By Michael Perry
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Some of the University of Cincinnati wide receivers have a friendly competition going. And it has nothing to do with how many balls they catch each week.
UC
|
Cincinnati at Temple
Kickoff: Noon, Franklin Field (52,593), Philadelphia.
Records: UC 1-2, Temple 1-3.
Radio: WLW-AM (700).
Line: UC by 4 ½.
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| Temple | Stats | UC |
| 291.0 | Offense avg. | 412.0 |
| 149.0 | Avg. by rush | 116.7 |
| 142.0 | Avg. by pass | 295.3 |
| 351.8 | Defense avg. | 388.3 |
| 106.0 | Avg. by rush | 198.0 |
| 245.8 | Avg. by pass | 190.3 |
| 19.8 | Avg. points for | 29.0 |
| 32.0 | Avg. pts. against | 29.0 |
No, these Bearcats count the number of "knockdowns" of defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs.
"I was the two-week champion, but I let him have it last week," Tye Keith said, smiling at fellow receiver LaDaris Vann, who was standing nearby. "You've got to block. That's part of football."
The receivers were considered one of the strengths of the team going into the season, and not because of their blocking.
UC, which today at Temple will try to end a two-game losing streak, has three senior receivers - Keith, Vann, Jon Olinger - and sophomore George Murray II, not to mention senior running back DeMarco McCleskey out of the backfield.
The Bearcats have run a two-tight end formation. They have spread their offense with four and five receivers.
What will Temple see today? Probably all of the above.
"We'll definitely be in some four-receiver sets, possibly five," UC offensive coordinator Rusty Burns said. "Some of the things we did against Ohio State (last Saturday) will not work this week and vice versa."
Temple (1-3) and UC (1-2) are similar. They both run no-huddle, spread offenses. They both have good players at skill positions.
They both need a win.
"If we spread our receivers out and have an empty backfield, nobody in the nation can stop us, because our passing attack is so full of playmakers," Olinger said.
Keith, who thought he might be converted into a defensive back when he got to UC, needs two more catches to be the 12th receiver in school history with 100 for his career.
With 17 yards, Vann will become the fourth Bearcat with 2,000 receiving yards. He already owns the school record for receptions.
Olinger is the deep threat and leads Cincinnati in average yards per catch (26.9). Murray has 10 catches, third on the team.
"Once he gets to know what he's doing out there, George is going to be great," quarterback Gino Guidugli said. "He's got speed. He's tall.
"In my opinion, I've got three of the best receivers in the country. People might not know it, but I think they ought to start taking notice."
Except last week, when Olinger and Murray failed to hang on to potential touchdown passes that would have given the Bearcats a victory over No.6 Ohio State. Instead, they lost 23-19.
There was a picture on the front sports page of Sunday's Enquirer that showed Olinger with the ball in his hands. Olinger saw the photo. "It broke my heart," he said. "I knew I had it."
The receivers say they have had a solid start to the season but agree they can improve.
"We talk each week about yards after catch," Burns said. "We've got to do a better job once we get the ball."
Said Olinger: "We've had a couple of dropped balls, and that's just not us."
Keith: "We still haven't played our best game as a receiving corps."
The receivers are a close group. They get together with at least the quarterbacks twice a week to watch Monday Night Football and Thursday night college games.
They are each other's biggest supporters.
"All of us have learned from each other how to make plays," Vann said. "I'd say all of us want the ball every play. We have to wait our turn, and when we get it we have to do something with it."
E-mail mperry@enquirer.com
