Thursday, September 09, 1999
UC drops jersey names for team unity
BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It's not as though his No.7 is as familiar to football fans as John Elway's, but Deontey Kenner is the Cincinnati Bearcats' quarterback. So it doesn't matter as much that the back of his jersey is blank.
No more K-E-N-N-E-R. Just his number. Just like everyone else. It's still fairly easy to pick him out on the field. But what about the other Bearcats?
Coach Rick Minter decided stripping the individual identities from his players might help mold them into a more cohesive team.
“It's something new,” Kenner said, “but I didn't have my name on my back until I got to college. It's something that Coach Minter said: "We're a team of no-names, and this is a way to show it.'”
UC's Bearcats, who take a 1-0 record into their second football game at 7 p.m. Saturday p.m. at Nippert Stadium against Division I-AA power Troy State, are not the only college sports team that does not display player names on
the back of its jerseys. Indiana and North Carolina State basketball both follow that practice. So does Notre Dame football. Miami University, too.
“I did it as a matter of selflessness,” Minter said. “Give up your name for the sake of the team.”
UC's DeJuan Gossett made a name for himself in the opening win over Kent with three tackles from his new free safe ty position, but those who did not buy a program still might not know who he is.
“I like it,” Gossett said. “It's a sign of togetherness. We're a big team now, very unified.”
It's not certain whether this will be a permanent policy. In fact, the players have the opportunity to change Minter's mind about it.
All they have to do is play well enough to end up in a bowl game.
“We have a deal,” Minter said. “If we ever go back to postseason play, the names go back on the bowl game jerseys.”
Bearcats Stories
REDS 6, CUBS 4
Home run surge hard to explain
REDS NOTEBOOK
Box, runs
Astros 10, Phillies 2
Pickens, Bengals meet today
Coslet: Not a 'give-up year'
O'Donnell helps Titans get ready for Bengals
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Baseball dead in Cincinnati? Not quite
Cooper denies OSU has QB controversy
OHIO HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
OHIO HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
N.KY. HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
N.KY. HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
This week's football schedule
