Cincinnati Football: LSU transfer Corey Kiner brings running back depth

The Bearcats brought in former LSU running back and Cincinnati native Corey Kiner from the transfer portal last month, adding depth and exuberance to the backfield. Kiner will compete for the starting running back spot next season as Ryan Montgomery, Charles McClelland and Ethan Wright attempt to replace Jerome Ford.

Montgomery and McClelland combined for 502 yards last season.

Cincinnati Football: LSU transfer Corey Kiner brings running back depth

“Corey is a tough, explosive and smart football player who we expect to have an immediate impact on our football team,” head coach Luke Fickell said in a press release via the Enquirer. “I know he’s excited to come home and play in front of friends and family at Nippert Stadium and we are thrilled to have him.”

Kiner ranks third all-time in Ohio high school football history with 116 rushing touchdowns and sits at 10th all-time with 7,130 rushing yards. According to 247 Sports, he was the 10th highest-rated running back from the 2021 recruiting class following a historically-dominant career at Roger Bacon High School.

During his senior campaign with the Spartans, Kiner ran for 1,866 yards and 35 touchdowns en route to earning Ohio Mr. Football honors. The only other current player that previously won Ohio Mr. Football is sophomore quarterback Evan Prater. Michael Warren II was the last Bearcats running back to take home the prestigious trophy.

https://twitter.com/CoreyKiner/status/1426733510606348290

Prater and Kiner are the only Cincinnati-area players to win the award since 1992.

The sophomore-to-be spent one season with the Tigers before deciding to transfer when Ed Orgeron was fired. Kiner was the second-best rusher on LSU last year with 324 yards and two touchdowns on 79 carries including a season-high 74 yards highlighted by a smooth spin move in a blowout win over Central Michigan in September.