Defensive Back | Letters 2004-07

There are Bearcats that I loved more than Haruki Nakamura. But not many of them. Steve Logan, Kenyon Martin, Mardy Gilyard... and thats about it. I could identify with Ruki in a way that I really couldn't with others. He was undersized and not as talented as those around him, or those that he played against. But he played the game as if he was the biggest guy on the field. But the cliche of the smaller man with the Napoleon complex doesn't apply.

Instead Ruki played safety as if he was a colossus covering ground with ease, delivering hits with unnerving force. Despite usually being the smallest guy on the field he played the game like he was a giant. That is a hugely admirable trait. His stats might not stack up with some of the other defensive backs on this list. But there isn't a Bearcat fan who can forget Ruki.

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store

Punter | Letters 2007-08

Two letters won, two First Team AP All America Selections. This might be a lofty spot for a specialist, a guy who saw the field 10 times on a bad day. But his impact on games was undeniable. With Huber punting and Mardy Gilyard returning the Bearcats were always ahead in the field position battle.

The Brian Kelly era is synonymous with offense, but the special teams won more than their fair share of games, and Huber's exceptional punting was always a massive part of the equation. He is the only player in UC history to average 45 yards per punt in a single season. He did it twice* and also owns the career record for punting average. Kelly had it right, Huber was a true weapon for the Bearcats.

* 46.9 yards in 2007 and 45 in 2008

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store

Wide Receiver | Letters 1999-2002

When Gino Guidugli took over the starting job in 2001 he had two very reliable and steady targets. Jon Olinger was one. And he was the steady reliable one, the possession receiver if you will. Vann was far more mercurial. His knack for the big play something to be marveled at. He was the down field threat, the consummate home run hitter.

Whats interesting is that despite his role as the play maker in chief for an offense that was beyond pass happy for the majority of his career, particularly the last two seasons Vann never topped the hallowed 1,000 yard barrier. Instead he averaged 600+ yards per season for his career. After 2002 Vann walked away with the career marks for receptions (204), yards (2,483) and an unreal streak of 46 straight games with a reception.

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store

Kicker | Letters 2000-2002

In the long history of Bearcats Football only one player has won a major national award for a position* and that is Ruffin who had a proverbail season for the ages in 2000 when he went 26 of 29 from field goals that year and he went 26 of 27 on PAT's as well. His 104 points scored during that 2000 season remain a school record for kickers even though Jacob Rodgers bested his career scoring records. But Ruffin has a record thats hard to top, he scored in 47 straight games

* It should be two but Kevin Huber never won the Ray Guy Award despite being named first team All American. Twice.

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store

Running Back | Letters 1998, 2000-2002

Every program has records that seem unlikely to ever be broken. For Cincinnati one of the records most unlikely to fall belongs to DeMarco McCleskey. Over the course of his career McCleskey scored 37 rushing touchdowns and 41 touchdowns overall. Neither record is likely to be met or surpassed anytime soon. Isaiah Pead is, in my estimation the best running back in UC history but he only scored 27 rushing TD's, and 33 overall.

McCleskey was the focal point of the offense almost from the day he stepped foot on campus in Clifton and with Deontay Kenner formed a very dynamic 1-2 punch on the ground. McCleskey saved his best season for his last season. Breaking in a Freshman QB McCkleskey unleashed a monster year rushing for 1,361 yards on 315 carries, both single season records, scoring 15 rushing TD's and 2 receiving TD's and pitching in 368 receiving yards. It was the greatest single season a Bearcats running back ever had.

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store

Defensive Back | Letters 2005-08

There are certain moments that become engrained in your soul. They stay with you for the rest of your life whether you want them to or not. An inordinate amount of those moments for me involve Bearcats Football. And the one that I can recall most clearly, almost instantaneously is DeLo's pick 6 against Rutgers. I remember where I was exactly Section 112, row 17, seat 12 as Adam Hoppel pressured Mike Teel into lofting an out that Smith undercut and you know the rest.

That play, as well as the Celek catch and run, mark the ascent of the Bearcats. But it wasn't just that play that he made as a young Sophomore. DeAngelo became a great defensive back alongside Mike Mickens and easily the best corner duo in UC history. And he will always have that pick 6

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store

Athletic Director | 1995-2005

Its a cliche and a joke to rip on the Big East at this point. But there is no dbout that the best thing that has happened to the Bearcats since Sid Gillman left town is getting into the Big East. The current age of Bearcats Football is something of a golden one, and it had no chance of developing into such without the affiliation of the Big East.

As such the man who spearheaded the move needs a spot on the list. It was his vision for UC Football that led him to pursue the Big East. The Big East wanted Bearcats Basketball, but the move worked out best for the Football program. Bob Goin never got to see UC through to becoming something of a Football school, but he has to be proud to see what his vision has become.

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store

Quarterback | Letters 2008-2011

The legacy of Zach Collaros is a tricky thing to figure. When you add up the numbers it becomes clear that he is in the upper echelon of UC signal callers with Greg Cook, Tony Pike and Gino Gidugli. He ranks in the top 5 all time in passing yards, TD's, all purpose yards and is the all time leader in completion percentage.

But at the same time it feels weird to put him in that group of players, or at least it does to me because he peaked so early during that four game stretch in 2009 and never came close to matching that level of performance as his career wound down. His progression is atypical which makes putting his career into any sort of perspective very difficult indeed. In the end however his three Big East Championship rings put him near the top of the list.

Follow Down The Drive on Facebook/Twitter and check out the DTD Store