If you’ve spotted the University of Cincinnati football team pushing its “Pancake With Us” message, there’s more to it than a catchy line. The campaign is meant to generate buzz for the Bearcats’ upcoming season, but it also puts a spotlight on the offensive line that helped power the offense a year ago.
That group - Evan Tengesdahl, Joe Cotton and Taran Tyo - was at the center of a Cincinnati rushing attack that finished third in the nation in rushing yards per carry last season. Tengesdahl said the unit is aiming to build on that standard rather than simply match it.
"We're feeling really good," said Tengesdahl. "Coming off a big season last year from the O-line, so kind of living up to what we did last year.
We want to improve off of that. We feel like we can with what we have this year.
So I feel like, just improving on everything we did last year is kind of the goal for this."
The “pancake” part of the slogan fits the football definition, not the breakfast one. In the sport, it means driving a defender onto his back with a block.
"Yeah, a pancake is just putting the guy you're blocking on his back," Tengesdahl said. "You come off the ball, lift him up, put him on his back, and kind of glide across him. That's what a pancake is."
The players were just as quick to answer when asked what it feels like to land one.
"It's awesome," they said.
The campaign wraps up with a free pancake breakfast for fans on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 9 a.m. on Sheakley Lawn. That will be followed by an open football practice at Nippert Stadium at 10 a.m.
Tyo said Nippert brings something special to the experience.
"I feel like playing at Nippert is one of the, you know, one of the best stadiums to play in," said Tyo. "I've played in a lot of different stadiums, a lot of different places, and the Nip has a particular atmosphere about it, it makes it really fun to play in."
The breakfast and practice are free, giving fans a chance to meet the team, grab breakfast and get an early look at the Bearcats as they get ready for the 2026 season.
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