Cincinnati Bearcats’ offensive coordinator Eddie Gran led one of the most dangerous attacks in college football last season.
UC finished 2014 13th in passing offense with 304 yards per game, 31st in scoring offense with 34 points per game, and 32nd with 57 total touchdowns scored. Plus, despite a rough first month of the season, Cincinnati’s rushing attack finished in the top half of the AAC in rushing offense and managed to put up over 2,000 yards on the ground. Overall it was another well orchestrated high-powered offense under Gran.
The stage is set for a repeat performance or better in 2015. 3,200+ yard-, 31 touchdown-Gunner Kiel returns along with all of his top receivers and running back. The offensive line will be undergoing some turn over but on the whole if Cincinnati’s offense doesn’t lead the conference in several key categories we might consider this season a disappointment.
For the Bearcats to avoid that and reach potentially historic new offensive levels, they’ll lean on Eddie Gran’s leadership. But they’ll also do it in spite of him. I’ll elaborate on that in a minute but the main reason why Cincinnati could experience unprecidented success on this side of the ball is due to Gran’s philosophy that your dad’s probably been beating into your head since you were a little kid: Keep It Simple, Stupid.
UC’s offensive coordinator’s roots are in the basics of college football; a bruising running game complimented by an efficient passing attack. After all, when he was promoted from Florida State’s running backs coach to Cincinnati’s OC, Gran aimed to install a more “pro-style” system with full backs, multiple tight ends, and the quarterback under center. That was, until he realized he was trying to jam a square peg in a round hole and he scrapped it following the forgettable loss to 2-win South Florida in 2014.
Even with the transition to a more spread ’em out, throw it around system, Gran still emphasized pounding the ball with the run to the tune of 157 yards per game (fourth most in the AAC). Cincinnati was the more talented team on the field in most games last year and this simple but effective strategy led them to several W’s.
So you can understand why I tear my hair out when Eddie Gran calls an option-pitch on 4th down in a critical game where Cincinnati’s AAC title hopes hang in the balance after the Bearcats hadn’t run an option-pitch in any of the previous two years. Or when UC’s offense is rolling an overmatched South Florida team, he swaps out the 6’4″ Gunner Kiel for 5’7″ Shaq Washington and the center snaps the ball over his head. Or when the Bearcats are down to their fourth string quarterback against Frank Beamer’s defensive Goliath and he only brings the shaky signal caller in on low-percentage third and longs.
It’s simply unexplainable how Eddie Gran can call an almost impeccable game for 59 minutes then have a brain fart for one of those minutes. It just doesn’t make sense!
But the Bearcats can’t afford those gaffs this season. Not for the reason that Cincinnati must play mistake-free football. They do have the offense to overcome a reverse right guard pass to a left tackle running a skinny post. As mentioned above, this offense has enough firepower to level a small country.
Still, when UC’s in a race for the lone Access Bowl spot among the likes of Boise State and Marshall the Group of Five, they can’t afford funky plays when they’re up 24-21 on BYU deep into the fourth quarter and driving in Cougar territory. The formula for Cincinnati’s success in 2015 is leaning on the talent in the offense, trusting a basic, proven system, and waiting for the promised land to open its gates. Anything less than the Access Bowl could be considered a failure.
Eddie Gran will be responsible for either that success or failure. The buck stops at him. Let’s hope he makes the smart decisions this season.