensive tackle was to double team him. This left the remaining pass rushers in one-on-one battles on the line and blitzing linebackers and defensive backs almost always a free shot at the quarterback. To J.K., his numbers speak for themselves: A third straight 100+ tackle season, 12 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 3 picks, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. But the best aspect of his game that sets him apart from Wolfe is how vocal he has become as a senior in 2011. Schaffer has always led by example but the way he rallied the defense and got in players’ ears on good or bad plays really impressed me this year. This was imperative when many times the guys standing next to him were true freshman in Dwight Jackson and Nick Temple. So I’d give the nod to J.K. Schaffer as the defensive MVP.
BN: What do you think would be more beneficial to the long term health of the program: Butch Jones staying for the long haul or a renovated/expanded Nippert Stadium?
AA: Chris, you are throwing me the fastballs to start! This is a tough question. I think ultimately, getting a renovated/expanded Nippert is absolutely crucial. You know as well as I do that the stadium size is a big factor in why Cincinnati may not be getting a look at other conference suitors. I understand that Paul Brown Stadium is in play, but the players and coaching staff prefer to play on-campus in their own homey stadium. These renovations must be done if Cincinnati has any hopes of leaving the Big East for another conference. I love Butch. I think he has done an awesome job, and I always think a coach who is committed to a place for a long period of time lends stability and overall program health. But coaches come and go. That is reality in college football today. Cincinnati has to do everything it can to make itself as attractive as possible.
AA: It obviously did not come as a surprise to you to see the defensive front play so well. So I will ask this — what impressed you the most about this group?
BN: It has to be the pass rush. I was extremely confident coming into this season that Cincinnati would be able to stop the run. With a pair of 300 lbs interior linemen clogging up running lanes, it only makes sense that the Bearcats would finish 39th against the rush in 2010 and 6th in 2011. But the defensive line really improved in getting to the quarterback this season leading the Big East with 37 sacks. The starters would always be solid. But it’s the fact that they didn’t have to play 90% of the snaps like they did in 2010 that really made them shine. Added depth provided by guys like Rob Trigg, Jordan Stepp, Brandon Mills, and Monte Taylor allowed the starters to take a breather. Deep into the 4th quarter Cincinnati’s defensive line, with all of their substitutions, would play fresh while the opposing blockers on offense were tired. That’s one of the reasons why we saw the Bearcats getting to Tino Sunseri late in the Pitt game, when the Panther’s offensive line had been containing them. But the key is that the backups I mentioned were also giving meaningful snaps accounting for 11.5 sacks themselves. That 8 – 9 man rotational front is why the Bearcats were so menacing against the pass in 2011.
BN: West Virginia is the most recent team to jump off the Good Ship Big East. With them on an island in their new conference, do you see the Big 12 extending invites to Cincinnati/Louisville in the coming years to give WVU traveling partners?
AA: I think it is possible. I am not going to say anything is for certain because predicting conference realignment is, well, unpredictable. I think fans should have hope when they hear Big 12 officials say they have not closed the door on expansion. But as I mentioned earlier, Cincinnati has got to upgrade its facilities to have any shot.
AA: Why do you think D.J. Woods didn’t have the breakout year we all anticipated?
BN: D.J. Woods had a down year statistically but in all fairness so did the rest of the receivers. The Bearcats hadn’t passed for so few yards (2,600) since 2006. Some of that can be contributed to the loss of Zach Collaros against West Virginia but I think the emergence of Isaiah Pead in 2011 is really what sparked it. With or without Collaros, Pead is the best player on the Bearcats. The coaches finally realized this and incorporated him into their game plan more and more as a result. Against Syracuse a couple of weeks ago, Pead had a career day and this includes special teams, where he returned a punt for 34 yards. Believe it or not, this was by far the longest punt return Cincinnati had all season. It’s amazing what can happen when you put the ball in the hands of your best player.
BN: Let’s say the Big East expands to 12 schools and breaks into East and West Divisions. Which of these scenarios is best for Cincinnati?
a. UC in the Big East West w/ Louisville?
b. UC in the Big East East w/ Louisville?
c. UC in the Big East East w/o Louisville?
AA: Staying in the same division with Louisville has got to be a must. I know that it is going to be a tough sell putting teams into a West Division with Boise State not only because the Broncos are a tough opponent, the travel also is going to be something to get used to as well. Ultimately, Cincinnati has proven it can win Big East championships so I do not think it matters East or West. I think sticking with Louisville is what matters most.
AA: How do you feel about the program being left in the hands of Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen in the next few years?
BN: Munchie Legaux has made tremendous progress since the Rutgers game. The coaches have developed game plans that fit his abilities and they should be commended for that. But Legaux has really improved his technique and mechanics is the past few weeks. The touchdown pass to Alex Chisum against UConn was a perfect backside shoulder throw in which only his receiver was going to catch the ball. It’s those flashes that have me really encouraged about the quarterback position in the future. As far as Luallen, I don’t want to say I’m writing him off to be the signal caller in 2012 and beyond, but I’m not confident as of right now that he can run the spread offense. Before transferring to Cincinnati, Luallen spent about a year at Georgia Tech and played the Wing-T/Option exclusively in high school. I don’t know right now if he can be asked to throw 15-20-25 passes per game. The dark horses in the mix are redshirt freshman Patrick Coyne, a local product out of Badin High School, and 2012 verbal Bennie Coney from Plant City, Florida, These two including Legaux fit the mold of the ideal quarterback to operate Coach Jones and Bajakian’s offense: Strong arms, can stand in the pocket and evaluate the defense, and are solid runners. I’m particularly intrigued about Coney, who is the best quarterback from a raw talent standpoint to cast his lot with the Bearcats in a while.
BN: Whit Babcock has preached “UC Brand” and “Knowing Your Customer” in his short time in Cincinnati. What do you think his first tasks will be as he begins to get settled in at UC?
AA: When I had a chance to speak with him, he mentioned fundraising as a No. 1 priority. Given his background and what he did at stops in Missouri and West Virginia, I think that absolutely is going to be one of his top priorities. He has got to generate interest in this program, and fill his stadium. I think it said a lot that Cincinnati was unable to sell out Nippert for the finale against UConn — with a conference championship on the line. I am sure Whit is going to work to change that.
AA: Cincinnati keeps winning Big East championships, but it doesn’t feel as if the Bearcats get that type of respect on a national level. What do you think changes that?
BN: The consensus among Bearcats fans is that the primary reason Cincinnati doesn’t garner the national accolades of other programs around the country despite winning 3 of the last 4 Big East championships is simple. By and large, most people around the country do not view Cincinnati as a destination job but instead a ‘stepping stone’ of sorts for hot coaches to move on to more established programs. But the fact is that UC has invested heavily in its training, medical, and practice facilities. They are among the best in the nation. It would really go a long way for a head coach to stay at Cincinnati for a long period of time and grow the program. Will Butch Jones become that head coach? Well, it remains to be seen and the environment of college football is so dynamic that it changes literally every day. But Jones is a good coach and finally has the backing of the athletic department under Whit Babcock to take Bearcats football to the next level. I’m really excited to see what those two can do at Cincinnati.
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First of all I can’t help but thank Andrea for taking the time answer some of my long-winded questions amidst the news that the Big East has invited 5 schools to join the conference. She’s a great resource for everything you want to know about the Big East and you should totally follow her if you have a Twitter account. Anyways, as Cincinnati prepares for its match-up with the Vanderbilt Commodores in the Liberty Bowl, check back for more news and updates on the Bearcats.