Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Cincinnati Bearcats season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Cincinnati Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 11-2 overall, 6-2 in AAC
Head Coach: Like Fickell, 3rd year, 15-10
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CINCINNATI OFFENSE
– The Bearcat offense scored 203 more points than the 2017 version – finishing fourth in the AAC in both yards and scoring – and now all of the skill stars are back.
Sophomore QB Desmond Ridder had a fantastic first season completing 62% of his passes for 2,445 yards and 20 touchdowns with just five picks. He can run a little, too. With 6-4, 212-pound size and a year of experience, he’s expected to be even sharper. The backup situation, though, is shaky with Hayden Moore done. 6-3 redshirt freshman Ben Bryant got in a little work last season, but it’s Ridder or bust.
– The running back situation is fantastic. Michael Warren was a breakout star with 1,329 yards and 19 scores, and now he has more help around him. 2017 top rusher Gerrid Doaks is back after missing all of last year hurt, and last year’s No. 2 running back Tavion Thomas and No. 3 Charles McClelland – they combined for close to 1,000 yards – are back. There’s a great mix of power and speed in the group. However …
– Only one starter is back on an O line that was great at keeping defenses out of the backfield and wonderful at pounding away for the ground game. The line would’ve had a strong left tackle in Michigan transfer James Hudson, but he lost an appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility – UC is fighting this – but there’s good size on the outside. Senior Morgan James is a decent right guard to rebuild around.
– The receiving corps is fine despite the loss of top target Kahil Lewis. 5-11, 177-pound speedster Rashad Medaris averaged over 18 yards per catch, and sophomore Jayshon Jackson came up with 23 grabs. However, the O needs a true No. 1 target. The tight end situation is fantastic with 6-3, 240-pound senior Josiah Deguara back after finishing second on the team with 38 catches and five scores. There’s great depth behind him.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CINCINNATI DEFENSE
– There’s the defense that was supposed to rise up and rock under head coach Luke Fickell. The Bearcats allowed 158 fewer points than the 2017 version while leading the AAC in total defense, scoring defense and run D. With seven starters back, look out. However …
– Three starters are done on the front four, with the loss of DTs Marquise Copeland and Cortez Broughton the big issue. The sophomore tackles of last year have to rise up and rock, but Curtis Brooks, Elijah Ponder and Marcus Brown have decent size and got in enough work last year to be ready.
Junior Michael Pitts is the lone returning starter, but he needs to do more to get to the quarterback. Kevin Mouhon is back after missing last year hurt.
– Leading tackler Malik Clements is gone after coming up with 68 tackles from his spot on the strongside, but the linebacking corps gets the other two main men back. 235-pound senior Bryan Wright returns in the middle after coming up with 55 stops, 5-10, 205-pound Jarell White was second on the team with 58 tackles, and senior Perry Young – when he’s back from a knee injury – has the talent to be a statistical star in place of Clements.
– The secondary was supposed to go through a few youthful growing pains last season. Instead, it was a machine that lead the AAC in pass efficiency defense – and it gets everyone back. S James Wiggins led the team with four picks and was fourth on the team with 54 tackles, and junior Darrick Forrest has all-star talent, too.
The corner situation is a slight concern after a slew of bumps and bruises this spring, but if everyone is fine, the combination of Coby Bryant and Cam Jefferies will be among the league’s best, and excellent sophomore Arquon Bush needs a spot, too.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP CINCINNATI PLAYERS
Best Cincinnati Offensive Player
RB Michael Warren, Jr.
2017 leading rusher Gerrid Doaks went down with a hernia, and Warren stepped up to fill the void with a 1,329-yard, 19-touchdown all-star season. The 5-11, 218-pounder has a good burst and can catch – making 25 grabs for 232 yards and a score – but it was his ability to pound away with seven 100-yard running games that paced the offense.
He started the year with 142 yards and three scores against UCLA, ended it with 166 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Virginia Tech, and best of all, he can be fresh with Doaks and other good options in place.
2. QB Desmond Ridder, Soph.
3. TE Josiah Deguara, Sr.
4. OG Jeremy Cooper, RFr.
5. RB Gerrid Doaks, Jr.
Best Cincinnati Defensive Player
S James Wiggins, Jr.
The Bearcats have a few great linebackers who’ll be among the AAC’s best – Perry Young will be the star once he’s back from his knee injury – to go along with another good-looking secondary.
The 6-0, 202-pound Wiggins went from being a decent backup prospect to a star last year with 54 tackles, five broken up passes, and four picks – taking one for a key score in the 26-20 win over SMU. He’s a good hitter, but his game is about quickness and speed – he’s fast enough to average 21 yards per kickoff return.
2. LB Perry Young, Sr.
3. LB Bryan Wright, Sr.
4. P James Smith, Jr.
5. CB Coby Bryant, Jr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Cincinnati Offense
Redo the offensive line. The Bearcats have the skill guys, especially in the backfield, and the receiving corps will be fine with a little time – as long as a No. 1 target emerges.
The passing game could stand to do a little more, but that’s nitpicking – the Bearcats will happily take another offensive season like 2018. However, that’s not happening unless the O line rebuilds in a hurry.
Only one starters is back, but all the top reserves from last season return. It’ll take the fall camp to find the right starting five, but the cohesion has to be there from the start and the pass protection needs to be a wee bit stronger.
Biggest Key To The Cincinnati Defense
A bit more of a pass rush would be nice. The Bearcat defense was fantastic last year despite the sporadic pressure on the quarterback – when it rained, it poured.
UC destroyed the UCLA offensive line with five sacks, and after Navy got down big, its pass protection went bye-bye, too. The sacks came in waves with one sack or fewer in five games, and with none in the loss to Temple.
With the three new starters up front, and with three of the top four pass rushers done, new playmakers have to emerge.
Key Player To A Successful Season
PK Cole Smith, Soph.
Or Ryan Jones, or Grant Simon. No matter what, someone has to step up and change the abysmal kicking game. At some point, UC will need a game-winning field goal.
The two losses weren’t because of the kicking game, but Smith went 1-for-6 on field goals in the two defeats, missing three in the 24-17 loss to Temple.
The offense worked just fine, but the Bearcats didn’t come up with a made field goal over the final five games of the season with Smith missing six of the last eight tries. On the year, he connected on five of his 12 attempts, and three of the made kicks were from 28 yards or closer.
Key Game To The Cincinnati Season
UCF, Oct. 4
There are a whole slew of rough conference road games over the second half of the year. Lose at home to UCF, and the promising season could quickly turn into a disaster. There’s a trip to Marshall the week before dealing with the Knights, and a date at Houston right after. The Bearcats have lost the last three games against UCF 113-39 – that’s not good.
– Cincinnati Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Cincinnati Fun Stats
– 3rd Quarter Scoring: Cincinnati 114 – Opponents 48
– 3rd Down Conversions: Cincinnati 96-of-197 (49%) – Opponents 55-of-194 (28%)
– Penalties: Cincinnati 107 for 958 yards – Opponents 81 for 711 yards
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. CINCINNATI WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
In many ways, this could and should be a better Bearcat team than the one that went 11-2 in the breakthrough season under Luke Fickell.
There might be issues on the lines – four starters have to be replaced on the offensive side, and three are done on the defensive front four – but the parts are there to be fine on both sides to be okay.
Overall, the depth and talent have improved, the offensive skill spots are terrific, and the defensive back seven should be the best in the American Athletic Conference – or close to it.
However …
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 8
Yeah, UC won 11 games last season, but it also had a relatively easy schedule. Most of the tough conference games were at home – the two losses to Temple and UCF came on the road – and victories over Ohio, Tulane and USF were the only three that came against teams that finished with a winning record.
This time around, UCLA will be better, and that’s followed up by a trip to Ohio State. The Bearcats have to go to Marshall, Houston, USF and Memphis, and they have to host UCF and Temple.
Assume at least two road losses, a split against UCF and Temple, and one other misfire along the way, even if this is one of the best teams in the league again.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
