These Bearcats are an unknown entity

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University of Cincinnati football coach Mark Dantonio said before training camp began that he would spend a lot of time trying players at different positions in search of his 11 best players on offense and defense.

He was true to his word.

During the past few weeks, Lamonte Nelms has been transformed from a linebacker to a defensive end. David Wess has gone from throwing passes as a quarterback to trying to intercept them as a defensive back. Dominick Goodman is a quarterback-turned-wide receiver. Adam Hoppel was a defensive tackle. Now he's a fullback.

But Dantonio says things aren't as unsettled as they might appear.

"We have such a young football team, we've got some different players in and out," he said, "but for the most part, our first- and second-team players have remained intact. It's the younger players we're trying to feel out and experiment with."

Training camp ended for UC when the Bearcats broke camp Saturday at Higher Ground in West Harrison, Ind. They conducted a controlled scrimmage at Nippert Stadium and will practice Tuesday in preparation for the Sept. 1 opener against Eastern Michigan.

This team has more unknowns than most.

"I don't think this is a football team that you can sit there and say, 'On the last day of the year, we're going to be playing for the championship,' " Dantonio said. "Or you can't take for granted that we're going to win certain games. We're learning as we go a little bit."

There are very few sure things to cling to when looking at the Bearcats. Sophomore running back Bradley Glatthaar had a great camp and appears poised for a big season. Tight end Brent Celek is a bona fide all-conference candidate, and defensive end Adam Roberts, who's still out with a sprained ankle, should be a force up front.

That's about it for a team that has been picked to finish last in its first Big East season.

"I like being the underdog," Glatthaar said. "Everyone is looking down on us. Some people are going to overlook us, and we have a chance to really surprise people."

Last year, the Bearcats had a new coaching staff with veteran players. Although Dantonio was a first-year coach, he had watched enough film to have a pretty good idea how they would respond in games. He doesn't have that same degree of certitude with this team.

"Maybe the system was somewhat different (last year), but you had a feeling that they had been there before," Dantonio said. "Some of these guys haven't been there before. (Quarterback) Dustin Grutza has had a great spring and fall, but he hasn't been in a game yet. ... We'll see how he responds."

The inexperience is even more pronounced on defense.

Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi likes the makeup of his defensive players and says their execution and technique are better than they were a year ago.

But last year's players had a track record Narduzzi could rely on.

"In a game, I knew those other guys would turn it on," Narduzzi said. "... If these guys make mistakes, I don't know if they can go get it like our guys last year. We don't know what anybody's going to do."