Saturday, October 13, 2001
Frazier finds his place at UC
Former walk-on big factor on Bearcats defense
By Bill Koch
Enquirer contributor
The University of Cincinnati's football season isn't even halfway over yet, but already freshman defensive end Andre Frazier has his plans set for the offseason.
“I need to eat a lot and get stronger,” Frazier said.
In his first college start, last week against Tulane, Frazier, a former walk-on from Hughes High School, came up with the game-clinching sack, forced a fumble and was credited with 10 tackles while playing in place of Antwan Peek, who was suspended for one game for a violation of NCAA rules.
Peek is expected to return for today's game at Alabama-Birmingham, but UC coach Rick Minter plans to find plenty of playing time for Frazier.
“Frazier and Peek are our two most explosive defensive ends,” Minter said. “It fortifies the position to play him more. He needs to play a minimum of half of every game, if not more.”
That's quite a vote of confidence for a kid who was so skinny out of high school that no Division I-A school would offer him a scholarship. Minter deemed him too frail to spend a scholarship on.
Frazier showed up at UC anyway, as a walk-on, and became the Bearcats' scout-team player of the year. Minter was so impressed that he offered Frazier a scholarship.
“What he brought to the table was a smile on his face, a great work ethic and a great demeanor,” Minter said. “He's one of those guys who has real rangy, long arms. He's not big, but what people failed to recognize during the recruiting process is that he has natural explosiveness.”
With a little more meat on his bones, Frazier figures to be much more effective. At 6 feet 5, he weighs only 205 pounds, which means he gives away 40 to 50 pounds to almost every opponent he faces. He weighed only 186 when he arrived at UC.
“I just try to stay in shape,” Frazier said. “When they're tired, I try to still be able to go.”
The Bearcats (2-2, 2-0 Conference USA) are looking for their sixth straight C-USA victory when they take on former UC coach Watson Brown's Blazers today. Brown made his reputation as an offensive coach, but the strength of this team is its defense, which returns 10 starters from a year ago.
UAB (2-3, 1-1) is ranked seventh nationally in total defense, allowing 259.4 yards a game. The Blazers allow only 59.2 rushing yards a game, No.5 nationally.
“You don't move the ball up and down the field on this team,” Minter said. “You have to hit some big plays. You've got to make them pay the price for playing man-to-man.”
Bearcats Stories
New coach, new success for Browns
Time for practice to pay off
Xavier will hit court running
Knight opens first season at Texas Tech
Pitino era at Louisville begins
UK fans greet basketball with high hopes
Cavs-Nets game tonight at Cintas
Miami on roll in MAC
Ohio State defense doing its job
Tested Tigers ready for UK
Baseball playoffs report
Lemon Monroe fifth in state golf tourney
Prep football page
St. Xavier 16, Elder 13
Bigger tests await Willingham
How Top 10 teams fared
Ohio football scores
Kentucky football scores
Indiana football scores
Anderson 29, Amelia 0
Batavia 18, Bethel Tate 8
Beechwood 42, Holy Cross 0
Bellevue 37, Ludlow 0
Boone County 17, Dixie Heights 13
Campbell County 28, Conner 13
Cin. Hills Christian Academy 33, Landmark Christian 16
Cincinnati Country Day 37, Lockland 6
Colerain 42, Middletown 0
East Central 31, La Salle 21
Goshen 21, Norwood 14
Hamilton 17, Oak Hills 14
Harrison 40, Mason 16
Hillsboro 14, Clinton Massie 10
Kings 34, Wilmington 14
Lakota East 21, Sycamore 20
Lebanon 24, Fairborn 0
Lloyd 33, Garrard County 10
Loveland 27, Little Miami 7
Madeira 21, Indian Hill 20
McNicholas 41, Badin 12
Milford 24, Fairfield 19
Moeller 20, Col. St. Francis De Sales 10
Mount Healthy 62, Shroder 0
New Richmond 50, Clermont Northeastern 12
NewCath 63, Dayton 8
North College Hill 49, New Miami 2
Princeton 30, Lakota West 21
Reading 42, Mariemont 6
Roger Bacon 20, Purcell Marian 10
Summit County Day 74, Yellow Springs 13
Talawanda 34, Edgewood 25
Taylor 33, Deer Park 6
Washington Court House 28, Jonathan Alder 15
West Carrollton 12, Monroe 6
Western Hills 27, Woodward 8
Williamsburg 66, Western Brown 8
Winton Woods 24, Turpin 7
Wyoming 49, Finneytown 20
Frazier finds his place at UC
