Dantonio won't be distracted

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University of Cincinnati football coach Mark Dantonio said Thursday he will not allow the commotion over the termination of basketball coach Bob Huggins' contract to distract him and his team from preparing for their season.

The Bearcats open their second season under Dantonio next Thursday at Nippert Stadium against Eastern Michigan.

"There's got to be a mending process there at some point in time among everybody," he said. "In our department, in our area, we need to focus on the task at hand. That task has to be Eastern Michigan."

Dantonio likened the situation to a coach dealing with adversity during his season.

"It's a very unfortunate situation," he said. "But life is about how you handle adversity, and everybody in this city now has some type of adversity, regardless of which side you're on. But it's how you handle that. I think that's what really sets you apart sometimes."

The timing of Huggins' departure has overshadowed the Bearcats' preparation for their first season in the Big East Conference, but Dantonio said that doesn't bother him.

"We need to stay focused," he said. "We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted in any area."

Dantonio said he had a good relationship with Huggins.

"I think he's done a great job here," Dantonio said. "He's what Cincinnati athletics was about. I wish him the best, he and his family."