Official Bearcat Football Thread

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Head coach Mark Dantonio's first University of Cincinnati football team has been picked to finish eighth in the 11-team Conference USA despite the presence of four players on the preseason all-conference team.

The Bearcats, coming off a 5-7 season and a ninth-place C-USA finish, placed offensive lineman Kyle Takavitz, defensive ends Trent Cole and Andre Frazier, and cornerback Daven Holly on the all-conference first team. Only Texas Christian, with five, placed more players on the all-conference team.

Louisville was picked to win the league title, followed by Memphis, defending champion Southern Miss and TCU. The voting was done by the league's coaches.

This is UC's final season in Conference USA before moving to the Big East. The Bearcats report for practice Aug. 10. They open their season Sept. 4 at Ohio State.

Bill Koch

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Brian Steele, a punter from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College, has signed a scholarship letter with the University of Cincinnati and will join the Bearcat team this fall.

Steele averaged over 40 yards per punt while sharing the role with Michigan State signee John Goss at Scottsdale in 2003. Steele was the team¹s specialist newcomer of the year. He also was named one of the top four freshman participants at the Arizona Combine, a junior college showcase held this spring.

Steele, who will be a sophomore in terms of eligibility at UC, was a first team all-conference tight end as a senior at Southside High in Elmire, N.Y. He moved to Payson, Ariz. following graduation, where he met former New England Patriots kicker Shawn McCarthy, who encouraged him to try punting in junior college.

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watch out for cinci

[TexanMark]

Anybody have the address to the best board?  Thanks

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Fresh start excites 'Cats

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Eager players prepare to impress new coach

By Bill Koch

Enquirer staff writer

As the players filed into the University of Cincinnati football offices Tuesday afternoon to report for their first fall camp under Mark Dantonio, the new UC coach admitted to a few butterflies.

"You want to make sure everything is ready," he said.

"I'm sure there's something that didn't get done that we'll have to adjust on the move. But, yeah, I've got a little anxiety. You want everything to go smoothly."

Dantonio, who replaces Rick Minter, was to meet with the entire team at 7:30 p.m., but he planned no first-day pep talk.

"I think they'll be pretty wired," he said. "They normally are."

Instead, the day was devoted to procedural matters such as physicals, equipment, team policies and the like. The real fun begins this morning when the players go through what Dantonio calls an interval test to see what kind shape they're in.

The Bearcats, who open their regular season on Sept. 4 at Ohio State, will conduct their first practice this afternoon.

Nine starters on offense and seven on defense return from last year's team that finished 5-7.

"This is game time tomorrow morning," Dantonio said of the interval test. "Don't tell me you're going to play well against Ohio State if you can't do this."

Everyone showed up except for former basketball player Kareem Johnson, who worked out during spring practice as a defensive end.

Johnson still wants to play football, but NCAA rules say the Bearcats must count him as one of their 85 scholarship players. Dantonio had hoped to use Johnson, who completed his basketball eligibility last year, as a walk-on.

"We talked to him (Monday)," Dantonio said. "He hasn't played football since the ninth grade. Right now, he's too far away. We were going to give him two weeks to see if he would be in the two deep, but they won't let us do that. If he comes in on day one, he counts and that takes away an opportunity for somebody else."

Senior defensive tackle Mike Wright talked with the enthusiasm you'd expect from a player inspired by a new coaching regime and a fresh start for the program.

"Everybody's excited," he said. "Before the guys kind of dreaded going to practice. Now I think the guys actually enjoy going to practice.

"You can work for two hours and have a good time and get the work done and get out of there. Before, with Minter, it was 3 1/2 hours. You were dreading practice, pacing yourself and you were wanting to get out.

"I told coach Dantonio that this is what I envisioned a college football program to be, with the coaches caring for you. It's just a better atmosphere."

Not much is expected of this team, which has been picked to finish eighth in its final Conference USA season by the league's coaches.

But the players aren't listening to that.

"Coach is going to do us right," said defensive end Trent Cole. "These coaches are players' coaches. They're all for the players. I think we'll have a fun year."

[E.T.]

watch out for cinci

Ohio Stat's first game is ... Cincy ... UPSET !!!

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Murray, Guidugli click in practice

While there's no question who will be throwing passes for the University of Cincinnati football team this fall, the players on the receiving end is another story.

Former quarterback George Murray helped solidify his spot as Gino Guidugli's top target, catching six passes for 102 yards in the Bearcats intrasquad scrimmage Friday at the Higher Ground Conference and Retreat Center in West Harrison, Ind.

Despite battling the rain, Guidugli threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns, including a 48-yard score to Murray.

Sophomore receiver Mike Daniels ran for a touchdown and threw for another.

ENZOR ON LIST -- Bearcat senior middle linebacker Jamar Enzor was included on the watch list for the Butkus Award, which honors college football's best linebacker.

Enzor led the Bearcats with 137 total tackles last season.

BEARCAT KINGS -- Following Sunday's practice at Higher Ground, the Bearcats will appear at Paramount Kings Island in Mason.

Players, along with cheerleaders and the Bearcat, will be stationed at four locations at the park between 1 and 3 p.m. to sign autographs and take photos with fans.

[smazza]

isn't rick minter on south carolina staff?