Bearcats Humbled in Tennessee

Photo courtesy of Cincinnati.com

The Cincinnati Bearcats first test of the season was failed badly. After an exciting first quarter, highlighted by Isaiah Pead’s 65 yard TD on his first carry, the Bearcats couldn’t get anything going on offense. Tied at 14, Tennessee scored the next 21 points to rout the Bearcats by the score of 45-23. Tyler Bray was made to look like the next coming of Peyton Manning, who’s consecutive streak of 2 TD games he broke, going 34-41 for 405 yards and 4 TDs. He also snuck for a TD. He made the secondary look awful. 

Bray’s great performance was highlighted by the poor Cincinnati secondary. A secondary that couldn’t cover a book last year, and can’t cover this season. What do you do when you have limited talent? You put them in position to win. That’s not what the UC coaching staff did today. The Bearcats played a soft zone, rushing no more than 4. Even in the red zone, the Bearcats played what Artrell Hawkins called a ‘read and react’ zone, which was ‘dumb.’ That’s one of the best corners in UC history saying that. Bearcat Hall of Famer Brad Jackson said “2nd if coach been giving us these soft bad defenses to play, we’d change it up on our own! #playmakers.” Jackson was part of the record setting UC defense in the late 90s. The coaching staff didn’t put the secondary in position to make plays, and it hurt. 

What also hurt was some questionable playcalling. Facing a 4th and inches, the Bearcats tried an outside run to Pead, who was stuffed for a loss. On a second 4th and inches from near the same field position, UC went with a spread formation shotgun draw. Tennessee had 8 guys in the box, UC 5. Suffice to say, it didn’t pay off. The most head scratching call came in the middle of the 3rd quarter, with UC down 35-14. UC got the ball inside the one on a pass to Kenbrell Thompkins. First down sneak, stuff. Second down, shotgun formation, Collaros drops the snap, loses half a yard. Third down, pass incomplete. You would think down 21, and having gone for it twice earlier, UC would go for it again. No, they took a delay of game and kicked a field goal. Baffling. Even more baffling since Tennessee walked down the field for another TD. 

Instead of going all “Butch Jones is Kragthrope 2.0,” I’m going to say hey, remember that Isaiah Pead TD run? That was fun. Knowing UC would get outscored 45-16 the rest of the way, and knowing your best player, Pead, got just 51 yards after a 104 yard first quarter is something that will be drowned out with alcohol. You don’t have to do the same, but get out of the house, have some fun tonight, and let’s just push off the frustration until the full game recap on Monday.

Here are the game stats, courtesy of ESPN. 

Team Stat Comparison