Zach Collaros Poised To Put Up Huge Numbers for the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2010

When star quarterback Tony Pike went down late in the first half last season against No. 21 South Florida, the Cincinnati Bearcats' season flashed before their eyes. 

For the first time all year, the Bearcats were struggling to score points. Pike had thrown for two touchdowns, but the Bearcats only led 17-10 going into halftime and clearly the momentum was shifting toward South Florida and their home crowd. 

Pike broke his arm in 2008 and the fear was he had re-injured the same arm. After attempting to come back in the second half, the senior couldn't go. Brian Kelly had to look to the bench. Enter Zach Collaros.

Collaros took over for the injured Pike and with the Bearcats clinging to a 17-10 lead midway through the third quarter they had a third and long from their own 25. Collaros took the snap and ran a quarterback option 75 yards to the house. The Bearcats haven't looked back since.

Collaros led Cincinnati to a 34-17 victory over the Bulls in Tampa and allowed fans and players to breathe a little easier, despite the fact that their star quarterback was going to be out for over a month. 

Collaros stepped into the starting role the next week against Louisville and Cincinnati didn't miss a beat, winning 41-10. Collaros finished 15-for-17 for 253 yards and three touchdowns. 

After leading the Bearcats to a 28-7 victory over Syracuse, Collaros had the best game of any player in the history of Cincinnati football during the Bearcats 47-45 dramatic victory over Connecticut. 

The redshirt sophomore was 29-for-37 with 480 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 75 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns. On that unseasonably warm November night in Cincinnati, a star was born.

Collaros, with the help of Pike, then led Cincinnati to a 24-21 victory over No. 25 West Virginia, before relinquishing his starting role to Pike for the final two games of the regular season.

Over that span of four plus games Collaros threw for 1,434 yards and 10 touchdowns to go along with only two interceptions. He also rushed for 344 yards and four touchdowns. 

Upon giving the job back to the senior Pike, Collaros didn't complain once. He knew 2010 was his chance to step into the starting lineup and lead the Bearcats.

Well, 2010 is here and Collaros has been bred to be a college quarterback, dating back to his high school years in the Valley. 

Collaros hails from Steubenville, Ohio. For those who have never heard of Steubenville, it is a small town of about 20,000 people located on the Ohio River. 

For how small of a town it is, Steubenville has produced it share of stars, including Jimmy the Greek, actor Dean Martin, and Hall of Fame pitcher Rollie Fingers. 

The city is located on the Ohio-West Virginia border and football comes first in Steubenville.

Collaros played his high school days for the Steubenville Big Red and in his last two seasons led the Big Red to back-to-back state championships and a combined 30-0 record.

He was the Ohio Division III high school player of the year in 2006 and also starred in baseball. 

It didn't take new head coach Butch Jones long to convince Collaros that football was his future and the two-sport star has put his collegiate baseball days behind him. 

As the spring game fast approaches and spring practices are winding down, Jones had singled out Collaros along with J.K. Schaffer and Isaiah Pead as team leaders. 

Collaros will have no problem accepting that role, that is what he has been bred to do. He is a born winner and has succeeded at every level he has played on. He has a will to win that allowed him to go 30-0 as a high school quarterback.   

With the amount of talent the Bearcats have surrounded Collaros with, it is hard to imagine him not being successful. 

But, with the level Cincinnati football has reached, just being successful is not enough. Collaros is poised to take Cincinnati to the next level. Not only a BCS Bowl berth, but a BCS National Championship.

To do that, Cincinnati would have to go undefeated, something Collaros has gotten used to over the years. 

Whether he can lead Cincinnati to another magical season remains to be seen.

I know one thing. I wouldn't bet against him.