Cincinnati's Inside Slant
Cincinnati's season-opening loss at Fresno State was discouraging on many fronts, but less than 48 hours later the defeat became even more costly.
Highly-touted transfer Vidal Hazelton, thought by many to be Mardy Gilyard's heir apparent at the No. 1 receiver spot, injured his left knee on a kick return in the fourth quarter and was carted off the field. On Monday, the Bearcats learned that Hazelton, who sat out last season after transferring from USC, would have to undergo season-ending knee surgery.
"It's very unfortunate," head coach Butch Jones said. "You feel for him and his family. He had worked extremely hard and made great strides since he arrived here. He's a great young man and I know he will bounce back."
Hazelton had six receptions for 68 yards against the Bulldogs. He also returned three kickoffs for 41 yards. As a sophomore at USC, Hazelton had 50 catches for 540 yards and four TDs. He transferred to UC after an injury riddled 2008 campaign.
The 28-14 loss to Fresno ended Cincinnati's 18-game regular season winning streak. The Bearcats get a bit of a breather this week with their home opener against Indiana State. But a trip to North Carolina State and a visit by No. 7 Oklahoma looms.
Cincinnati is looking for measurable improvement from its offensive line which was manhandled by Fresno State. The Bearcats' vaunted spread offense never got on track due to consistent pressure on junior quarterback Zach Collaros, who was sacked eight times and hurried often. In addition, Isaiah Pead gained just 36 yards on 10 carries as UC failed to score for nearly three quarters.
