BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A victory in the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl won the Cincinnati Bearcats new respect in college football, but it may not transfer into the quantum leap some might expect in 1998.
UC thrashed Utah State 35-19 in its first bowl appearance in 47 years, but many of its top players are gone. Five were drafted by the NFL and two more signed as free agents.
Bearcat newcomers reported earlier this week for orientation. When the veterans report Friday, only 12 starters will return. Conference USA coaches have picked UC fourth in the eight-team league.
"That's probably a fair assessment, if not overrating us," coach Rick Minter said. "We probably lost more than any other team in the league, with 18 seniors leaving."
UC (8-4 last year) is still catching up with its peers in recruiting, and it may show this year. There was heavy turnover among Minter's assistant coaches in his early years here, with an average of five new faces per year. Only one man, defensive line coach Greg Karpinsky, remains from Minter's original UC staff of 1994.
"I've got holes on this team right now, and it's mostly because of that turnover," Minter said. "When you're losing five and six assistants per year, that hurts recruiting. We have more continuity now."
Only one coach left after 1997. Defensive coordinator Rex Ryan resigned for the same job at Oklahoma, after his '97 Bearcats ranked fifth nationally in rushing defense.
Kim Dameron, UC's former defensive backs coach, replaces Ryan and will retain many of the attacking principles of the "46" defense made famous by Ryan's father, former NFL coach Buddy Ryan. Dameron was defensive coordinator at Murray State from 1993-95.
"If we can continue on the course we're on, we'll be fine," Minter said. "We may need three or four good recruiting years to catch up, and I think our 1998 class will prove to be the best one we've signed."
The front line talent is decent, but there is not the depth that produced five NFL draftees last spring (DB Artrell Hawkins, LB Brad Jackson, OT Jason Fabini, DT Derrick Ransom, TE Rod Monroe) and two free agents (FB Landon Smith, OT Pierre Brilliant).
Top returnees include safety Tinker Keck and offensive tackle Brian Uhl (from old CAPE High School), both preseason all-league choices.
Quarterback Chad Plummer returns for his senior year, but could share time with sophomore Deontey Kenner. Plummer will play wide receiver when Kenner is quarterback.
UC opens with nemesis Tulane on Sept. 5, then plays former superpower Miami (Fla.) on Sept. 12. Tulane has upset UC the past two years and will be favored now.
"There's nobody on our schedule that can't beat us, and nobody we can't beat," Minter said.
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