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Cincinnati Bearcats Football 2016 Preview

Down the Drive's comprehensive preview for the 2016 Cincinnati Bearcats.

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30 Total Updates since July 4, 2025
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UC Picked to Finish Third in the AAC East

A year after being the favorite to win the AAC overall, the Bearcats have fallen back into the middle of the pack.

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Who’s Gone, Who’s Back and Who’s New: Special Teams

A new coordinator and long snapper but the same great kicker and punter.

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Clayton Ranks the FBS’ 128 Handsomest Coaches

Includes 75 coaches that are handsomer than Kliff Kingsbury.

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Projecting the Depth Chart: Offensive Line

Most of the line’s starting jobs are spoken for, but there are still some other spots to hand out.

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Returning Player Refresher: Deyshawn Bond

A Rimington Award watch list nominee two years running, Bond is the anchor for UC up front.

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Returning Player Refresher: Ryan Leahy

A native son prepares for his senior season with the Bearcats.

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Returning Player Refresher: Idarius Ray

A California JUCO transfer from Texas, Ray was running with the first team on the Bearcats' offensive line right away in 2015. Nothing will change this year.

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Who’s Gone, Who’s Back and Who’s New: Offensive Line

Even though it lost a first-team all-conference contributor, the offensive line is fully stocked and ready to keep being a consistent force for good.

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Miss Cleo's 2016 Pre-Season All-American Team

Clayton Trutor, better known as the Miss Cleo of College Football, tells us who this year's All-Americans will be, offers lodging advice in Georgia and discusses Danish Modern furniture.

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Projecting the Depth Chart: Defensive Line

There is clarity at defensive tackle but the edges remain a bit of a mystery.

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Returning Player Refresher: Cortez Broughton

Broughton and Alex Pace combine to give UC a formidable duo on the interior defensive line.

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Returning Player Refresher: Mark Wilson

A five-game starter in 2015, Wilson is now one of Cincinnati's most experienced defensive ends.

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Examining UC's Pass Rush Problems

Where did all the sacks go?

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Returning Player Refresher: Alex Pace

An experienced defensive tackle returns to help UC make much needed improvements on the defensive line.

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Who’s Gone, Who’s Back and Who’s New: Defensive Line

A group that needs a lot of improvement lost its best player. How will things shake out for the defensive front?

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Will a Bearcat Win a National Award in 2016?

Six players from Cincinnati are on watch lists for major awards, but actually winning won't be easy.

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Projecting the Depth Chart: Linebackers

Eric Wilson and Bryce Jenkinson are sure things, but the group lacks a ton of depth beyond that. That means Tommy Tuberville and his new defensive coordinators will have to get creative.

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Returning Player Refresher: Eric Wilson

Wilson is one of (if not the) leaders of a UC defense that simply must improve for the Bearcats to compete at the highest level of the AAC.

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Returning Player Refresher: Bryce Jenkinson

Jenkinson was put into the fray immediately. Now a sophomore, he will be building on an impressive freshman campaign in 2016.

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Returning Player Refreshers: Minor and Kinard

A pair of junior college finds will compete for more playing time after seeing plenty of action in their first year with the Bearcats.

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Wilson Joins #WatchListSeason On Butkus Award List

UC's leading tackler from 2015 caught the attention of the folks who give out the award for the nation's best linebacker.

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Jim Thorpe Award Watch List Includes Edwards

Edwards was included on a list that features some of the best secondary talent in the country.

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Who’s Gone, Who’s Back and Who’s New: Linebackers

A new linebackers coach gets two returning starters and some interesting pieces to fill out the group.

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Projecting the Depth Chart: The Secondary

A group that was hurt by injuries in 2015 should be stronger in 2016. But who will get the bulk of the playing time?

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Gantz, Dowdy Named to Preseason Watch Lists

#WatchListSeason continues.

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Returning Player Refresher: Zach Edwards

The tackling machine known as Zach Edwards will finish out his college career in 2016. You should fully expect it to be another stellar campaign.

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Returning Player Refresher: Tyrell Gilbert

Zach Edwards has a stranglehold on one safety spot, but Gilbert has the inside track on the other after an impressive redshirt freshman season.

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Kiel, Boone Named to Maxwell Award Watch List

Cincinnati is the only American Athletic Conference team to have multiple players on the list.

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Returning Player Refresher: Linden Stephens

After becoming a full-time starter halfway through the 2015 season, Stephens showed that the UC secondary has another potential star on its hands.

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Who’s Gone, Who’s Back and Who’s New: Secondary

Led by Zach Edwards, the secondary could be a real strength for a defensive unit that is under new leadership once again.

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