In Brian Kelly’s first two seasons at the helm in Cincinnati he had to worry about who would start at quarterback in his first game. In his third season he’s got his guy coming into preseason camp, and it’s one of college football’s best stories, Tony Pike.
Pike, a 6-foot-5 gunslinger from Reading High School, was told during last season’s fall camp by Kelly that he needed to take football more seriously, or finish school and leave in order to free up a scholarship for the Bearcat program.
He stepped in during the Oklahoma game after starter Dustin Grutza went down with an ankle injury. Two games later Pike rolled to his right against Akron and went down awkwardly on his throwing arm. He was diagnosed with a broken arm, but made it back four weeks later—much faster than first thought.
Pike, a 6-foot-5 gunslinger from Reading High School, was told during last season’s fall camp by Kelly that he needed to take football more seriously, or finish school and leave in order to free up a scholarship for the Bearcat program.
He stepped in during the Oklahoma game after starter Dustin Grutza went down with an ankle injury. Two games later Pike rolled to his right against Akron and went down awkwardly on his throwing arm. He was diagnosed with a broken arm, but made it back four weeks later—much faster than first thought.
Brian Kelly uses a system he’s coined as, “Next Man In,” for all positions on the field. When Grutza went down, Pike stepped in, and when Pike was out two redshirt freshman—Chazz Anderson and Zach Collaros—stepped up to the plate. It was much publicized that UC used five quarterbacks last season, the only Division 1 school to do so.
However, is Kelly ready to put Collaros or Anderson—who will both battle for the #2 job during the next two weeks—in just in case we have a repeat of 2008 on our hands? Well, ESPN.com Big East blogger Brian Bennett answered a question a few weeks back about the back-up situation at UC.
“Hopefully, Pike will stay healthy. But it's hard for any quarterback to make it through a whole season without some sort of injury…” he wrote. “Pike isn't the biggest guy in the world either. I'd say Zach Collaros would get the first crack if something were to happen. He had a strong spring for the Bearcats.”
However, is Kelly ready to put Collaros or Anderson—who will both battle for the #2 job during the next two weeks—in just in case we have a repeat of 2008 on our hands? Well, ESPN.com Big East blogger Brian Bennett answered a question a few weeks back about the back-up situation at UC.
“Hopefully, Pike will stay healthy. But it's hard for any quarterback to make it through a whole season without some sort of injury…” he wrote. “Pike isn't the biggest guy in the world either. I'd say Zach Collaros would get the first crack if something were to happen. He had a strong spring for the Bearcats.”
Anderson subbed for Pike by winning two games in a row, a Friday night game at Marshall and the homecoming game, the Big East opener against Rutgers. Collaros came in to close out the Akron game and subbed for Pike late in the USF game after Pike’s arm began to hurt. Anderson played the second half of the lone Big East loss for UC last year at UConn.I poured over some statistics yesterday evening to see what kind of experience that both Anderson and Collaros got last year. If Pike were to go down the two guys behind him—Collaros and Anderson, the only QB’s on this year’s roster to see any career action beside Pike—have limited experience.
Let’s be honest, Anderson’s role last year was to manage the two games he started and not make any mistakes. Kelly was admittedly less aggressive with his playcalling too. But, it still worked.
Between the two of them they saw almost 190 game snaps. Anderson took nearly 170 of the close to 190 snaps. Brian Kelly is known for what he referred to as his, “Coast to Coast” offense in his first season at UC. He likes to spread it out and run a majority of his plays from the shotgun—as is the trend in most of major college football today. With Collaros and Anderson it was no different. Almost three quarters of the snaps that either took were from the shotgun.
Between the two of them they saw almost 190 game snaps. Anderson took nearly 170 of the close to 190 snaps. Brian Kelly is known for what he referred to as his, “Coast to Coast” offense in his first season at UC. He likes to spread it out and run a majority of his plays from the shotgun—as is the trend in most of major college football today. With Collaros and Anderson it was no different. Almost three quarters of the snaps that either took were from the shotgun.
Of those shotgun plays nearly 70% were passes. Kelly’s offense was tailored to the two youngsters, both of whom were a part of his first recruiting class. When Collaros or Anderson lined up under the center and took direct snaps nearly every time they turned and handed the ball off. There were only two snaps that were taken under center—both by Anderson, both in the Marshall game. Both of those passes from under center were touchdowns.
Maybe if UC needs to go to option number two or three and that option is Anderson, he needs to line up under center and pass the ball. After all, he is perfect in that situation, but I jokingly digress.
Pike took nearly half the snaps last season for the UC Bearcats, but if he goes down this season Kelly will need to rely on his two backups. He made his “Next Man In” theory work to near perfection last season, and I have no doubt that he could make it work this season if need be.
Maybe if UC needs to go to option number two or three and that option is Anderson, he needs to line up under center and pass the ball. After all, he is perfect in that situation, but I jokingly digress.
Pike took nearly half the snaps last season for the UC Bearcats, but if he goes down this season Kelly will need to rely on his two backups. He made his “Next Man In” theory work to near perfection last season, and I have no doubt that he could make it work this season if need be.
Of course the optimal situation is to have Pike stay healthy and use what he learned as a starter last season to make another run at yet another Big East title and BCS bowl berth. The first steps start today when the Bearcats kick off fall camp.
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Today starts one of the busiest periods of the year for myself and the rest of the video staff. I’ll attempt to check in throughout camp and give you a look back at last season. I will not, however, give you much insight into what is happening at camp with players, which is why I’d like to focus on last season.
Some of the things I’d like to talk about (a tentative list)
-Which one of the four running backs at UC will be a good fit for the UC offense?
-At Big East media days Brian Kelly mentioned he’s wanting to run more four wide receiver sets, so what does that mean for the tight ends on the roster?
-The defensive line returns many players who saw significant action in last season’s historic title run. How did they do last season, and what does it mean for this season?
-Will standout sophomore DJ Woods become a standout kick or punt returner?
-How did now sophomore Dominique Battle do last season at cornerback and will that translate to success in year two?
Hopefully there are enough statistics and stories to keep you interested in college football for the upcoming few months. It’s going to be busy, but it should be a fun time too.
-
Today starts one of the busiest periods of the year for myself and the rest of the video staff. I’ll attempt to check in throughout camp and give you a look back at last season. I will not, however, give you much insight into what is happening at camp with players, which is why I’d like to focus on last season.
Some of the things I’d like to talk about (a tentative list)
-Which one of the four running backs at UC will be a good fit for the UC offense?
-At Big East media days Brian Kelly mentioned he’s wanting to run more four wide receiver sets, so what does that mean for the tight ends on the roster?
-The defensive line returns many players who saw significant action in last season’s historic title run. How did they do last season, and what does it mean for this season?
-Will standout sophomore DJ Woods become a standout kick or punt returner?
-How did now sophomore Dominique Battle do last season at cornerback and will that translate to success in year two?
Hopefully there are enough statistics and stories to keep you interested in college football for the upcoming few months. It’s going to be busy, but it should be a fun time too.
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