Wednesday, November 03, 1999
Yeast makes roster
Replaces Griffin as fourth WR
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Craig Yeast is in. Damon Griffin is out. But Griffin saw it coming, so he is neither surprised nor upset.
Yeast has regained the edge on fellow Bengals rookie Griffin for the roles of fourth receiver and punt returner. Yeast returned from a six-week injury hiatus (high ankle sprain) to play in Sunday's loss to Jacksonville, while Griffin was deactivated for the first time since the season opener.
“It's understandable,” Griffin said. “He's a fourth-round draft choice. They didn't bring him in here just to sit.”
Yeast and Griffin, the respective go-to receivers for Tim Couch (Kentucky) and Akili Smith (Oregon) in college, are virtually the same player. They are small, speedy, sparkplug types with big-play ability, with two notable differences:
• Yeast (5-foot-7, 160 pounds) is a step faster, at 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. Griffin (5-9, 186) had a pre-draft time of 4.5.
• Yeast, as Griffin mentioned, was a fourth-round draftee. Griffin was an undrafted free agent who signed with San Francisco. The 49ers tried to sneak Griffin through waivers on the final preseason cuts, but the Bengals claimed him Sept.6.
Griffin has caught 11 passes for 104 yards, an average of 9.5 yards per catch. He also has been the Bengals' primary punt returner, ranking 16th in the NFL with an 8.9-yard average.
But Griffin has had a couple of fumbles, and the Bengals haven't seen enough big plays such as the 96-yard kickoff return for a TD and 55-yard touchdown pass he had for San Francisco in the preseason.
Yeast also has yet to do much, but the Bengals believe that is because of the sprained ankle he suffered Aug.2, the fourth day of training camp.
Yeast was active for the season opener at Tennessee and returned three kickoffs for a poor 16.7-yard average.
The Bengals didn't like how he looked, and Yeast didn't get back onto the active roster until last Sunday.
Yeast caught his first three NFL passes Sunday, for a total of 20 yards. That 6.7-yards-per-catch average was less than half his UK career average of 13.9, but it was a start. His three receptions led Bengals wideouts, and he returned one punt for 10 yards.
“I knew that eventually I would get a chance to play,” Yeast said. “I finally got my chance and I just wanted to make the best of it.”
The Bengals love Yeast's catch-and-run potential, which he displayed at UK while becoming the all-time leading receiver in the Southeastern Conference. The Bengals were sold when they saw him catch eight passes for 100 yards against Georgia cornerback Champ Bai ley, a No.1 draftee by the Redskins.
“We've been waiting for him,” coach Bruce Coslet said. “It's been a patient, long process on our part. Let's hope he doesn't have a setback with that ankle.”
Griffin, for now, is the odd man out of a wideout group that has Carl Pickens, Darnay Scott, Willie Jackson, James Hundon and Yeast ahead of him.
“I'm not taking it personal ly,” Griffin said. “I don't think I've done anything wrong at all. I'm just going to try and keep improving, try to get back on the field.”
Yeast said he is hardly resting on any laurels, not after a 41-10 loss to Jacksonville.
“Nobody likes to get beat as bad as we did,” he said. “I'm gonna come out and work as hard as I can on the practice field and try to change that.”
Bengals Stories
 Yeast makes roster
|
McKeon easy choice as AP's Manager of Year
Reds a long shot to nab Junior
Neagle's agent wants new contract
Reds re-sign Marty and Joe to 3-year deal
XU women riding high after UConn loss
Payton's legacy more than just numbers
Playoffs now reality for Braves
St. Henry earns spot in state semis
Summit, Seven Hills ready for showdown
UK shows early muscle, hustle
UK 'O' line, Bonner need lift
