Hoosiers look to bounce back against Cincinnati

Three weeks, three dangerous offenses and three talented quarterbacks.\nThis isn't the ideal situation for the football team to break in new defensive coordinator James Bell's system. \nIn week one, the Hoosiers faced a North Carolina State offense featuring 18-year-old freshman quarterback Philip Rivers, who played well beyond his years in the Wolfpack's 41-38 victory.\nIn week two, IU fell, 41-34, to a Kentucky team featuring coach Hal Mumme's confusing offensive system and strong-armed freshman quarterback Jared Lorenzen.\nThis weekend things won't get any easier for the Hoosiers (0-2) as they face Cincinnati at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Bearcats' offense is led by senior Deontey Kenner, a 6-foot-2 quarterback with a dangerous arm and scrambling ability.\nMaking the Bearcats even more dangerous is the fact they're a week removed from a narrow 28-25 overtime loss at No. 4 Wisconsin.\n"Cincinnati is as good or better than both the teams we've already played," IU coach Cam Cameron said. "A play here, a play there and they're probably sitting here undefeated and ranked in the top 20 to 25."\nThe Bearcats were on the brink of upsetting Wisconsin in Madison last Saturday. Cincinnati (2-1) led the Badgers, 22-16, with less than 10 minutes remaining and 25-22 after the first possession of overtime. Wisconsin answered Cincinnati kicker Jason Mammarelli's overtime field goal with a 16-yard touchdown run.\n"We had the opportunity to win a road game against the No. 4 ranked team in the country, out of the Big Ten, in a hostile environment and we let it slip away," Cincinnati coach Rick Minter said. "We have no one to blame, but ourselves."\nPrior to the Wisconsin game, the Bearcats defeated Syracuse 12-10 on Mammarelli's last-second, 47-yard field goal.\nJust like the Bearcats, the Hoosiers are also accustomed to playing in close games. Both of IU's defeats almost ended on the final play. Against Kentucky junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El's pass to senior wide receiver Versie Gaddis on a 4th-and-13 play with less than a minute remaining fell just inches short. A week earlier in the loss to N.C. State, senior kicker Andy Payne's last-second field goal was blocked.\n "We know for a fact we are a good team and can be a great team," senior wide receiver Derin Graham said. "It's just a couple of plays that have kept us from being 2-0 right now."\nThere's a good chance Saturday's game could be decided in the final minutes. There's also a good chance both teams will score often.\nIU's defense is yielding 41 points per game. The defense showed signs of improvement last week and 14 of Kentucky's points were a result of IU turnovers. The defense came up big toward the end of the game, stopping Kentucky on three consecutive plays to force a punt late in the fourth quarter.\n"We know we can stop teams," sophomore strong safety Ron Bethel said. "We already got that in our heads. Even when they make big plays we know we can stop them."\nOne difficult task against the Bearcats will be containing Deontey Kenner, who ranks in the top three all-time in almost every Cincinnati passing category. The three-year starter passed for 238 yards against Wisconsin and added 40 more on the ground.\n"I am real happy with our situation on offense," Minter said. "Personnel-wise, our guys get the job done. Deontey Kenner is a winner." \nHelping Kenner on offense are a number of quality skilled position players, including wide receiver Antonio Chatman, fullback Ray Jackson and running back DeMarco McCleskey. Jackson, a Michigan transfer, rushed for 108 yards in the Bearcats 23-17 victory against Army Sept. 4.\n"They've got a good offense and Kenner is an excellent quarterback," Cameron said. "They've got some skill with him."\nIU also has no shortage of skill on offense. The Hoosiers are second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 36 points per game. IU is also third in total yardage, averaging 425.5 yards.\nJust like Kenner, Randle El is a multi-dimensional quarterback. He is second in the Big Ten in total offense, accounting for 273.5 yards per game. He is also seventh in rushing, averaging 71 yards per contest.\n"I believe the key to our defense this week," Minter said, "will be Antwaan Randle El and his containment"