Black Dominates UC Spring Game, 37-8

Tye Keith

CINCINNATI — Gino Guidugli threw for a pair of touchdowns and David Harris rushed for two more to lead a five-touchdown second half explosion as the Black Team routed the Red Team, 37-8 in the annual Cincinnati Red-Black Game at Nippert Stadium on Saturday.

Trailing 8-3 at half, Guidugli threw touchdown passes of 58 yards to Jon Olinger and 54 yards to Tye Keith less than a minute apart to open up the game. Guidugli completed seven-of-13 passes for 175 yards and a pair of scores.

On the opening possession of the second half, a roughing the kicker penalty against the Red squad gave the Black team the ball back. Guidugli capitalized by finding a streaking Olinger down the left sideline for an easy touchdown to put the Black team ahead, 10-8.

On the second play of the next possession, Guidugli went the post route again, finding Keith open down the right side to put the Black ahead 17-7. Keith finished with a game-high four catches for 111 yards.

“We couldn’t have picked a better day,” Guidugli said. “Leading up to the scrimmage, the defense was kicking our but all around. Today, the offense stepped up and showed what it can do. Our offense will be alright.”

The defense put the next touchdown on the board for the Black unit when cornerback Jeremy Jackson picked off a George Murray pass on the left sideline and sprinted 68 yards for the touchdown. It was the only defensive touchdown of the afternoon and one of just two turnovers in the game.

Harris, who rushed for 83 yards on 17 carries, took over after that as the Black team used the running game to run the clock.

After John Leonard gained 14 yards down to the 4 on a quarterback bootleg, Harris thundered over the left side for the score.

After the Black defense sacked Red quarterback Billy Faulkner on a fourth down play at the Red 34 yard line, Harris carried four straight times to add his second touchdown. He closed the scoring in the scrimmage by running it over the left side from nine yards out with 2:28 left.

The performance was special to Harris, who has come back from ACL surgery on both knees over the last three years.

The defense dominated the first half.

The Black team got on the board first when Jonathan Ruffin connected on a 35-yard field goal with 5:21 left. It was the only field goal attempt of the afternoon for the All-American, who later added four extra points.

The Red team scored the next eight points, the first coming on a safety when the snap went over Black team punter John Leonard’s head and out of the endzone.

On the next possession, Murray turned in the most dazzling play of the game, running around the backfield to elude defensive end Antwan Peek and throwing a desperation pass downfield. LaDaris Vann went high to take the ball away from a pair of defenders and run it in for a 61-yard touchdown. Vann finished with three catches for 69 yards.

The running game showed promise, even though the top two backs — senior DeMarco McCleskey and junior Tedric Harwell — saw limited action. Harwell, a late scratch with the flu did not play and McCleskey carried just 10 times for 30 yards.

Richard Hall, the Ohio State transfer who will be eligible this fall for the first time,
carried the load for the Red Team, rushing 22 times for 91 yards. Murray finished 4-of-13 passing for 116 yards with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions.

“I had a pretty good day. I was just trying to stay on my track,” Hall said. “This was just a step along the way. The running backs all did a good job. (Coach Minter told us) this is just another phase. This is the end of spring ball, but it doesn’t mean the work is over. We’ve got a lot of work to do before the fall comes.”

The Black Team shined defensively as well, recording seven sacks in the contest, including two each from freshmen Adam Roberts, Donald Germany and A.J. Xhudo and one from Peek. The Red Team finished with four sacks, one each by Mike Wright, Derrick Adams, Tyjuan Hagler and Andre Frazier.

The game marked the end of the annual spring practice season for the Bearcats. UC will not practice as a team until opening fall camp in August. Cincinnati opens the 2002 season at home against TCU on Monday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day).