Make no mistake. This is a big spring for a number of Bearcat players, who are fighting for starting jobs and know they'll be pushed for playing time by a recruiting class featuring 18 promising freshmen.

Quarterback Dustin Grutza, who started all 11 games as a redshirt freshman, is penciled in as the starter again. Grutza, who completed 56% of his passes for 1,799 yards and 11 touchdowns, will be pushed by senior Nick Davila, who saw action in five games last year and impressed with four touchdown passes and a 57.8% completion percentage.

Redshirt freshman Craig Carey (6-4, 215) also will be in the mix.

Running back Bradley Glatthaar will try to improve on a season that saw the sophomore lead the team with 620 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. Classmate Butler Benton, who rushed for 287 yards and a score, will get his share of touches, as well.

Cincinnati's defense, which ranked among the youngest in the country last fall, returns its top six tacklers, including hard-hitting free safety Haruki Nakamura, who led the team in tackles (76) and interceptions (2) as a sophomore, and exciting linebacker Corey Smith, who will be held out of contact drills after shoulder surgery, but should be back and ready for his sophomore season.

"It's starting to happen for us slowly but surely," Dantonio said. "I believe we're in a transition phase."

COACHING CAROUSEL: Cincinnati added quarterbacks coach Dave Warner to the staff in the offseason. Warner, who most recently served as wide receivers coach at Southern Mississippi, has 19 years of college coaching experience and previously worked with head coach Mark Dantonio at Kansas. Warner replaces Dan Enos, who left to become quarterbacks coach at Michigan State.

SCHEDULE SITUATION: Cincinnati got no breaks from the schedule-makers in 2006. The Bearcats play seven homes games, but face seven opponents that appeared in bowl games in 2005 and four teams that finished in the top 20 in the polls. The Bearcats play Big East home games against Pittsburgh (Sept. 8), South Florida (Oct. 21), Syracuse (Oct. 28), and Rutgers (Nov. 18), as well as non-conference home games against Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 2), Miami (Ohio) (Sept. 30), and Akron (Oct.7). Road games against Ohio State (Sept. 16), Virginia Tech (Sept. 23), Louisville (Oct.14), West Virginia (Nov. 11), and Connecticut (Nov. 25) look particularly daunting.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "When the ball got out in space, they got out quick and shut things down. The defense had a lot to do with the offense's struggles." -- Head coach Mark Dantonio on the team's solid defensive performance in the spring game.

QB Dustin Grutza -- Can Grutza improve on a redshirt freshman season that saw him throw 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions? The answer to that question will go a long way toward deciding whether the Bearcats can compete for their second bowl bid in three years.

TE Brent Celek -- Cincinnati's top returning pass catcher appears to be poised for a big season. Celek caught 32 passes last year for a team-high 361 yards and three touchdowns. With a more experienced Grutza at quarterback, those numbers should balloon in 2006.

DT Terrill Byrd -- Byrd made an instant impact as a freshman with 22 tackles last fall. The 6-1, 225-pound Cincinnati native is only going to grow and get better as the rest of the defense matures around him.

DL Tony Carvitti -- He has been impressive this spring, showing a nose for making big plays in the backfield. In one early scrimmage, he had four sacks and two TFLs.

TOP NEWCOMERS: Redshirt freshman QB Craig Carey is expected to give incumbent starter Dustin Grutza and backup Nick Davila some serious competition in spring practice.

TE Kazeem Alli, who was expected to compete for a starting spot as a freshman until a hand injury derailed his 2005 season last August, is a welcome addition to a passing attack that averaged only 199.9 yards per game last year.

Cincinnati has holes to fill on the offensive line and two junior college transfers -- Mario Duenas from City College of San Francisco and Ken Rodriguez from Citrus College in Glendora, Calif. -- will try to do just that.

ROSTER REPORT: The Cincinnati coaching staff is extremely high on LB prospect Freddie Lenix (6-0, 215), who originally committed to Ohio State in 2005 but did not enroll in school. Many believe that with Cincinnati's inexperience on defense Lenix, who is attending classes at Cincinnati and is eligible for the 2006 season, could make an immediate impact.