Weis’ Dismissal A Matter Of Wins & Losses

By Mark J. Zavodnyik

When Charlie Weis arrived at Notre Dame, he found a program severely lacking in talent, facilities, and direction.

The university and its fans expected the team to compete for national championships, but there was no infrastructure in place to accomplish that goal.

Under Weis, the talent level at Notre Dame has been significantly upgraded. Weis brought a cache that resonated with recruits and made the school a factor in the decision-making process of many of the country’s top players. Weis’ recruiting classes were consistently rated among the top ten by national recruiting services.

Today, the Notre Dame football program is a well-run, modern machine. The talent and facilities have been upgraded. The administration, admissions department and the football program are now on the same page and communicate effectively.

Weis was able to accomplish all of this while running a clean program that finished first in graduation success rate this year.

But in the end, it’s about wins and losses. And nobody knows this more than Weis.

Weis’ first two seasons at Notre Dame were successful. The Irish went 19-6 during that period and played in BCS games following the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Since that time, however, Weis has guided Notre Dame to paltry 16-21 record.

The numbers get worse. Weis was 1-25 against teams finishing in the top 25 of any major poll. In 2007 Weis became the first Notre Dame coach to lose to Navy since 1961. He did not once, but twice.

His 10-15 record from 2007-2008 is the worst two-year period in Notre Dame football history. And the most significant stat: Weis’ record against Southern Cal: 0-5.

After weeks of speculation, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick announced on Monday that Weis had been fired.

"We have great expectations for our football program, and we have not been able to meet those expectations," Swarbrick said. "As an alumnus, Charlie understands those goals and expectations better than most, and he's as disappointed as anyone that we have not achieved the desired results."

With that, a nation of fans begins to continuously refresh message boards, blogs and websites hoping that a kernel of news will spill out of the rumor mill indicating that the next Notre Dame head coach will bring inspiration to the masses. Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops, Bruce Springsteen.

As the next days unfold, and F5 buttons are worn down, a multitude of candidates will be whispered as the savior of Notre Dame football.

“So-and-So just bought a house in South Bend.” Or, “I just heard from my cousin that the Notre Dame plane was spotted on a runway a few miles from Gainesville.”

Whether the next coach is Stoops, Brian Kelly, or Mike Ditka, he will be expected to win quickly. The pieces are in place. Weis put them there.

At his introductory news conference in 2004, Weis said: "You are what you are, folks…and right now you're a 6-5 football team. And guess what? That's just not good enough. That's not good enough for you, and it's certainly not going to be good enough for me."

The record of 6-5 was not good enough when he arrived, and 6-6 is not good enough as he leaves.

Photos Courtesy of Notre Dame Sports Information

Big East Power Rankings & Preview Week 12

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

1. Cincinnati Bearcats 10-0, (6-0): Last week: Won vs. West Virginia 24-21 - Survive and advance. It wasn’t exactly the most impressive victory, but the Bearcats found away to shake off two early turnovers by running the football successfully, and the defense stepping up when it counted. Big days for sophomore running back Isaiah Pead and Andre Revels. Pead rushed for a career-high 175 yards averaging an outstanding 9.7 yards a carry, meanwhile senior linebacker Revels continues to be one of the fiercest tacklers in the conference, he recorded 13 total in the game.

Up next: Idle - Decisions, decisions, decisions. Certainly the offensive playbook can be more diverse with quarterback Zach Collaros in the game because his running ability adds a different dimension. Plus, his threat alone has contributed to recent big games by Bearcat tailbacks. However, Tony Pike looks as if he will be healthy and ready to play in the final two contests. With a week off to think about it, the question remains will head coach Brian Kelly go with the strong-armed Pike, choose Collaros’ duel threat ability or will he dance with the devil and use the two-quarterback system?

2. Pittsburgh 9-1, (5-0): Last Week: Won vs. Notre Dame 27-22 - You may not realize it by looking at the score but Pittsburgh was in control of this game from the start. The defense played a fantastic first half holding Jimmy Clausen and the Irish offense to just field goal. And offensively the stars shined on primetime once again, freshman Dion Lewis rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown and receiver Jonathon Baldwin earned himself Big East Player of the Week honors for his five-catch, 142-yard performance.

Up Next: Idle - Why on a critical third down with timeouts remaining and up only five, is Bill Stull rushing to snap the ball before the play clock runs out rather than using a TO? With a week off it’s not just the players that have to practice, because if they don’t have things all together they can say good-bye to the BCS.

3. West Virginia 7-3, (3-2): Last week: Lost at Cincinnati 24-21 - It was a real tough loss to swallow, a call here, a caught pass there and WVU easily they could have come out victorious. Quarterback Jarrett Brown was efficient completing 68 percent of his passes, and it was great to see a glimpse of what could be a future into Mountaineer football when freshman Ryan Clarke busted loose for a big 37-yard touchdown run. But it’s tough for this team to win when Noel Devine is not 100 percent.

Up next: Idle - An opportunity to get Devine healthy. If he does the junior could add on to his legacy when the Panthers come into town.

4. Rutgers 7-2, (2-2): Last week: Won vs. South Florida 31-0 - Talk about domination. It may be hard to believe but this score could have been worse, the Scarlet Knights could have dropped a 50-spot on the Bulls. The Rutgers defensive line is what anchored the blowout. They recorded seven sacks and six quarterback hurries. Big nights for defensive ends George Johnson and Antonio Lowery. Johnson, who is quietly having a superb senior season, had three tackles for losses and Lowery forced a fumble to go with his three tackles for a loss.

Up Next: at Syracuse - Expect more the same. This young Rutgers team is rolling and there’s not much a dismantled Syracuse squad can do about it. The mismatch lies when the Orange offense is on the field: they’ve given up 25 sacks this season and that number is sure to grow after facing this pass rush. Look for Rutgers' wide outs Mohamed Sanu and Tim Brown to break free once or twice for big scores and solidify the road win. Prediction: Rutgers 29, Syracuse 14

5. South Florida Bulls 6-3, (2-3): Last week: Lost at Rutgers 31-0 - B.J Daniels had his worst game of the season. He only completed 7-of-17 passes, threw two dreadful interceptions and was held to 11 yards rushing. An understandable game from the freshman considering how badly his offensive line protected him. Add three more turnovers and this game got out of reach early.

Up Next: At Louisville - When the Bulls are clicking they look like they could be a serious conference contender, but in their two blowout losses to Pittsburgh and Rutgers they’re offense staggered so badly they played as if they didn’t even deserve to play in a bowl game. Nevertheless, this week has blowout written all over it. The one thing they do consistently well is rush the quarterback, and against a team that has already given up a remarkable 32 sacks a shutout could be in the works. Prediction: South Florida 30, Louisville 10

6.Connecticut 4-5, (1-4): Last week: Idle - The Huskies are still two wins away from becoming bowl eligible, considering they finish the season at home against Syracuse, a win over Notre Dame on the road won’t only be a memorable moment for the program but a leap closer to another post-season.

Up Next: at Notre Dame - It’s not a secret that the Irish like to throw the ball, and Connecticut's pass defense has struggled giving up an average of 232 yards a game through the air. What they can do successfully this week is pound the football. Their line has proved they can win the battle up front and with Jordan Todman running the football the ground game surely can keep the game close. If they win the turnover battle and prevent Golden Tate from making any big plays they should be in it with a chance to come out on top in the fourth quarter. Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Connecticut 17

7. Louisville 4-6, (1-4): Last week: Won vs. Syracuse 10-9 - Trent Guy is the MVP of this football team. Not only did his punt returns give the Cardinals good field possession numerous times during the game but his 36-yard catch was the key play made on the game-winning touchdown drive. It was Josh Chichester who caught the 15-yard touchdown delivered from Adam Froman. The 6-8 sophomore Chichester has size that’s for sure, and is a guy that could be major part of a bounce back Louisville team next year.

Up Next: vs. South Florida - This is not a good match-up for Louisville. Speed is their biggest disadvantage and it just so happens South Florida is one of the fastest teams in the Big East. Keep an eye on freshman Darius Ashley. The Bulls haven’t had a good history facing off against physical running backs. Prediction: South Florida 30, Louisville 10

8. Syracuse 3-7, (0-5): Last week: Lost at Louisville 10-9 - It may be unfair to be too harsh on a team who’s not that good to begin with and is now having to deal with injuries, stars quitting and suspensions. But there’s only one thing this team really knows how to do well...and that’s lose. It seems on a weekly basis only one player has a positive game on offense and that’s running back Delone Carter who rushed for 129 yards. If you watch the Orange then you’d know his numbers would be a whole lot better if he were breaking tackles down field rather then behind the line of scrimmage.

Up Next: vs. Rutgers - This team makes way too many unforced errors for anyone to be confident in them to get a win. Prediction: Rutgers 29, Syracuse 14

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Photos Courtesy of University of Pittsburgh, Tom Ciszak Rutgers Athletics, UConn Athletic Communications

Big East Power Rankings & Preview Week 11

1. Cincinnati Bearcats 9-0, (5-0): Last week: Won vs. Connecticut 47-45 - The offense gained a whopping of 711 yards without Tony Pike. Marshwan Gilyard continues to make a case for conference player of the year. The senior wide receiver grabbed a season high 12-catches for 172 yards.

Up next: vs. West Virginia - Quarterback Zach Collaros will get the nod again as the starting quarterback. Pike remains an option but the offense hasn’t missed a beat without him. Against the fierce rushing attack of West Virginia it will be the defense that needs to step up to remain undefeated. They gave up 201 yards on the ground to the Huskies. The key to the game will be coaching and turnovers-Brian Kelly has always done a fantastic job having his teams ready for big games and Cincinnati leads the conference in interceptions. Don’t be surprised to see Aaron Webster or Drew Frey pick off a a big pass in the red zone to make the difference.

Prediction: Cincinnati 37, West Virginia 33

2. Pittsburgh 8-1, (5-0): Last Week: Won vs. Syracuse 37-10 - An interception returned for a touchdown by linebacker Greg Williams turned what was a close game into a route pretty quickly. Dion Lewis continues his remarkable freshman season rushing for 110 yards, his fourth consecutive 100-plus yard game.

Up Next: vs. Notre Dame - The Irish certainly come into this game with a chip on their shoulder after dropping a home game to Navy and quarterback Jimmy Clausen is likely to have a bounce-back game. Receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd are big play guys that will give the Panther secondary trouble. The difference in the game will be how well Pittsburgh runs the football. If they manage the game well and quarterback Bill Stull doesn’t make any significant mistakes they should be able to out slug the Fighting Irish. Jonathon Baldwin is prime to break out for a big game, he’s already racked up 678 yards this season.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 36, Notre Dame 28

3. South Florida Bulls 6-2, (2-2): Last week: Idle - South Florida has a lot to improve on. The offensive line needs to improve their chemistry, the receivers need to step up and the defense must play better against the run. The talent is there, but can they finish strong?

Up Next: At Rutgers - Winning a Big East title is out of the question but winning games in November will certainly start building momentum for the program and a run next year. Expect pass rushers George Selvie, Jason Pierre-Paul and Craig Marshall to give the Rutgers' freshman quarterback Tom Savage trouble. A match-up to keep an eye on will be the talented receivers of Rutgers like the speedy Tim Brown facing off against safety Nate Allen and cornerback Jerome Murphy. What the Scarlet Knights can do well is stop the run behind their strong front seven. In their losses to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh slow starts resulted in desperate play calling which included too all-or-nothing plays. USF must take advantage of B.J. Daniels' running ability.

Prediction: South Florida 23, Rutgers 14

4. West Virginia 7-2, (3-1): Last week: Won vs. Louisville 17-9 - The game was closer than the experts thought and the Cardinals actually had a chance to tie the game in the final minutes. Defensive lineman Julian Miller recorded three sacks in the game bringing his season total to 8.5 which ranks second in the conference.

Up next: At Cincinnati - Noel Devine is why West Virginia will make this a competitive game. The conference's second leading rusher always steps up when the team needs him. He’s racked up 1,010 yards, averaging 6.0 yards a carry and ten touchdowns. But if they want to pull off the upset they’re going to need more than just Devine’s big runs. If quarterback Jarrett Brown doesn’t play well they will lose, he must keep the mistakes to a minimum.

Prediction: Cincinnati 37, West Virginia 33

5. Rutgers 6-2, (1-2): Last week: Idle - With a week off the offense had a lot to work on as they prepare for the final four games. They rank second to last in the conference in both passing and running, barely better than woeful Syracuse.

Up Next: vs. South Florida - In order to win this football game Rutgers must run the ball down the throats of South Florida. Joe Martinek leads the team with 601 yards and seven touchdowns but hasn’t gained more than 54 yards in three previous conference games. Look for Rutgers to utilize extra practice time to add more looks and wrinkles to their offense. Running backs Jourdan Brooks, freshman De’Antwan Williams and receiver Mohamed Sanu running the wild-cat should all see more action. Wide-receiver Tim Brown is quietly having a fantastic season and he has proven he can make clutch plays. Defensively their number one job is contain the mobile quarterback, linebackers Ryan D’Imperio and Damaso Munoz will be up for the challenge.

Prediction: South Florida 23, Rutgers 14

6.Connecticut 4-5, (1-4): Last week: Lost at Cincinnati 47-45 - It’s true that moral victories don’t get you into bowl games but it’s tough to be critical of the Huskies this week. With all they've been through, to be down on the road and coming back deserves some credit.

Up Next: Idle - A much needed time off to collect their thoughts and prepare for Notre Dame.

7. Louisville 3-6, (0-4): Last week: Lost at West Virginia 17-9 - Emerging as the new lead ball carrier is Darius Ashley. The freshman rushed for 164 yards on 33 carries.

Up Next: vs. Syracuse - This will be the last game of the season in which Louisville is expected to win. Playing against an Orange team that is experiencing turmoil, the Cardinals must minimize their turnovers and execute in the red zone. They should also take advantage of talented wide-outs Doug Beaumont and Scott Long versus a very poor pass defense.

Prediction: Louisville 21, Syracuse 20

8. Syracuse 3-6, (0-4): Last week: Lost at Pittsburgh 37-10 - There wasn’t much that went right in this football game other then very good individual performances. Linebacker Derrell Smith continues to flourish racking up eight total tackles (6.5 sacks this season). The star of the game for Syracuse was Delone Carter who rushed for 144 yards on 17 carriers. It wasn’t a stat padding game either, most of the yards were gained in the first half when the game was still in reach.

Up Next: at Louisville - With their best offensive player Mike Williams having quite the team and their top defensive player Arthur Jones out for the season with a torn lateral meniscus...what does this team have left? This is a critical point for head coach Doug Marrone not to let his football team spiral downwarf even more. In order to win this game Carter must have another fantastic game on the ground.

Prediction: Louisville 21, Syracuse 20
Photos Courtesy of University of Pittsburgh, WVU Sports Communication, Syracuse University Athletics

Big East Power Rankings Week 8

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON

1. Cincinnati Bearcats 6-0, (2-0): Last week: WOn at South Florida 34-17 - Talk about an impressive victory. With their starting quarterback Tony Pike out for the entire second half with a shoulder injury, the offense managed to put up 17 points in the second half and secured a victory on the road. Back-up quarterback Zach Collaros only completed four-of-seven passes, but on a key third and long it was his 75-yard designed run for a touchdown that was the back breaker in the game—an outstanding call to take advantage of the over pursuit of the South Florida blitz. Coaching, advantage Brian Kelly. But what was most impressive about the win was the play of the defense. The big play: on the first play of the second quarter safety Aaron Webster turned the game around with an interception in the red zone that was returned 83 yards to set up a touchdown, at least a ten point swing. Closing Out: In the second half they held the Bulls to three total first downs and forced five three-and-outs. This team seems to have that special element that equates to victories. Some how, some way they get it done. Up Next: vs. Louisville

2. West Virginia 5-1, (1-0): Last week: Win vs. Marshall 24-7 - It took a second half surge to put away their in-state rival, but don’t get down on the Mountaineers. An early injury to quarterback Jarrett Brown caused the offense to get out rhythm. His replacement, freshman Geno Smith was four-of-eight in the first half but didn’t complete a pass over ten yards until midway through the third quarter. His longest pass was a 33-yard touchdown connection with Alric Arnett late in the third. It was Noel Devine leading the way as usual. Up Next: vs. Connecticut

3. Pittsburgh 6-1, (3-0): Last week: Win at Rutgers 24-17 - Another week, another close call. They handed Rutgers several chances to take this game-fumbles on special teams, missed field goals and costly penalties. But the end result was a win. Most of the credit goes to the front seven on the defense and freshman phenom Dion Lewis. The linebacking play was tremendous, Max Gruder is is a star of tomorrow in the Big East. The defensive line was spectacular again, not giving any room for Rutgers' ball carriers to do a thing (38 yards total rushing). However there is a vulnerable spot on this defense. With cornerback Aaron Berry out for the game with a shoulder injury the secondary was ineffective. Lewis is third in the nation in rushing and was clutch last Friday, which included a 58-yard touchdown run was the biggest play of the game. On the Panther’s final drive that melted the clock it was Lewis gaining chunks of yards on all seven touches he had. There’s a lot of promise for this team, they possess enough talent to take the conference but one has to wonder not if, but when will this sloppy play catches up to them. Up Next: vs. South Florida

4. South Florida Bulls 5-1, (1-1): Last week: Lost vs. Cincinnati 17-34 - This defense can put the heat on the quarterback but when it counts, they struggle to stop the run. Cornerback Jerome Murphy had a disappointing game committing two personal foul penalties and was beat more than once on key plays. However, the panic button shouldn’t be pressed just yet, but the way this team has collapsed in seasons past, a win at Pittsburgh is badly needed. The key for the next game and for how successful this team can be this season is the play of freshman quarterback B.J Daniels. Up Next: @ Pittsburgh

5.Connecticut 4-2, (1-1): Last week: Win vs. Louisville 38-25 - It was all about airing it out, well at least for UConn's standards. Quarterback Cody Endres threw for a career-high 273 yards and a touchdown. Not to say the reliable running game wasn't there, Andre Dixon rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns. He’s quietly having a fantastic senior campaign. The story was the defense, perhaps one of the most underrated units in the league. They are an aggressive bunch-forcing four turnovers and some big stops when it mattered most. Up Next: @ West Virginia

6. Rutgers 4-2, (0-2): Last week: Lost vs. Pittsburgh 17-24 - Bad. That’s basically how Rutgers has played in their two Big East games this year, and if wasn’t for Syracuse and Louisville, the Knights wouldn’t be this high. Luckily a gift turnover that led to a touchdown avoided a near touchdown-less game. Not much positives to take from this game. Up Next: @ Army

7. Louisville 2-4, (0-2): Last week: Lost at Connecticut 25-38 - They have one of the worst defenses of any team in the BCS conferences and have already allowed over 30-plus points four times this season. The Cardinals are likely to be visiting the bottom sometime very soon. Up Next: @ Cincinnati

8. Syracuse 2-4, (0-2): Last week: Bye - Can’t move a team up after a bye, but a win against the Akron Zips could get them out of the basement for a week. Two weeks ago Greg Paulus was benched for the second half in the team’s loss to West Virginia. It will be interesting to see how he responds and how the fans react; they will get on the former Duke point gaurd if the Orange fall behind early. Up Next: vs. Akron

Photos Courtesy of University of Pittsburgh, Tom Ciszak Rutgers Athletics

From humble beginnings, WVU, UC coaches now gunning for BCS bid

JOHN RABY
Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Like most major college football coaches, West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez and Cincinnati's Brian Kelly toiled for years on little known campuses.

They built obscure programs brick by brick - Kelly at Grand Valley State and Rodriguez at Glenville State - and eventually earned national recognition.

Two coaches with their own versions of the no-huddle, spread offense can gain an edge for their team in the tight Big East race when No. 5 West Virginia (8-1, 3-1) plays at No. 21 Cincinnati (8-2, 3-2) on Saturday night.

For Kelly, the son of an alderman in Chelsea, Mass., his early calling was in politics.

He once held campaign signs for his father outside polling places, earned a political science degree at Amherst College and worked on former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart's 1984 Massachusetts campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination before football took over.

Kelly joined the staff at Division II Grand Valley State in 1987 and eventually became head coach in 1991, a job he would hold for 13 seasons.

``It taught us how to do our own laundry,'' Kelly said. ``We had to do things on our own. We generally had three or four staff members. Not that we're control freaks or that we micromanage. We definitely have our hands in a lot of things and I think that goes back to our backgrounds and being in Division II football. You had to do all those things.

``I think it's served me well and I think it's served Rich very well.''

The Lakers won back-to-back Division II national titles in 2002-03. Kelly spent three seasons as head coach at Central Michigan before moving on to Cincinnati last December.

Rodriguez was a defensive back at West Virginia in the early 1980s and became the nation's youngest college head coach at age 24 when he was hired at NAIA Salem College in 1988. But Salem dropped football the following summer when it formed a partnership with Japan's Teikyo University.

He was the only candidate with any coaching experience when he was hired in 1990 at Glenville State, where the team had only about 30 players. They got dressed in the locker room and were carpooled several miles to a makeshift practice facility.

``They say necessity is the mother of invention,'' Rodriguez said last month after his 100th career coaching win. ``Not only was it a smaller place, but they were so hungry to just get a first down. They would be happy with anything you did.''

It was there that Rodriguez developed the run-oriented offense that he still sticks with today.

``The first couple of years it was trial and error. After the second year, we said we know what we want and since then it's been evolving,'' he said.

Rodriguez guided the Pioneers to their first West Virginia Conference championship in more than three decades. Glenville State won four league titles from 1993-96 and earned an NAIA runner-up finish in 1993. He was rewarded with the additional duties as athletic director in 1995, the year the school moved to Division II.

Glenville State President Bill Simmons' prediction about Rodriguez was on the mark when in 1996 he said, ``I'm sure sometime within the next five years a major institution will show a great deal of interest in him.''

After assistant coaching stints at Tulane and Clemson under Tommy Bowden, Rodriguez took over at West Virginia in 2001.

Opponents are still trying to figure out Rodriguez's offenses, which annually rank among the top five in the nation in rushing.

``What you are seeing now as opposed to when we were running the spread 10-15 years ago, you are seeing more of a variety of how they are defending it. So offensively you've got to have an answer,'' Rodriguez said. ``The versions and parts of the spread will always be here.

``But those defensive guys are smart, too. So it's ever evolving like it always has been.''

Approaching the end of his first season in the Big East, Kelly's expectations have been met.

``I came in knowing full well that top to bottom you had the most balanced BCS league in the country, and to win a championship you have to go through West Virginia,'' he said.
Courtesy: ncaafootball.com, Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

No. 20 Bearcats play No. 21 Rutgers in Big East game

By TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) - Looking for revenge might not be the best way for No. 21 Rutgers to approach its game with No. 20 Cincinnati.

There is no doubt the Scarlet Knights (3-1) want to avenge an embarrassing loss to the Bearcats a year ago, and to get back on track after being upset by Maryland last weekend and knocked out of the top 10.

However, being too hyped might cause problems against Cincinnati, which is 5-0 for the first time since 1954.

``You want to remember the feeling,'' quarterback Mike Teel said of last year's 30-11 loss that included chants of ``overrated'' by Bearcat fans. ``But you don't want to let it become: 'This is what happened last year, we have to do this, this year.'''

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly wants Rutgers to remember the disappointment it felt a year ago, when its undefeated season and first top 10 ranking came to a sudden end. At the time, the Scarlet Knights were ranked No. 7 and were one of four undefeated teams left in Division 1-A.

``If Rutgers is worrying about last year's game, we're in pretty good shape,'' said Kelly, who has Cincinnati ranked for the first time since 1976.

Using a new no-huddle offense, the Bearcats have outscored opponents 232-53. They posted a 52-23 win over San Diego State last weekend with quarterback Ben Mauk throwing for 257 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bearcats are even better on defense. They lead the nation in turnover margin. Their 13 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries have set up 86 points.

``Were playing probably the hottest team in college football this week,'' Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.

Rutgers was totally outplayed by Maryland in a 34-24 loss. The offense and special teams had three turnovers and the defense allowed the Terps' to gain 458 yards, including 239 yards rushing.

Kelly said that Rutgers' defense is unpredictable.

``They're going to give you a lot of looks, a lot of pressure, try to confuse the quarterback with presnap reads,'' he said. ``They do a very good job keeping you off-balance. So we've got a great challenge, going to have to play better than we have all year.''

For Rutgers to beat Cincinnati, its running game has to improve. The Scarlet Knights were limited to 82 last week. Ray Rice gained 38 yards on his last 15 carries.

The performance brought back memories of Rice's game against Cincinnati last season. He was limited to 54 yards on 18 carries. Teel also struggled that game, throwing four interceptions, including one returned 84 yards for a touchdown.

``Last year is last year,'' Rice said. ``We never try to seek any revenge factor, we're just trying to get better as a team and do the best we can do.''

Mauk said Cincinnati is using the same approach.

``We haven't really talked much at all about last season,'' he said. ``If we think about last season, we're going to get beat.''

Kelly isn't worried about going into a hostile environment. He felt his team could have suffered a letdown in San Diego last week, playing a weaker opponent with Rutgers on the horizon. Instead, his team played well.

``I think after five weeks, we are who we are,'' he said. ``Our kids are going to play hard for four quarters, We're going to minimize our mistakes, and we're going to take the ball away. That's who we are, based on five weeks. I don't see that changing.''

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT Saturday.

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

A CFI EXCLUSIVE: Q/A WITH BRIAN KELLY

Brian Kelly is in his first year as head coach at the University of Cincinnati. He enters this week with a record of 140-51-2, including a MAC Championship last season at Central Michigan, as well as back-to-back National Titles at Division II Grand Valley State in 2002 and 2003.

CFI: Hey Coach. So two games in you’re 2-0 with a pair of impressive victories. Would it be safe to assume you couldn’t be happier?
COACH KELLY: (Laughs) You’re talking to a football coach. We’re happy for about 20 minutes after the game and then we’re back to reality.
CFI: With new schemes being implemented would you say you are ahead of schedule in terms of progress?
COACH KELLY: I’d say that we’re doing some things that I didn’t think we could do this early in the year offensively. Defensively, I expected us to play very well. I think what’s surprised me defensively is how well we’ve taken the ball away.
CFI: How about the negative plays? Five plays and 16 tackles for a loss with 15 different players involved on those negative plays.

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