Greg Blair emerges as vocal leader of UC Bearcats' defense
Nov. 13, 2013 3:14 PM


Written by
Tom Groeschen

There was only one Ray Lewis, but every football defense could use such a vocal leader. Greg Blair is playing that role for the University of Cincinnati, which ranks No. 8 nationally in total defense.

Blair, a senior middle linebacker, made the American Athletic Conference honor roll this week after a 10-tackle performance in UC’s 28-25 win over SMU. Coming off a year in which he was first team All-Big East, Blair again leads UC in tackles (61) this season.

All the while, Blair has pushed and prodded teammates in both practices and games. The Bearcats (7-2, 4-1 American Athletic Conference) take a four-game winning streak to Rutgers (5-3, 2-2) this Saturday, but Blair thinks UC could be better. This is nothing he has not told his teammates.

“I did it sometimes last year, but this year I just felt like that was my job to pick someone up when they’re down,” Blair said. “I get on people when they’re doing dumb things and not doing their job.”

Who gets on Blair, then? The bearded senior replies with one of his frequent (off-the-field) smiles.

“The other seniors get on me sometimes when I get a little out of whack,” Blair said. “They get me back in regular mode.”

UC coach Tommy Tuberville, who as a Miami Hurricanes assistant helped recruit Lewis to “The U” in the early 1990s, said he has coached several forceful personalities. While former Baltimore Ravens star Lewis was in his own league, Tuberville said that Blair is one of the top leaders he has coached.

“A lot of them are not as vocal as Greg,” Tuberville said. “I like the vocal ones. You’ve got to have somebody stand up and put their foot down. Coaches can only bark so much. When players stand up, it means a lot more.”

Pittsburgh native Blair gets some of his motivation from older brother DeJuan Blair, a former Pitt basketball All-American who plays for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

“Every game he texts me and tells me he can’t wait until the game comes on, that this is my last year and if I want to go to the NFL, I’ve got to give it all I’ve got,” Blair said. “He’s been a big inspiration for me.”

Blair, listed by UC as 6-foot-2 and 252 pounds, generally is rated the best pro prospect among Bearcats seniors. He is projected as a fifth- or sixth-round pick by CBSSports.com/NFLDraftScout.com.

Blair had 138 tackles last season but will not have that many this season, as he has 61. Tuberville does not pay that much mind.

“All the expectations of making all those tackles last year, but we put him in a situation where he hasn’t had to make all of them,” Tuberville said. “He’s got other people around him, like (outside linebacker) Nick Temple, and our defensive front has really picked up with stopping the run.”

Blair knows the NFL is out there, but he also knows there is no guarantee.

“Senior year, it’s always in the back of all the seniors’ minds,” Blair said. “You’ve just got to keep working. We have Rutgers this week, and coach Tuberville said we’re going to see how bad we want it this Saturday. I think we want it pretty bad.”

Quote:UP NEXT: UC (7-2, 4-1 AAC) at Rutgers (5-3, 2-2 AAC)

When: Saturday at noon, High Point Solutions Stadium (Piscataway, N.J.)
TV: ESPNews/WatchESPN
Radio: WLW-AM (700)

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20131...UC-defense

He's definitely one of those guys you hate to see go. Barwin, Nakamura, Schaeffer etc.