Game MVP Game Balls
Joe Tresey – Defensive Coordinator
We don’t just hand out game balls to players. We also look at coaches for this honor and Joe Tresey deserves this one as his defensive charges gave everything they had on the field to keep West Virginia out of this game for most of the night. This is also a Game Ball for defensive line coach Keith Gilmore, linebackers coach William Inge and defensive back coach Kerry Coombs.
Offensive Game Balls
Kazeem Alli – TE
Ok, Alli only had two catches for eight yards. But who will forget his touchdown in overtime giving the Bearcats a win? Not many as Alli could well see his second catch of the night being the one that started the teams trek to bigger and brighter things.
Tony Pike – QB
It’s not always the numbers we look at and on this night it wasn’t. Pike threw for just over fifty percent but it was his willingness to throw the ball away keeping within the game plan and giving the Bearcats the chance to earn such a huge victory.
Defensive Game Balls
Every player who took a defensive snap deserves to be on this list. Here are a few of the players that would be on the list.
Aaron Webster
Mike Mickens
Torry Cornett
Ryan Manalac
Terrill Byrd
Adam Hoppel
Lamonte Nelms
Brandon Underwood
DeAngelo Smith
Corey Smith
Connor Barwin
Alex Daniels
Curtis Young
Special Teams Game Ball
Mardy Gilyard – Kickoff Return Specialist
Setting the tone from the very first play was Mardy Gilyard who too the opening kickoff 100 yards for a score.