07-30-2014, 11:47 AM
The quarterback job is Gunner Kiel's to lose, and given Munchie Legaux's injury situation, likely his for keeps.
Let's touch quickly on the latter: Legaux suffered a gruesome knee injury in last year's game against Illinois, if you can recall, and told USA TODAY Sports from American media day that he still feels as if he's regained about 85-90% of his previous strength.
Even if Legaux bounces back all the way — and it'd be just fantastic if he did — one can only wonder whether he'll be able to regain the athleticism that made him an intriguing dual-threat option; if the running game has been removed from the equation, Legaux doesn't strike me as an overly consistent option.
2013 RECAP:
In a nutshell: My worst fears came to pass: Cincinnati did make hay on an easy schedule, taking nine games during the regular season, but failed to win any games of consequence — minus a victory against Houston, the Bearcats fumbled and stumbled against meaningful competition. The most painful setback came in the finale, when UC tried and failed to sneak past Louisville, losing to the Cardinals in overtime. That was followed by a lopsided Belk Bowl loss to North Carolina, making this a team that traveled near and far between the highs and lows: Cincinnati was bombed by Illinois and shocked by South Florida, rolled off six wins in a row in American play and then fell off the map, floating away into nine-win oblivion — space reserved for above-average teams that take care of easy business yet do little more.
High point: Beating Houston in November. Finally, a win worth sending a postcard.
Low point: Losing to Louisville and UNC to end the year. UC could've earned a national ranking with wins in one of the two games.
GAME(S) TO WATCH:
Houston: The Bearcats do miss UCF, leaving a potential tied-at-the-top scenario in the American — a bit of a disaster for the league, I'd say, since the American really needs a 10-win, clear-cut top dog. When it comes to league play, however, UC is blessed with home games against East Carolina and Houston, the latter in the regular-season finale. Given the smooth nature of the schedule, however, Cincinnati could take home the American and still drift outside the national conversation if it does not notch at least two wins from the group of Toledo, Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State.
Dream season: Cincinnati takes home the conference title with an undefeated run through American play. It gets better: UC also knocks off Toledo and Miami in September.
Nightmare season: The Bearcats finish sixth in the American, trailing — in alphabetical order — East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Tulsa and UCF.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../13350015/
Let's touch quickly on the latter: Legaux suffered a gruesome knee injury in last year's game against Illinois, if you can recall, and told USA TODAY Sports from American media day that he still feels as if he's regained about 85-90% of his previous strength.
Even if Legaux bounces back all the way — and it'd be just fantastic if he did — one can only wonder whether he'll be able to regain the athleticism that made him an intriguing dual-threat option; if the running game has been removed from the equation, Legaux doesn't strike me as an overly consistent option.
2013 RECAP:
In a nutshell: My worst fears came to pass: Cincinnati did make hay on an easy schedule, taking nine games during the regular season, but failed to win any games of consequence — minus a victory against Houston, the Bearcats fumbled and stumbled against meaningful competition. The most painful setback came in the finale, when UC tried and failed to sneak past Louisville, losing to the Cardinals in overtime. That was followed by a lopsided Belk Bowl loss to North Carolina, making this a team that traveled near and far between the highs and lows: Cincinnati was bombed by Illinois and shocked by South Florida, rolled off six wins in a row in American play and then fell off the map, floating away into nine-win oblivion — space reserved for above-average teams that take care of easy business yet do little more.
High point: Beating Houston in November. Finally, a win worth sending a postcard.
Low point: Losing to Louisville and UNC to end the year. UC could've earned a national ranking with wins in one of the two games.
GAME(S) TO WATCH:
Houston: The Bearcats do miss UCF, leaving a potential tied-at-the-top scenario in the American — a bit of a disaster for the league, I'd say, since the American really needs a 10-win, clear-cut top dog. When it comes to league play, however, UC is blessed with home games against East Carolina and Houston, the latter in the regular-season finale. Given the smooth nature of the schedule, however, Cincinnati could take home the American and still drift outside the national conversation if it does not notch at least two wins from the group of Toledo, Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State.
Dream season: Cincinnati takes home the conference title with an undefeated run through American play. It gets better: UC also knocks off Toledo and Miami in September.
Nightmare season: The Bearcats finish sixth in the American, trailing — in alphabetical order — East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Tulsa and UCF.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../13350015/