How come no one talks about Cincy?

[Jake_Ryan]

I agree - Cincy at RJS should be a lock win for USF.  Not saying Cincy isn't good, but if USF is going to take the next step into the Top 25, then this is a game they should win.  I do think Cincy is underrated.

P.S.  Rutgers is the most underrated this year - they will win the Big East.

[Joe]

I agree - Cincy at RJS should be a lock win for USF.  Not saying Cincy isn't good, but if USF is going to take the next step into the Top 25, then this is a game they should win.  I do think Cincy is underrated.

P.S.  Rutgers is the most underrated this year - they will win the Big East.

Lock win?

They smoked us last year. It's far from a lock win, in fact, I think the only lock wins on our schedule are Elon and FAU. Every other team has the potential to beat us.

[Jake_Ryan]

There is a big difference between playing Cincy (or any team for that matter) on the road vs at home.  Maybe 'lock win' was an overstatement because Cincy is tough, but my point is that USF needs to take care of the Cincy's of the college football world if they want to take the next step with the Program.

[Herman_Momart]

No one talks about Cincy because their basketball team isnt good anymore.  And no one talks about cincy football because it is, cincy football. 

I agree with Jake, USF has to beat Cincy in football every time to take it to the next level. 

[cubuffsdoug]

Could be...but they got a new coach.  I think that is why most people are discounting them.

If that's the case, then UL should be discounted too.  UL has more question marks about their overall team as compared to Cincy.  UL's defense is going to have problems against balanced teams.  They have questions at LB and in the secondary.  Only their d-line seems somewhat sound.  They lack depth on defense at most positions.  On offense they are fine, but a new coach with a new system will lead to misfires early in the season.  It will take time to bring it all together.  Oh, one other thing, UL hired their DC 2 weeks before spring ball.  That's putting a thin defense in between a rock and a hard place to start.

[crambone]

Cincy's a great team.  I am definitely glad that we have them at home this year.

[HarveyGlass]

Could be...but they got a new coach.  I think that is why most people are discounting them.

If that's the case, then UL should be discounted too.  UL has more question marks about their overall team as compared to Cincy.  UL's defense is going to have problems against balanced teams.  They have questions at LB and in the secondary.  Only their d-line seems somewhat sound.  They lack depth on defense at most positions.  On offense they are fine, but a new coach with a new system will lead to misfires early in the season.  It will take time to bring it all together.  Oh, one other thing, UL hired their DC 2 weeks before spring ball.  That's putting a thin defense in between a rock and a hard place to start.

Sorry, I have to jump in here just to try and clarify a bit.

It is widely expected by UofL followers that this will most likely be the best defense the Cards have had in a while.  While not as experienced in the defensive backfield as years past, the talent level has jumped considerably.  The D-line should be among the best in the country, the linebackers will be very, very good, with (sr)Malik Jackson, (sr)Preston Smith,  (sr)Terrance Butler, (jr)Mozell Axson, (jr)Lamar Myles, and (jr)Willie Williams.  The biggest question on D is how quickly will the new faces in the secondary get comfortable.

As far as coaching, Kragthorpe decided to make Petrino mainstay and Brian's brother Jeff Brohm the Asst. Head Coach and passing game coordinator.  There is to be quite a bit of Petrino junk left in the playbook.  It should also be noted that Brohm turned down Nick Saban's offer to be Alabama's offensive coordinator this Spring. ;D

On D, I can see where you got the info about Defensive Coordinator Mike Cassity.  Kragthorpe brought in his own man from Tulsa, Keith Patterson, to be co-coordinators with the Petrino mainstay Cassity.  Two weeks before spring ball, Patterson got homesick and decided to go back to Tulsa and coach there.  Cassity was a little relieved, no doubt, and resumed his job as Louisville's sole defensive coordinator for the fourth consecutive year.

It seems like people in Louisville are actually worried more about the offense than the defense this year.  The offensive line seems to worry some people, as there is not very much depth there at all.  And losing an offensive(in more ways than one) mastermind like Bobby Petrino will make everybody nervous.

Here's an article from today's Courier-Journal dealing a little with expectations...http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070716/COLUMNISTS02/707160462/1002/SPORTS

[Bullpride08]

It's amazing how a new coach hurts Cincy and yet Louisville will keep on trucking in the minds of most people.

That being said, I don't foresee it happening. Dantonio was a great defensive coach and got the most out of it. Kelly is a good offensive mind, but I just don't see him as a very good D-IA coach. He had a good chance to beat Boston College and from his own 15 with a hot QB ran a swinging ladder that was intercepted.

I see Cincy improving merely because their schedule weak, the only formidable opponent OOC is Oregon State. Even that might be a stretch because Oregon State is replacing their whole offense, which was what made them good last year. Marshall is young and probably a year away, Miami (OH) is going to be aweful in what should be another rebuilding year. San Diego State has talent, and a good offensive minded coach. Plus the game is at SDSU, so it could be an upset.

Just looking through the schedule I see Cincy as a 7-5 team losing a game or 2 that they shouldn't.

I think Joe put it best, Dantonio got the absolute most he could out of his talent at Cincinnati.  He was a defensive genius, remember Dantonio was the guy that shutdown that absolutely amazing Miami team in 2003, the one even Larry Coker couldn't mess up.  Kelly's an offensive mind,and the entire staff left from Dantonio's crew so the mind-set will be different.  Their offense lacks a lot of weapons, and their defense is talented but will the schemes, the emotion be the same as Dantonio....I don't think so because I put Dantonio in the class of defensive genius with the likes of a Leavitt, Stoops, or Chizik.  Not to mention that game is at home.

I see a game similar to the one we won in 2005, hard fought, back and forth and home field, our defense and enough dynamic athletes allow us to pull away.

I also agree that though Louisville lost a coach, they also replaced them with another offensive minded coach, and a couple of the old staff were retained so the transition is much smoother.  I do believe Krag's offense differs  from Petrino's but if the offense can get it down then with the athletes they have the transition should be smoother.

[BiggTipp]

look at Cincy's record last year 6-1 at home...1-5 on the road.. much different team on the road. they have 3 conference home games this season...UL, UCONN, WVU..they go to RU, PITT, USF, SU. so it could be a down year for them. I say 5-7 or 6-6.

[Joe]

look at Cincy's record last year 6-1 at home...1-5 on the road.. much different team on the road. they have 3 conference home games this season...UL, UCONN, WVU..they go to RU, PITT, USF, SU. so it could be a down year for them. I say 5-7 or 6-6.

They were 1-4 on the road. However they played at Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Louisville, and West Viriginia. That 4 top 20 teams on the road and 3 in the top 10.

Very deceiving stat