Bearcats Break Ground on Indoor Practice Facility

by B. Clifton Burke

On a warm, windy December morning, University of Cincinnati football coach Brian Kelly, along with athletic director Mike Thomas and about a dozen players, donned hard hats and carried shovels to commemorate the ground breaking of the team’s new indoor practice facility.

Private donors raised all of the $10 million necessary to build the facility which is expected to be completed by next season. The facility will be built on campus near the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Corry Street.

“It’s a necessary tool for not only the football program but for the university,” Kelly said.

Kelly called the facility a recruiting tool and Mike Thomas said that it puts the program on a higher tier.

“I think it s the next step for us,” said Kelly “When you go to a BCS conference you would hope to have all the things in place from an infrastructure standpoint. We didn’t, but we’re moving in that direction.”

Other UC teams will also have access to the facility, including the women’s lacrosse team.

“We’re gonna be smart and understand that this is not just about football. We want to be able to help our other sports,” Kelly said. “This is gonna give us a great functionality for all of our sports and particularly women’s lacrosse.”

Junior wide receiver Mardy Gilyard climbed inside of a bulldozer parked in front of a pole barn that currently resides at the site.

“Don’t turn it on.” Kelly joked.

The other players lined the bulldozer and struck the soil with shovels and pick axes, while Kelly and Thomas posed shaking hands for the media event.

Thomas and other school officials signed Kelly to a new five-year agreement with the University earlier in the week. The agreement includes the school building the indoor practice facility and practice fields in the next two years.

Renovation efforts to Nippert Stadium are also being planned. Nippert was built in1902 and is the fifth oldest stadium in college football. Kelly compared Nippert to Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.

“We want to enhance the experience at Nippert Staduim. Larger concourses, better concession stands, better bathroom facilities, maybe some luxury boxes and club seating,” said Kelly.

The Bearcats are one of two Division I programs in the nation that currently practice and play on the same field. Kelly said the new indoor facility will be a modest practice venue.

“I think its important that we send a message here. We’re going to put a bubble over this. This isn’t gonna be the Taj Mahal,” Kelly said. “I think there has to be a little bit of humility in athletics as well. This is an academic institution first and foremost.”.

Orange Bowl Preview

by B. Clifton Burke

The University of Cincinnati and the University of Virginia Tech haven’t met in a bowl game since an 18-6 UC victory in the 1947 Sun Bowl. That will change on Jan. 1, 2009 as the two square off in the FedEx Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla.

"Our kids have heard this from me since Day 1," Kelly said. "They've responded very well to the challenges, and the challenges are, you still don't have the respect nationally until you come down in the Orange Bowl and show a national audience that you deserve to be here."

The No. 12 Bearcats (11-2) are led by their dynamic wide receiving duo of senior Dominick Goodman and junior Mardy Gilyard. Goodman, coming back from a separated shoulder that he suffered early in the final regular season game against Hawaii, has practiced with the team and is on track to play in the Orange Bowl. He needs just 23 yards and seven catches to become the school’s all-time leader in both categories (204 catches/2,483 yards). Gilyard has 1,118 yards and 10 touchdown receptions on the year.

Junior Tony Pike remains the starter after being pulled late in the Hawaii game following two interceptions, but senior backup Dustin Grutza has looked effective in his limited action since returning from a broken leg earlier this season. Pike has thrown for 18 touchdowns in 11 games this season and was second in passing efficiency (141.1) in the Big East.

Virginia Tech (9-4), has plenty of talent on their defense, finishing second in the ACC in scoring defense (17.5), total defense (277.1), rushing defense (107), and opponent third-down conversions (31.1 percent). The No. 21 ranked Hokies also managed to force 30 turnovers on the season. Senior cornerback Victor Harris was named a second-team All-American by The Associated Press after recording six interceptions, including two for touchdowns. Junior corner Stephan Virgil picked off five passes of his own. The two starting defensive ends, sophomore Jason Worilds and senior Orion Martin, combined for 15 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss on the year, and senior linebacker Purnell Sturdivant led the team with 93 tackles.

The Hokies are a run-first offense led by redshirt freshman Darren Evans, who rushed for 1,112 yards and 10 touchdowns, including 253 yards in a win over Maryland. Sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor isn’t much of a passing threat with only two TD passes and six interceptions this season, but he did rush for 691 yards and six touchdowns.

Cincinnati’s rush defense has been solid this season holding opponents to just 104 yards a game, good for second in the Big East. Senior defensive end Connor Barwin is tied for sixth nationally in sacks with 11, and senior safety Mike Mickens was named third-team All-American by the Associated Press.

Also included on the All-American team for the Bearcats was senior punter Kevin Huber who was named to the first-team by the Associated Press for the second straight season, and senior offensive lineman Trevor Canfield was named to the second-team.

The last regular season meeting between the Bearcats and Hokies came on Sept. 23, 2006, which resulted in a 29-13 Virginia Tech home victory. Cincinnati fell to 1-3 on the season after that game, but has gone 28-7 since that loss in Blacksburg.

"We all remember that stuff," Barwin said. "I'm excited to play Virginia Tech again. Playing down there was awesome. Their coach (Frank Beamer) is one of the best in the country."

Beamer has led his team to 15 straight bowl games, including a loss to Kansas in last year’s Orange Bowl, 24-21, their fourth consecutive BCS bowl loss. The ACC has lost eight straight BCS bowls, while the Big East has won its last three appearences.

"When you're representing a conference, there's a pride factor and I'm sure both of us share that," Beamer said. "You're kind of judged on how you do against the other conferences and the ACC hasn't done as well as we should have."

Beamer and the Hokies are used to this kind of national spotlight and attention. But they know the Bearcats will be focused on winning their first ever BCS bowl game and wouldn’t be surprised to see them back in this situation again soon.

“Cincinnati’s got a lot more good years in front of them, too,” Beamer said.

A Tale of Two Quarterbacks

University of Cincinnati quarterback Dustin Grutza didn’t expect to play in the final regular season game of 2008 at Hawaii, but after starter Tony Pike left the game after throwing two interceptions, the backup came into the game with 6:37 in the fourth quarter and his team down 24-20, and led the Bearcats to a 29-24 come-from-behind win.

“(Grutza) has had a tough career altogether,” said UC quarterbacks coach Greg Forest, when asked about Grutza’s setbacks this season. “Even when he started before we got here, he took his licks and got beat up a little bit and came back and every chance he’s had. He just hangs in there and has a lot of character and he’s bounced back every time.”

It’s been that kind of a season for the Bearcat quarterbacks this season. Five different quarterbacks have played in 2008 and three have started – mainly due to injury.

Grutza began the year as starter after backing up QB Ben Mauk all of last season, but badly broke his leg in the season’s second game, a loss at Oklahoma, 52-26. Pike was then appointed the starter and led UC to a win over Miami before breaking his arm the next game at Akron. Redshirt freshman Chazz Anderson filled in nicely as the starting quarterback the next week in a convincing win over Marshall, 33-10. The other two quarterbacks to see action this season are freshman quarterback, Zach Collaros and the sophomore transfer from Notre Dame, Demetrius Jones.

After redshirting in 2004, Dustin Grutza went on to start 21 games in the next two seasons for the Bearcats throwing for 20 touchdowns and over 3000 yards in that span. Grutza made way for Wake Forest transfer Ben Mauk in 2006, and had eagerly anticipated starting again this season. He started his comeback season by completing 21-28 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns in the opener against Eastern Kentucky but then sustained his injury the following week at Oklahoma.




Enter Tony Pike. While seeing limited action in his first two seasons after redshirting as a freshman, Pike found himself under center for the majority of what has become the best football season in the school’s history. Quarterbacks coach Greg Forest talked about how he thought Pike has improved the most this season.

“It’s his leadership and getting that game experience. Any time you get game experience it definitely helps you in feeling more confident with what you’re doing out there,” said Forest.

Pike came in late in the blowout loss to Oklahoma -- a game that was over by the time Grutza went down with a broken leg. After throwing three touchdowns in his first career start against Miami (OH), Pike broke his left arm in the fourth quarter against Akron, an injury that required surgery.

“They fixed the break and attached a six inch plate and six screws under the bone, and those are staying forever,” Pike explained.

The two injured quarterbacks spent the next three weeks together rehabilitating their broken limbs and trying to get back on the field. Pike said he learned from Grutza’s work ethic in that time.

“Just being able to sit down with Dustin the time I was out, I got to see how hard he works in the training room and what he goes through,” said Pike. “That’s what Dustin’s all about. He’s always worked hard here and he’s always been a patient guy and when he gets his chance, he gets in there and succeeds.”

The hard work paid off for Pike too as he missed only two games, and went on to lead the ‘Cats to six wins in seven games. He was second in the Big East in passing efficiency and completion percentage and threw for 18 touchdowns in 11 games.

Meanwhile, Grutza was undergoing his rehabilitation faster than most expected and seemed determine to rejoin the team before the season finished.

“It was a lot of rehab every single day,” said Grutza.

When he first broke his leg, reports suggested he may miss the remainder of the schedule, but Grutza had other plans.

He was the first one in the trainer’s room in the morning and the last one to leave at night. He admitted that in order to be 100 percent he would have to undergo another surgery on his leg, but opted to do so after the season.

“There was no guarantee that he would make it back this season. He worked hard and put himself in a position and you saw it come out in Louisville,” Pike said of Grutza. “When I went out with a bruised sternum, he was able to come in a carry the offense on a touchdown drive.”

Head Coach Brian Kelly has talked this season about having a “what have you done for me lately” mentality, so Grutza wanted to be ready in case Kelly ever gave him the nod again. Due to the injuries to both signal-callers throughout the season, each has had their share of game preparation and practice with the first-team offense.

“I think me and Dustin bring a lot of the same things to the table,” Pike said. “He was getting most of the reps the first week of our summer camps and when he went down with a rib injury, I went to get a lot of the (first-team) reps and we really didn’t have to change the offense a lot. With me or Dustin in there, the offense doesn’t change much and the coaches have the confidence to call any play for us”

The value of that confidence paid off in Hawaii, as Grutza led an offense that had struggled in the second half under Tony Pike, to a comeback win and sustained the team’s momentum heading into the Orange Bowl on Jan.1, 2009, against Virginia Tech.
That game will mark the end of Grutza’s career with the Bearcats, but Pike feels the success of this year’s quarterback play will continue in 2009.

“I think our success definitely has a carry over effect and hopefully after this season it will keep snowballing and carry into next year.”

Mauk Keeps Quality in Control

By B. Clifton Burke

Even after the NCAA denied Ben Mauk another year of playing eligibility, he still found a way to return to the University of Cincinnati football program this season as the team’s quality control manager.

Head coach Brian Kelly created the position to help Mauk learn how to be coach.

“Right now, he’s just cutting his teeth in the coaching profession,” Kelly said. “I don’t know if he’s coming up with anything to help us win, but I think it does more for him to be around and then learn the profession.”

Though the position is unpaid, the work of a quality control manager during the season is a full-time job. Mauk arrives on campus each day at 6 a.m. to lift weights. He then spends his afternoons working to identify any of the team’s offensive tendencies he finds within the information he receives from scouts. He informs the coaching staff of his findings so they can eliminate those tendencies before opposing defenses can identify them. He also attends the weekly meetings and practices, and is along the sidelines during games. Mauk says he typically leaves his office for the day around 10 p.m..

After setting a school-record of 31 passing touchdowns in 2007, Mauk also works closely with this year’s quarterbacks.

“I’m here to mentor them and any questions they might have, they can always ask me,” Mauk said.

He admitted that it’s been tough to watch such an historic season unfold from the sidelines, particularly because he now feels healthy after playing through pain during last season.

“I knew this team was special and I felt like we could go through the season and not lose a game. Obviously I wanted to be part of that,” said Mauk.

Working as the quality control manager became the next best option for Mauk, after the NCAA ruled in September that he had exhausted all of his playing eligibility.

Mauk is satisfied with his role on the team for this season, but he’s still keeping himself in playing shape in hopes of being selected in this year’s upcoming NFL Draft.

“With not playing this year, it’s going to take some scouts to recognize me and request my attendance at the combine,” Mauk said. “A lot of scouts have said that they want to see me out there, so I’m just working out and getting myself ready. If something were to happen I want to be ready to go.”

If he isn’t drafted, Mauk has other career options in mind. With his Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from Wake Forest, and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice that he earned at UC, Mauk is interested in becoming a high-school teacher and football coach.

“I’d love to get into a high school and have my own classroom,” Mauk said. “Growing up you always look up to teachers and coaches. So if I could be one of those people and have an impact in people’s lives in that regard, then that’s a position I’d like to be in.”

But like the rest of the team, Mauk is currently focused on the season.

“We have a shot to win a Big East Championship and we’re in the driver’s seat to go to a BCS bowl, and it’s a position that everybody in that locker room felt we’d be in at this point,” said Mauk.

With all the excitement around UC’s success this season, Mauk added perspective by pointing to last year’s 6-0 start and their national ranking of 15th, before losing to both Louisville and Pittsburgh.

“We messed up against Louisville and let that game beat us twice,” Mauk said. “So I think last year with the success we had and going through those diverse times, makes us even more prepared to meet the challenge and overcome those kinds of situations.”

Coach Kelly thinks Mauk has benefited from the transition of being a player to joining the staff within the same program, and is confident Mauk will someday become a coach of his own.

“(Mauk) is learning the profession and I think in years to come, he’ll have more of an impact,” said Kelly.

Although the title of quality control manager comes with little financial compensation, Mauk’s contribution has not gone unnoticed.

“We’re doing this on a very, very small budget, almost a voluntary position, but it’s good to have Ben around,” Kelly said of his former quarterback and current staff member.

Team Leader Returns From Injury

University of Cincinnati junior guard Shelly Bellman is entering her fourth year on campus, but to second-year head coach J. Kelly Hall, she’s something of a newcomer.

“I’ve never coached her. We had her maybe three practices last year. Her injury was really, really quick,” said Hall.

Bellman suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in her left knee during a pre-season practice last year. She sat out the entire season after undergoing surgery, and was declared a medical redshirt, preserving a year of her playing eligibility.

“It was a huge blow,” said Bellman. “I’ve never had an injury as big as that. I tried to keep a positive attitude as much as I could, and just had to rehab everyday.”

After posting double-digit scoring figures and leading the team in rebounding in her first two seasons, Bellman was expected to have a major role going into last season. Without her, the team posted only a 1.9 rebounding margin over Big East opponents, compared to an 8.9 margin with her in 2006-07.

Coach Hall said that he‘s looking for more of an inside presence from this season’s team, and that from Bellman, he expects averages of six to seven rebounds and double-digit scoring per game. So far, he’s been encouraged of what he sees.

“I love the way the kid rebounds the basketball,” Hall said. “She will go get it. Averaging six rebounds is outstanding for a guard.”

Even with the limited practice time he's had with Bellman, Hall called her one of the hardest workers he’s ever coached on any level, and said the other players feed off of her tenacious work ethic.

“She plays hard on every single play,” Hall said. “It’s good for young kids to see that and realize that’s what it takes to be successful on this level.”

Hall intends to make Bellman a team captain and thinks she can be a player who can run the offense without playing the point guard position. Her understanding of the offense, and her rebounding persistence make Bellman one of the key components to this year’s squad.

Bellman said watching her teammates from the sideline last year, will help her become an even better team leader, and overall player.

“I got a different perspective of the game. Sitting out has made me into a more mature player. Before, I’d play a little hectic. Now I’m more calm and collected out there.” Bellman said.

As an upper-classman, Bellman knows she has to be a role-model on and off the court to the freshman players.

“As a leader, I try bringing the freshman in here to talk to them and keep their courage up, and being a vocal leader on the court as well,” Bellman said. “When I’m out there, I give it a 110 percent all the time, and focus on what our coach stresses the most, which is defense and rebounding.”

Since the injury, Shelly is required to wear a brace on her repaired knee. She says she only thinks about the brace when she occasionally needs to pull it up.

“It’s up to my trainers when the brace comes off, but hopefully it’s not too far into the season,” Bellman said of the brace.

Hall said he considers Bellman’s health to be around 90 percent heading into the season. He said while structurally her knee is fine, he thinks she’s still gaining her lateral quickness.

With the addition of Bellman, the Bearcats will dress 13 players for games this season: a sizeable difference to the nine they dressed last year. They’ll need to be at full strength in a talented Big East conference where the Bearcats were picked by coaches to finish fifteenth in the league.

“The past two years haven’t been the greatest seasons, but we want it to take it a step higher,” Bellman said. “It’s no fun to lose and it’s no fun to not have a good season, but we want to get there. This team works hard and pushes through and were looking to take care of business.”

Sounds like Coach Hall will enjoy having his new leader on the court this year.

Local Star Ready to Contribute

by: B. Clifton Burke


Yancy Gates may be a newcomer to the basketball team, but he's no stranger to the city. Gates is arguably the most celebrated freshman from the Cincinnati area to play for the University of Cincinnati since Damon Flint in 1994. The 6 foot 8 inch freshman forward and former Withrow star, averaged 21.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.7 assists a game his senior year in high school. He was named the Associated Press Division I Ohio player of the year, and also named to the Parade Magazine All-America fourth team.

Yet when asked what type of player he considers himself, he remains humble.

“I’m a coach’s player. My biggest strengths are outrunning opposing big men and being physical,” Gates said at a media session before practice, Friday.

His role, like the rest of the team’s, has changed since point guard Cashmere Wright suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the week. He lists rebounding, playing solid defense and scoring when the team needs it, as his top priorities going into the season.

“It’s going to be different without a true point guard. The team is going to have to adjust to it,” Gates said.

Coach Mick Cronin described how he plans to simply eliminate the point guard position following the injury to Wright and that now any player can bring the ball up the court. He said the way the Bearcats plan on running an offense without a point guard is to pass the ball into bigger players earlier in the shot clock.

“We want to pass entry instead of dribble entry,” Cronin explained.

Cronin called Gates adaptable and said he’s looking for Gates and fellow big man, Mike Williams, to release to the outside when the offense is stagnant or when they’re having a hard time with the pass entry.

Gates said that he’s ready to contribute in any way the coaches request of him, and that his personal goals revolve around the team’s success.

He explained of how the transition from the high school level to a major Division I program like UC has been a major change to him. Players are bigger, practices are longer, and the intensity and physicality are significantly greater than it was for him in high school. He said that longer days on campus have taken some getting used to as well.

Gates said he likes everything about this season’s Bearcats but he especially appreciates the attitudes of his teammates and coaches.

When asked of his reasons to stay in Cincinnati over other schools that recruited him - Ohio State, Michigan and North Carolina State to name a few – Gates credits Coach Cronin for showing interest in him immediately after landing the head coaching job. Cronin’s early recruitment of Gates, along with UC’s inclusion into the Big East conference made his decision to stay in his home town, easier.

“I wanted to play in the best conference in the country: the Big East,” Gates said.

Cronin has called Gates the best Cincinnati high school player since the legendary LaSalle Thompson, who played at Withrow in the late 1970’s and later enjoyed 15 seasons in the NBA.

Gates joins a highly touted freshman class that also includes Wright, forward Steven Toyloy, guard Dion Dixon, and 7-footer John Riek.