Bearcats not in position to take any team lightly
Coming off loss to USF, Temple not a sure win
Oct. 7, 2013 7:41 PM
Running back Tion Green was listed as third on the depth chart entering Saturday's game at South Florida, but got playing time late in the game. Personnel changes against Temple aren't out of the question according to Tommy Tuberville. AP/Chris O'Meara / AP
Written by
Tom Groeschen
The Cincinnati Bearcats are big favorites to beat winless Temple this Friday, but skeptics have heard this tune before.
UC (3-2, 0-1 American Athletic Conference) has been favored to win each of its games, but obviously that has not panned out. And while Temple (0-5, 0-1 AAC) is struggling, UC also faced a winless team at South Florida last Saturday and lost 26-20.
The early Las Vegas lines have UC a 21-point favorite against Temple for Friday’s 8:30 p.m. game, a made-for-TV (ESPN2) special.
UC coach Tommy Tuberville knows that fans see an 0-5 team visiting Nippert Stadium and thus expect a Bearcats victory.
Having just lost to an 0-4 team, Tuberville is beyond thinking any game is easy.
“We’ve still got seven games left, and a lot of young guys that have got to get better,” Tuberville said. “We’ve got good leadership on the team, and a lot of guys that are disappointed.”
Linebacker Greg Blair said he and fellow seniors are working to keep a positive attitude.
“We just need everyone to do their job,” Blair said. “There’s a lot of people not doing their job on every play. The plays that they’re not doing their job, it’s killing us, whether it’s just communication or alignments. We just have to get better moving forward.”
Tuberville said there may be personnel changes here and there but, then again, UC has used a deep rotation of players all season. On both sides of the ball.
One change during last Saturday’s game saw Sam Longo move from guard to center. At running back, No. 3 back Tion Green got more playing time late in the game.
Tuberville rarely announces such moves in advance, so it is unclear what changes might occur Friday.
“There’s not a lot of room for movement, with the number of players we have,” Tuberville said. “We’ve also got to look at injuries. There’s a lot of guys banged up.”
Quarterback Brendon Kay (sternum) is among those. Kay took a hard hit during the first half at South Florida, when he was slammed to the ground. Kay initially had some trouble breathing but stayed in the game.
Tuberville said Kay may get some extra rest during practice this week, but Kay is expected to start Friday.
BIG HOUSE: UC expects more than 30,000 fans for Friday’s game at Nippert (capacity 35,000).
“With our student ticket demand, projected 70 degree weather, ESPN(2) Friday night game, Ring of Red, Ben Flick tribute, we will have more than 30K in attendance,” UC senior associate athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said via text.
It will be the first UC home game since the Sept. 21 death of freshman offensive lineman Flick in an auto accident.
UCONN TIME: UC announced that its Homecoming game against Connecticut on Saturday Oct. 19 will begin at noon (ESPNU).
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