http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/i...p-practice

Cincinnati needs to develop depth across a wide variety of positions come fall. So coach Butch Jones is considering changing up the way his team practices in order to help get players more reps.

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Cincinnati head coach Butch Jones is exploring ways to get his players more repetitions in practice.Essentially, Jones is thinking about dividing his team into two groups and having each practice on their own. So Group A would go for two hours in the early morning, and then Group B would go for two hours once Group A finished. Each player goes through one practice, and that maximizes the number of reps.

The big downside is that the system is a big strain on the coaches, who have to conduct four hours worth of practices rather than two. But Jones said he has seen several other schools use this method to get players more practice time.

"Maybe if you divide your team up, now all of a sudden everybody is getting the same amount of reps," Jones said in a recent interview. "They’re getting first-string quality reps. That’s what we need. The mother of all learning is repetition, so that’s what we’re looking for."

Several positions more than others could use that repetition:

Backup quarterback: Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen are the prime contenders to be the No. 2 player behind Zach Collaros, following the transfer of Chazz Anderson. Legaux and Luallen need all the reps they can get, so splitting them up could pay huge dividends considering Collaros needs a bulk of the reps to prepare for the season.

Kicker: Another big question mark here with the loss of Jake Rogers. Tony Miliano is the only kicker on the roster, and he was pushed this spring by punter Pat O'Donnell and receiver Danny Milligan. Jones said three more players will be brought into fall camp to compete for the starting job.

Linebacker: Walter Stewart is listed as a starter at defensive end and strongside linebacker. The reason -- not enough depth at the position to fill in all the roster spots. Incoming freshmen Dwight Jackson and Nick Temple are going to be thrown into the mix right away. Stewart is scheduled to play defensive end full time.

Receiver: Jones wants to see more out of junior college transfer Kenbrell Thompkins, who was slowed with a hamstring problem in the spring. Thompkins is at full go right now. He also wants more development out of Shaq Washington, Anthony McClung and incoming freshmen Alex Chisum and Chris Moore.

Running back: Getting good depth behind Isaiah Pead is a big key. Jones is looking forward to giving reps to incoming freshmen Ralph David Abernathy, Jameel Poteat and Akise Teague.

Offensive line: Jones wants to get a good rotation going with his offensive linemen, so spreading out reps will certainly help. Right guard is still up in the air.

"It’s a great challenge for the coaches because you’re out there for four or five hours, but when you look at the repetitions it brings to the development of your football team, for us and where we’re at, that merits further exploration, which is what we’re doing," Jones said.

whatever they need to do to get better quick.

I just don't see a great year in football again guys.....too many question marks. Hope I'm wrong but making a bowl....any bowl this year will probably have to be good enough in the expectations department.

UC is good enough for a bowl game and maybe more. Remember this is the Big East we are talking about where there isn't a team or program that can just show up and win the conference every year. I see 7 to 9 wins this season. 4-1 outside of conference and 3 to 5 wins inside. Good enough for a middle of the pack finish and bowl game. Offense should be good, defense better than last year but they still should have some ugly moments. UC returns to its pre-BK years when the program would win about 7 games a year with a few down seasons spread in.

Non-conference wins:
AP
Akron
Miami
NC State

Conference Wins:
U of L
Syracuse
Rutgers
UConn

(06-04-2011 08:56 AM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  Non-conference wins:
AP
Akron
Miami
NC State

Conference Wins:
U of L
Syracuse
Rutgers
UConn

Great optimism. AP and Akron are the only 'guaranteed' wins this season. At Miami and NC State at home is a coin flip at best. Didn't beat Syracuse at home last year, and they are much better in the Carrier Dome. Maybe a win at Rutgers, maybe vs. UofL, and maybe the last game of the year if the players haven't quit on the season.

5-7 looks to be, unfortunately, in this team's future.

Rag, your points are generally well-taken, but have you seen how many players SU and UL have to replace? Miami is starting over with a new HC, as are Pitt and UConn.

My "WAG":

AP - Win (99% sure, I never say 100%)
UT - Loss (90%) Basically, UT's passing game vs. our pass defense is potentially disastrous. Otherwise, I would like our chances a little more.
Akron - Win (99%)
NC State - Win (55%) People talk about, "They'll miss Russell Wilson," but remember how badly the crap-kicked us on BOTH sides of the ball? Still, the Nip is a tough venue.
Miami - Win (80%) We're recently getting the upper hand in the series, and I don't expect it to change.
Louisville - Win (75%) The lose A LOT of offense; loss would severely disappoint.
(BE didn't do us any favors for the next three; will probably be the top three)
USF - Loss (75%) As Rag said, couldn't even beat them at home, and that team from last year will be largely intact.
Pitt - Loss (60%) A little better chance than USF.
WVU - Loss (75%) Home game becomes near-neutral.
At Rutgers - Win (65%) IMO, Shiano's stock is tumbling, but they're always talented.
At Syracuse - Win (55%) As I said, SU loses a lot of players.
UConn - Win (80%) They never win in Cincinnati, and their total offense (Todman) is gone.

So, that adds up to about 7-5, statistically.

AP/Tenn/Akron/NCST: 3-1

Miami/UofL/USF/Pitt: 2-2

WVU/Rutgers/Syr/UConn: 1-3

6-6 (3-4 roughly)

(06-05-2011 09:42 AM)CD11 Wrote:  AP/Tenn/Akron/NCST: 3-1

Miami/UofL/USF/Pitt: 2-2

WVU/Rutgers/Syr/UConn: 1-3

6-6 (3-4 roughly)

Agreed completely.

Just my opinion but I think some are underselling uc. I think 8 wins is definitely achievable.

(06-05-2011 02:30 PM)50Cent Wrote:  Just my opinion but I think some are underselling uc. I think 8 wins is definitely achievable.

I agree with caveat that I personally think it all comes down to oline and would adjust my prediction based on seeing the unit in action. Hate to be a broken record but I think oline play is more important than safety or LB or any other position group. If oline does spectacular we can hit 10 wins, if average I think 8, if playing below average 6 or less wins. BK's 12-0 team had a defense that was undersized, lacking in talent compared to other BCS teams, and suffering from severe depth issues. We won shootouts against UConn and Illinois with our defense literally hanging by a thread. If our oline plays well, the sky is the limit for this offense (despite some unsolved issues at WR the talent is there). Our defense will still have talent and depth issues but will be better in both areas this year than last. I think 8 wins is not a stretch if (and its big "if") the oline stays healthy and plays well the whole season.

(06-05-2011 01:52 PM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  

(06-05-2011 09:42 AM)CD11 Wrote:  AP/Tenn/Akron/NCST: 3-1

Miami/UofL/USF/Pitt: 2-2

WVU/Rutgers/Syr/UConn: 1-3

6-6 (3-4 roughly)

Agreed completely.

Agreed...or even 5-7

Folks that look at the roster objectively will be coming in around 6-6.

(06-05-2011 07:48 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Folks that look at the roster objectively will be coming in around 6-6.

We're not the only team in the Bigeast with roster issues which I why I think well be closer to 8 than 6

The Big East isn't that good and the non-conference schedule is easier. Even the Vols can beat because they are still pretty down compared to where they used to be. I am not saying UC is great but that the level of teams they play is just so-so.

(06-05-2011 08:48 PM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  The Big East isn't that good and the non-conference schedule is easier. Even the Vols can beat because they are still pretty down compared to where they used to be. I am not saying UC is great but that the level of teams they play is just so-so.

Agreed. That's what makes UC's fall so disheartening.

(06-05-2011 08:05 PM)chicago bearcat Wrote:  We're not the only team in the Bigeast with roster issues which I why I think well be closer to 8 than 6

That's my thinking... but, to Rath's point... I started at 8, and now I'm at 7... so I guess I'm reading his and Rag's too much

(06-05-2011 11:21 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(06-05-2011 08:05 PM)chicago bearcat Wrote:  We're not the only team in the Bigeast with roster issues which I why I think well be closer to 8 than 6

That's my thinking... but, to Rath's point... I started at 8, and now I'm at 7... so I guess I'm reading his and Rag's too much

As allways BJ ..Sound thinking. I'll put an 8 win season on the play of the O-line, and the defensive backfield. Those two areas are of the most concern. Without good play, and a healthy year we will be lucky to get 6 wins. Hoping that Pead stays healthy as well. Offense rides his back big time! I am excited to see what Poteat, and Abernathy do in camp? It's time for the Defense to stand up this year. Another year of the same will equal an awfully dismal season in 2011.

(06-05-2011 08:05 PM)chicago bearcat Wrote:  

(06-05-2011 07:48 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Folks that look at the roster objectively will be coming in around 6-6.

We're not the only team in the Bigeast with roster issues which I why I think well be closer to 8 than 6

My thinking is along the same lines as yours, chicago. We might have some holes here and there but the overall talent level in the Big East isn't that strong in my opinion. No one has recruited at a major level in this conference a la USC, Florida, Texas, etc. to where you know that a team is just loaded from 1 to 85 with talented players. The 'top' recruiting teams in this conference the last few years are barely cracking the top 30 in the recruiting rankings.

In this conference, it all comes down to coaching and execution. Frankly, we didn't show well in either category last year. I'm hoping that last year was what it was. We have holes on our team but so does every single one of the teams we play next year. A team like Syracuse doesn't have near the talent that we do and you'll see us beat out Syracuse for a recruit 9 times out of 10. But when they out-execute us and we hand them the ball repeatedly, you get an outcome like we had against them last year. Fixing the turnover problem alone I believe gets us to a bowl game and middle of the pack in the conference.

And when TCU comes in for 2012 they are going to have more talent and better coaching than anyone in this conference so things will not get any easier.

Pretty much every team in the BE this off season has had turmoil in the coaching staff and/or big losses from graduation, with the exception of UC and USF. This team will probably go as far as the interior of the offensive line and the lack of injuries allows them.

(06-06-2011 10:53 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Pretty much every team in the BE this off season has had turmoil in the coaching staff and/or big losses from graduation, with the exception of UC and USF. This team will probably go as far as the interior of the offensive line and the lack of injuries allows them.

Also, WVU may have another added dimension to their Morgantown soap opera. Who knows what that storyline might be come September.