Down The Drive - Cincinnati Bearcats Head To New Orleans For Halloween ShowdownA Cincinnati Bearcats blog for the moderately intelligenthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48741/downthedrive-fave.png2014-11-01T14:31:58-04:00http://www.downthedrive.com/rss/stream/68450562014-11-01T14:31:58-04:002014-11-01T14:31:58-04:00Gallery; Bearcats Trounce Tulane
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<figcaption>Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The best shots from last night's game.</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/11/1/7143013/gallery-bearcats-trounce-the-green-waveMatt Opper2014-11-01T12:19:38-04:002014-11-01T12:19:38-04:00Bearcats Route Tulane<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EoMU0chv7T0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Highlights from last night's game in the Crescent City</p></p></div>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/11/1/7142585/bearcats-route-tulaneMatt Opper2014-10-31T23:49:46-04:002014-10-31T23:49:46-04:00Bearcats Run All Over Tulane 38-14
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<figcaption>Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Gunner Kiel got the start, threw a pick and Munchie went the distance as the Bearcats dispatched Tulane with ease. There was the requisite third quarter mini hiccup, but the Bearcats weathered that and proceeded to dominate the fourth quarter to put the game away.</p> <p>This was a game that the Bearcats needed to survive more so than make a statement in. UC is obviously ailing in the health department, lots of injuries to the running backs and <span>Gunner Kiel</span> has had his issues. Given all that this was a survive and advance game if ever there was one. The Bearcats did just that.</p>
<p>They were efficient, not something you can usually say about a team that turns the ball over three times,* but that was the Bearcats in a nutshell. They were pretty balanced while the game was in doubt and ended up at 35 rushes, 26 passes. In the end UC averaged 7.9 yards per play, converted 6 of 12 on third downs (1 of 1 on fourth downs) and was basically flawless in the red zone. Down to down consistency was a huge issue for this Bearcats offense (and defense for that matter) early in the year. They are slowly and steadily improving in that regard.</p>
<p><i>* one of those was a <span>Anthony McClung</span> esque terrible decision from <span>Shaq Washington</span> on a botched punt return.</i></p>
<p>The Bearcats have two main questions to ponder as they head into the last bye week of the season, one a macro the other more specific . Can Gunner Kiel get healthy enough to finish the rest of the season. That is no small thing, because he has not played a full game since the Bearcats matched up with the Hurricanes in south beach. It goes without saying that the Bearcats need Gunner as close to 100 percent as possible, and able to finish the game. Sorry Gunner, but you need to be packed in ice and bubble wrap for the next 12 days.</p>
<p>The other question is whether the Bearcats improvements on defense, and they have undoubtedly improved, will be scaleable against better offenses. The best offense left on the schedule is the Pirates of ECU. UC doesn't need to be perfect on defense to beat the Pirates,* they just need to be able to string together a couple of timely stops. A healthy Gunner Kiel with this newly functional running game should be able to keep pace with the Pirates, at least in theory.</p>
<p>* <i>Provided the answer to question one is a yes.</i></p>
<p>All in all this isn't exactly a terrible place for this team to be heading into the final bye given the way the season started.</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/10/31/7141345/cincinnati-bearcats-beat-tulane-38-14Matt Opper2014-10-31T21:38:55-04:002014-10-31T21:38:55-04:00Wardrobe Malfunction<img src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/L0H_MM0MRfqytZ8tv1zeJE8r6_I=/410x410/cdn.vox-cdn.com/fan_shot_images/356866/B1UcezgIQAEFNCi.jpg" />
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>(H/T <a href="https://twitter.com/BearcatsBlog/status/528359847738490880" target="new">Bearcats Blog</a>)</p></p></div>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/10/31/7141175/wardrobe-malfunctionMatt Opper2014-10-31T20:05:37-04:002014-10-31T20:05:37-04:00Bearcats Take The Field<img src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Flvq-2WH2D6HYDbHMg6-_juvFwA=/410x410/cdn.vox-cdn.com/fan_shot_images/356854/B1UG5m9IMAEhjLf.jpg" />
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Go Bearcats</p></p></div>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/10/31/7140987/bearcats-take-the-fieldMatt Opper2014-10-31T18:52:02-04:002014-10-31T18:52:02-04:00Bearcats and Green Wave Game Thread
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>One game is a fluke, two games is random, three makes a trend.</p> <p>By that logic, tonight will be the night if we find out if the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.downthedrive.com/">Cincinnati Bearcats</a> defense actually knows how to line up and play decent football, or if the two game resurgence which the Bearcats have had against SMU and South Florida is merely a product of playing SMU and South Florida.</p>
<p>The Green Wave aren't in possession of an offense that is markedly better than that of the Bulls. They too have a stud freshman running back in <span>Sherman Badie</span> playing behind a big physical offensive line. They also have on going questions at the quarterback position without any answers. They have big weapon at receiver in <span>Justyn Shackleford</span> and little else. If the Bearcats are able to get a handle on the Green Wave offense it could just be that the defense of Hank Hughes is inexplicably rounding the corner from abomination to merely below average.</p>
<p>The question for the offense is simpler, how much does <span>Gunner Kiel</span> play? Gunner has played just one complete game since getting knocked out of the Memphis game at the beginning of the month. The offensive line is solidifying itself into a pretty good group, they found a running back in Mike Boone. UC just needs to get more consistent down to down. That process starts with keeping Gunner Kiel upright and functioning.</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/10/31/7140789/bearcats-and-tulane-set-to-battle-on-halloween-nightMatt Opper2014-10-31T15:13:56-04:002014-10-31T15:13:56-04:00The Bubble Is Out Of Storage<img src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gm94xaSbv69ugpfpTKoBMPT9Q-0=/410x410/cdn.vox-cdn.com/fan_shot_images/356788/B1NPBawCMAAILKM.jpg" />
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>H/T UC Opps</p></p></div>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/10/31/7139897/the-bubble-is-out-of-storageMatt Opper2014-10-31T14:48:02-04:002014-10-31T14:48:02-04:00Tulane's Defensive Backs Will Try To Challenge UC
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<figcaption>Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Most teams this season have run in fear of the Bearcats dangerous receivers and passing game. Opting for the safety of putting numbers behind the ball rather than exposing their defensive backs in man coverage against the Bearcats. That is not how Tulane plays defense.</p> <p>The Green Wave are, first and foremost, a man to man team. Like everyone else in college football they have a multitude of coverage scheme's, but man is where their hart is. Even when they play zone they do so with an aggressive mentality, pressuring receivers at the snap and contesting every throw.</p>
<p>The dangerous nature of the Bearcats receivers has really spooked (pardon that pun) teams out of playing man, or even quarters against the Bearcats. Tulane isn't likely to try to change what they do because of the explosiveness that the Bearcats have on the edge. They will run a lot of man, and a lot of their go to zone schemes, cover 2 and cover 4.* What they run isn't as important as <i>how</i> they run it, with a lot of aggression.</p>
<p><i>* which plays like man on vertical routes that the Bearcats favor</i></p>
<p>The Green Wave defense is built to cover more than it is built to do anything else. They have four really good defensive backs; Cornerback Perry Nickerson and <span>Lorenzo Doss</span>, Safeties Sam Scofield and Darion Monroe. Between the four of them they have 7 interceptions and 5 passes broken up. They will challenge the Bearcats receivers on the vertical routes that <span>Gunner Kiel</span> favors.</p>
<p>Eddie Gran and Darrin Hinshaw probably looked at the film and were giddy because that is the kind of match up that the Bearcats want. UC will take their shots any time they can get <span>Chris Moore</span>, <span>Johnny Holton</span> or <span>Mekale McKay</span> in one on one coverage. Those looks have been few and far between in recent weeks as teams have dropped further, and further back to take away the deep ball, South Florida in particular. That is why <span>Shaq Washington</span> had such a monster game against the Bulls, they conceded the intermediate area of the field in favor defending deep with depth. It didn't work out so well.</p>
<p>Tonight's match up will be an interesting one because it isn't exactly common to have one team's strength on offense in direct competition with the defenses's strength. But that is what we will have tonight, best on best.</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/10/31/7139295/cincinnati-bearcats-tulane-green-wave-gunner-kiel-shaq-washington-lorenzo-dossMatt Opper