Michigan Football: Getting to know the Cincinnati Bearcats
By Peter Arango
Michigan football gets ready to take on Cincinnati this week in the Big House, here is what you need to know for Saturday.
After a solid performance in its first outing against a competitive program, it would be electrifying to see this increasingly effective Michigan football team take on yet another true test of its ability.
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However, that won’t be happening on Saturday. Michigan football is favored over Cincinnati by more than 30 points, and that estimate may be giving a shaky Bearcat team more credit than they deserve.
In the past, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats have played against Ohio State, Penn State, Florida State, Oklahoma, and Alabama, but on Saturday, they face Michigan for the first time.
Last week, coach Luke Fickell made his debut as Cincinnati’s coach, capturing a 26-14 victory over Austin Peay, which was a good way to begin his stint at Cinci, but less impressive than one might think as Austin Peay is riding a 28 game losing streak. A win is a win, but that one may not send the Cats into the Big House with much momentum.
Fickell knows something about the Wolverines as he played and coached at Ohio State, losing to Michigan in 2011 in the one year he was interim head coach at OSU replacing Jim Tressel, but after playing before about 30,000 fans last week, his squad will hear the roar of more than 100,000 screaming fans for the first time on Saturday as they run into the bedlam that is the Big House on Game Day.
This Bearcat team has little in common with the 2009 team coached by Brian Kelly, a team that ended up ranked 8th in the nation after putting together a 12-1 season, losing only to Florida in the Sugar Bowl. That was back in the days when the Big East included football teams, before the shake-up that brought Cincinnati to the American Athletic Conference.
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Cincinnati is currently hovering somewhere near the bottom of the AP poll, but it does arrive in Ann Arbor with coach Fickell’s determination to use the game to help his players and program develop.
“For us, being young and new in this program, it gives our guys an opportunity to go out there and measure themselves,” Fickell said to go Bearcats.com. “They have the same aspirations of all the guys on their side, to play at the next level and make it in the NFL. It gives you an opportunity to find out what you’ve got to do if you want to play at that level and compete against it because we can. Now it’s being able to handle all those things and put it all together on Saturday afternoon.”
There is a rumor that Austin Peay game might not be an accurate indicator of the real strength of the Bearcat squad. Cincinnati.com suggests that the team that took the field last week might not be the real Bearcats.
“Before the game, a seasoned UC insider suggested that the Bearcats might not show everything they have against Austin Peay. The idea was that UC wanted to save some things for their daunting next game, Sept. 9 at No. 11-ranked Michigan. Regardless, what UC did show generally was not great.”
So, what have they saved for Michigan? Junior quarterback Hayden Moore is experienced and improving, throwing three touchdowns in the first game and allowing no interceptions.
The standout receivers are WR Devin Gray and Khalil Lewis who combined for 10 touchdowns last year. Running back Mike Boone should be back on his feet after an injury plagued 2016 season. The Offensive line is led by OT Korey Cunningham who started every game last season, and the special team does include K. Josh Pasley who booted a 52 yard field goal in the spring game.
That’s about it.
Michigan football has plenty of work to do, however, in sorting out exactly how the offense, defense, and special teams will settle out.
It will be helpful to see a running game in place that allows Chris Evans, Ty Isaac, Karan Higdon and Kareem Walker a chance to show their stuff and a passing game that showcases the entire spectrum of talent including Tarik Black, Eddie McDoom, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Perry Grant, Kekoa Crawford, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Ian Bunting, Sean Eubanks, and Nick McKeon.
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Oh, and this is the opportunity for Wilton Speight to prove that his judgment is solid, his reads precise, and his ability to lumber out of the pocket greatly improved.