Tyler McGarr Is A Bearcat

With Reed Armagost and Evan Mallory committing to the Bearcats in recent weeks UC has found contributors down the line at offensive tackle and at guard, which leaves Center as the one area that hasn't been addressed yet. Deyshawn Bond is just a sophomore, but he will be a junior when the class of 2015 hits campus with two years to play. His back up Dominic Mainello graduates after this season. It is better to get Bond's eventual successor in the pipeline now. That is what McGarr will be for the Bearcats, the next in line at center.

He will redshirt in 2015 and probably back Bond up as a redshirt freshman in 2016 with the goal of taking over the spot in 2017 as a sophomore. Physically he will be able to get there, he has good feet, good power, great flexibility and quick hands all of which are things that can't be taught, but must be present for an offensive linemen to succeed at this level.

It's also a huge checkmark in his favor that McGarr is smart, he has a 4.1 GPA and is near the top of his class. Outside of quarterback the most intellectually rigorous position on the field is center. In the Bearcats scheme, as in all schemes, its generally on the center to make the line calls. They have to read the movements of 7 sometimes 8 defenders who are in constant flux before the snap of the ball and make clear concise calls to ensure that all defenders are accounted for. It's a mind melting level of complexity that requires a high baseline of intelligence to be good at. In many ways McGarr is the perfect understudy for Bond.