UC Bearcats Football: A Way Too Early Prediction Of Cincinnati’s 2014 Depth Chart

Nov 9, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Mekale McKay catches a pass and runs in for a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Leifheit-USA TODAY Sports

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It’s been basically two months since Cincinnati’s last football game, the Belk Bowl against the North Carolina Tar Heels. So what better time than now to throw out some predictions about what UC’s depth chart will look like in six months!

The Bearcats return quite a bit to the team next year including 29 seniors. But with key cogs in Brendon Kay, Anthony McClung, Austen Bujnoch, and Greg Blair gone, there is an opportunity for younger, lesser known players to step into the spotlight. While the depth chart let alone the roster itself is far from set in stone, we can take a crack at determining what it will look like in the fall because, let’s face it, it’s a long offseason and there really isn’t much else going on on the football side right now.

As always, potential starters are listed first with backups italicized.

[OFFENSE]

• Quarterback: Gunner Kiel, Jarred Evans*
  
• Runningback: Tion Green, Hosey Williams -or- Ralph David Abernathy
  
• Fullback: Jared Golden, Kyle Nutter -or- EJ Junior
• Outside Receiver (X/Z): MeKale McKay, Max Morrison -or- Casey Gladney*
  
• Outside Receiver (X/Z): Chris Moore, Jeremy Graves
  
• Slot Receiver (Y): Shaq Washington, Nate Cole -or- Ralph David Abernathy
• Tight End: DJ Dowdy, Tyler Cogswell
• Right Offensive Tackle: Parker Ehinger, Kyle Williamson
• Right Offensive Guard: Justin Murray, Kyle Williamson
• Center: Deyshawn Bond, Dominic Mainello
  
• Left Offensive Guard: Kevin Schloemer, Dominic Mainello
  
• Left Offensive Tackle: Eric Lefeld, Corey Keebler

*Denotes true freshman or first year Bearcat

Observations of Offensive Two-Deep

• It’s appropriate to kick things off with the quarterback position. I originally figured Bennie Coney would be the starter heading into the 2014 season considering he picked up some experience last year. It wasn’t much but it was sure as heck more than Gunner Kiel. But with Coney transferring out of the program, that certainly makes the quarterback position clearer. So right now I’d have to say Kiel is the frontrunner to start in 2014 with JUCO transfer Jarred Evans his backup. But I’m sure there will be an intense battle at this position as we move through spring and fall workouts.
• I have to believe with a year of offensive coordinating under his belt, Eddie Gran has figured out that Ralph David Abernathy isn’t an every down, between-the-tackle runningback. Simultaneously, I have to believe Tion Green starts to put all of it together in his junior year. As such, I’m predicting he wins the starting role in 2014 with Hosey Williams and Abernathy acting as his backups. Of course, now that I write this, the first offensive play of the 2014 season will be an inside run of RDA and I’ll be forced to burn this post.
• As I look at the offensive line two-deep the first thing that stands out to me is holy hell, Cincinnati is razor thin at that position. Like insanely thin. Like we’re a couple of injuries to the starters away from seeing walk-ons or true freshmen popping up on the depth chart. That’s a crazy scary proposition to me.
• Cincinnati is stacked at wide receiver and that will be reflected in the 2014 two-deep. Everybody is back except for Anthony McClung so the hierarchy here doesn’t really change much. However, I could see JUCO receiver Casey Gladney entering the fray at this position.

[DEFENSE]

• Right Defensive End: Brad Harrah, Terrell Hartsfield
• Defensive Tackle: Camaron Beard -or- Alex Pace
  
• Nose Guard: Brandon Mitchell, Hakeem Allonce*
  
• Left Defensive End: Silverberry Mouhon, Jerrell Jordan
  
• Strongside Linebacker (SAM): Nick Temple, Marcus Tappan*
• Middle Linebacker (MIKE): Jeff Luc, Kevin Mouhon*
  
• Weakside Linebacker (WILL): Solomon Tentman -or- Clemente Casseus, Kevin Mouhon*
• Field Corner: Howard Wilder, JJ Pinckney*
  
• Nickelback: Zach Edwards
• Strong Safety: Adrian Witty, Andre Jones
• Free Safety: Mike Tyson -or- Darren Doston
  
• Boundary Corner: Leviticus Payne -or- Grant Coleman

*Denotes true freshman or first year Bearcat

Observations of Defensive Two-Deep

• There’s been quite a bit of upheaval at the linebacker position in the offseason with Greg Blair graduating. His spot at the MIKE will probably be won by Jeff Luc. He didn’t have a sensational first year in red and black but I’d hope a move to his more natural position on the inside will help the Florida State transfer blossom in his senior year. That leaves his vacated WILL spot to a battle between Solomon Tentman and Clemente Casseus. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see true freshman Kevin Mouhon or JUCO signee Marcus Tappan make a run at any of these starting positions and at the very least land backup roles.
• Not a whole lot changes at the defensive end position, although I think we’ll see Brad Harrah emerge as a starter opposite Silverberry Mouhon. Where DL coach Robert Prunty will have his work cut out for him is at defensive tackle. Jordan Stepp, Adam Dempsey, and Mitch Meador are all gone, which leaves him with a mix of talented but inexperienced up and comers as well as first time Bearcats to work with along the interior. Given their longevity in the system, we’ll probably see a heavy rotation of Brandon Mitchell, Camaron Beard, and Alex Pace lining up at DT. Additionally JUCO signee Hakeem Allonce should see playing time here in 2014.
• The defensive backfield is where the two-deep becomes less of a guesstimation game and more of a task of simply finding warm bodies to fill holes on the roster. Deven Drane has graduated, Trenier Orr transferred to Sam Houston State, and Howard Wilder is the only senior at the position. Not counting the incoming class, Cincinnati has just 5-6 potential cornerbacks on the roster. Yikes. We might see some first year players like JJ Pinckney emerge on the two-deep but the starting roles will probably go to Wilder and one of Leviticus Payne or Grant Coleman.

[SPECIAL TEAMS]

• Long Snapper: Kirk Willis, Kevin Hyland
• Holder: John Lloyd, Sam Geraci
• Place Kicker: Tony Miliano -or- Andrew Gantz
• Kickoff Specialist: Tony Miliano -or- Andrew Gantz
• Punter: John Lloyd, Sam Geraci
• Kickoff Returner: Ralph David Abernathy IV, Rodriguez Moore -or- Mike Boone*
• Punt Returner: Rodriguez Moore, Shaq Washington

*Denotes true freshman or first year Bearcat

Observations of Special Teams Two-Deep

• I fully expect to see a kicking controversy heading into spring camp between Tony Miliano and Andrew Gantz. The former was absolutely awful in 2013, making just 7 out of 17 field goals. There’s no reason that redshirt freshman Gantz shouldn’t be given a fair shake at this position to prove that he can anchor the place kicking role for the Bearcats going forward. Let the best man win!
• With McClung gone, the punt return role will probably come down to Rodriguez Moore and Shaq Washington. Heck, if it were up to me, whoever doesn’t muff the punt more should win the job. And while Ralph David Abernathy pretty much has the kickoff return role locked down, the coaches really need to push to get more production out of this position. The Bearcats haven’t returned a kickoff for a touchdown in two years. That’s just some otherworldly lack of production out of a position that was so dominant just a few years prior. So don’t be surprised if Moore and explosive true freshman Mike Boone get a crack at returning kickoffs in 2014.