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Bearcat News
Sights & Sounds: Women's Football Clinic
I'd add the actual video to the Jump Off if I could, but this link is the next best thing. If were weren't able to attend the Women's Football Clinic, you can check out some highlights here. If anything, you can take a look at the inner workings of Varsity Villiage like the football locker room. Looks like a great event put on by the football coaches and the players.
Jones takes a Gamble
Cheesy pun aside, great article by Scott Springer over at gobearcats.com. As you've probably heard, former Withrow head coach Doc Gamble will join UC's staff this fall and will probably act in the same capacity that Troy Everhart did before leaving to coach Middletown High School. I think Gamble will have a better influence on local recruiting than Everhart did and will be a nice compliment to Coach Coombs. Gamble isn't leaving Withrow high and dry, however, as he has remained in contact with the school by suggesting candidates for his replacement. Classy guy and a welcome addition to the Bearcat football family.
Bearcats Announce Summer League Destinations - University of Cincinnati Official Athletics Site
More UC baseball news, as you can check out the list of Bearcat baseball players who will be playing in summer leagues during their time off from school. These leagues are really important in building a batter's ability to see what type of pitch is thrown and for pitchers to tighten up their offspeed pitches. While there is some worry about unnecessary fatigue for pitchers in this league once they return to college ball, these leageus generally do more good than bad.
Recruiting
Some Notes On The Recruiting Discourse - Down The Drive
I referenced this yesterday but I decided it earned its own portion in the DtD Jump Off spotlight. I've said that recruiting classes, like coaches, should be evaluated until 3 years down the line but Coach Butch Jones's 2011 class looks like it passes the eye test early. Not only is he building depth with that class for 2013-2014, but he brought in players that can contribute to the depth of the team as soon as they step onto the field against Austin Peay in September. The 2012 class is being built in the same fashion. What I'm saying is that Coach Jones and his staff are killing it on the recruiting trail and setting up Cincinnati, from a talent standpoint at least, to stay near the top of the Big East.
Around the BEast
Big East patience on TV deal has to pay - Sports - Charleston Daily Mail - West Virginia News and Sports -
There are a lot of things working in favor of the Big East as it approaches its new TV deal next year. First of all, all other AQ conferences are already locked into relatively new deals, which leaves the Big East as the last remaining conference when negotiations open up in 2012. This is also the year that TCU with it's Ft. Worth market and strong football program joins the Big East. You can probably also bet that the Big East as a whole will also be a lot stronger on the football side when TCU joins which will make the football side of the conference similarly favorable to the basketball side. Regardless of what occurs on the expansion front between now and the negotation period, the Big East is doing the right thing by standing pat and could get a huge payday next year because of it.
Big East title chances: Louisville - Big East Blog - ESPN
2011 just won't be the Cardinals' year. They graduated 25 seniors and, while they bring in a very impressive recruiting class, have tons of holes on the offensive line and no decided front-runner at QB. Overall, the Cardinals will have to rely on their defense in 2011 to win some games and with former SEC defensive coordinator Charlie Strong at the helm, they should be very good in that respect. Coach Strong has also done a great job recruiting, as mentioned, but that young talent will need time to adjust to the speed of college football. So, look out for Louisville in 2012 and beyond.
Around the Nation
IMG Academies diving into high school football, seven-on-seven - Andy Staples - SI.com
If this doesn't scream NCAA investigation, I don't know what does. While the NCAA can't regulate recruits until they join college or these 7-on-7 football camps ran by sports agencies, they could crack down on the amount of exposure college coaches and recruiting coordinators have to these camps. The thing about these campus is that they are extremely costly (to the tune of $60-$100 a year). That's more expensive that most colleges! The article doesn't explain exactly where that money comes from (they cite parents) but I wouldn't put it past boosters at some universities to pay this kid's way through these camps if it meant that hey might commit to their school.