If there’s been one man who has been the most outspoken player for this UC Bearcat football team it was Mardy Gilyard. When the media looks for quotes from a team leader, they get Gilyard. When the players voted on a team MVP, Gilyard came home with the trophy.
Even though he may not be the atypical collegiate football player, Gilyard, the kid from Bunnell, Florida has been a story of perseverance and triumph. When he got to campus in 2005 Head Coach Mark Dantonio put Gilyard on defense. After a shaky early start to his career, Gilyard was kicked off the team and Brian Kelly gave him a second chance.
And did Gilyard ever relish that second chance. He now leads the Bearcats in career touchdown catches with 25. Mardy has snagged 11 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons and been a huge contributor on special teams. After all, it was his kickoff return in Pittsburgh two weeks ago that might have provided the spark that UC needed to overcome a three score deficit.
Gilyard is definitely the voice of the Bearcats, but he isn’t the only ‘Cats player to reign from the Sunshine State. Five others—sophomore defensive back Dominique Battle, redshirt freshman safety Pat Lambert, freshman punter Patrick O’Donnell, redshirt freshman defensive back Quincy Quetant and junior offensive lineman CJ Cobb—also all hail from Florida. All but Quetant, who was injured at Camp Higher Ground and has sat out all season, have seen some action this season for UC.
Often when people think of high school football the talent rich state of Texas comes to mind. Florida and California follow close behind, and while Ohio is a hotbed of talent itself, the state rarely compares to Florida and Texas.
Florida, a national recognized football power, has 38 players on their roster not from Florida. Numerous Gator players come from Texas and Georgia. Florida has the distinct advantage of being able to pluck every great high schooler from the state and leave other good high school recruits for everyone else.
Cincinnati, not quite yet a national powerhouse in football, draws from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Northern Kentucky for most of its talent. 47 non Ohioans play for the Bearcats, but only 23 of those are from outside of Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana. If you take out the ‘Cats from Pennsylvania, Illinois and Iowa the number drops to single digits.
Since Florida is so talent rich schools like Florida can have the finest high schoolers in the state and leave kids who aren’t quite good enough to play at the highest level to teams like Cincinnati. Occasionally they miss a kid like Gilyard who is blazing fast and catches nearly everything thrown his way, and O’Donnell, who, before he injured his leg, was a viable second option at punter for the UC Bearcats.
Don’t look for Gilyard and the rest of the Florida gang to take out their anger on the Gators for not offering them scholarships. They, like the rest of the collegiate world, understand that they may not have been good enough to compete at a place like Florida. But they’re enjoying their ride at Cincinnati.
After all, they’ve done something that the Gators haven’t been able to accomplish this season: win every game. And if they can win one more, the six Bearcats from Florida will be able to tell their grandkids how they defeated their home state’s biggest collegiate team in one of the biggest games in their own program’s history.
Even though he may not be the atypical collegiate football player, Gilyard, the kid from Bunnell, Florida has been a story of perseverance and triumph. When he got to campus in 2005 Head Coach Mark Dantonio put Gilyard on defense. After a shaky early start to his career, Gilyard was kicked off the team and Brian Kelly gave him a second chance.And did Gilyard ever relish that second chance. He now leads the Bearcats in career touchdown catches with 25. Mardy has snagged 11 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons and been a huge contributor on special teams. After all, it was his kickoff return in Pittsburgh two weeks ago that might have provided the spark that UC needed to overcome a three score deficit.
Gilyard is definitely the voice of the Bearcats, but he isn’t the only ‘Cats player to reign from the Sunshine State. Five others—sophomore defensive back Dominique Battle, redshirt freshman safety Pat Lambert, freshman punter Patrick O’Donnell, redshirt freshman defensive back Quincy Quetant and junior offensive lineman CJ Cobb—also all hail from Florida. All but Quetant, who was injured at Camp Higher Ground and has sat out all season, have seen some action this season for UC.Often when people think of high school football the talent rich state of Texas comes to mind. Florida and California follow close behind, and while Ohio is a hotbed of talent itself, the state rarely compares to Florida and Texas.
Florida, a national recognized football power, has 38 players on their roster not from Florida. Numerous Gator players come from Texas and Georgia. Florida has the distinct advantage of being able to pluck every great high schooler from the state and leave other good high school recruits for everyone else.
Cincinnati, not quite yet a national powerhouse in football, draws from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Northern Kentucky for most of its talent. 47 non Ohioans play for the Bearcats, but only 23 of those are from outside of Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana. If you take out the ‘Cats from Pennsylvania, Illinois and Iowa the number drops to single digits.
Since Florida is so talent rich schools like Florida can have the finest high schoolers in the state and leave kids who aren’t quite good enough to play at the highest level to teams like Cincinnati. Occasionally they miss a kid like Gilyard who is blazing fast and catches nearly everything thrown his way, and O’Donnell, who, before he injured his leg, was a viable second option at punter for the UC Bearcats.
Don’t look for Gilyard and the rest of the Florida gang to take out their anger on the Gators for not offering them scholarships. They, like the rest of the collegiate world, understand that they may not have been good enough to compete at a place like Florida. But they’re enjoying their ride at Cincinnati.
After all, they’ve done something that the Gators haven’t been able to accomplish this season: win every game. And if they can win one more, the six Bearcats from Florida will be able to tell their grandkids how they defeated their home state’s biggest collegiate team in one of the biggest games in their own program’s history.
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