College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Cincinnati Bearcats season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Cincinnati Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 11-3 overall, 7-1 in AAC
Head Coach: Luke Fickell, 4th year, 26-13
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 22
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 22
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 64
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Cincinnati Bearcats Offense 3 Things To Know
– The Cincinnati offense wasn’t the best in the AAC, and it certainly stalled out way too often, averaging just 390 yards and 30 points per game. The O moved the chains and controlled the clock, but it was about the running game rolling and the defense taking care of the rest.
Head man Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock wanted to create a powerful attack, and they did just that. Cincinnati went from running for 1,624 yards in 2017 to over 3,000 with 38 touchdowns in 2018 and close to 3,000 last year with 30 scores. However, the main man for the ground game is gone.
CFN in 60 Video: Nebraska Preview
Cincinnati at Nebraska, Sept. 26
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– Michael Warren ran for well over 2,500 yards over the last two seasons with 33 scores. He was the focus of the attack, but the system had a lot to do with the production.
Enter Alabama transfer Jerome Ford, a superstar get for Nick Saban who couldn’t find his way into a ridiculously loaded backfield. He’s the most talented option, but 230-pound Gerrid Doaks is a pounding veteran who can handle the work, running for 526 yards and five scores last season.
They might have a better line to work behind than Warren did.
The guard situation is a wee bit iffy going into the fall, but the addition of Michigan transfer James Hudson gives the staff a whole lot of flexibility. There’s depth, good size – expect the UC line to average about 315 pounds per man – and a whole lot of options to play around with. Now the pass protection has to be stronger.
– The passing game has to be more consistent, but Desmond Ridder was great at pushing the ball down the field, and he’s a tough, dangerous runner who was second on the team with 650 yards and five scores. However, he only completed 55% of his passes. Sophomore Ben Bryant subbed in for the big game against Memphis late in the season and was good enough – he’s at least a solid No. 2.
The receiving corps loses star TE Josiah Deguara to the Green Bay Packers, and a few other parts are done, but leading receiver Alec Pierce is back coming off a 37-catch, 652-yard, two touchdown season.
The addition of Notre Dame transfer Michael Young along with Ohio State transfers Blue Smith and 6-6 Garyn Prater give the corps an upgrade of talent, and Michigan State transfer Noah Davis will make a push to be the new Deguara at tight end.