Three Positions to Watch as UC Football Kicks off 2022 Spring Practice

Cincinnati has plenty of turnover coming its way ahead of the 2022 season.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Mar 4, 2022 12:45 PM EST

CINCINNATI — After a two-month break following the College Football Playoff, the Bearcats football team is back on the gridiron for spring practice starting this weekend. There are a ton of things to keep an eye on as Luke Fickell turns the page without the most productive class of players in program history.

“Obviously, things are going to be different, but the expectations aren’t going to be different,” Fickell said at his media availability on Thursday. “How you go about them may be different. If you think we’re going to be exactly the same offense without Desmond Ridder (former UC quarterback), you’d be crazy, but we are going to expect the same results. Are we going to be exactly the same defensively without Coby (Bryant, former UC cornerback) and Ahmad (Gardner, former UC cornerback), and Myjai (Sanders, former UC defensive lineman)? No, but we expect the same results. And if you’re really good, you say, ‘how do we become better?’ Well, how are we going to be a better offense without Desmond Ridder? We might not be the same, but we’re going to be a little bit different. And we’ve got to find ways to be better.

“So yes, the expectation doesn’t change, the train continues to move forward. It’s not slowing down, it’s not stopping. The run is not over. Nobody that sits in these seats within these walls thinks that.”

Plenty of positions are about to turn over before the first game of 2022 kicks off against Arkansas. Let's take a look at the three unknowns heading into the first practice.

Quarterback

The big kahuna.

How Evan Prater and Ben Bryant go about this competition will shape Cincinnati's results in 2022. As the highest-rated UC recruit in the 247 Sports era, Prater is the heir apparent to Ridder and has a similar athletic profile to Cincinnati's greatest player ever. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Prater got some spot snaps in his redshirt freshman season and posted 143 total yards on 17 touches. Luke Fickell has been consistent with his message for this position: competition.

Ben Bryant provides that in his second stint with the Bearcats after transferring to Eastern Michigan and playing for the Eagles last season. The 6-foot-3, 214-pound passer had a so-so showing for EMU—tallying 3,121 passing yards (30th nationally), 14 TDs (tied for 78th), seven interceptions (tied for 48th), and a 55.5 QBR (78th). Bryant's key advantage over Prater is his experience, especially in the Bearcats system.

He competed with Ridder across multiple offseasons from 2018 to 2020 and gives Cincinnati the soothing aspect of QB depth. He doesn't view himself as a backup though, and wouldn't have transferred during his final year of eligibility if Fickell wasn't giving him an honest shot at the job. Showing early rapport with plenty of returning wide receivers from the 2021 CFP team could give each passer an early edge but expect this battle to rage on deep into fall camp.

Cornerback

Take away veteran nickelback Arquon Bush, and you get a completely new cornerback unit next season, including at the coaching position in returning cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs. Cincinnati's secondary should undoubtedly take a step back after losing the only All-American cornerback combo in the country last season.

Bush will start somewhere along the line of scrimmage. Whether he stays at nickelback or moves outside is a subplot to follow over these next few weeks. Some other starting candidates to keep an eye on are Justin Harris, Todd Bumphis, Sammy Anderson, and top 2021 secondary recruit J.Q. Hardaway.

The Bearcats' second-ranked recruit in the 2022 class is already drawing physical comparisons to Ahmad Gardner. He's been on campus since January and has a path to a rare starting job as a freshman with only one role locked down.

Kicker

Oof.

That's all you could say about Cincinnati's kicking unit in 2021. The Bearcats had arguably one of the best special teams units in the country...until they lined up for field goals and extra points. Cincinnati finished 123rd out of 130 teams in FG% (50%) and 126th in FG efficiency (-0.69).

Insert Ryan Coe.

Fickell & Co. are relying on the Delaware transfer to set the record straight and make sure Cincinnati at least has a decent shot to make FGs inside of 40 yards. Coe finished the 2021 season t-21st among FCS kickers with an 82.4% made FG rate. He went 23-of-23 on extra points for the Blue Hens this past season.

Coe has three years of eligibility remaining and can start to cement his hold on the position soon. Cincinnati still has Bryce Burton, Christian Lowery, and Alex Bales on the roster, but it would be a major disappointment if any of those players attempt a field goal this fall.

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