After pulling the strings for an offense that managed just two field goals in a 27-6 loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal, longtime University of Cincinnati offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock left the Bearcats program to take over the offense at LSU.
Denbrock, who flirted with Vanderbilt last offseason, was the only offensive coordinator Luke Fickell had in his first five seasons at the helm of the UC program.
When looking for a replacement for Denbrock, Fickell's choice was an easy one – promote Cincinnati quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Gino Guidugli.
"It's been the plan and the process for a long time," Fickell said. "It's not just like it all of a sudden just happened. Coach Gino and I have talked about it. Coach Denbrock and I had talked about it. We always want to have a succession plan in all that we're doing."
The three-time American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2018, '20, '21) formally introduced Guidugli as the team's new play-caller on Wednesday, national signing day.
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The former UC quarterback and Highlands High School standout racked up a school-record 11,453 passing yards during his career with the Bearcats (2001-04), including a single-season record 3,543 yards in 2002.
But what will Cincinnati's offense look like now with Guidugli calling the plays and steering the ship?
"Each year, there's been an evolution based on our personnel," Guidugli said. "I think you'll see some similarities in it. I'd like to play with a little bit more pace. I think we've got to find some ways in the run game to continue to get the ball in the perimeter. I think our screen game, we need to call it more. But in order to feel confident about it and instill confidence in our players with it, we've got to practice it more, rep it more and get better at executing it.
"But those are the things I think more so than wholesale changes. We're not going to all of a sudden become (Tennessee Volunteers coach) Josh Heupel and run wide splits and go tempo. I think we're built for what we do. We're going to rely on our offensive line, particularly next year with all those guys back, and run the football."
With 2021 first-team All-AAC running back Jerome Ford forgoing his senior year and declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft, it remains to be seen who will carry the bulk of the load in the running game for the Bearcats in 2022.
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Senior Ryan Montgomery (46 carries, 312 yards and three touchdowns in 2021), senior Charles McClelland (37 carries, 190 yards, one touchdown) and junior Ethan Wright (29 carries, 153 yards and three touchdowns) are expected to be the top candidates for the starting spot.
Ford, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 AAC championship game, had a team-high 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns on 214 carries last season. HIs 20 total scores (19 rushing and one receiving) were the most in a single season in school history.
Unlike Denbrock, the 38-year-old Guidugli said he plans to call plays from above in the booth.
"I think it's a little bit easier to collect your thoughts and get a plan together from up there," he said. "So I plan to stay up there. That could change, but right now, that's the thought process."
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The tight end position figures to continue to play a major role in what Cincinnati does offensively under Guidugli. Both tight ends Josh Whyle (26 catches, 332 yards, six touchdowns and All-AAC honorable mention in 2021) and Leonard Taylor (28 catches, 268 yards and four touchdowns) have elected to return for another season.
"Whyle and Lenny have got to be a huge part of the offense," Guidugli said. "I think we've got to do a better job of personnel-ing some things with those two guys and playing to their strengths and not asking them things that are kind of outside of that. But I think our 12 personnel package (one running back and two tight ends) last year gave people some fits, and those guys' ability to run and catch the ball is obviously a matchup issue on defense."
UC snatched Hawaii transfer wide receiver Nick Mardner (46 catches, 913 yards and five touchdowns in 2021) from the portal, giving Guidugli another big weapon (6 feet, 6 inches, 200 pounds) on the outside to replace outgoing 2021 second-team All-AAC performer Alec Pierce.
"I can't wait for Coach Brown to get his hands on the kid, because I think Coach Brown's got a chance to really improve him and I think he's got a chance to really help us on offense," Guidugli said of Mike Brown, who will mentor Mardner as Cincinnati's wide receivers coach and also take over Guidugli's former role as passing game coordinator.
But who will be throwing the ball and leading Guidugli's offensive attack now that record-setting two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year Desmond Ridder is gone?
"It's going to be a great competition," Guidugli said. "You've got Ben Bryant coming back. You've got (2019 Ohio Mr. Football) Evan Prater, the hometown kid, here. I can't wait to see those two compete in the spring and in the fall. They've done a good job up to this point. Those two know each other. Our quarterback room is a great room. I think those guys all respect how each other work and are going to compete, and then when it's all said and done in the fall, understand, OK, this guy beat me out. I've got to be ready to be the best at my role. Whatever that is. Whichever way the cards fall."
