Your Cincinnati Military Bowl preview!

  #82 R.P.I. Virginia Tech vs. #25 R.P.I. Cincinnati:

Today’s word of the day is…  porringer

Do the Eye(s) have… it?

por·rin·ger /ˈpôrənjər/
noun HISTORICAL, genome: old-French
noun: porringer;

  1. a small bowl, typically with a handle, used for soup, stew, or similar dishes.
  2. (Cookery) a small dish, often with a handle, for soup, porridge, etc.
  3. from Old French potager, from potage ‘contents of a pot.’
  4. The NC2A post-season or bowling 2018 A.D.
  5. Tho’ who bowls who over, come 4 pm NYE?
  6. Read on, to find… out!

Cincinnati Head Coach: Lucas Joseph Fickell: age=45, (20-17 overall and 14-10 at Cincinnati); has a rep’ defense, defensive-lines, mo’ defense, fitness and S&C,
for Special-Teams play and for big-time recruiting.
$2,300,000.oo

Grappler Fickell started his playing career at DeSales High School, where he was a two-time first-team all-Ohio Dt as well as a three-time state champion in wrestling. After redshirting for the Buckeyes in 1992, Fickell was a standout defensive player, making a school-record 50 consecutive starts at the Ng position from 1993 to 1996. In his freshman year, he lined up next to Dan Wilkinson. Despite having a torn pectoral muscle, Fickell started the 1997 Rose Bowl, making two tackles in the Buckeyes victory over Arizona State. After graduating from Ohio State in 1997, Fickell signed as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). After tearing the A.c.l. in his knee, he spent the remainder of the season on the injured reserve list and was later released by the team.

This might be a legit (southpaw) coaching up-n-comer.

After a brief Ng stint in the NFL, Fickell fulfilled a childhood dream by joining the Ohio State Buckeyes coaching staff as a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes in 1999 under his former coach, John Cooper. In 2000, Fickell was hired by the University of Akron as the defensive line coach. After two seasons with the Zips, he returned to Ohio State in 2002, this time as the special team’s coordinator under second-year head coach, Jim Tressel. In 2004, Fickell took over as the linebackers coach, adding the title co-defensive coordinator to his responsibilities in 2005. In 2010, he was named Assistant Coach of the Year by the AFCA, joining a list of Buckeyes coaches to be recognized by the association that also includes Carroll Widdoes, Woody Hayes, Earle Bruce, and Jim Tressel.

Fickell was promoted to assistant head coach, then became interim head coach during Jim Tressel’s five-game suspension to open the 2011 season. However, on May 30, 2011, Tressel resigned amid an NCAA investigation and Fickell was appointed to the position of head coach. After an underwhelming 6–6 regular season, on November 28, Fickell’s stint as head coach ended with the hiring of Urban Meyer. He coached the Buckeyes one last time in the 2012 Gator Bowl against Meyer’s old team, the Florida Gators.

On January 15, 2012, Fickell was introduced as Meyer’s co-defensive coordinator.

On December 10, 2016, Fickell was named as the 39th head coach of the University of Cincinnati, taking the place of the resigning Tommy Tuberville. Fickell led the Bearcats to a 4-8 record in 2017 before leading a turnaround of the program with a 10-2 regular season finish in the 2018 season and was named the American Athletic Conference’s Coach of the Year. A.A.C.

Luke Fickell and his wife, Amy (Goecke), who has a physical therapy degree from Ohio State, have six children — five sons and one daughter — including two sets of twin boys.

Cincy 2017 record:  4 up 8 down and 2-6 in the American Athletic Conference

Cincinnati Defense: (starters back=7)

  • 8th in Total D.
  • 7th vs. the run.
  • 24th vs. the throw.
  • 11th in passing efficiency D.
  • 2nd best in 1st down D!
  • 4th in 3rd down D.
  • 2nd in 4th down D!
  • 28th in Red Zone D.
  • 38th in Qb’s sacked.
  • 57th in Tackles for a Loss (TFL) inflicted.
  • 16th in defensive TD’s! (three).
  • 6th in opportunity rate and 40th in stuff rate.
  • 18th in Havoc overall.
  • 2nd in overall efficiency!
  • 1st best in lowest passing completion percentage allowed (47.3%)!!!
  • 32nd in S&P+ D.
  • 8th in dLine Havoc. 6′2″, 282 lb., third-year Dt Cortez Broughton is about as C.Wiles twitchy as they come and he’s as good a Dt as we will see all year long. As an absurd 54% of his stops have been behind opposing LOS (line-of-scrimmage) be that on sacks or TFL (tackles for a loss). Great for a staggering 107 yards inflicted in reverse! Cincy also enjoys 2 near all-conference quality De talents. With De Kimoni Fitz prolly being the alpha-dog bookend on edge. Although perfectly pear-shaped and totally downhill looking De (Marquise Copeland) may want a word or three with that. Finally, I’ve never seen this many passes-broken-up or passes-defended for this many downlinemen before (∑=22). Either the Cincy scorer is very phantom triple-double friendly or Cincy has more zone-blitz than anyone else does, and they do industrialize a lotta zone-blitz. Tons of experience works here, as even in the 3-4, they have 16 years worth of starters up front and over 2 decades when they out-shift forty-three. And unlike some girls… tipping does count here as Cincy will reach for a deflect bat a pass around; (tho’ Ry’ has a nice pump-fake, might wanna “Go” on the keeper to help settle these vertically defending jumpy parachutists right on down).
  • 64th in Linebacking Havoc. Ex-Ss, now Will-Lb, Perry Young (no Moir era hooping relation) was ‘posed to be the star here, though stars need to be out there in order to shine and he has nearly missed the final ⅓ of 2018 with an A.c.l. injury (St.Nikon Bless). Relatively speaking, and in lieu of Perry, this is the least good level of the ‘nati’s D. The edge Lb’s are small, like lowercase Whip small as nobody north of 210 lbs. balls here! And this unit is missing last year’s conference-leading tackler and Mike-Lb, Jaylyin Minor in a major way. This is a reasonable midway layer, however, it is surely the third layer in a race of three.
  • 43rd in Secondary Havoc. 51st in passes pilfered, as Cincy will play the ball at times though this is not a suffocating chokepoint ball >>> man look either. James Wiggins leads Cincy in picks (3) and he’s an all-conference caliber Fs. He also leads the Bearcat halt-unit in efficiency by a far and away at a very impressive +34.6%. That’s pretty close to a Sunday Bengal level ¢incy effort folks. The Cincy secondary conspires to combine for a phenomenal 111 passes broken-up or defended, or just south of 200% more than Bearcat opponents enjoyed. Again; not sure how this is being scored— or if Cincy is due for a few bouns interceptions at that level of coverage downfield? As they did finish underwater with a seldom seen 1.7 in turnover luck. And this bears out, per the ‘cats being 123rd in explosive plays allowed on Lo.FM’s. And Eye did see Cincy get beat on a number of pretty well-covered throws. Some days you get the bull some days you get the… horns. And I will add that Safety play is more talented than edge play was. As the edges (Cb’s) were extremely inexperienced coming into 2018. Throw, to the boundary(s), accordingly… and this is a taller than average secondary to boot.
  • Cincy has allowed a nutty 60 miscellaneous yards on the year ¿ whatever that means…

    30 set… see the blitz cheater?
  • D overall: In the realm of I’ve never ever seen this one before… nine; that’s (9) different Bearcats have between 43 and 53 stops accrued on the year. Or in other words -and borrowing on basketball- this is a football “help” defense in every sense of the word. As this is a pure scraping, swarming, flowing to the ball, gang-tackling set —what with their mere 109th ranking in defensive solo-stops. As this is a defense that has more star power up front, some star power in the hind-4/5 and basically middleocre or very centrist type guys in the second layer (i.e. linebacking). i.e. a polar D that is better at the bow and stern than it is amidships. Film Study: Cincy shows a lotta variable to semi-variable man looks on edge with combinations and/or Fs playing centerfielder or Tampa-1’s behind that. They will press-man on the Sam or boundary side. With a little looser man version wide or Will side. Though it’s a press man if it ain’t a jam-man as nothing flaccid balls coverage wise here. Cincy will attack with pre-snap blitzing – a chance for offsides infraction exists on the runny-go here | “On two on two, readdddyy, break!“- and on delayed red-dogs from their 2nd-layer as well. They are exotic and will cross, loop, X-stunt, whatever. Jack is not a dull, boy. Jack will also deal the Nickle or Slot-Wr defender on the wide-side. They will also (seemingly) stack the Slot guy pre-snap and elevator blitz either coverage man off of him just the same. Some of the Centerfielder looks were a little late on help as he backpedals immediately to negate the HR passing or plain too shallow when he did move forward. Lb’s live in the hook-zone when they do not blitz, they are very Qb run-support keying/needy to boot. And throw-game susceptible to upfield rushing movements from the Qb accordingly. The Bearcats will go jam-man coverage across in the redzone and live and die off of 1 on 1’s. Did see a little forty-three with an Lb with his hand in the dirt; although not much as this is a base 3-4, mostly; with a De/third-OLb hybrid they call a: “Jack”.
  • ∑ (summary): Cincy’s top-6 dLine tacklers and the top-7 secondary tacklers all 2017, returned. So it is pretty easy to see what’s what here. Though Perry Young’s knee wrenching really monkey-wrenched the Bearcat middle layer. The front-3 (sometimes 4) is disruptive, and their run-fits are G.N.C. or really strong. The secondary is almost very good, and Linebacking is solid. Nevertheless, having Perry out there makes this D great. He’s a Good To Great or Coach Collins type difference maker. That reality typed… make no misQ, this is still a very good Cincy halt-unit overall. And they are a mini-me version of the initial late 1990’s Bud Böck. As you do not get many downs -be that grounded or airwaves downs- whereby you only catch the front-3 (sometimes front-4) in the mouf. They are coming for you. Typically in 5’s or 6’s or even 7’s. So there are vacant areas behind all this Blitzkrieg activity. If you can only breach their initial onslaught. A deeper dropping Roger Staubach type 1970’s Willis (to buy more time | and he does have the arm for this) comes to mind to hit slightly deeper politically incorrect Slants and the skinniest posts downfield. Middle screening, Fb/H-back flies into those blitz vacated areas to boot. Though this is a fistic set. Cincy’s schematically a phone booth type in the pocket puncher; not a boxer. As bellicose of a bunch as we will see all year— as you do not wanna catch fire vs. this gunning for you stop-unit set on a short or normalized workweek. So the extra prep’ time is real live a one-time bonus for the Fu’fense that Cincy’s D has not seen all year long.

Defensive letter-grade:

Cincinnati Offense: (returning starters=5)

  • 25th in Total O.
  • 16th in ground O.
  • 75th in aerial O.
  • 45th in passing efficiency.
  • 36th in 3rd down O.
  • 8th in 3rd down O.
  • Though 104th in Red Zone O. (go fig’).
  • Although 125th in fumbling (14)!
  • 57th in sacks allowed | 37th in TFL allowed.
  • 44th in overall efficiency.
  • 37th best in stuff-rate allowed.
  • And a curious 74th in S&P+ O.

    Cincy base O: spread-gun, with 3-wide and H-back look.
  • O overall:  5′11″, 218 lb., sophomoric, Rb1 Michael Warren II and freshmanic, Qb1 Desmond Ridder  6′4″, 212 lb., are a two-headed rushing monsta and they could very well cow Bud Lyte into living under the troll-bridge or pay the price in the tollbooth indeed.  Rb1 Warren II was only 25th in total yardage, in the nation! I’d say that counts and so does his 1,163 on the ground, great for a whopping 17 majors (TD’s). Now mix in a teamwide 5th best 22 catches and you almost have a Fu’fensive dream-back on your hands. Though Michael runs with the ball very high in-stride. gotta be an opp’ to pop that bad-boy loose from beneath. And he only had a crazy looking three, that’s (3), 2,000+ rushing seasons scholastically. Epic for only 7,619 career high school rushing yards which ranks no. 5 all-time in Ohio and his 105 TDs are only 6th best over in the Buckeye state! That and Warren II was only Mister Football Ohio and he only has one H.S. bling with three other Ohio player of the year awards in addition to all of that. Although his 4Q numbers are close to half of any other quarter… so finishing hutzpah is questionable here. As he’s had about every leg ding you can name this year, hip, hammie, and knee… and he is probable (shoulder: may St.Christopher bless) for this bowl and yet he needed to take the season finale, off. Qb1 Ridder went for 2,359 passing on 63% with a nearly nifty 4:1 passing ratio to the great. That from a mere rookie r-Fr., Qb folks who has not been picked since before Oct. 31st mind yah! That from a first-year starting Qb1 who benched the former Qb1 who was on course to become a 10,000 yard career passer (Mr. Moore)! That from a Qb1 who looks like he could easily find a home for 5-10 mo’ lbs. of right-mass who only had four games north of a shiny 188 pt. passer rating and a seminal game of a virtually perfect and downright stellar hot like Sol (our Sun’s name), 356.3 passer rating! i.e. if we catch the hawt-hawt-hawt Buster Poindexter version of Desmond Ridder and we are doneski indeed. Although Mister Ridder also rode into town on two 42% passing games and then two more 54% passing games and that more modest version of Ridder does afford us a lifeline indeed. That and the fact that he needs to learn how to ball on the road as his completion percentage away from the ‘nati plunged by 14.3%! Ditto his Qb rating which got humped by a whopping 74 points in your house!  However, then he only went for 563 on the ground and five more scores there to boot. And frankly, his high school numbers were nice, sometimes good, and yet never great. Helluva a recruiting ** (2-star) find by the Bearcat staff from a kid on a rebuilt right-knee (St.Nikon bless). Additionally, rookie year voter Tavion Thomas gives Cincy a 6′2″, 239 lb. bulling virtual 500-yard change-of-pace if they want it. Segueing to the in the receivers/Te’s… 6′, 193 lb., final year, speedster Wr Kahlil Lewis is the best grab-game guy here and he’s pretty decent even if the catch-corps is the second-lieutenant to some major run-game talent(s). 55 snags for 768 catching and 9 majors does not suck. Neither does a career-long 79-yard carry as this kid is a threat on the jet-sweep and on the reverse. As Kahlil will graduate football with over 200 receptions and over 2,000 yards receiving in Bearcat terms— and he got better all year then got hot, late. Not half bad work from a kid who was a 2-guard recruit in hoops in high school if you can collegiately get it. Te Josiah Deguara is a real overload in the Slot (39 grabs nearly 500 yards and 6 majors). The oLine is a bit better on their run-shapes than they were in the passing-cup; although pass blocking is pretty close to being a reasonable C+ overall. As only one baller that fence-posts south of 314 lbs. lives here, no underclassmen live here even though only two 2017 starters returned. As this is a good oLine, with good-size, and a pretty well misQ free mechanically masterclass oLine in textbook terms. Left-G and C are your bell-cows blockers as the interior is superior to the exterior. Odd-side or left-G Trout’s the only lineman with a higher than low-three-star recruiting ranking per 247. i.e. that’s coaching folks, the verb.
  • ∑ (summary): Flim Study: This is a modest to mid-range passing set overall. It has a few short, screening and long elements to it, although it is more of an east-west stretch from short range to about 8-15 yards downfield than it is anything else. As only two completions north of 38 yards live here; even though Wr, Rashad Medaris (17.3 ypg) is the one burner who might want a vertical-stretch word with all of that. And Cincy will attack deep on Lo.FM’s. They don’t take a metric ton of deep shots although their deeps shots are long-shots, indeed. The ‘nati O does a real sweet job of fulcrum or scheming people/places on the field open. Be that clearing routing or crossing/rubbing that some might say is picking. Very Scot Loeffler looking tho’ not as far downfield. Cincy will throw to the last releasing or late developing guy once things do open up and clear out— however, they have to protect for an additional “one-Mississippi” in order to do so. There is motion pre-snap and a few play-actions here. Cincy even motions in(ward) into tight or bunch formations including motioning into two boxmen or wide side H-backs offset side-by-side. And yet then they run short-side away from all that pre-snap-commotion. Wild! Lotta turn/shield looks here as well. And the ‘nati oLine is pretty cagey at such in establishing their run-fits. They also fold well to the second layer and convoy downfield which you do not see in the modern era. This is not an IHOP pancaking oLine, although it is technically proficient and they pretty solid in Euclidean or sealing terms. There are Wildcat looks in the red-zone from Cincy. Ridder has a quick compact release, and he’s effortless wrist-flick type thrower on an easy 40-50 in the air. Works the angular short game and screening sets pretty dang well. Need to get at him early and not let is arm start feeling groovy as his feets (+Warren’s) will trouble us enough as is. Tho’ Ridder did suffer a few mesh-point ills on play-action and/or R.P.O.’s. Ridder also misses behind or short or on sailing on America’s Cup overthrows of the intended peeps during latent or pressurized throws. Like he comes up too soon and gets a case of the passing… bends. Accordingly, there is a chance to jump the ball inside-out in coverage. Ridder did not offer a lot of pass-rush resistance. He does not take a boxing dive or anything like that; even if he goes down easily enough. i.e. a finesse or style points kid who is not very physical. There are also a few wildcat and pistol +field position or red-zone looks to see. This is a very very very speedy play-calling set. Bud Lyte substitutions in-drive will be limited or nonexistent. Bud may wanna ask Fu’ for one TO (timeout) per Q of play when rest or refreshment is needed. As you had better be in elite cardio-pulmonary shape to ball vs. Cincy. And pre-snap defensive flashing and baiting will only put you outta position here. i.e. there is not enough time to reach your correct placement when Cincy’s Indy type tempo cranks it up.
  • 62% run:pass 38% mix.

Offensive letter-grade:

Bearcat Special Teams: (1 returns)

Cincinnati is 2nd best in Net Punting and so is towering P, James Smith. James is only a 6′6″, 235 lb., second-year Paul Hogan rivaling star in the making and Aussie Rules football and Wangaratta, Australia both wish they had he and his bionic leg, back. Not to mention the “down under” accent and the Kirk Douglas style cleft-chin. Seriously wimminz species members… this is the one you wanna soak, not just; cougar. As James is yet another prodigy kicker from: Prokick Australia. Eye know this as I’ve typed that out numerous times in the last few years… and if Coach Buzz has an N.A.F.T.A., Bob-n-Doug Canadian Great White North recruiter? Coach James might wanna go be our Prokick Australia recruiter. That might just be ‘best, indeed. They say James Smith was a mainstay star in the making for the Australian Football squad Wangaratta Rovers. As he really is a Te/De with punt game blast. The whispers say he has a howitzer 75-yard-weaponizing-leg. He has never had a punt blocked; this special-teams looking Lebron James has a handful of stops one of which was a big-lick. He has faked a punter (keeper) and he’s a Pro’. The only question is on which continent and therefore in which version of föötball? And do mind the CCW or Koufax kick here as this kid is a lefty, that reverses your punt-block aim point -which is 6-n-a-½-feet higher in the first place- and that brings muffed punts into play on that awkward/handcuffing reverse counterclockwise spin. And oh yes, there is a punt-shift overload look here, very punt-side or “Lucy” or “Riddell” for L or R side overload coverages respectively. Very WWII type kicking. Ain’t seen this one in a decade, or seven.

  • 107th in Punt Returns | 99th in KO returns.
  • 23rd in punt coverage | 104th and in suicide-squad. (there is room here).
  • Cincy has blocked 2 kicks (and tallied one Safety) and allowed 2 kicks to be blocked.
  • Cincy has blocked 1 punt and allowed 0 punts to be blocked.
  • 40th in Offensive field-position  | 50th in Defensive field-position.

Nugget year or rookie K, Cole Smith is not having a good season; and in point of fact, you have to wonder who he has photogs of at this point in the season? Cole is a 5′10″, 188 lb., t-Fresh. kicker who has five, that’s (5) more makes on the year than you and I do, combined. As 41% overall with two P.A.T. misses in addition to that makes for nine total misses this campaign. Further, Cole Smith has a long make of 44 yards and he has not made an FGA since before the close of October business. This all from the no.8 K in last years national recruiting class per 247sports. Go fig’ on that… and he does have a high school long make of 59 yards although Smitty has yet to attempt a college FG-try beyond 49 yards. So do expect some short punts in lieu of long-FGA’s, here. As poor Cole Smith ranks last in S&P+ FG kicking for all of D-1. (tho’ Mister C.Smith fundraises for about whatever you can name as this kid never met a charity he would not support. So good on him on that!)

Special Teams letter-grade: Cincy got a 76th overall S&P+ special-teams efficience marker and that’s really due to having the Ray Guy, guy on campus at P. The Cincy special-team(s) units are actually south of that. So I’ll go for a C letter-grade in summary.

Unit Rankings:

  1. Cincy D.
  2. Cincy O.
  3. VT O.
  4. VT D.

X-factor(s):

  • motive: Hard to say… VeeTee is playing for a hidden 26-year win-streak continuance, and yet Cincy is a growing football program that needs breeding room in the bearcat den. EDGE=push.
  • weather: IF/when wet… and it looks like it will be… this favors the better front lines. Both of which just so happen to belong to Cincy and this won’t help the Fu’fensess newly found Ry’ Willis throw-game 1ι (one iota); either. EDGE=the ‘nati, noticeably.

    Naval weather indeed.
  • health/off-field: both teams should have some bumps-n-bruises hammered out and gone 1st, 2nd and 3rd-aid by now. However, Cincy is dinged up at Rb and yet their injury report is a brutal 550% smaller than ours and size does count, here. EDGE=the ‘nati!
  • penalties: Only 9 teams did more yellow-laundry than Cincy did and that gives the Spartan Bootcamp Hilgirth culture a neat hidden-yardage advantage here. Cincy is a little mouthy on tape— maybe even a little mo’ than that. EDGE=Tech.
  • intangibles: 8th best in TOP (time of possession) is a Cincy bugbear and possibly a beartrap for a thin looking Bud Lyte come quarter no.4. EDGE=the ‘nati.
  • fatigue: Cincy is actually +7 on rests, though hopefully, that matters nil on a Bowl break. EDGE=push.
  • BONUS bowl bullet point: last year 73% of the Cincy roster was… underclassmen. i.e. Cincy is just now coming into their maturing/precocious, own.

Upsetting Cincy as a nearly TD underdog is all about... what???

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of Bearcats who could start @Tech=14

the takeaway:

The takeaway here is… this is a pretty dang good Cincinnati football team folks.

Go ahead and put that “another Marshall” nonsense to sleep right now or Eye will lullaby it for you. As we herded those 3o4 Jay.Vee dips on a soggy, soddy, sloppy looking Worsham Field fog-bank yawning early kick’ with a lotta fan cleverly disguised as empty seats. As we outgained less than overwhelming SOS (strength of schedule) Marshall by precisely 6′ (six feet) on an inertially/emotionally dampened day.

Allow me to assure you, that’s sooooo, not gonna be the case here gents. Cincy is comig to war. Marshall went Tolstoy  War and Peace.

Cincy is a young, upstart, feisty squad “on the come” as the Brit’s say or on the build. As their star pieces are all junior year ballers or less and that makes this a potential gatecrashing B.C.S. bowl or longshot quad-playoff 2019 football club. Though there I go again, putting the cart out in front of the horse…

Still yet, as you can see at the above right… there is no real consensus as to how much or how badly the Bearcats will pussyfoot or Pussy Riot the Hokiebird here. Although technically speaking, there is total textbook face validity in measurement terms regarding who will win here. As everyone one everywhere is picking Cincy as far as my roaming Eye can see. The Cognoscenti are off their rocker? Or when ten men tell you’re drunk you had better lie, down?

permutations:

  1. Δ1=50% Cincy messes VT up. As the Bearcats are up a most impressive: +79 pts. in the 2Q, they are up +59 pts. in the 3Q and they are up +50 pts. in the 4Q of play. Or in other words… Cincy will RUTS on your arse when they can. And if Ry’ has a bad-hair throw-game or a sudden cold-passing snap? Do not die of shock if our Oct./Nov. fugly margins resurface here again on the last day of December.
  2. Δ2=20% VT wins by a half to full play. Cincy did open the year as the no.89 S&P+ team in the nation and there are a select few who (still) believe that that is closer to who they really are. As Cincy did binge watch a user-friendly 96th toughest SOS (strength of schedule) this season. Ry’ Willis could always blowtorch and get hot like the sun again (just ask “what’s up Doc'”). Cincy also does have a lotta younglings and you have to wonder how well they will handle their first-time bowl-game spotlight national TV showcase date?
  3. Δ3=30% that Fu’ and company out-coach, out penalize, and basically hidden-yardage Cincy to death and push this one onto a single play or plateaued type of game.

the skinny

Per Brandon Patterson… 41% of this Cincy team is either 1st or 2nd-string all-Conference. Think about that folks. I listed 14 Bearcats who would be on the Hokiebird prowl up above, and yet nine of them just beat out not less than 10 other starters -and sometimes 11 other starters- to garner their all-conference accolades. Do you see what I mean?

The Forum Guide would be calling for something, although Early Cancel U did not want that O&M work and well, there you go.

Overall: Cincy is up about +30 in total O yards and a stunning virtual 150 yards better in total D. In most recent three-game trends: the ‘nati O is improved by nearly 30 ypg although the Bearcat D softened by nearly 45 ypg. The Hokie O fell by right at 30 ypg and then Bud Lyte (somehow) managed to improve by just over 30 ypg. The key, however, is that Cincy’s D is still right at 70 ypg better than Bud Lyte and another 70 ypg better on O to close the year and that means the Fu’fense simply must carry the mail and we prolly need some Cincy New Year’s Eve charitability or pigskin philanthropy to steal this one late.

one of my favorite charities…

https://secure.uso.org/?sc=WEBDONATE&show_amount=true

Please support the USO, Military Bowl co-sponsor
help them support our, troop!

the call

high noon 12 pm kick-off!

So, do you recall when my source’s told you that they heard that Bud was focusing on trying to deal with just one opposing offensive component at the end of the year?

Kinda an anti-version of the so-called Jordan Rules (of the late/great coach C.Daly fame; that trapped #23 into focusing on himself and *his* individual rocket-type-numbers, and then you shut down everything/everybody else).

Here we even detailed what Bud Lyte was trying to limit or takeaway late in the season… all of that to say… if this decent to solid passing upstart youngling Qb1 (Ridder) of Cincy gets his throw game on? It will be Jenny (Justin’s, wife), bar the door!

As everyone who is writing about Ry’ this Ry’ that is missing the Pivotal point (C.f.l. for Qb pun intended, “eh”).

This one is indeed all about the Qb1, however, it is about their Qb1. As this version of Bud Lyte can only key or try to limit one guy at a time based upon limited finishing wherewithal. Be that the near 2,000 yards combined rushing from the Cincy Rb(s) in the game at whatever time, or the pretty slick wheels of Qb1 Ridder his ownself. And as history books everywhere already know, even the tastiest draughts of Bud Böck are not individual “You got the Qb” assignment defensive sets via schematic definition or construct. They are single-gap or spill/funnel the ‘ball carrier to the uncovered Hokie defender for individual stopping. This is why rushing Qb’s give Budwiser historic fits, as no individual Hokie halt-baller “has the Qb”.

Now if this Ridder kid has a sharp throw-game day? We are in dire straights folks. If his passing is off and if we can take away the traditional Rb(s) run-fits and at least partially distemper and declaw this Bearcat ground attack, THEN, the warming trend otherwise known as Ryan Willis has a shot to win a pinball-type contest.

***

As I really do view the frontlines of Cincy here as Marshall+++ or more of a thundering herd. They are a bear of a match-up and quite frankly we may need a little Cincy help to win in a shootout as Cincy does pack more wallop than we do in their 2018 A-game best punch.

As Eye for one can see some points going up here… the first one to 25 or maybe even the first team to 30, wins. And that brings the margin of error into play… Cincy has a Rb1, a Rb2, a Rb3 and even an Rb4; they have a Qb1 (and a r-Sr. Qb2 with big career numbers if they need him), a quality Wr1, two Te’s, and a couple of good oLinemen. On O the Fu’fense has a streaky Qb1, a few Wr’s, a nice H-back, a solid power-back, and although not a goat patch upfront, this is not a VT.Ag’.school savvy bell-cow oLine either.  Over on defense, the Bearcat Dt, both De’s, both safeties, and at least one Cb would start at Tech. i.e. you do the maths…

Accordingly, Eye say again, we need a little Cincy help here to keep pace. Not a metric ton, although a favorable O&M bounce or good Gobbler break could do gap narrowing wonders. Then, Fu’ and Bud have an in-game sudden activation shot to outsmart the other side.

As -and this is me be perfectly, candid- we are not (well) positioned to out player them, and as we
all know… palyars… play. Bowlers bowl. And if we are not real careful here gents,
Cincy might just pour this porringer… on us!

(on what could be a downpouring, day)

upset Index=38%

#wimps!

Virginia Tech=26, Cincinatti=36

LETS GO!

HOKIES!

bourbonstreet**

 

 

Happy New Year @TSL.com!!!

7 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Don’t see Ryan and co staying hot in the rain. See me and the Missus stayin cold in the rain…

    1. Yah; #me3.

      That (weather.navy.wet) is what swung me off my toying with picking
      the Hokie upset fence. Which I was considering…

      As that can only help them and their run-game and frontlines.

      b.street

  2. Lord have Mercy somebody got a lump of coal in their stocking and is wearing their favorite Johnny Bench Big Red Machine #5 hard cap. Closet BearKitty fan I could even say. Section 7 hanging in Trump-Town tonight read aloud in disbelief so thought we’d send some insight we’ve seen and predict. Cin-sin-natty got whooped by two teams, both had some speed on the edge and as happens often with Bullies punch em in the nose they normally stop. Stop their running attack by putting spine onto turf^n times in the beginning and they’ll start dancing into that hole. So here’s the skinny: Mike, Backer & Whio report to duty, let’s lets aim for double digit tackles apiece. Be aggressive in blitz and don’t be afraid to plant their QB as well. Physical Hokies win this game.

    Let’s Go…Hokies

      1. natty got whooped by two teams, both had some speed on the edge…

        Can’t say that’s ‘rong.
        I do see you working there…
        Though our edge rushes O.D.U’ed a long time ago.

        Physical Hokies win this game.”

        That’s an interesting thought.
        As they are somewhat finesse oriented. Agryed.
        Though can we? Who do we have on D that really lays the wood?

        Reg’ does every few games, DAX prolly will at some stage, Walker is closest… and after that? I just hope they do not ruin us on our secondary’s tertiary version of tackling. Which is even quadratic of late…
        : (

        bstreet

  3. wow. B street……………… you had too much egg nogg ! your facts were right about C but not Tech who has the while card factor. the O will come town and the D will be there too.

    Hokies 31 Cincy 21

    thank for your right ups this year !

Comments are closed.