BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Winning seasons are suddenly routine for the Cincinnati Bearcats, no small feat considering the program's history. A fourth straight winning year is possible if everything breaks right.
UC must replace five NFL draftees, its largest draft class since 1960. And while the Bearcats did win their first bowl game in 47 years, depth remains thin behind the starters.
"Last year will go down as one of the most fun years in history here," UC coach Rick Minter. "But that's all over with, and we have a schedule where any teams on there can beat us. Conversely, we can beat anyone we play. That's where we are right now."
UC rarely has been where it is now. Since the modern era began in 1920, this could be just the fifth time that UC posted four or more consecutive winning seasons. The last time: 1974-77.
The program's nadir was 1983-92, with 10 straight losing seasons. Those days seem long gone, and save for a 2-8-1 record in Minter's rookie year of 1994, none of the current Bearcats know losing.
"Before, the attitude always was, 'Can you guys get above .500?' " said Kevin Ward, a senior defensive tackle. "Now, people want to know which bowl game we'll go to."
UC went to the Humanitarian Bowl in 1997, its first bowl game since 1950. The Bearcats beat Utah State 35-19, and rode the wave in landing nearly a dozen Cincinnati-area prep recruits, their largest haul in recent memory.
Say what you might about Minter, who is 22-22-1 at UC. Say what you might about UC's lukewarm schedule and inability to fill 35,000-seat Nippert Stadium. The fact is that three straight winning seasons are a big deal at UC, so much that Minter was awarded a four-year contract extension this summer.
Minter could coast on that, but said the contract only makes him want to work harder. He'll have to, as only 12 starters return -- the fewest in Conference USA.
UC was picked fourth in the eight-team league by C-USA coaches. Other publications have them third, including Sports Illustrated, which ranks the Bearcats a respectable 40th nationally.
Key players include
• Quarterback/receiver Chad Plummer, back for his fourth year as a regular. He will play quarterback, wideout and maybe running back, and perhaps return a kick or two.
• Quarterback Deontey Kenner, the sophomore passer who will divide time with Plummer. UC coaches want Kenner to take the job eventually.
• Free safety Tinker Keck, who tied an NCAA record by returning four punts for scores in 1997.
• Left tackle Brian Uhl (CAPE), like Keck a preseason all-league choice and perhaps the best offensive lineman in C-USA. He and Keck are both NFL prospects.
• Linebacker Hassan Champion, recently named to the Butkus Award watch list.
• DT Kevin Ward, who will anchor the front seven.
• Wideout Cornelius Bonner, the top returning receiver (two TD catches in the bowl game).
A look at the schedule
The schedule is tougher than it seems, although eight of the 11 opponents had losing records in 1997.
Start on Saturday with Tulane, which beat UC 31-17 last year and 34-14 the year before. The Green Wave are a threat to win C-USA, and have 10 starters back from an offense that averaged 34 points a game.
Next comes Miami, Fla. (Sept. 12). The Hurricanes come off their first losing season in 18 years but still carry the Miami aura, and are in the top 25 of some polls. A scary game, even if it is at UC.
Then go to Army (Sept. 19). A road game is tough no matter what, and this will be Army's first league game ever as it joins C-USA. The Long Gray Line knows something about defending turf, even if it is picked last in the league.
Then comes Indiana (Sept. 26), a weak Big Ten team but a Big Ten team nonetheless. UC's last two games against Big Ten schools were in 1994, a 28-3 loss at Indiana and a 38-7 loss at Wisconsin.
Then come three straight road games at Louisville, No. 17 Syracuse and Memphis. Come home to rival Miami University, then things apparently soften somewhat with East Carolina and Houston, then the finale at lowly Arkansas State.
Should UC emerge from September at least 2-2, prospects of another winning season seem decent.
On the field
Offensively, UC will try to diversify more from the pounding, run-oriented attack that has annually led C-USA in rushing. That's where Kenner, the better passer, could come in.
"Once Southern Miss got the passing game, that's what made them good," Minter said of the defending league champ. "We need to get that kind of balance."
Lucky note: UC does not play Southern Miss this year.
Defensively, new coordinator Kim Dameron takes over from Rex Ryan, who took the same job at Oklahoma. Dameron will retain much of the attacking 46 schemes made famous by Ryan's father, former NFL coach Buddy Ryan. The team needs someone to step up as a pass rusher, although who that will be is not clear.
UC also must replace its punter (Doug Johnson) and kicker (Eric Richards) from last year.
"We've got a lot of holes to fill," said Uhl, who moves from center to left tackle this year. "And if we're going to do anything, we've got to beat Tulane this time. That's all there is to it."