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Wake-Up Call: All about the Cincinnati Bearcats

Flagler Palm Coast High's Mardy Gilyard is one of seven Florida prep players on Cincinnati’s roster.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 13, 2009

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

The No. 8-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats (5-0) roll into Raymond James Stadium for Thursday night's game against the No. 21 University of South Florida Bulls (5-0).

Yes, the game is huge.

But what do we really know about the Bearcats?

Here's our primer, a baker's dozen list of fun facts about the University of Cincinnati's football program:

• For the first time since 1951, Cincinnati (No. 8) is ranked ahead of Ohio State (No. 9) in The Associated Press poll.

• The two reigning championship head coaches in the NFL and major college football have ties to the Bearcats. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was a Cincinnati assistant when Tony Dungy hired him for his Bucs' staff in 2001. University of Florida coach Urban Meyer played for the Bearcats.

• Sid Gillman, who went 50-13-1 as Cincinnati's head coach in the late 1940s and early 1950s, parlayed his success into a position with the NFL, where he became known as the father of the modern passing game.

• Other interesting former Cincinnati assistants: Leeman Bennett, John Harbaugh, Dick MacPherson, Don Nehlen and Ron Zook.

• Cincinnati senior wide receiver Mardy Gilyard, a potential first-team All-American, attended Flagler Palm Coast High School in Bunnell. He's one of seven Florida prep players on Cincinnati's roster.

• The Bearcats began playing football in 1885. With a victory at USF on Thursday night, Cincinnati's all-time football record would be 541-541-51.

• The Bearcats have had just two first-round NFL draft choices in the program's history – quarterback Greg Cook (fifth overall to Bengals in 1969) and defensive tackle Bob Bell (21st overall to Lions in 1971).

• Cook still holds the Bearcats' single-game passing record. Cook passed for 554 yards (35 of 56, four touchdowns) in a 1968 game against Ohio University.

• Jim O'Brien set a school record (still standing) with 142 points scored in 1968. Two seasons later, he kicked the game-winning field goal for the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V.

• Only one former Bearcat – cornerback Blue Adams (2005-06) – has played in a regular-season game with the Bucs.

• Reggie Taylor (4,242 career yards from 1983-86), Cincinnati's all-time leading rusher, was in training camp with the Bucs in 1986, but did not make the team. Taylor wound up with the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions.

• In 1923, Cincinnati's Jimmy Nippert sustained a wound in the season-ending game with Miami (Ohio). He died a month later of blood poisoning. Nippert's grandfather, James Gamble, donated the money to finish construction on Cincinnati's stadium. In 1924, Nippert Stadium was dedicated.

• Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles were unbeaten and ranked No. 6 nationally when they came to Cincinnati in 1979. Entering the fourth quarter, it was Cincinnati 21, FSU 6. Final score: FSU 26, Cincinnati 21. It was Bowden's greatest fourth-quarter comeback – until 1994, when the Seminoles put up four touchdowns in the fourth quarter, forging a 31-31 tie with the Florida Gators.

Lullen scores first TD

University of Albany sophomore wide receiver John Lullen (Gaither) scored his first career touchdown in Saturday's 55-10 victory against Duquesne. On the final play of the first half, Lullen caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Vinny Esposito, who lofted a pass to the back of the end zone as time expired.

This season, Lullen has eight receptions for 90 yards.

Piurowski's FSU career is over

Florida State University senior tight end Caz Piurowski (Land O'Lakes) suffered a season-ending knee injury in Saturday night's game against Georgia Tech. FSU director of sports medicine Randy Oravetz said Piurowski has torn knee ligaments.

Piurowski finished his career with 33 receptions for 377 yards and three touchdowns.

He already has 13 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns – setting single-season career records in each category.

He was injured while blocking on Jermaine Thomas' 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Piurowski is a second-generation Seminole. His father, Paul, was an FSU linebacker.

Mitchell out for the season

Buffalo Bills middle linebacker Kawika Mitchell (USF) is out for the season with a knee injury suffered in Sunday's 6-3 loss against the Cleveland Browns. Mitchell was injured in the second quarter. While trying to make a tackle, his knee was hit by two Cleveland players.

Mitchell is a defensive co-captain with Paul Posluszny, who is still recovering from a broken forearm suffered in the opening week.

UT women ranked nationally

The University of Tampa women's basketball team has the first national ranking in program history.

The Spartans are No. 17, according to the Women's Division II Bulletin.

The Spartans return four starters from last season's 26-6 team – including senior Tiara Cook (Gulf) and junior Gianna Messina (Academy of the Holy Names).

UT opens at Palm Beach Atlantic on Nov. 17.

Ellingson shines at FIU

Florida International University wide receiver Greg Ellingson (Robinson) had five catches for 132 yards and one touchdown against Western Kentucky on Saturday. He's second on the team with 19 catches for 311 yards and three touchdowns.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to Bucs wide receiver Michael Clayton, who has probably had happier weeks after his Sunday pass-receiving struggles in Philadelphia. Today, Clayton turns 27.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Monday's trivia question:

Former Jefferson High School wide receiver Torrance Small scored 33 career NFL touchdowns, the second-most by an ex-Dragon player. Former Jefferson running back Rick Casares scored 60 career NFL touchdowns (mostly with the Chicago Bears).

Tuesday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

After the University of Tampa dropped its football program in 1975, what Spartan linebacker transferred to the University of Cincinnati and became a first-team All-American there?

Check for the answer in Wednesday's Wake-Up Call.

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