2013 Outlook - Cincinnati

Only a few seasons back, Cincinnati represented the Big East in the BCS Orange Bowl and then a year later in the BCS Sugar Bowl, as conference champions.  Since then, the team has lost a lot.  They lost HC Brian Kelly to Notre Dame.  They lost their top receivers, Mardy Gillyard and Armon Binns.  Now they have lost DL Derek Wolfe, RB Isaiah Pead, and QB Zach Collaros.  I'm not saying that the cupboard is bear, but even replicating their 10 win season from a year ago will be quite challenging.



JR QB Munchie Legaux was the primary backup to Zach Collaros last season, and now he will get his time in the sun.  Legaux is a pretty good athlete, but has not yet proven he can be a good passer.  He will need to up his completion percentage big time if he is going to be a successful Bearcat signal caller.  Adding to the questions for this year is what will the Bearcats do for a primary runner.  RB Isaiah Pead had back-to-back thousand yard seasons before heading to the NFL, and now it seems as if the ball carrying duties will fall to SO Jameel Poteat.  Poteat came out of high school as one of the very highly touted RBs, but has not really done anything with the carries he has gotten.  If he can live up to the hype, Cincinnati will be in good shape.  If not, there will be trouble.  At receiver, JUCO transfer Kenbrell Thompkins will be the top weapon.  He began to showcase himself last season, and could be poised for breakout numbers if someone can reliably get him the ball.  JR WRs, Jordan Luallen and Anthony McClung are nice complementary pieces for this offense.  As for the o-line, just like the other offensive units, there are question marks.  There is not a lot of starting experience in this group, and if this team is to be successful, at least one or two of these guys will need to emerge as legitimate leaders.

Defensively, the team has more experience, and thus fewer question marks than the offense.  Up front, both SR DEs, Dan Giordano and Walter Stewart are good defenders.  Stewart is probably the more versatile of the two as he is the better athlete, but both guys are reliable producers, and should really anchor this defense.    Except for SR OLB Maalik Bomar, the linebackers are a young bunch.  Bomar is experienced as a starter, but his production has not been to the level I expected yet.  He has the talent to produce though, so maybe this is the season he puts it all together.  In the secondary, SR S Drew Frey leads a group that seems ready to take that next step.  Frey is already a standout, but this year both CBs, JR Devin Drane and SR Camerron Cheatham look poised to take that next step.  If they do this will be a very difficult defense to throw on.  Now running on them is likely going to be a different story.

After 10 wins a year ago, and back to back BCS Bowls the two years prior, Cincinnati looks to be a much different program.  There are many question marks on the offense.  Some of these guys will really need to step it up or the Bearcats will find themselves mid pack or worse in the Big East this year.