A smarter way to bet

By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI(AP) -- Quarterback Zach Collaros will start for
fifth-ranked Cincinnati against West Virginia on Friday night,
with Tony Pike expected to play as well for the first time since
he hurt his non-throwing arm.

Coach Brian Kelly announced Tuesday that Collaros will be his
starter. The sophomore backup has played spectacularly and kept
the Bearcats (9-0) in the national title conversation while Pike
heals from surgery to replace a metal plate in his left forearm.

Collaros threw for 480 yards - the second-highest total in
school history - during a 47-45 win over Connecticut on Saturday
night. Pike warmed up before the game, but didn't play. Kelly
said the senior will run some plays against West Virginia (7-2).

"We're going to try to put a couple different packages in and
just go from there," Pike said after practice Tuesday.
"Obviously getting back out there and practicing is one thing,
but in the game it's a different speed. That's the biggest
thing.

"With how well Zach's playing right now, it's going to be a
little better for him to be able to mix me in there a little bit
and go from there and see how I'm feeling."

The Bearcats have a bye next week, giving Pike a couple more
weeks of practice to sharpen his skills after so much missed
time. Kelly said the plan is to have Pike start against Illinois
on Nov. 27 in Cincinnati.

Pike's injury and Collaros' remarkable job as the fill-in
presented a conundrum for Kelly. Pike was one of the nation's
top passers before he got hurt, earning mention as a long shot
for the Heisman Trophy. Collaros has won his first three
collegiate starts, bringing a new element to the spread offense
with his mobility.

Now, Kelly has to choose between them with a second straight Big
East title on the line. If he goes ahead with his plan to start
Pike against Illinois, he'll be benching a backup quarterback
who threw for 480 yards in a big game.

"That's new territory for me," Kelly said. "I can't say that in
19 years of being a head coach that I've had that kind of a
dilemma, if you will. Again, the nice part about it is that our
football team has absolutely no concerns over who's leading
them, if it's Zach or Tony. That's a great thing to have.

"Where controversies come in is when your room is split. There
is no split. They know they can win and win at a high level with
both these guys. That's a very unique circumstance."

Pike is more of a pro-style passer, 6-foot-6 with a strong arm.
Collaros is barely 6-feet tall and much more adept at running
the ball. Both have flourished in Kelly's no-huddle offense.

Leading receiver Mardy Gilyard said Tuesday that both
quarterbacks have done so well the players have equal confidence
in them. Gilyard has given both of them nicknames.

"Zach has moves, so I call him the joystick," Gilyard said. "And
I call Tony the pistol. I think the names fit. Zach's a little
wiggly guy, a little squirty guy back there, sort of like a
joystick (in a video game). Of course, Pike has the cannon, so
that's why I call him pistol."

Pike broke his left forearm last season, had a plate inserted to
help the healing, and returned after missing two games. The
plate was damaged on a hit during a 34-17 win over South Florida
on Oct. 15, and he had a new one inserted. Pike got a special
splint late last week and was able to fully practice again for
the first time in nearly three weeks.

Collaros' impressive play has allowed Cincinnati to give Pike
more healing time. In his three starts and three other games off
the bench, Collaros has completed 76 percent of his passes for
1,229 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception. He also has run
for 311 yards and four touchdowns.

"Clearly when Zach has come in, he's played at a high level,"
Kelly said. "It's allowed us now to set that bar a little higher
for Tony in the sense that now we don't have to put him back in
there until he's 100 percent. But when Tony's back to that
level, he's our starter. He's not quite there yet."

Kelly said Pike and his doctors are involved in deciding when he
plays because some risk will be involved.

"What we don't want to do is put him in a situation where
there's a high risk factor," Kelly said. "Why play him at all?
Because we think that the risk has been minimized. He has risk
in anything he'll do for the next three months, quite frankly."

When Pike returned after missing only two games last season, he
had some numbness in the left hand and had to leave a couple of
games early. Pike said with Collaros playing so well, it made
sense to give him more healing time this year.

"Last year, we kind of pushed it a little bit too early," Pike
said. "This year with how well Zach was doing, there was no need
for that."

Kelly said running back Jacob Ramsey has a sprained foot and
won't play against West Virginia. Ramsey is second to Isaiah
Pead in carries and yards, and Kelly uses both of them in games.
John Goebel, who has missed most of the season with an injured
hamstring and broken hand, is likely to play more.