Cincinnati Football: Five True Frosh To See Action For Injury-Plagued Bearcats

Heading into the 2010 college football season, head coach Butch Jones figured there would be a few true freshmen that would see action in limited roles.

Four games into the season, that thought is down the drain, as more than a few true freshmen are set to see action this weekend. 

Freshman linebacker Solomon Tentman was perhaps the likeliest of the bunch to see minutes until he tore his ACL before the season began. Tentman had an outside chance to win a starting job. 

Other injuries have forced Jones' hand particularly at the wide receiver position. Starter Vidal Hazelton is gone for the year and senior Jamar Howard also suffered a season-ending injury in the spring.

Junior college transfer Kenbrell Thompkins was ruled ineligible before the season even began. Thompkins was the top JUCO receiver and one of the top 10 JUCO players in the country and because Tennessee would not grant him his release, he will have to wait until 2011 to take the field for Cincinnati. 

Perhaps the biggest recruit for the Bearcats was 4-star receiver Dyjuan Lewis out of Indianapolis. Lewis was also ruled ineligible before the season began. 

The secondary has also been a position where injuries have plagued the Bearcats and a slew of freshman will be thrown into the mix there also. 

Here are five true freshman who will have an impact the rest of the way for Cincinnati. 

Munchie Legaux

New Orleans native Munchie Legaux came to Cincinnati as a dual-threat quarterback and one of the best in the country. 

With the depth Cincinnati possesses at the quarterback position, Legaux was expected to redshirt and play a backup role for a season or two before battling for the starting position once incumbent Zach Collaros departs. 

There is a new plan right now for Legaux with four of the Bearcats top seven receivers heading into the season now out for the year. 

The versatile Legaux will try his hand at receiver and possibly see his first action of the season Saturday. 

Legaux could add a dimension to the Cincinnati offense and allow for a few trick plays. 

Either way, it will be fun saying his name for the next four seasons. 

Adrian Witty

Adrian Witty is a Florida kid and quite a speed burner. He has already seen action this season and with the injury to cornerback Dominique Battle, Witty could find himself in the starting role.

Witty was not highly recruited coming out of high school, but committed to Michigan before failing to qualify. 

If he can develop his covering skills, Witty has all the tools to stay in the starting lineup for the rest of his collegiate career. 

His speed and athleticism have already gotten him on the field and Witty will play a pivotal role for Cincinnati as they enter Big East play.

Roney Lozano

Defensive tackle Roney Lozano is also a Florida native who due to injuries along the defensive line has seen action as a true freshman. 

Lozano is big at 6'3" and 275 pounds and could certainly afford to put on a few more pounds to be more of a force in the middle. 

Lozano has the potential to move into the No. 3 defensive tackle role behind starters Derek Wolfe and Brandon Mills. 

With no seniors starting on the entire defense, he will certainly have time to develop his skills before being called upon to play a more pivotal role. 

Anthony McClung

Wide receiver Anthony McClung was a high school teammate of the talented, but ineligible freshman Dyjuan Lewis and due what Cincinnati has had to deal with at receiver, McClung has found himself out on the field.

McClung is a speedy, shifty receiver, similar in style to D.J. Woods. He also has the potential to contribute on special teams. 

He was one of the bigger recruits signed in Butch Jones' first recruiting class and some say he may be better than high school teammate Lewis. 

If McClung can continue to develop, he has a chance to move into the starting role before the season ends and he may just be the best of the bunch on this list. 

Deven Drane

Like two of the previous names on the list, Deven Drane is also a Florida kid and is the son of former NFL player Dwight Drane. 

Drane could see his first collegiate action as early as this weekend as Dominique Battle is out for the season and fellow true freshman Adrian Witty having been ruled out this week as well. 

Drane was not expected to see the field as a true freshman, and figured to redshirt in 2010, but once again with the massive amount of injuries, a young Bearcat will be called on to produce as Big East play begins in one week.