Cincinnati Bearcats Football: 5 Game-Changing Seniors for 2011

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/69974...s-for-2011

Solid list. I'd probably replace DJ Woods with Dom Battle.

No doubt about the offensive line comment in the Zach paragraph. When someone as elusive as Zach gets sacked 30 times, that's a huge problem. You can almost count the entire OL as the game-changer we need, to be the difference between < 0.500, and an 8-4 type season. You can have all the DJs, Peads and Zachs you want, but they do no good without someone paving the way for them.

The 2nd year in a row the 2 deep on the o-line is god awful. Guys are now in the pipeline at least.

(05-15-2011 01:11 PM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  Solid list. I'd probably replace DJ Woods with Dom Battle.

Seriously? Battle has been thoroughly unimpressive to me so far. I know DJ battled the fumble bug last year, but the guy is a playmaker.

(05-15-2011 05:31 PM)bearcatjim Wrote:  

(05-15-2011 01:11 PM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  Solid list. I'd probably replace DJ Woods with Dom Battle.

Seriously? Battle has been thoroughly unimpressive to me so far. I know DJ battled the fumble bug last year, but the guy is a playmaker.

Between a senior at CB and a senior at WR, I'd say the more important position for the Bearcats in 2011 is CB. This isn't a knock on DJ, but IMO it's more important for UC next season for Battle to play extremely well than for DJ.

DJ didn't battle the fumble bug, DJ was completely smitten by the fumble bug.

(05-15-2011 05:36 PM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  

(05-15-2011 05:31 PM)bearcatjim Wrote:  

(05-15-2011 01:11 PM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  Solid list. I'd probably replace DJ Woods with Dom Battle.

Seriously? Battle has been thoroughly unimpressive to me so far. I know DJ battled the fumble bug last year, but the guy is a playmaker.

Between a senior at CB and a senior at WR, I'd say the more important position for the Bearcats in 2011 is CB. This isn't a knock on DJ, but IMO it's more important for UC next season for Battle to play extremely well than for DJ.

I won't argue with you there at all. I'm just saying it's far more likely that DJ is a difference maker for this team than Battle.

That said, I agree, if Battle is a stand-out this year, that would bode really well for the success of this team.

I kinda wish DJ wouldn't play on special teams, he seemed stretched too thin last year. With Williams, and maybe Teague or Abernathy, we could get them involved with the return game. DJ has great straight line speed, but rarely is he elusive.

Yeah, I'd like to see Teague get a shot on special teams right away at least returning kicks. I'm not as concerned with who returns punts as long as they never drop one.

(05-16-2011 08:15 AM)Racinejake Wrote:  Yeah, I'd like to see Teague get a shot on special teams right away at least returning kicks. I'm not as concerned with who returns punts as long as they never drop one.

And don't try to field it so close to their goal line.

(05-15-2011 11:49 PM)faNATIc Wrote:  I kinda wish DJ wouldn't play on special teams, he seemed stretched too thin last year. With Williams, and maybe Teague or Abernathy, we could get them involved with the return game. DJ has great straight line speed, but rarely is he elusive.

Couldn't agree with you more here. Teague in particular should line up next to Williams on KR and be his back up on PR.

The Oline is easily the worst coached and recruited position IMO. The recruiting at that position has been terrible for at least the last 4 years.

I like to think the problems up front are being addressed but so far they've only signed 5 offensive lineman in the last 2 classes combined. Unless they sign at least 5 offensive lineman in this class that position is going to have major problems for the next 3-4 years as well.