With training camp winding down, Cincinnati’s defense has made its personality pretty clear: fast, loud and built to hit. That showed up again Thursday, Aug. 20, when the Bearcats wrapped practice and one player - Thomas Johnson - stayed behind near the student section, working through pass-rush moves in the open field like he was already chasing a Saturday tackle.
Johnson is one of 22 transfers on this roster, and he arrives from UNC-Central with a résumé that includes 12 sacks, 49 tackles and 18 tackles for loss. He’s one of several players trying to show he belongs at the Power conference level, and he said the mindset is simple.
"I'm an HBCU guy," Johnson said. "You've got to earn your respect."
That line fits the way Cincinnati’s defense has carried itself under new coordinator Nate Woody, whose 3-4 scheme has pushed the group into a more blitz-heavy, aggressive style. It has also made life harder on the offense, where nothing comes easy and every score has to be earned.
There was no better example Thursday than an early 11-on-11 sequence that set the tone for the day. JC French IV flipped a screen to Cole Tabb, and the play quickly turned into a collision with defensive back Antwan Peek Jr. The contact was the kind that makes practice feel like football season is almost here.
Peek liked it. Tabb liked it too.
"That's definitely a little wake-up to get you ready for the season," Tabb said. "Sometimes you kind of want that physicality.
He's a great player that brings a lot of speed and awesome power. He helps me prepare for what I'm going to see in the season."
UC linebacker Damaine Wilson saw nothing unusual in it.
"His bloodline just shows what type of player he's going to be or that he is. Seeing that was nothing new. He does that every day."
French is the clear No. 1 quarterback, but the battle behind him is still worth watching. Samaj Jones and Liam O'Brien have been splitting the backup work, and both have shown enough with run-pass option looks and scrambling ability to keep the competition alive.
O'Brien brings a very different kind of profile. The Penn product could be working in investment banking right now, but instead he’s using his final year of eligibility to play Big 12 football. Pete Thomas, UC’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, says O'Brien’s biggest trait is his mind.
"Liam's probably the smartest quarterback I've been around," UC co-offensive coordinator/quartersbacks coach Pete Thomas said. "We have to pull him back a little bit.
He wants all the information, all the checks. He's so smart, he overthinks a little bit.
It's fun having him in the room to pick his brain a little bit."
Thomas also said each quarterback dedicates the season to someone and posts a picture on the wall. O'Brien dedicated his to his parents, and Thomas said the family tree includes graduates from Cornell, Harvard, Yale and MIT.
"Some stuff he says goes right over our heads," Thomas said.
Up front, Cincinnati’s offensive line keeps collecting attention. Guard Evan Tengesdahl was recently named a First Team Associated Press Preseason All-American, and left tackle Joe Cotton has now landed on the Panini Senior Bowl watch list.
The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Sioux Falls, South Dakota native started all 13 games at left tackle last season and helped anchor a unit that gave up the fewest sacks in the Power Four at 8.0 and the fewest tackles for loss at 43.0. That performance brought All-Big 12 recognition and an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week nod after a strong showing against Iowa State.
Cotton is also on this season’s Outland Trophy Watch List.
Another lineman drawing notice is Canadian tackle Nolan Latulippe, who was selected as one of the top professional prospects in Canada and landed at No. 12 in the Canadian Football League’s Scouting Bureau preseason Class of 2027 rankings. At 6-foot-8 and 315 pounds, he’ll see time at tackle this season.
On defense, Damaine Wilson is another name worth learning fast. Cincinnati has sent linebackers to the NFL recently, including Ivan Pace Jr. and Jake Golday with the Vikings and Jack Dingle with the Bengals. Wilson, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound transfer from Georgia State, is expected to start alongside a group that also includes Jonathan Thompson, Simeon Coleman, Montay Weedon and Brian Simms III.
Wilson doesn’t sound shy about his approach.
"I'm really just a dog; I go get to the ball any way I can," Wilson said. "I strive to be great.
When you talk to God every day, you have to live up to what the hype is. Sometimes the hype can get to your head."
He’s already leaning on senior Thompson, who is on the Preseason Butkus Award list, and he said the Bearcats’ track record with linebackers helped sell him on Cincinnati.
"Jake Golday, I texted him before I committed," Wilson said. "I asked him how is Coach Bras (linebackers coach Cort Braswell). He was like, 'He got me to the league,' so why not?"
The defensive line still has a few questions, though the outside spots appear to be set with Marques Parker and Johnson. The nose tackle job is still open, with Southern Illinois transfer Elijah Gunn, freshman Jonathan Rulo and 6-foot-2, 335-pound Josh Hough all in the mix.
Walter Stewart said Hough has made a strong impression.
"Josh Hough has had a good training camp getting himself ready to play," defensive line coach Walter Stewart said. "He's a college running back, so he's still got some of that athleticism.
It's really impressive. That's a big man that can move."
Stewart also pointed to Johnson’s production and style, calling him a "20 TFL guy and a violent player".
And Parker? Stewart said the chatter is part of the package.
"He's a talker, that's just who he is," Stewart said.
In Other News...
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Cincinnati Athletics is putting a fresh premium spin on one of Nippert Stadiums most recognizable spots this fall with the debut of the HOP Shops Tunnel Club. Built as a new hospitality space, the club is designed to give fans a high-end gameday experience with elevated views, private indoor dining, an all-inclusive buffet and exclusive field access, all wrapped around the energy of the Bearcats entrance area.
The setup is clearly aimed at groups, with a personal suite attendant, complimentary parking and easy restroom access helping make the day feel more like a curated outing than a standard stadium visit. For a program that already leans on the theater of Nippert on game day, the new club adds another layer to the experience, and it will be interesting to see how quickly it becomes part of the stadiums must-see offerings this fall. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Bearcats, that makes this an early conference test with a little extra uncertainty attached. Cincinnati is not just facing a league opponent on the road, but one still sorting out its identity after so much change, which can make September games feel more like a moving target than a clean matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Line Is Earning The Kind Of Buzz Fans Should Notice
Evan Tengesdahl keeps showing up on preseason lists, and for good reason. The Cincinnati offensive lineman has already been recognized by several organizations and landed on multiple watchlists, a sign that the Bearcats front is drawing real respect before the season even starts. He is part of a group that has become one of the more interesting strength units on the roster, with Taran Tyo, Joe Cotton, Xavier Lozowicki and Nolan Latulippe all expected to help anchor the line.
Tengesdahls rising profile matters because it reflects how much faith there is in Cincinnati up front, not just from outside observers but inside the program as well. The Bearcats need that group to set a tone early, and the buzz around the line suggests it could be a unit worth watching closely once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]