Pittsburgh Panthers vs Cincinnati Bearcats Football Preview

The Cincinnati Bearcats feel more and more like their old selves every week. After failing to reach the postseason on the heels of back to back Big East titles, the Bearcats are back at the head of the class in 2011. Cincinnati is 6-1, headed back to the postseason, and controls its own destiny in the Big East. Butch Jones is quietly doing one of the best coaching jobs in the country and has a chance to send Cincinnati back to a BCS bowl for the third time in four years. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, has struggled to pick up the new offensive and defensive schemes of new head coach Todd Graham, and at 4-4 still have the toughest teams on its schedule left to play. Beginning this week with Cincinnati, an injury plagued squad will try and salvage a disappointing season.

For Pittsburgh, Todd Graham’s vaunted “high octane” offense has simply never arrived. The Panthers’ offensive line has never been settled or steady in the new system and has been crippled by injuries. In addition to struggling up front, the Panthers lead the nation in sacks allowed because quarterback Tino Sunseri simply doesn’t get rid of the ball fast enough for the coaches liking. The offense’s only reliable weapon up to this point has been star tailback Ray Graham who was averaging 120 yards per game on the ground. That is, until Graham was lost for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Now the running duties will fall to Zach Brown, a senior who transferred in from Wisconsin to play one more year. The Panthers offense will need a completely different look with the loss of Graham and that means more responsibility on the shoulders of Sunseri.

Under Brian Kelly, Cincinnati won with offense, particularly by throwing the ball almost at will. Under Butch Jones, the Bearcats are much more physical up front, and run the ball far more effectively than they throw it. Both tailback Isaiah Pead and quarterback Zach Collaros are running threats and make the Bearcats’ offense extremely difficult to defend. When they do go to the air, receivers Kembrell Thompkins and DJ Woods give Collaros a pair of reliable targets. Defensively, the Bearcats’ front four are as good as any in the conference. Being so stout of up front leaves linebacker JK Schaffer plenty of room to roam and make tackles in space. The defense is also a ball-hawking machine, ranking only behind Rutgers in forcing turnovers. With a Pitt offense limping in and struggling to pick up a new system, the defense should tee off and cause Sunseri and company a lot of trouble.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer