Corey Kiner: 'Why Come Closer to Home When I Could Just Come Home?'

The new Bearcats running back discussed his transfer decision with local TV outlets.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Apr 19, 2022 8:21 AM EDT

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats new running back had plenty to say about his decision to transfer from LSU in his first interviews with local TV outlets. Corey Kiner wrapped up his high school career at Roger Bacon (Ohio) with the 2020 Mr. Football Award and a top-three rushing yards total in state history.

Now, Kiner's whole family gets to see him sharpen iron against iron in the UC backfield.

"Why come closer to home when I could just come home," Kiner told WCPO's Caleb Noe. "I always appreciated home. Me leaving home; just made me appreciate it more, just to be able to come back and be able to do the stuff I love, play football and go to school. Competition is already high at UC, so me bringing my high-level of competition up there with their's is just going to cause a rise."

Kiner is the next Mr. Football running back to grace the Bearcats roster following Michael Warren winning the award in 2016. Kiner rushed for 7,130 yards during his Roger Bacon career, including 1,866 as a senior with 35 touchdowns. Much of that senior season total was stymied by massive leads that brought in second-stringers.

Kiner is one of three Cincinnati-area players to win Ohio's Mr. Football.

The Bearcats' highest-ranked recruit in the 247Sports era told FOX19's Joe Danneman that Cincinnati moved quickly to contact him in the portal.

"When I put my name into the portal, I was trying to think of places where I could get closer to home," Kiner told Danneman. "Then UC reached out to me, and then I just talked to my Dad about it, and I was like, 'why come closer to home when I could just come home'."

The new projected starter in Luke Fickell's hard-hitting offense never doubted Cincinnati was the right spot.

"It was always the right fit," Kiner said. "I just thought I had to take it elsewhere. The atmosphere that Coach Fickell has built so far in Cincinnati. I just feel like it's something that can elevate me—and that I can help elevate."

Most of the offense is solidified—now it's time to look forward to a steamy QB battle in fall camp as the next era of Bearcats football quickly approaches.

Watch both interviews from Noe and Danneman below.

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