Gino gets it together

[Apis Bull]

Gino gets it together

By C. Trent Rosecrans

Post staff reporter

Matt Mercer's job is to protect Gino Guidugli.

And Tuesday, that's exactly what the University of Cincinnati offensive guard did.

He was asked to relay an embarrassing or even mildly amusing story about his quarterback.

He wouldn't do it.

"Nothing really happens on the field," Mercer said. "He's good out there."

Receiver Hannibal Thomas wasn't in for any reindeer games, either.

"No, man," Thomas said, laughing.

Neither would say anything bad, nor would any of Guidugli's other teammates who were asked.

A month and a half ago, that would have put them in the minority. Now, a three-game winning streak and one game from becoming bowl eligible, it's not so surprising.

But as bad as it was, and losing to Army was certainly as far from good as you can get, Guidugli was never discouraged.

"He's always confident," Thomas said.

Mercer said during that loss Guidugli never lost his cool. In the huddle, the quarterback was the same being beat down by what was considered the nation's worst team as he was when the Bearcats were stopping Southern Miss' home winning streak.

"He never loses his composure," Mercer  said. "He never yells at anyone. He's always positive, never negative. And he's always competing."

It didn't matter that he -- who was once called the most important recruit in UC football history -- was being called a flop even though he now owns every passing mark in the UC record book; even though only two active college quarterbacks have thrown for more yards than he has (and both in more games).

Some said he not only never lived up to his potential, but as a senior, he wasn't as good as he was a freshman and sophomore.

None of that, Guidugli said, mattered to him.

"What are you going to do?" he said. "Most people don't have a clue.

"A lot of people can sit in the stands and criticize. They don't know if someone runs the wrong route. They don't know what my reads are. You can't worry about those things. You can only worry about what you know and what you do for your team."

UC coach Mark Dantonio knows what Guidugli has done for this team.

"He shows toughness," Dantonio said. "People follow tough people and I think our team is following him."

In his four years, Guidugli has never missed a practice. His teammates know that and respect that.

They also respect the fact that when the team loses, Guidugli takes the blame. He blamed himself for every loss this season. He takes the blame -- at least publicly -- even when it's not really his fault. He does it because that's what a quarterback does. He also does it because it's what he does. Every loss he looks back and sees what he could have done differently and better, not what he did well.

Dantonio said he thought Guidugli played well against Army. He threw for 350 yards and had four touchdown passes. But Guidugli points out the interception and fumble.

Guidugli threw for 300 yards against UAB, but instead he focused on the team's slow start and the interception he threw that was returned for a touchdown.

"Losing really hurts him," Thomas said. "He's so competitive."

That's why he wasn't bothered when he passed for fewer yards in the Memphis and Texas Christian games combined than he did in the Army game. The Bearcats won. Guidugli was happy.

Of course, he had a little more fun when Southern Miss rolled its safeties up to try to stop Richard Hall and the Bearcat running game Nov. 6 in Hattiesburg, Miss.

The then-No. 21 Golden Eagles dared Guidugli to beat them -- which Guidugli called "a slap in the face."

He slapped back, throwing a school-record five touchdowns and leading the Bearcats to their first victory against a ranked team since 2000.

To Dantonio, though, that's pretty much the same player he's seen all year.

"He's played well throughout the entire season," Dantonio said. "Look at the stats, he's thrown 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. That's pretty good."

Guidugli also has passing efficiency rating of 141.3.

That, he says, doesn't matter to him. It's the winning that does. His teammates believe him.

"He just wants to win," Thomas said. "It doesn't matter if he throws for 100 yards or 300 yards, he's the same -- if we win."

And that's why they won't throw him under the bus.

"If I drop the ball, he'll just say something, like, 'Pull it in, 9' but nobody else will hear it," Thomas said. "Gino's my dude."

Sure, there has to be plenty of Guidugli stories out there. He's a fun guy and a popular guy on the team. But he's never embarrassed one of his teammates, so they return the favor.

 

Publication Date: 11-18-2004

The Cincinnati Post

[beastiebull]

I think our defense is better than TCU, Memphis and Army.  If we can step up and pressure him we can beat them.

[Apis Bull]

I feel good about this game.  I think we're peaking at the right time.

[Zonald]

I feel good about this game.  I think we're peaking at the right time.

Agreed!   8)

[GarySJ]

Yeah but Cincinnati is peaking also. They crushed Memphis and embarassed USM. They need this win for a bowl game as much as we do. And this is Senior Day for them as well. VERY tough assignment for the Bulls.