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Former Bearcats Great Alec Pierce Reveals How He Landed At Cincinnati

Academic opportunity had a lot to do with Pierce making plays at Nippert Stadium.

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati football great Alec Pierce almost never donned the black & red. 

A story in The Athletic revealed that Pierce wasn't as sought after in high school because he was set on getting a mechanical engineering degree at the next level.

Alec's parents let him know how difficult it would be but he was undeterred. Cincinnati came calling and assured Pierce he'd get every opportunity on the field and in the classroom.

“If you hold up your end of the bargain,” Luke Fickell said to Pierce. “Then we’ll hold up ours.”

It's safe to say that bargain worked out. 

Pierce bounced around different positions before developing into one of the best Bearcat receiving talents ever. He ranks 15th in UC history with 1,834 career receiving yards and posted 17.34 yards per catch in 2021 (the fourth-highest single-season mark ever for a UC pass-catcher).

He's had a strong rookie campaign for the Colts, given all the losing and turmoil in Indianapolis, tallying 32 catches for 510 yards and 2 TDs.

Oh, and he got that mechanical engineering degree as a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team honoree. Cincinnati's first since 1997.

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