By Bill Koch
Enquirer staff writer

Football can be a complicated game. Ask any coach who ever declared that he would have to look at game film before he could comment on how his team played.

But there's one basic tenet that even the novice can grasp: If you don't have receivers who can get open and catch the ball, it doesn't matter how good a passer your quarterback is - you're going to struggle offensively.

That's what happened last year to the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, who, because of deficiencies in their receiving corps, failed to take full advantage of the talents of Gino Guidugli, statistically the best quarterback in school history.

They're determined to make sure that doesn't happen again. The trouble is, this year's receivers are basically the same ones who had such a tough time catching the ball last year.

The coaching staff is hoping a year of experience will solve the problem. "Nothing can take the place of true game experience, no matter how they did, good, bad or indifferent," offensive coordinator Don Treadwell said Wednesday at UC's training headquarters in West Harrison, Ind. "We're counting on that to help us."

George Murray, who returns for his senior year, led the Bearcats with 30 catches last year, the lowest team-leading total since 1997. It was 41 fewer than LaDaris Vann caught in 2002.

"I was disappointed in myself," Murray said. "And I was a little disappointed in the whole (receiving) corps. We could have done better. Last year was all our first year being on the big stage. We've got a year under our belts now. We've got a lot more confidence coming into the season."

Senior Hannibal Thomas, who didn't catch a pass until the seventh game of the season, still finished with 22 catches for an 18.8-yard average and three touchdowns, including 10 receptions for 173 yards against Memphis.

"I was just waiting on the right opportunity," said Thomas, who transferred to UC last year from Pasadena (Calif.) City College. "My opportunity came when things weren't going right, so I just got that chance and took advantage of it. I know what's going on now. I'm pretty familiar with the fellows now and I picked up the offense pretty fast this year. I'm ready to go."

Junior Derick Ross (29 catches, 486 yards), senior Cedric Dawley (23 catches, 185 yards) and sophomore Bill Poland (13 catches, 144 yards) all return. Freshman Carlos Simpson, the Detroit Dream Team Player of the Year as a high school quarterback last year, could also see significant playing time.

And sophomore tight end Brent Celek (two catches, 39 yards) figures to be on the receiving end of more passes in this offense as the backup to A.J. Lucius, who's more of a blocking tight end.

"I think we're making headway," Treadwell said. "We're showing some flashes and making some plays, but the thing we want to emphasize is consistency."

Carl Jones now cornerback

Carl Jones, a junior from Tampa who led UC running backs last year with a 5.0-yard average, has been moved to cornerback.

"We had three corners hurt," said coach Mark Dantonio. "I knew he had played a little corner before. I talked to him in the dining hall and said, 'Hey, we might put you at corner.' He said, 'I'll do whatever you want me to do.' So the next day we moved him to corner."

Jones, 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, carried the ball 82 times for 410 yards last season. He gained 187 yards on 27 carries against Rhode Island and was the team's leading rusher over UC's last five games.

In 2002, he played 20 downs at cornerback and made four tackles.

"He can play," Dantonio said. "He has great ball skills and he's physical. He's staying, at least for awhile. It's so difficult to find corners who can tackle and play the deep ball."

E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com