BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MEMPHIS - Conference USA football coaches figure the University of Cincinnati can't top its 8-4 season and Humanitarian Bowl victory of 1997. And UC is not arguing with coaches tabbing it fourth in the eight-team preseason league poll.
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C-USA COACHES POLL
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1. So. Mississippi
2. (tie) East Carolina
2. (tie) Tulane
4. Cincinnati
5. Houston
6. Memphis
7. Louisville
8. Army
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UC senior quarterback Chad Plummer said the Bearcats feel no pressure following the school's first bowl appearance in 47 years."Picking us fourth, that relieves a lot of pressure on the team," Plummer said at C-USA media day Wednesday."I like being the underdog. We can sneak up on people."
UC has seen the other side. In 1996, the inaugural season for C-USA, the Bearcats were picked No. 1 in preseason but finished third.
In 1997, UC was slated for the middle of the pack and finished tied for fourth.
In 1998, the Bearcats expect to contend for a fourth straight winning season, last accomplished by UC from 1974-77.
"We've lost more starters (12) than anybody in the league and sent seven guys to the NFL," UC coach Rick Minter said."We've got more question marks than at any time since I've been here, but I feel good about where we're going."
Minter, entering his fifth season with a 22-22-1 record, agreed to a four-year contract extension in June. Should he stay, he will be the first UC coach to last more than six seasons.
Minter, 43, has earned some breathing room but is allowing himself none. He pronounces his 1998 recruiting class the best he has ever had, yet hopes that few if any newcomers will play a prominent role this year. That would be a sign that the talent is deep enough to overcome the annual turnover of players, a constant problem for mid-level Division I programs such as UC.
UC must replace three 300-pounders from its offensive line (Jason Fabini, Joel Dolinski, Pierre Brilliant) and two of the top three tacklers in school history (linebackers Phil Curry and Brad Jackson). Fabini, Brilliant and Jackson all are in NFL camps, as are fellow outgoing seniors in cornerback Artrell Hawkins, defensive lineman Derrick Ransom, fullback Landon Smith and tight end Rod Monroe.
Top returnees include Plummer, who will share time at quarterback with sophomore Deontey Kenner; and senior safety Tinker Keck, the reigning C-USA special teams Player of the Year. Keck tied an NCAA record with four punt returns for touchdowns in 1997.
Keck and offensive tackle Brian Uhl were chosen by C-USA coaches as first-team all-league in preseason.
"We've turned a lot of people's heads with the bowl game," Keck said."It could be the turning point of this program, but we have to go out and perform again to back it up."
Items of note:
The season opener is Sept. 5 at home vs. Tulane, which is picked to finish tied for second in C-USA.
At quarterback, Plummer would start if the season began tonight, Minter said. Kenner, potentially the better passer, will probably play more than 50 percent of the snaps with Plummer moving to wideout or running back at those times.
David Bertucci, a 6-foot-3 junior college transfer from Modesto JC, Calif., is the new No. 3 quarterback.
Former backup quarterback Greg Hergott (Beechwood High) moves to linebacker. Former No. 3 quarterback Jeff McCool has transferred.
Veterans Orlando Smith and Robert Cooper will vie for time at the featured halfback position. Cooper led the team in rushing last year (611 yards) and returns after missing spring drills with a stress fracture in his leg.
Kim Dameron, defensive backs coach for two years, replaces Rex Ryan as defensive coordinator after Ryan took the same job at Oklahoma. Dameron will retain most of the attacking"46" schemes pioneered by Ryan's father, former NFL coach Buddy Ryan.
Offensively, Minter and coordinator Greg Seamon might open up the attack more, using Kenner's passing ability. The offense has been run-oriented for years.
UC newcomers report for practice Aug. 10, with veterans arriving Aug. 13 and the first full-squad workouts Aug. 15.
