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Kevin Mouhon has been a very good football player for the Cincinnati Bearcats. There really isn’t anything to complain about. Last year he had 7.0 tackles for loss and a career-high 2.0 sacks after making the move to defensive end full-time. (He played outside linebacker primarily in his previous years). In the year before that, he had 9.5 tackles for loss, making for a total of 16.5. No other player on the roster has that many in the last two seasons.
That is all really good stuff, but it still feels like Mouhon is on the cusp of turning in a season that will make us drop our jaws. His four-star pedigree may be what has fueled this slightly unfair expectation; one he has carried around since 2014. Adding to that pressure is fact that his brother Silverberry was a pretty excellent player in his own right. The potential for a legendary year is always going to be there.
Perhaps expecting that is making some not appreciate just how good Mouhon has been. In addition to those 16.5 tackles for loss over the last two season, the 6’2”, 245-pound senior from Georgia has recorded at least 50 tackles in back-to-back seasons. improved his pass-rushing and been a fairly disruptive force on defense, with four pass deflections and two forced fumbles in the last two years combined.
If there is a team out there that knows just how good Mouhon can be, it’s Miami-Ohio. Mouhon terrorized the RedHawks in last year’s Battle for the Victory Bell, piling up two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss overall. While he didn’t create as much pressure the rest of the season, he did improve in other areas, recording at least seven tackles in four of the final six games, including a career-high of 10 against SMU.
In 2018, if Mouhon can continue to rack up tackles for loss and be the consistent force he’s always been on defense, the Bearcats have nothing to be upset about. In fact, they should be pleased. That doesn’t mean you should rule out another level from Mouhon, but don’t get lost chasing that and miss out on the quality football he will continue to provide.