2007 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati
in the 2007 college football season
. The team, coached by Brian Kelly
, played its home games in Nippert Stadium
, as it has since 1923. This was Kelly's first complete season with the Bearcats, having coached them to a 27–24 win against Western Michigan
in the 2007 International Bowl
.
The 2007 season was a breakthrough for Cincinnati football, as it saw the Bearcats break into the national rankings for the first time since 1954. The Bearcats' highest rank of their 2007 campaign was 15th in the AP Top 25.
Keith Gilmore - Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line
Jeff Quinn - Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
Joe Tresey - Defensive Coordinator
Kerry Coombs - Defensive Backs Coach
Mike Elston - Recruiting/Special Teams/Tight Ends
Greg Forest - Quarterbacks Coach
Tim Hinton - Linebackers Coach
Ernest Jones - Running Backs Coach
Charley Molnar - Wide Receivers Coach
John Widecan - Assistant AD/Football Operations
Brad Bury - Student Assistant
Paul Longo - Strength and Conditioning
Jesse Minter - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Michael Painter - Offensive Staff Intern
Adam Shorter - Offensive Graduate Assistant
Marty Spieler - Defensive Staff Intern
Erin Clayton - Administrative Assistant
Jacob Flint - Assistant Strength Coach
Maria Gruber - Administrative Coordinator
Matt Louis - Administrative Coordinator
John Sells - Video Coordinator
Dustin Grutza, who started in place of the injured UC quarterback Ben Mauk
threw for two scores to lead the Bearcats to a 47-10 win over the Miami RedHawks
. UC defense dominated the game with a fumble
recovery, three interceptions, a blocked punt, and five sacks.
The Cincinnati Bearcats led by Quarterback Ben Mauk
ended Southern Mississippi coach Jeff Bower's 17 year tenure as head coach at Southern Miss in losing fashion, 31-21. Mauk went 30-52 for 334 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Mauk became the 3rd player in Cincinnati history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. His favorite target was Dominick Goodman who caught 7 passes for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns. The defense was led by DeAngelo Smith who had a whopping 3 interceptions. For Southern Miss, Jeremy Young went 18-32 for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns, but 3 interceptions. Damion Fletcher led the team in rushing and receiving, with 155 yards on 29 carries on the ground and 7 catches for 50 yards through the air. Southern Miss jumped to an early 7-0 lead on a 10 yard pass from Young to Shawn Nelson in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, Cincinnati struck back when Mauk threw both touchdown passes to Goodman to end the half. In the 3rd quarter Mauk hooked up with Ernest Jackson for 29 yards and a touchdown to make it 21-7 in favor of the Bearcats. Young then had a 1 yard run with 6:48 to play in the 3rd to make it 21-14. Cincinnati then pulled away when Mauk hit Antwuan Giddens for his last touchdown. A field goal by Jake Rogers made it 31-14 Bearcats, and they never looked back.
Coach of the Year
Terrill Byrd - All-American Defensive Tackle
Kevin Huber - All-America
n Punter
Mike Mickens - All-American Cornerback
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
in the 2007 college football season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
. The team, coached by Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly (coach)
Brian Keith Kelly is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
, played its home games in Nippert Stadium
Nippert Stadium
Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio is the University of Cincinnati's football stadium, home to their Bearcats football team in rudimentary form since 1901, and as a complete stadium since 1924, making it the fourth oldest playing site and fifth oldest stadium in college football.In 1895, the...
, as it has since 1923. This was Kelly's first complete season with the Bearcats, having coached them to a 27–24 win against Western Michigan
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...
in the 2007 International Bowl
2007 International Bowl
The 2007 International Bowl, held on January 6, 2007 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, was one of the college American football bowl games that ended the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game pitted the University of Cincinnati against Western Michigan University...
.
The 2007 season was a breakthrough for Cincinnati football, as it saw the Bearcats break into the national rankings for the first time since 1954. The Bearcats' highest rank of their 2007 campaign was 15th in the AP Top 25.
Schedule
Roster
| (as of 16 October 2007) | ||||
Wide Receivers
Offensive Line
Tight Ends
Fullbacks
|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Defensive Line
|
Linebackers
Defensive Backs
Punters
Kickers
Deep Snapper
|
||
| † Starter at position * Injured; will not play in 2007. | ||||
Coaching staff
Brian Kelly - Head CoachKeith Gilmore - Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line
Jeff Quinn - Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
Joe Tresey - Defensive Coordinator
Kerry Coombs - Defensive Backs Coach
Mike Elston - Recruiting/Special Teams/Tight Ends
Greg Forest - Quarterbacks Coach
Tim Hinton - Linebackers Coach
Ernest Jones - Running Backs Coach
Charley Molnar - Wide Receivers Coach
John Widecan - Assistant AD/Football Operations
Brad Bury - Student Assistant
Paul Longo - Strength and Conditioning
Jesse Minter - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Michael Painter - Offensive Staff Intern
Adam Shorter - Offensive Graduate Assistant
Marty Spieler - Defensive Staff Intern
Erin Clayton - Administrative Assistant
Jacob Flint - Assistant Strength Coach
Maria Gruber - Administrative Coordinator
Matt Louis - Administrative Coordinator
John Sells - Video Coordinator
Southeast Missouri State
The games was the first regular season game for new coach, Brian Kelly. The Bearcats' 59-3 victory was the most lopsided in school history since beating Louisiana-Monroe, then known as Northeast Louisiana, 63-0 in 1977. The Bearcats' 615 yards was the third most in school history.Oregon State
Miami University
Ben Mauk
Gary Benjamin "Ben" Mauk is an American football quarterback who was most recently the quarterback for the Cincinnati Commandos of the Continental Indoor Football League , and with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He completed his college football career in 2007 for...
threw for two scores to lead the Bearcats to a 47-10 win over the Miami RedHawks
Miami RedHawks football
The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
. UC defense dominated the game with a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recovery, three interceptions, a blocked punt, and five sacks.
Marshall
San Diego State
Rutgers
Louisville
Pittsburgh
South Florida
The 31 points scored in the first quarter is a Cincinnati record for most number of points scored in a single quarter.Connecticut
West Virginia
Cincinnati came into the game predicted by some to upset the mountaineers. However, for the majority of the game West Virginia used their punishing ground attack to build a 21-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter. However, after a costly fumble leading to another West Virginia touchdown, the Bearcats rallied. Their defense force two fumbles and a punt by the Mountaineers, and the offense cashed in with two touchdowns. After UC's second touchdown and a failed two-point conversion, West Virginia recovered an onside kick attempt and managed to run out the clock, handing the Bearcats their third loss.Syracuse
PapaJohns.com Bowl
.The Cincinnati Bearcats led by Quarterback Ben Mauk
Ben Mauk
Gary Benjamin "Ben" Mauk is an American football quarterback who was most recently the quarterback for the Cincinnati Commandos of the Continental Indoor Football League , and with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He completed his college football career in 2007 for...
ended Southern Mississippi coach Jeff Bower's 17 year tenure as head coach at Southern Miss in losing fashion, 31-21. Mauk went 30-52 for 334 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Mauk became the 3rd player in Cincinnati history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. His favorite target was Dominick Goodman who caught 7 passes for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns. The defense was led by DeAngelo Smith who had a whopping 3 interceptions. For Southern Miss, Jeremy Young went 18-32 for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns, but 3 interceptions. Damion Fletcher led the team in rushing and receiving, with 155 yards on 29 carries on the ground and 7 catches for 50 yards through the air. Southern Miss jumped to an early 7-0 lead on a 10 yard pass from Young to Shawn Nelson in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, Cincinnati struck back when Mauk threw both touchdown passes to Goodman to end the half. In the 3rd quarter Mauk hooked up with Ernest Jackson for 29 yards and a touchdown to make it 21-7 in favor of the Bearcats. Young then had a 1 yard run with 6:48 to play in the 3rd to make it 21-14. Cincinnati then pulled away when Mauk hit Antwuan Giddens for his last touchdown. A field goal by Jake Rogers made it 31-14 Bearcats, and they never looked back.
Awards
Brian Kelly - Big EastBig East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
Coach of the Year
Terrill Byrd - All-American Defensive Tackle
Kevin Huber - All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n Punter
Mike Mickens - All-American Cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...