Catz' Corner
Joe Glab

Each week, former Bearcat offensive lineman Joe Glab will be sharing his views of the season  with Bearcat football fans. With a no-holds barred approach, look for the gloves to come off in Catz' Corner.

Week 1

One of the big advantages of living in the Midwest is the distinct changing of the seasons. It’s never hard to tell that winter or summer is just around the corner. Of all the changes in the season, however, the most distinct change for Midwesterners is the change to football season. After months of anticipation, and reading just about anything that could possibly give us the slightest glimpse of what the 2008 Bearcat season might entail, we are a few short days away from seeing it with our own eyes.

The 2008 season appears to be the most highly anticipated season for the Bearcats in a few years. For the last two years the fans have come into the season, excited, but also having a good idea of what to expect. With all the new faces and the question marks about filling holes, fans are now more anxious then ever to see how their questions will be answered. For some fans this brings a little more anxiety than normal, but it is common to be anxious about the unknown.

The obvious strength of this year’s team, at least early, will be the offense. Specifically, the OL has been touted as one of the strongest units on the team. Anchored by a couple of all-American candidates and at least 2 others with significant playing experience, it is easy to see why. The impact of the OL cannot be understated. With an experienced QB and WR core and a couple of talented, but inexperienced backs, the OL will be the cog that makes the whole offense go. Their ability to create lanes to run will allow the running game to continue to augment what should be a very strong passing game. It is time for these seniors and multiple year starters to put the offense on their backs. Truth be told, any offensive lineman that is good at their job, wants to carry the offense. My guess is that these guys more than welcome the challenge.

Defensively, the Bearcats have some holes to fill. The front 7 loses 5 starters and other major contributors from a season ago. It is easy to focus on the names that we no longer have, but it all this really means is that it is time for some lesser known names to step up. Most of the starters that were lost 4 years ago didn’t have household names. Their recognition was born from the same opportunities that this year’s group has been given.  The single greatest factor for the Bearcat defense will be the speed of maturation process. How quickly can some of the young guys step up and become the contributors that they are expected to be? How quickly can some of the young players who gained experience last season on defense step into the role of leader and playmaker? The answers to those questions will determine the strength of the defense. Make no mistake, the 2008 Bearcat defense has a lot of tradition to uphold, but we have also been told that these classes that are expected to make the biggest contributions have been some of the best we have ever recruited defensively. Now is the time to transition from talent to ability. Lots of players have the talent to make plays, the key is having the ability.

Random Thoughts

Some people aren’t sure whether they would want to face a team as talented as ACU right out of the gates. While it would be easier to player a lesser opponent in game one, with a lot of new faces, it does help the maturity processes of the players. Nothing speeds up learning more than urgency. The Bearcats better come with a sense of urgency if they want to beat a very talented ACU team. Nothing like getting an early gut check to show you where you need to be.

 With a senior kicker and two able punters, it looks like the kicking game might be making a resurgence at Northwest. It would be a nice weapon if the special teams are as tough as we as Bearcat fans have come to expect. If there is one thing that sets top teams apart it is great special teams play. Often a forgotten or taken for granted, special teams plays generally are the most game-changing plays.