Six days until graduation

The time is now unbelievably upon us. In less than one week I’ll be able to call myself a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. Until then, I continue the graduation countdown with some moments of unbelievable pride in my school.

Moment 6: “BCS Mania”(December/January 2009 and 2010)

Yesterday I told you of the month of December in 2008, which ended on New Year’s Eve, where I found myself standing on the field that the Florida Marlins, by the strength of Edgar Renteria’s 11th inning hit, won the 1997 World Series on.

From way up in right field, this was my view of the Orange Bowl

I always say that Carrie Underwood was right, “Crazy Dreams do come true.”

Well, that 2008 season led the Cincinnati Bearcats to their first ever BCS Bowl game, a place usually reserved for the biggest names in the sport. I watched the 2006 Orange Bowl that pitted Bobby Bowden and Florida State against Joe Paterno and Penn State just a few years earlier. Cincinnati was not a team that should ever be in a BCS bowl game, but some guy named Brian Kelly was a wizard, and he made it happen.

The Bearcats take the field in Miami. It was certainly an awesome feeling.

Standing in Joe Robbe Stadium that evening was an almost surreal experience. Before we left the hotel that afternoon for the game, myself and my co-workers discussed how we had come to the top of the college football food chain, so to speak, and reached one of the pinnacles of the game.

My how we were wrong.

One year later we found ourselves sitting in the video office with a perfect 12-0 record watching as Colt McCoy scrambled to his right and threw the ball out of bounds in the Big XII title game. No time remained on the clock. We were headed to play in the National Title game.

And then, as you all know, it was deemed that time had not run out, and Texas hit a game-winning field goal to go to the title game, where they lost to Alabama.

Well, we were close at least.

Back to Miami, where although the matchup between Virginia Tech and the UC Bearcats seemed like it would be a close game, nothing ever really clicked for us beyond the first drive. Tony Pike threw four interceptions and we lost 20-7.

Even though we lost, it’s one game that I’ll never forget.

In New Orleans 365 days later things couldn’t have been more different. Kelly had gone to Notre Dame and interim head coach Jeff Quinn was named head man at Buffalo, but he was still around coaching the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl.

That Sugar Bowl will forever be known as the final game for Tim Tebow. And Tebow made the most of it, throwing for 482 yards and three touchdowns. One reporter noted that the game was over by halftime, “30 minutes in which Tebow had already rung up the best statistical outing of his four-year college career.”

Tebow warms up before the Sugar Bowl where he absolutely lit up the UC secondary, leading then-UC defensive coordinator Bob Diaco to cry for mercy at halftime

That game may not have been fun to watch as a UC fan, but I enjoyed watching the team my brother has rooted for his entire life. It was pretty cool to see Albert and Alberta—the Gator mascots—and to hear the Florida band play their “Jaws” theme.

My brother Tony is still jealous when he sees photos like this one

Co-worker Joe Stanek even told me, “Your brother would love this I bet.”

He would have, no doubt, but I loved those two experiences even more. UC’s football program had truly reached the pinnacle of college football, and it was exciting to be wrapped up in those experiences. While we didn’t win either game, it was almost surreal to be at those games. I noted numerous times to friends and family that, “The endzones are painted just like you see them on TV!”

Yeah, I’m a dork. And I love it.

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That was moment No. 6 in the countdown, and tomorrow we check in to the beginning of the top five rundown in the most impactful and important moments in my undergraduate career.

If you’ve missed any of the top ten countdown, check the links below for the run down:

No. 10- http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2011/06/10-days-until-graduation.html

No. 9- http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2011/06/nine-days-until-graduation.html

No. 8- http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2011/06/eight-days-until-graduation.html

No. 7- http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2011/06/one-week-until-graduation.html

Urban Meyer steps down: Is college football life and death?

Much to the dismay of Florida Gator football fans across the country, head coach Urban Meyer announced last week that he’s officially stepping down as head coach of the Gators after their bowl game on Jan. 1.

If this sounds familiar, well, it’s because Meyer did this almost a year ago, just before his team hopped on a plane bound for New Orleans. Before playing his alma mater, Cincinnati, in the Sugar Bowl, Meyer announced he would step away from coaching because of health concerns.

He was back coaching the Gators this year.

Meyer cited health concerns again, according to a recent report by the Gainesville Sun. Former Texas defensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp will be introduced as Florida head coach tomorrow.

Meyer stepping down because of health concerns might surprise some people, but to me, it’s just a case of a guy actually making a good move. Mark Dantonio (former UC head coach) suffered a heart attack after the Michigan State-Notre Dame game in September. A lot of focus was shifted onto the intense amount of pressure to win faced by college coaches each and every week.

So, is college football a matter of life and death? Some may argue that it isn’t.

Bucky Gleason, sports columnist for The Buffalo News, said, “The greater good would be putting Division I football on trial and examining how many other details are ignored in the pursuit of victory and big business. In a perfect world, college football would be a game for amateurs in pursuit of an education. That's how it was years ago, before it became life and death.”

Gleason was referring to the incident that took place in South Bend, Ind. on October 27 of this year. By now I know you’ve heard the story. Notre Dame student Declan Sullivan was killed when the lift he was filming practice in fell over.

Was it necessary to have practice outside? Is it necessary for coaches to risk lives (sometimes their own) to win football games? Urban Meyer decided it wasn’t, and although it might cost him millions of dollars in earnings, you can’t fault him for wanting to be happy and healthy with his family in the future.

So, kudos to Urban Meyer for making a life saving decision. It was smart. Now, if only all of college football was the same way, everyone would be much happier, and much healthier.

Big East football schedules: Week 2

(Coming soon...Fresno State photos)

The college game is known for great in-state rivalry games, and although Jake and I may never see our teams play their biggest in-state rivals (Ohio State for UC, and Penn State for Pittsburgh) on a regular basis, week two for the Big East features two in-state “rivalry” games.

Here’s the week two schedule, and all eight Big East teams are in action.

Week 2 Big East Schedule
Fri., Sept 10- West Virginia at Marshall
Sat., Sept 11-USF at Florida
Sept 11-Syracuse at Washington
Sept 11-Cincinnati vs Indiana State
Sept 11-Connecticut vs Texas Southern
Sept 11-Pittsburgh vs New Hampshire
Sept 11-Louisville vs Eastern Kentucky
Sept. 11-Rutgers at Florida International

AN: Jake, other than the two in-state games, and Syracuse’s travel to Washington, this week pretty much looks like a Big East scrimmage week. Your thoughts on Pitt’s matchup with the UNH Wildcats…

JM: Adam, you know how much I dislike playing 1-AA, I mean FCS, teams especially when that matchup happens after week one. I can deal with a week one scrimmage, as it can help ease the team back into playing competitive football but after then there is nothing to gain. The only thing this game can do is hurt Pitt. They will be expected to win, and if they don’t will be the subject of much hand-wringing and ridicule.

That being said, I see no way Pitt loses to UNH. Not only is UNH an FCS team, they aren’t even one of the best FCS teams. The real drama in this game will be seeing how many points Dion Lewis and crew can put on the board as Pitt will roll in this one. Adam, how bad of a beat-down are the Bearcats going to give the Sycamores?

AN: OK, so I hate to do this, but last year in late August Indiana State lost to Quincy 26-20. One week later Quincy got steamrolled by Southeast Missouri State 72-3. In Brian Kelly’s final home opener as Cincinnati head coach, the Bearcats took SEMO for their own 70 point excursion, defeating the Redhawks 70-3.

My point being, if UC doesn’t beat Indiana State, who only has won one game in three seasons, by at least 50 points, then something is wrong. It’ll basically be a scrimmage for the ‘Cats in Butch Jones’s first home game as head coach of the two-time defending Big East champs.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that it’s also a homecoming game of sorts for Jesse Minter, who coaches defensive backs for the Sycamores. Minter, the son of former UC head coach Rick Minter, was a graduate assistant under Brian Kelly for two years (2007 and 2008) on the defensive side of the ball. And Rick Minter will be coaching at Indiana State as well.

Jake, which game in week two strikes you as a must see?

JM: Country roads, take me home to… The West Virginia Coal Association Friends of Coal Bowl. Trailers and Shanties all throughout West Virginia will be home to folks glued to their black and white television sets and/or transistor radios to follow this recently re-ignited in-state rivalry. West Virginia has dominated the series, going 9-0 all time and should be expected to do the same this year.

The game is in Huntington, at Marshall’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium which could potentially be a problem for the Mountaineers as they leave Morgantown for the first time in 2010. New Marshall head coach Doc Holliday has extensive ties to WVU having graduated from there in 1979 and having spent more than 20 years of his career as a coach there. Maybe in the future Holliday’s squad will have a chance against the Mountaineers, but not this year. Expect WVU to win and win big. Adam, what game has piqued your interest in week two?

AN: Well, as much as I love John Denver’s “Country Roads”, the Citrus State showdown between USF and Florida will quickly test the mettle of Skip Holtz’s USF squad. Florida will have John Brantley IV at quarterback replacing the all-time great Tim Tebow.

Fun news of the day...You can now follow Tim Tebow on Twitter (or you can just stick to following me @adamniemeyer)

USF walked in to Doak Campbell Stadium last year and beat the Florida State Seminoles 17-7, which made the Bulls claim they have made it as one of the “Big 3” in Florida. If USF wants to keep claiming they’ve arrived as a big time Sunshine State program, they’ll need to beat Florida. And if they want to know how likely it is that they’ll defeat the Urban Meyer led Gator squad they should ask their Big East brethren Cincinnati.

Maybe folks remember watching the Sugar Bowl. Or maybe folks turned it off at halftime when the game was all but over with the Gators leading the Bearcats 30-3. Either way, I don’t see USF heading into the Swamp and getting the “W”, unless of course they can find a way to summon Tim Tebow to play for them.

And that’s not happening.

Week two looks to be a rather bland week with more than a few schools taking on cupcake opponents, but football is football, especially in the Big East. Join us for week three of the Big East schedule preview early next week. Thanks for reading as always.

Former Bearcat to coach against ‘Cats in Sugar Bowl

When Urban Meyer played football at the University of Cincinnati less than 2,000 people showed up to see the ‘Cats play. “We were playing Memphis State,” he said when addressing the UC football squad after a spring practice in 2008. “And getting our butts beat.”

This isn’t Urban Meyer’s program anymore. The UC Bearcats will actually head to New Orleans ranked ahead of the Gators, who are considered heavy favorites by many “experts”. But all Meyer has to do is point to his former program, Utah, who beat Alabama in last year’s Sugar Bowl to show his team that anyone can win on any given day.

The kid from Ashtabula, Ohio got drafted by the Atlanta Braves out of high school, and ended up at the University of Cincinnati playing defensive back.

“The one thing I can remember is him saying this used to be a rinky-dink program. That's the only thing I remember,” UC wideout Mardy Gilyard said. “The team knew we weren't a rinky-dink program. That just kind of fueled me.”

But Meyer came away impressed with that version of the Cincinnati Bearcats, who won the 2008 Big East title. “Watching practice, I walked away saying that this was an SEC-caliber team,” he said. He added that he wouldn’t want to play UC. “If your AD calls our AD and wants us to play you guys, I'm telling him, ‘No way. I don't want to play those guys’.”
Strong words from one of the best coaches in the nation, but as I stated last year in October, “What if he has no chance?” Sometimes even my craziest dreams come true, but did Meyer ever think he’d be playing his alma mater in a BCS bowl game? Probably not.

Meyer showing off his ball security skills after winning the National Title last year

Which is why after last season, current Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly traveled to Gainesville and met with Meyer and the Florida staff to share some coaching insights. Both sides shared ideas about offense and even some special teams insight.

“We shared some ideas about some things,” Kelly said. “That's the fraternity of the coaching business. We certainly weren't looking at a matchup with Florida on our regular schedule. We run some similar things offensively. We share some similar ideas in terms of practice.”

When Meyer visited UC back in the spring of 2008 he stood next to Kelly and they chatted. Wouldn’t it have been fantastic to be a fly buzzing around those two offensive masterminds? I know of more than a few people who would love to have been in that situation (and most of them have been beaten by Meyer or Kelly in the past few seasons).

Tim Hinton, UC’s running backs coach, and Meyer met at Ohio State in the late 1980s and have continued a close relationship ever since.
“I had never met Coach (Brian) Kelly and one of their coaches is a very good friend, Tim Hinton,” Meyer said. “I was invited down to practice. Without disrespect to the University of Cincinnati, I didn’t expect what I saw and what I saw was one of the best teams in America practicing and the way their defensive staff was coaching and the way Coach Kelly was directly involved, I remember walking away from that and saying wow. Since then I made it a point and I never miss a game when they were on.”

Perhaps that will help him when he stalks the sidelines in January 1st against his alma mater. Until then, Meyer will think back to that day when he walked away from that spring practice thinking about just how good the UC Bearcats were. They certainly aren’t the same Bearcats he played for in the 1980s. These Bearcats can beat Florida, and that probably scares Meyer just a little bit.

Playing Florida certainly won’t scare the UC Bearcats, who realize that they have an opportunity to do some unbelievable things in this game. Finishing a perfect season, finishing in the top five in the final polls and beating Florida would legitimatize the UC football program as one of the premier programs in all the land. “Who is more recognized as a program in the past five years than Florida?” asked Brian Kelly before he bolted for South Bend.

The answer is no one. Who is a better recognized coach than Urban Meyer over the past five years? With all due respect to Kelly, it’s still probably Urban Meyer. And now Meyer has a chance to see his program play on a national stage. The only problem is it’s against his Florida Gators.

“Nobody’s going to pick us to win that game and we understand that,” said Gilyard. But even if UC wins you’ve gotta think that Urban Meyer would be at least happy to see his program succeeding against the best in the game.

And hopefully we get to see if Meyer can give us that reaction on New Year’s Day.