Bearcats' Brendon Kay battled injury en route to AAC honor
QB recovered more than his job
Oct. 15, 2013 5:14 PM



Brendon Kay overcomes adversity yet again: UC QB is league offensive Player of Week (Oct. 15, 2013)

Written by
Tom Groeschen

You name it, Brendon Kay probably has injured it during his University of Cincinnati football career. Yet, the Bearcats’ sixth-year senior quarterback once again has battled his way back to success.

Kay is the reigning American Athletic Conference offensive Player of the Week, after completing 31 of 37 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns Friday in a 38-20 win over Temple. Kay also rushed for a touchdown.

This came just after Kay’s latest physical challenge. He was still sore in the chest/ribs area after getting tackled hard in the previous game, a 26-20 loss at South Florida.

“It’s football,” Kay said Tuesday. “You’re going to get banged up throughout the year. It’s going to happen at my position. You’ve got to fight through it.”

Kay entered 2013 with a sixth and final year of eligibility after the NCAA approved his request for a medical hardship waiver. Kay suffered multiple injuries during his first four UC seasons, including three knee surgeries.

Kay finally got a chance to play extensively in 2012, when he replaced Munchie Legaux and went 4-1 over the final five games. Even then, Kay had to overcome an injured left (non-throwing) elbow.

During the 2013 preseason, Kay developed a sore shoulder. Legaux supplanted Kay as starter to begin the year, but Kay took over again after Legaux suffered a season-ending knee injury Sept. 7 against Illinois.

Kay has had his highs and lows this year, but things really clicked against Temple. UC went to a faster offensive pace, which included Kay throwing mostly shorter passes. His longest completion was just 25 yards, but UC paired the passing game with the power running of Tion Green (91 yards) to eat some clock.

“We had the ball 37 minutes; they had it 23,” UC coach Tommy Tuberville said. “You’re going to win a lot of games if you can do that. Productive for a quarterback, to me, is moving the chains as well as scoring points.”

Kay was perfect after halftime, going 15-for-15 passing for 136 yards and a TD.

“In the second half he was 15-for-15. I don’t think I’ve ever been around that before,” Tuberville said. “A lot of things clicked for him in that game. He took what was there. He didn’t force a lot of balls.”

Kay still is not 100 percent physically. The aches and pains represent business as usual.

“I’ve been through it in the past,” Kay said. “I know how to deal with it.”

CROWD WATCH: UC again could top 30,000 fans when Connecticut visits for Homecoming on Saturday at noon, Bearcats athletic director Whit Babcock said. UC drew 32,220 to Nippert Stadium against Temple last Friday.

“We are expecting a crowd very similar to Temple,” Babcock said.

BARR UPDATE: UC freshman receiver Mark Barr remains in stable condition in the intensive care unit at UC Medical Center. Barr was injured in the Sept. 21 auto accident that killed Bearcats freshman offensive lineman Ben Flick.

LOCALS: UConn has three local players on its roster: Junior DL Angelo Pruitt (North College Hill), sophomore LB Marquise Vann (Fairfield) and freshman TE Liam Sallquist (Oak Hills).

UC vs. Connecticut

• Kickoff: Noon Saturday at Nippert Stadium
• Records: UC 4-2 (1-1 AAC), Connecticut 0-5 (0-1 AAC)
• TV/Radio: ESPNU/WLW-AM (700)

BRENDON KAY'S 2013 STATISTICS

• Games: 6
• Starts: 4 (3-1 record)
• Passing: 101-for-141 (71.6 percent) for 1,086 yards, 9 TD, 4 int.
• Rushing: 30 attempts, 90 yards (3.0 ypc), 2 TD
• Punting: 7 punts, 37.6-yard average
Note: Kay sometimes is used as a pooch punter.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20131...an-his-job