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CatsClaw · 02-06-2008 10:01 PM

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../302060067

UC lands top RB

For years, the University of Cincinnati football program has had a difficult time recruiting enough speed to allow the Bearcats to compete successfully with some of the nation’s big-time programs.

But UC coach Brian Kelly believes he made a breakthrough in that area with his 2008 recruiting class, the first one that he and his staff had a full year to work on.

“We added speed in the skill areas,” Kelly said Wednesday as he introduced UC’s 23-player class. “The speed at the wide receiver and running back positions I think is first class and national in terms of its scope.”

UC’s class includes six players from the Cincinnati area and 11 from Ohio. Two of those Ohio players – Columbus running back Isaiah Pead and Strongsville wide receiver D.J. Woods - are the most highly regarded players in this class.

Woods chose UC over Michigan. Pead, who waited until late Wednesday afternoon to announce his decision, picked UC over Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Indiana.

“These are two guys that I don’t know if the University of Cincinnati has had,” Kelly said. “We’ll see how they develop, but coming in they have the athletic ability to change games.”

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Pead - Ohio’s Division IV Player of the Year - rushed for 2,204 yards and 39 touchdowns as a senior at Eastmoor High School. He gained 4,443 yards in his career, breaking the school record set by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Woods, 6-feet, 170 pounds, caught 35 passes for 750 yards (21.4 yards per catch) as a junior. He caught 38 passes as a senior before missing his final five games due to injury. He also returned kicks.

“He can take it the distance,” Kelly said. “Once he gets out on the perimeter, nobody’s going to catch him. He’s got that kind of speed.”

The addition of Pead moved the Bearcats from No. 75 on the Rivals.com list to No. 68, which might make it UC’s highest rated class ever. Scout.com ranked the UC class at No. 55.

“I really like the Cincinnati class,” said Jeremy Crabtree, of Rivals.com. “For some reason, I think their class should be ranked much higher than it is in our rankings.

"They went out and did a nice job filling some needs with some quality kids. It won’t crack the Top 50 but this class was a step forward.”

It wasn’t all good news for UC, though. Despite the apparent gains made in this class, it still was the second-lowest ranked class among Big East schools by both Rivals.com and Scout.com. Only Connecticut was rated lower.

In addition, the Bearcats lost out on Blairstown, N.J. cornerback Ed Imeokparia, who chose Florida State, and defensive end Patrick Omameh, who originally committed to UC, but signed with Michigan.

Among the local players who signed with UC was St. Xavier wide receiver Danny Milligan, The Enquirer’s Division I player of the year. The question with Milligan - at 5-foot-9, 170 pounds - is how the Bearcats will use him.

“He’s an inside receiver for us,” Kelly said. “He’s a guy who’s going to find a way to get open. If you get him the football he’s going to catch it. Is he a go-to guy, a guy you’re going to look to win every single matchup? No.

“But I think he’s our Wes Welker. He’s a gut who’s going to move the chains for you. We’re not asking him to go vertical and beat coverage down the field. And he has some flexibility with his ability to kick as well.”

Kelly said that he and his coaching staff benefited in their recruiting efforts by the interest shown in the UC program this year in the form of three sellouts at Nippert Stadium.

“When we had these recruits come to campus the atmosphere was electric,” Kelly said. “That really helped us quite a bit in securing some of these commitments.”
text ignoredKelly said he would like to have signed more than two offensive linemen, but said he refused to take players who didn’t fit the athletic mold he looks for at that position.

Ultimately, the UC coach was pleased with his class. But he was realistic, too.

“They look good today,” Kelly said. “But today is it for them. Reality starts tomorrow after you sign. You’ve got to come in and compete for a position. You’ve got to go to class.”

stpnum4 · 02-07-2008 12:01 AM

Brilliant!

templefootballfan · 02-07-2008 05:39 AM

glad to see Cin making inroads in Ohio, Too many Ohio kids go to b-10 schools in other states.

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