The world lost a true gentleman today and the college football world lost a great coach. Indiana University football coach, Terry Hoeppner lost his battle to brain cancer early this morning. He died just after sunrise, on another glorious day on the Bloomington, Indiana, campus. It was going to be a day of celebration at IU. Groundbreaking was scheduled for a new $55 million dollar athletic complex that included, among other things, an end zone facility for the IU football stadium. In a way, a benchmark for the rebuilding that Hoeppner was doing with the Hoosiers' football program.

Terry Hoeppner was the head coach at Indiana. But to me, he'll always be the head football coach at Miami, Ohio. It's there where I first met him, first as a long time RedHawk assistant and for six years, the head football coach. He knew I was an Ohio Bobcat. But he also knew I respected the job he'd done with the 'Hawks. Not only did they consistently beat my beloved 'Cats, his RedHawks did it with class and style. I always asked Terry to take it easy on my team. He always laughed and said 'no way'. I loved that about him, just loved it.

It says a lot about the man when you look at how he landed Ben Roethlisberger. Hoeppner began recruiting Roethlisberger, when Ben was a receiver at Findlay High School. Roethlisberger didn't quarterback his high school team until he was a senior. And while Ohio State and other bigger schools caught onto him when he blossomed as a senior, Big Ben didn't forget the classy coach who'd been wooing him with the beauty of Oxford. Roethlisberger signed with Miami. And, you know the rest of that story.

The world doesn't have enough Terry Hoepnners. Certainly, the coaching fraternity doesn't have enough. If my son were fortunate enough, or good enough, to have played collegiate football, there are a finite number of coaches I would have wanted him to play for. Even with "green and white" running through my veins, Terry would have been one of those coaches.

May he rest in peace. And may all he touched in his too short life remember how good a person he was.

It's National Letter of Intent day all over the USA. The best high school football players are signing up for free rides.

Brian Kelly did well. He's been on the job for about 60-days as the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati. Kelly snagged one of the better running backs in the Tri-State, Montez Patterson from Cincinnati Hughes HS. His senior year, Patterson rushed for over 14-hundred yards and 13 touchdowns. At 6-1, Patterson could also be moved to defensive back.

Miami only signed one greater Cincinnati player today. Lakota West linebacker, Alex Kaufman will head to Oxford.

Kentucky took only one Tri-Stater, Holmes wide receiver-quarterback-defensive back-kick returner, Duran Jefferson.

My Bobcats did very well. They got four from the greater Cincinnati area, including two very good defensive lineman. I saw both Wyoming's Jeff King and Harrison's Curtis Meyers play this season. Meyers was very active, good block shedder and run stuffer. And in getting Lakota East wide receiver, Riley Dunlap, the Bobcats get a major upgrade in the speed department.

More scholarships will open up at Ohio. I know of at least one player who's been told he's losing his spot on the team. So Frank Solich may not be done signing players just yet. But for a school that has long abdicated southwest Ohio to Miami, the Bobcats appear to be back in business in these parts.

Just back from the US Bank Arena where I caught most of the University of Cincinnati vs Miami, Ohio game. Miami would've won, if they could've made a shot in the first half. As it was, they had this game tied with about three minutes to go.

But the Bearcats were just too fast and shot a whole lot better than Miami (48%-39%). Big East rookie of the week, Deonta Vaughn struggled, only 2-9 from the field. But big man, Marcus Sikes turned in a nice effort: 15 points and ten rebounds in 34-minutes of work.

Up next for the Bearcats, a game in Cleveland Saturday night against Ohio. The Bobcats blew out an over matched Rhode Island team in Athens tonight.

Carson Palmer said the same thing today that Willie Anderson said on Sunday, after that loss in Denver. The Bengals need to make changes before next season begins. Carson didn't elaborate, but it's clear he's talking about personnel, philosophy and attitude.

I still don't see the Jets and Broncos losing Sunday, which means this season is over for the Bengals by sundown, New Year's Eve.

Just back from Oxford, watching one of the better college football games I've seen this season. Ohio beat Miami (Ohio) 34-24 in a game that meant little in the standings...but of course everything. Miami and Ohio are bitter rivals.

Glorious day to watch a game, full sun and temperatures hovering near 6o, unusual for this area of the country, this time of the year.

Yeager Stadium is one of the truly beautiful venues to watch a college game. So is Peden Stadium, in Athens for that matter.

There really is nothing quite like MAC football. It's offenses are generally varied, no two teams playing alike like you see in some conferences. And today's game featured big plays on both sides of the ball. Ohio's terrific running back, Kalvin McRae rushed for 180 yards and two long touchdowns. Miami's quarterback, Mike Kokal, on a fourth and one, tied the game at 24 with a 36 yard touchdown run. Ohio finally prevailed, despite dipping into the third string for its quarterback. Starter Austen Everson was held out, with a bad ankle. Back up Brad Bower fumbled on the Miami one, through the end zone for a touchback...then left later with an injury.

With the win, Ohio is now 9-3. It's been almost 40 years since it's been this good for the Bobcats. Now it's onto the MAC Championship game next Thursday night in Detroit against Central Michigan. A bowl trip, win or lose, awaits Ohio.

I realize, this may bore some of you. But what the hell, it's my blog isn't it? But if you're from Ohio, or attended either school, you should know the rivalry is strong again. Better days ahead for Miami. Rip 'em up, tear 'em up give 'em hell Ohio.

Ken