UC braces for Ohio State, Wisconsin in '99

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Tuesday, November 24, 1998

BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer

If you thought 1998 was rough, check the University of Cincinnati's 1999 football schedule.

UC's non-league games will include No. 5-ranked Ohio State (away), No. 10 Wisconsin (home), and the No. 32 Miami RedHawks (away) - all of whom are 10-1 this year. "No one said life gets any easier," UC coach Rick Minter said Monday, in his final 1998 weekly press conference.

NEXT YEAR

UC's 1999 non-conference opponents with their 1998 records and current AP ranking: Home games: No. 10 Wisconsin (10-1), Arkansas State (4-8), Kent (0-11) Away games: No. 5 Ohio State (10-1), No. 32 Miami RedHawks (10-1) The dates of the Bearcats six Conference USA games are TBA

UC, which just finished its worst season (2-9) in eight years, also has two relative breathers in '99. Kent (0-11) and Arkansas State (4-8), the latter of which UC barbecued 51-7 in the season finale, will visit Nippert Stadium in 1999.

The Conference USA portion of the '99 schedule has not been finalized, but UC will have six C-USA games. Like other leagues, C-USA teams rotate intra-league opponents yearly.

The marquee game will be Sept. 25, 1999, when the Bearcats meet Ohio State for the first time since 1931. A four-game contract also has OSU visiting Cincinnati in 2002 (probably at new Paul Brown Stadium), then two more games in Columbus in 2004 and 2006.

As for 1998, UC says good riddance. The Bearcats eventually might say they faced five bowl teams (Tulane, Louisville, Syracuse, and maybe both Miamis), but 2-9 is 2-9.

"We had a team meeting (Sunday), and we said it's now January 1st," Minter said. "This was a season to forget, and we are ready to go forward."

Among topics Minter addressed Monday:

• Recruiting: After allowing the most yardage (5,328) and second-most points (456) in UC history, Minter needs all manner of defenders. He will hit the junior colleges hard, with UC lacking talent and numbers in its upper classes.

• Assistant coaches: When asked if all would be invited back, Minter replied, "That's being determined right now, even as we speak. Eerything we do in this program has to be evaluated, on and off the field."

• His own future: Minter, 24-31-1 at UC, has a contract that runs through 2002. AD Bob Goin is a stanch supporter. The fans can forgive 1998, following a 1997 bowl season. But Minter knows another season like this can't be tolerated. "We've taken a step back, and it's my job to find out why," he said.

• Returning players: Minter believes he has a solid foundation, notably at quarterback with Deontey Kenner (2,047 yards passing this year) and tailback DeMarco McCleskey (861 yards rushing, 11 TDs). He will build around the 1998 freshman class, which he said is his best at UC.

UC's 1998 stat leaders:

Scoring: DeMarco McCleskey, 66 points (11 TDs);

Rushing: DeMarco McCleskey, 861 yards (5.3 avg), 11 TDs;

Passing: Deontey Kenner, 148-270 (.548) for 2,047 yds; 6 TDs, 13 interceptions;

Receiving: Chad Plummer, 61 for 852 yards (14.0 avg); Cornelius Bonner, 48 for 767 (16.0), 3 TDs;

Tackles: Hassan Champion, 136;

Interceptions: Danny Adams, 4.

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