By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The University of Cincinnati's hopes of continuing to build attendance at Nippert Stadium rests on the right arm of Gino Guidugli and the hands and legs of his receivers - which is partly what today's signing day is about.

"I believe we have a real fine corps of receivers coming in," said Mike Daniels, the Princeton High School quarterback who will play the "slash" position at UC. "We've got some local guys like myself, and a junior-college guy from California I met during my visit - Hannibal Thompson - who's a big receiver (6-foot-2) who can help us."

Daniels was the Enquirer/Channel 9 Prep Football Player of the Year.

The Bearcats graduated a productive group of wideouts - among them Tye Keith, Jon Olinger and LaDaris Vann, to whom the UC coaches compare Daniels because of his play-making abilities.

Daniels and Elder receiver Bill Poland will be true freshmen who could make an immediate impact at UC and are part of the local group that Daniels believes will have UC threatening to break into the Top 25 within two or three years.

"If we get everybody who says they're coming to UC, there'll be 10 of us from the Tristate," Daniels said. "That's a lot of local guys for one class."

The other eight besides Daniels and Poland are: offensive lineman Digger Bujnoch of Elder and Jeremy Bolton of Conner, defensive linemen Craig Worthen of Winton Woods and Jon Newton of Roger Bacon, tight ends Brent Celek of LaSalle and Doug Jones of Dixie Heights, linebacker Derrik Haithcock of Hillsboro and wide receiver Darryl Snow of North College Hill.

Under NCAA rules, today is the first day that high school student-athletes can sign national letters of intent, committing them to play intercollegiate athletics at a specific school. UC football coach Rick Minter is scheduled to meet with the media at 3:30p.m. today at Shoemaker Center to comment on the Bearcats' recruiting class.

Daniels said he chose UC because it's close to home, he'll have a chance to play right away and the Bearcats run a wide-open offense similar to Princeton's - "the only difference is we (Princeton) used four or five receivers; they use three or four, and we both use some quick passes."

"The opportunity we have - and I definitely plan on taking advantage of it - is being able to work out early with the guys and lift weights." Daniels said. "My host when I visited UC was wide receiver (and backup QB) George Murray, and I hung out with Gino and talked to him quite a bit.

"They said, and I agree, that if I put the time in, it will make a big difference in playing now as opposed to playing later."