Bearcats Football Preview: A Cadre of Running Backs will Compete for Carries

While Cincinnati lost its top-two leading rushers from last season in Jerome Ford and Desmond Ridder, your Bearcats have a cadre of backs vying for carries in the 2022 season.

Versatile senior Ryan Montgomery is the team’s leading returning rusher, having a gained a monstrous 6.8 yards per carry in 2021. He looks again to be a homerun hitter in the rushing attack while likely baring a much larger chunk of the load in 2022.

Similarly explosive newcomer, sophomore transfer Corey Kiner from LSU (and previously Roger Bacon in St. Bernard, Ohio), will certainly vie for carries with Montgomery. Kiner may have a higher ceiling in the long run but he lacks the experience that Montgomery, a genuine locker room leader, has in this system.

Senior Charles McClelland could well be the sleeper among the Cincinnati backfield crew. The 5’11 200 pound senior has contributed through his career in Cincinnati and has often put in excellent work running between the tackles. I anticipate McClelland serving as a changeup to the more high-flying, perimeter-based attack that both Montgomery and Kiner will make possible.

For more Cincinnati Bearcats preseason talk, check back with Down the Drive for regular updates on the Bearcats’ progress this preseason.