DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — It seems clear enough. The University of Cincinnati's Dustin Grutza is out indefinitely after having surgery for a broken right fibula and high ankle sprain.

Which means ... Tony Pike, a 6-foot-6 junior and graduate of Reading High School who happens to be a better passer than runner, will make his first collegiate start at quarterback against Miami University tonight, Sept. 20.

Which means ... The Miami defense had better prepare for an all-out aerial assault by the Bearcats.

Miami coach Shane Montgomery is not totally convinced that will be the case.

"I would expect to see more than one quarterback," he said.

Montgomery did call Pike "a big kid who throws the ball extremely well" and did note that UC has "very explosive receivers" such as Dominick Goodman and Mardy Gilyard, who have 29 catches, 424 yards and five touchdowns between them in just two games.

The Miami coach pointed out, however, that Pike "is not quite the athlete Grutza is. They've got a lot of quarterbacks down there, some really athletic quarterbacks behind Pike. We have to be ready for them throw another quarterback in there who will run the ball more."

One of those quarterbacks is sophomore Demetrius Jones, a Notre Dame transfer, who is listed as Pike's backup tonight. The Bearcats also have a pair of redshirt freshmen, Chazz Anderson and Zach Collaros.

No matter who plays for how long at quarterback, Montgomery doesn't see an easy time for his defense.

"Their offense will try to spread it out on us, make big plays," he said.

"It's going to be a tough night down there," Montgomery added. "It'll take all we have to bring that bell home. What they have back on both sides of the ball ... (is) tremendous talent and team speed."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.