Declawing the 'cats

They scored in bunches. They made big plays on special teams. And most importantly, they stopped the opponent from scoring.\nThe football team used one of its best all-around performances since coach Cam Cameron's arrival to defeat Cincinnati 42-6 Saturday in front of a crowd of 30,075 at Memorial Stadium. The victory improved the Hoosiers record to 1-2, heading into next weekend's Big Ten opener against Iowa.\n"We are two plays from being 2-0 coming into this game," Cameron said. "So we just said 'Hey we are going to do exactly what we have been doing and try to get better.'"\nAll of Cincinnati's points were scored on two Jonathon Ruffin field goals in the first half. Saturday marked the first time since a 23-6 victory against Illinois Nov. 1, 1997, that IU didn't surrender a touchdown. Before to Saturday's game, the Hoosiers were allowing 41 points per contest in 2000.\nCameron and defensive coordinator James Bell inserted 21 different defensive players into the game. Including special teams players, 26 Hoosiers either recorded a tackle or assisted on one.\n"This thing is starting to come around just like I thought it would," senior defensive tackle Paul Mandina said of team defense. "Cincinnati is a really good football team, and we knew we were going to be in for a physical battle. So when you come up and have that kind of score against that caliber of team, it's really rewarding." \nThe offense once again had little trouble putting points on the board. The Hoosiers scored touchdowns on their first four drives. IU is averaging 38 points per game in its three contests.\nUnlike its previous games against Kentucky and North Carolina State, IU managed to carry its offensive momentum into the second half.\n"Well, I just wrote the number three on the blackboard for our offense; we scored three points in the third quarter combined in the first two games," Cameron said. "So, we challenged our offense and defensively kept them out of the end zone."\nIU used a balanced offensive attack, rushing for 299 yards and passing for 221 more. Junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El improved upon what he said he considered a subpar performance last weekend at Kentucky, passing for 214 yards and rushing for 47 against Cincinnati. \nRandle El completed 9-of-16 passes and added three touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air. Senior wide receiver Jerry Dorsey caught three passes for 125 yards. Dorsey caught a 50-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and made a 53-yard reception in the fourth quarter, setting-up another IU score.\nRandle El's lone blunder occurred with less than a minute remaining in the first half when Bearcat free safety Antonio Davis intercepted a pass. The interception was Randle El's first in 33 quarters, dating back to last November's game against Minnesota. \n"I just know how to come out and play my game and not worry about last week," Randle El said. "It took me awhile to get over Kentucky. I just had to regroup and we came out and played well."\nJunior tailback Levron Williams gained 119 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns. One of Williams' touchdowns was on a 7-yard option left play a little more than two minutes into the game. Senior fullback De'Wayne Hogan blockedCincinnati strong safety Gerry Ruff, clearing the path for Williams.\nBearcat senior quarterback Deontey Kenner left the game with an abdominal strain on the first play of the third quarter, which added to Cincinnati's woes. Without Kenner, Cincinnati's offense sputtered, gaining just 121 yards in the half.\nIU free safety senior Johnny Anderson blocked Adam Wulfeck's punt in third quarter and senior running back Glynn Johnson recovered the ball on the Bearcats' 24-yard line. Six plays later, Williams scored on a one-yard run.\nAnderson's block was the Hoosiers first since Nathan Davis blocked one Nov. 23, 1996 against Purdue.\n"We worked on (blocking punts) the whole week," Anderson said. "I just kept believing that we would get one, and we got one"