By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati kicker Jonathan Ruffin kicks a 49-yard field goal against Ohio State. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

If there weren't a roof on the Louisiana Superdome where the New Orleans Bowl will be played Tuesday, University of Cincinnati place-kicker Jonathan Ruffin could darn near boot a ball to the suburb where he went to high school in Metairie, La.

Certainly, he would have the adrenalin to do it, given how many people from Metairie will be at the opening kickoff for the Bearcats' game against North Texas.

"I couldn't ask for anything better for my senior year than being conference champion and getting to go to New Orleans to play my last game in front of 60 people from home," said Ruffin, who was the Lou Groza Award winner two years ago as the country's top collegiate placekicker. This year, he led Conference USA in field goal conversion rate (17-of-20, .850, including the last 11 straight).

The senior will have a shot at a pro career, although he knows he needs to work on his leg strength. He will begin work with a personal trainer as soon as the season is over.

"I think I'll get my tryouts," he said. "I'll definitely get looked at. There have already been a lot of scouts come by, and hopefully somebody will take a chance on me and I'll get into a camp somewhere."

He said he'll take a year or two to try to establish himself as a kicker somewhere. If he has to start in NFL Europe - as will former Bearcats punter Adam Wulfeck (Beechwood High) in the spring - then that is what Ruffin said he will do.

ROLE CALL: Among some of the other Bearcats who should get a look in the pros are return man Tye Keith and cornerback Blue Adams, who was second-team all-conference this year.

"If I do make it to the league (the NFL), which hopefully I do, I'll be a special teams guy, and hopefully a third or fourth receiver, a possession guy," Keith said.

Keith's 45 catches this year raised his career total to 131, second-highest in UC history. He ranks sixth at UC in career receiving yards (1,788).

"The best cornerback I ever faced was Will Allen from Syracuse, and he's playing in the league right now," Keith said. "When I went against him (two years ago), I won that battle and my confidence level wasn't as high as it is now."

Adams, who has tied the UC single-season and career interceptions records, with six and 12, respectively, has great ball-hawking skills.

"Hopefully I'll get a shot," Adams said. "That's all you can ask for. I'll see where it goes from there."E-mail jerardi@enquirer.com

New Orleans Bowl

Who: UC (7-6) vs. North Texas (7-5).

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: Louisiana Superdome.

TV: ESPN2.