University of Cincinnati Bearcats
Pead: UC would beat Ohio State
By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted September 22, 2009 2:16 PM ET
Isaiah Pead knows a little bit about Ohio State. The running back from Columbus' Eastmoor Academy was recruited by the Buckeyes, but instead came to Cincinnati. Not only does the sophomore feel like he made the right choice, on Tuesday he said he felt like he chose the better team.
"If we ever have to strap it on with them, we're going to win it," Pead said of the Buckeyes.
The Bearcats are 14th in the Associate Press poll, one spot behind the Buckeyes. But in the state, the perception is much different than the two schools being equals.
"I think as long as you're in the state of Ohio and you're not looked at as an equal or a partner, you're going to play with a chip on your shoulder," UC head coach Brian Kelly said. "I'm not saying we should be looked at as an equal or a partner, but our players sense and feel that every day by who they talk to, who they see at the mall. (They're asked,) 'did you see the Ohio State-USC game' (But) 'did you see our game?' They're going to carry that, but I'm not going to tell them to change the way they think, because as a coach, I kind of like that role we have."
Pead knows exactly what it means to take on the Buckeyes. At Eastmoor, he broke the school's career rushing mark, surpassing Archie Griffin's school mark. His grandfather, Rodney Sanders, played baseball and football with Griffin as a kid and then against Griffin in high school. While Pead was being recruiting by Ohio State, he had the opportunity to talk to the two-time Heisman Trophy winner.
"He played with Archie Griffin in Little League on the north side of Columbus. When he went to high school, Archie moved to the east side at Eastmoor," Pead said. "He tells me about all his brothers and that his little brother might have been better than Archie. They played their first peewee together. He talked about how they tried to rough him up in the piles. Going to OSU games growing up, Archie would be there and they'd sit down and talk. I'd talk with Archie."
Griffin tried to sell him on Ohio State and so did many other people. On recruiting trips, OSU fans would ask for his autograph, thinking he'd be a Buckeye. Instead, Pead went his own way, found something new. That was UC.
"I wanted to stay close, but I wanted to get away. I liked his situation," Pead said. "Ohio State being an I-formation. Eastmoor was a spread offense, and I liked what (Brian) Kelly was doing. I wanted to stay at home, but I also wanted to try something different. I liked the situation we have. I love the coaches. The OSU coaches were like, 'If you come here, you come here. If you don't, we'll find somebody else.' I felt these coaches cared about you. Coach Hinton was recruiting me since I was a sophomore, and I felt like I knew him on a personal level. I wanted to compete with the best in that nation. That's what made me come here."
Pead has by no means broken out at UC, but he's part of a stable of backs used by the Bearcats to complement the passing attack lead by Tony Pike. Pead has rushed for 138 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns through three games this season. Many places he'd have 30 carries in a game, but that's not the way it is here with Jacoby Ramsey and not many carries to go around.
A year ago, Pead played in seven games and had just 30 carries. This season the load has increased, but there's still a limit to how many carries he'll get.
"With me being a highly-recruited athlete, you want to get on the field," Pead said. "You have to learn to mature. It's not all about you. You have to be a team player and a role player. You have to learn from everything. I did. I learned sitting back and watching John (Goebel) and Jake (Ramsey) and getting my feet wet in games here and there. It was a big learning tool, and I'm thankful I went though it. I see it now. I didn't see it then, but I do now."
And he's still not getting a bulk of the carries, but that goes with the territory.
"You don't know if you're going to come the game wanting to run the ball. You don't know if he wants to get us out in some routes, get us out on some screens," Pead said. "Of course, we'd like the ball 20-25 times a game. But 10-15 all together - not 10-15 per back - when you're name is called, you have to produce. If he wants to be in a pass mode, we'll continue to pass block and run routes. Then, like you've seen at Oregon State, when he wants to close it out, you have to produce."
And that's what the Bearcats are trying to do. Even though they're only three games into the season, on projection from FOX Sports has a team in Ohio taking on the Gators for the BCS title, and it's not the Buckeyes.
"It proves again that you can do it at the University of Cincinnati. I've said from Day 1 that we came here to compete for championships and a national championship and you can now say that with a straight face," Kelly said. "We have a lot of work to get there, but we can put together a product here at the University of Cincinnati that has national relevance."
And maybe even a local one.
Categories: College, Featured Stories, Features, Football, University of Cincinnati Bearcats
Tags: Archie Griffin, Brian Kelly, Buckeyes, Isaiah Pead, Ohio State, UC, UC Bearcats
Comments (14)
I'm an Ohio State nut, so of course I'll be backing the Buckeyes on this one and saying no way. I respect UC and their offense, but Ohio State's defense is way too stout. For 3 1/2 quarters of the game against USC they stopped one of the best RB's in America. Even though Toledo has a terrible defense they did knock off a big 12 team and were cranking out more yards and points than most teams in America against a Big10 and Big 12 team. Ohio State held them to 0 points. UC would not beat this Ohio State team. I'm not sayin Ohio State would beat the 45-0 or that UC sucks, but I am not putting much stock in a guy who would be 5th on the depth chart of Buckeye running backs.
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i don't think you're giving uc enough credit
tony pike is better than any qb they've faced or will face this year. (barkley may be better in a year or two, but not right now).
if the two teams played 10 times, i don't think either team would win more than 6.
and uc stopped one of the best running backs in the nation, too. ask usc about jacquizz rodgers -- and he had one of his worst performances of the year.
and pead may be 5th on osu's depth chart, but remember he's 2nd on uc's, too.
and too bad we won't know -- osu will only play one ohio team a year -- because until very, very recently they've never had a good reason to do so, but things may change if brian kelly sticks around.
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I can see it now...the 2010 Capital One Bowl...OSU versus UC. That is, IF OSU can get through the Big 2 Little 8 and IF UC gets through the Big Beast.
I am a "tweener". I was born and raised on OSU. I was lightly recruited by UC, but the coach at that time (can't remember that far back-1984) wanted me to play a different position (waterboy). I have kept my eye on UC, even through the Penn State drubbings and Hawaii fiascos. I recognize BK's got a ton of talent and UC better enjoy it while he's still here. Coach Sweater Vest had better start reading Woody's memoirs if he's going to be more of a success up there.
Good luck to both teams-at the end of the season, we'll "C" who is better.
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I'm an OSU grad, class of 2007. Hence, I'm a Buckeye homer but I certainly respect Brian Kelly and what he's doing at UC. However, with all of this talk of UC being in the National Championship, lets not get any delusions. OSU has absolutely no reason to legitimize UC. OSU is one of the top five winningest programs of all time. UC's sense of tradition begins and ends with its rivalry with Miami and Gino Guidugli. This isn't Florida and Miami where both teams have a track record. Young boys in the state of Ohio will never dream of putting on the Red and Black; it will always be about the Scarlet and Gray.
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bt25-- Washington did too. Also UC shut down the PAC 10 offensive player of year in 2008===Ore. St.'s RB!
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OSU has absolutely no reason to legitimize UC?? Because you are one of the top 5 winningest programs?? Do you even realize how arrogant and elitist that is?
OSU built their "top 5 winningest program" during a time when they could put 120 kids on scholly (since you just graduated 2 years ago, I figure you probably aren't aware of little facts like this), keeping whomever they wanted from going elsewhere. They also handed out jobs (without requirement of showing up) like candy on Halloween (ask someone your grandfather's age.)
I agree that NC talk regarding UC is a bit premature right now. But OSU's history wouldn't do it any good on the field against UC this year. Your precious TP can't hold a candle to UC's TP, and the Bearcats have more receivers to shred your secondary than they did in 2002 when your last national championship nearly vanished on the banks of the Ohio.
It must be wonderful to be able to hide from competition under the thin veil of history.
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Earliest the Buckeyes would play UC (during the regular season) is Oct 15, 2011. They are playing in 2012 (9/8). Would be a fun game to watch if they meet up in the BCS--there's only a couple of scenarios (wildly improbable and nearly improbable) that would make that happen: National Championship game, which needs a SEC, PAC 10, ACC, and BigXII bloodbath during the reg season, and the Fiesta or Sugar, which would have to have a reason to take two Big 10 teams. That would also need a reg season bloodbath. Other than that, Bearkitties, it will be in '12 with some new MAC coach taking the reigns for the 'Cats.
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That is, the BCS selection committee would need a reason to justify taking two Big 10 teams (assuming Penn State and the Bucks, although scUM might make a compelling story depending on how they fare). I know the 'Cats are in the Big Least.
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How does OSU hide from competition? We have played Texas and USC home/away and have Miami, Va Tech and Oklahoma coming up. OSU also played UC three times under Tressel winning all three of those games. Since Tressel has been at OSU, the Buckeyes have played a lot of Ohio schools that they traditionally haven't. JT appreciates Ohio football and hasn't ducked anyone in the state.
As for Pead. I think the article is slightly disingenuous to imply that Pead chose UC over OSU. Yes, Pead was recruited by OSU but wasn't offered an official visit or scholarship. He's a 3 star #64 RB, which is well below the standard of RBs OSU has been recruiting. The year he was recruited OSU landed 2 higher rated RB's from Ohio and had the #1 RB in the country on the roster. So a local Columbus kid, doesn't get an offer from OSU then later makes a comment about them?, sounds like he feels slighted. Also it's not very brave to make comments about a team you have next to zero chance of playing given the two team's bowl tie-ins.
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I'm not trying to discount UC's success at all, I'm just saying I've heard this from teams before. Notre Dame fans said the same thing the year Ohio State Destroyed them in the Fiesta Bowl. Even though they didn't play, I heard the same stuff from UK fans the year they beat LSU, and I know LSU beat Ohio State in the championship game that year, but UK ended up not ranked. The great teams sustain success and that's what I want to see, will UC be able to make it through whole season or will they have a letdown or 2 or 3 in the big east.
I'm not discounting any success they've had, but I don't think Ohio State is the same as Orgeon State. I also know that UC is not Navy or Toledo, but I'm not convinced they are better than USC or teams Ohio State will be playing down the road like Iowa, Penn State, even Michigan.
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Yes, I'm very well aware of how elitist my comments sound. Do I stand by them? Yes. You'll never have the players or facilities that we have. The whole "little engine that could" theme is cute, but I highly doubt UC will make a mistake like scheduling Oklahoma again. Who does OSU have coming up over the next few seasons? Miami, VA Tech, Cal, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Have your fun in the Big Least, but how about you just leave the big boys alone.
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I'm not willing to rip UC's program, conference, facilities or recruiting. They are sitting in one of the richest cities in terms of high school football talent. So, if they can keep local guys here, they'll have good talent. Ohio State may come in every year and rob a guy away like Devier Posey, and hopefully Jordan Hicks this year, but there is still plenty of talent here in Cincy.
I just think people aren't giving Ohio State enough credit for their talent. Ohio State's QB, may not be a prolific passer yet, but he's one of the best running backs in America. The Ohio State D line rivals many of the great defenses in college football. Their O-line is getting much better as well. I think there is just too much of a talent gap between the teams.
I hear people every year say this team could beat OSU, then they get trounced by another team. Comparing this year to last year isn't always a good way to compare teams, but look at how bad UC played against Oklahoma, and even in the BCS against Va Tech they clearly were overmatched. Ohio State, was a missed tackle from beating Texas. To me, this Ohio State team has more speed and talent than last year's, but has UC improved that much since last year? I don't know.
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Taking the 30,000 ft view--as a Cincinnatian, its wonderful for UC to have huge success. I'd love to see the program there develop into a consistently successful program, competing annually with WVU and Pitt for the BE title. So, I'm not about to disparage UC's success. If a little trash talk (Big Least) gets their fan's feathers in a ruffle, then, well, you ain't ready for the big time.
Long term, however, UC is going to have worse recruiting challenges than Big Ten schools, which already face bigger challenges in recruiting with SEC and potentially Big XII/Pac 10 schools, if I read the lay of the land right. Its not just about school, its about conference, location, and future prospects.
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I'm a big Ohio State fan, but I do root for UC. However, it makes no sense to compare the two programs. Ohio State played in the best attended game in Cincinnati, and UC can't even sell out at their home stadium. UC's a nice program, but they still need a big win after getting trounced by Va Tech. While Ohio State has lost to the Top-5s lately, they still have a pretty good track record.
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