Tuesday, November 23, 1999
UC football returns 40 for 2000 season
Biggest losses: Cooper, Keck
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Cincinnati Bearcats held their postseason football banquet Sunday night, hoping to forget their 3-8 season as quickly as possible.
The good news is that UC loses only four seniors from its final 44-man depth chart. The bad news is that many returnees have been part of UC's combined 5-17 record over the past two seasons.
“Just because we have 18 or 19 starters back doesn't automatically mean we'll be better,” UC coach Rick Minter said. “We still have a lot of work to do as far as individual improvement.”
The biggest loss is running back Robert Cooper, who was named team Most Valuable Player at Sunday's banquet. He leaves as the fourth-leading rusher in UC history with 2,786 yards.
Also, the departure of Tinker Keck leaves a void in the secondary and in the punt return game, where he set a UC career record with 804 yards in returns.
There are several candidates to replace Cooper, including UC veterans P.J. Mays and Nathan Wize. Mays was the team's second-leading rusher this year with 293 yards.
Ray Jackson, a transfer from Michigan who will be a junior next year, also will vie to replace Cooper. Jackson is a former starting fullback for the Wolverines.
Offensively, the biggest needs are to shore up the line and find a big-play receiver.
“We wound up playing only five or six guys on the offensive line this year,” Minter said. “We need to get bigger and stronger, because I think we got pushed around a little.”
At quarterback, Deontey Kenner will return for his senior year. Kenner has thrown for 4,561 career yards and is a threat to break Danny McCoin's UC record of 6,801 passing yards, set from 1984-87.
Minter's biggest concern is bolstering his depth for another ride through an improving Conference USA, with UC just 5-18 in intra-league play since the league was formed in 1996. The Bearcats finished last this season, at 0-6.
“This year we beat a Big Ten team and two MAC teams (Kent, Miami), but once we got into our own league we struggled,” said UC center Doug Rosfeld, a senior-to-be from Moeller High School. “We played some teams that were bigger, older, stronger ... and maybe a little tougher, to tell you the truth.”
The non-conference schedule for 2000 tentatively includes trips to Indiana and Wisconsin, and home games with Syracuse and the rival Miami RedHawks.
AWARD WINNERS
• Claude Rost Award (MVP) — RB Robert Cooper
• Brig Owens Award (outstanding backs) — CB Jeff Burrow, QB Deontey Kenner
• John Pease Award (outstanding linemen) — DT Mario Monds and C Doug Rosfeld
• Newcomers of the year — OT Josh Gardner, DB Ivan Fields.
• Jim Kelly Coaches' Spirit Awards — C Jason Lisek, LB Troy Evans
• Strothman Award (academic excellence) — TE Ashley Hunt
• Scout Team Players of the Year — RB Ray Jackson, LB Chas Hall.
Bearcats Stories
Akili probably finished for year
Coslet: Film shows catch was TD
Alexander interviews for college job
Stadium project on target
Xavier's mission in Alaska: Beat top-ranked teams
New rule cuts into travel
Harnisch won't have surgery
Reds keep Griffey talks alive
PREP FOOTBALL PAGE
Local golfer qualifies for 2000 PGA Tour
Ohio State backup QB given his release
Miami hockey team honored
NKU teams press on in NCAA tourneys
