Luke Fickell, Desmond Ridder, and Ahmad Gardner Earn Top AAC Awards

CINCINNATI — The UC football program cleaned up in this year's American Athletic Conference football awards. They landed a program-record 12 players on the all-conference team and dominated the individual awards.

Luke Fickell won Coach of the Year, Desmond Ridder won Offensive Player of the Year, and Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner captured Defensive Player of the Year.

Fickell has now won the award three times and is on track to become UC's all-time winningest coach sometime next season. Fickell (47-14) is seven wins from passing Rich Minter (53-63) for the most wins in program history. His team has lost one game over the past two seasons; and none in AAC play.

After leading the Bearcats to their second consecutive undefeated regular season, @CoachFick has been named Coach of the Year for the third time. pic.twitter.com/vF7LCooVRz
— American Football (@American_FB) December 1, 2021

Ridder picked up his second-straight OPOTY award and is the second player in AAC history to win the honor in back-to-back seasons. UCF's McKenzie Milton won in 2017 and 2018. Ridder's top-four individual Pro Football Focus grades have all come in the past six games as the senior peaks at the right time.

𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞-to-𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞@desmondridder becomes just the second player in @American_Conf history to repeat as Offensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/cf9yVbtpsS
— American Football (@American_FB) December 1, 2021

Last but certainly not least is Gardner, who is the first Bearcat ever to win AAC DPOTY. The lockdown corner is being targeted less than three times per game this season and has never allowed a touchdown in 1,000-plus coverage snaps.

U•N•A•N•I•M•O•U•S•@iamSauceGardner becomes the first Bearcat to win Defensive Player of the Year honors. pic.twitter.com/ZBImKHlECo
— American Football (@American_FB) December 1, 2021

The three Cincinnati pillars are looking to close the 2021 AAC season with a bang against No. 21 Houston on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

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