Big #32 appears on this illustrious award list for a second time this season and it certainly won’t be the last.
Winn has been the most consistent player on UC’s offense this year and someone who garners a ton of attention from opposing defensive coordinators. On the day Cincinnati’s lead-back rushed for 128 yards on the ground (8 ypc) and two touchdowns. He is averaging a little over 111 yards per game this season and is proving he’s more than capable of shouldering the load of this team. Two particular runs stood out for me yesterday which really showed the versatility of a player typically known for his bruising, downhill running.
The first was his touchdown run in the second quarter that put the Bearcats up 21 – 6. Normally Winn is used to pound between the tackles near the goal line, which makes complete sense given his success there in the past. But the coaches drew up an outside run for him allowing #32 to showcase his side-to-side speed. I was actually surprised Winn had that much lateral movement. He displayed it a few times this year but his ability to quickly pop outside and turn the corner in a short space near the endzone (for a 210 lbs back, mind you) is impressive.
The second run looked more like a classic Isaiah Pead dash than George Winn. Backed up on their own 1 inch line, the Bearcats handed it to Winn with the obvious intentions of simply backing themselves out of the corner with a quick three or four yard gain. What they got instead was a 57-yard burst through the middle complete with a hurdle (vintage Pead) and excellent top-line speed. If not for Miami cornerback Marshall Taylor tracking him down Winn would have been standing in the endzone celebrating with the student section. It goes to show that George Winn yet again is more than just a short-yardage back.