The 2022 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bearcats, members of the American Athletic Conference, played their home games at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. 2022 was the program's sixth and final season under head coach Luke Fickell.
In September 2021, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF accepted bids to join the Big 12. On June 10, the American Athletic Conference and the three schools set to depart from the league (Cincinnati, Houston, UCF) announced that they had reached a buyout agreement that allowed those schools to join the Big 12 Conference in 2023. The 2022 season was the program's last season as a member of the AAC.
Offseason
NFL draft
Nine Bearcats were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, which was a school record, and was the third most of any school in the draft.
Sauce GardnerCBNew York Jets14Alec PierceWRIndianapolis Colts253Bryan CookSKansas City Chiefs262Desmond RidderQBAtlanta Falcons374Myjai SandersOLBArizona Cardinals3100Coby BryantCBSeattle Seahawks4109Jerome FordRBCleveland Browns5156Darrian BeaversLBNew York Giants6182Curtis BrooksDTIndianapolis Colts6216
Coaching changes On January 1, 2022, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock who had been the Bearcats offensive coordinator the last five years left the school to take the same role at LSU. On January 5, 2022, Brian Mason who had been with Cincinnati for the previous 5 seasons, including the last four as special teams coordinator was hired by Notre Dame in the same role. On January 13, 2022, it was reported that cornerbacks coach Perry Eliano who spent the last two years at Cincinnati had accepted the safeties coaching job at Ohio State.
On January 17, 2022, The Athletic reported that UC was promoting quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli to Offensive coordinator, and that Wide receivers coach Mike Brown was expected to add the role of passing game coordinator, previously held by Guidugli. Cincinnati also promoted Safeties coach Colin Hitschler to Co-defensive coordinator. Also on January 17, 2022 it was announced that Cincinnati was hiring current Central Michigan offensive line coach Mike Cummings in the same role at Cincinnati.
On January 18, 2022, The Athletic reported that Kerry Coombs was being hired as the new cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator. Coombs joins Cincinnati after serving most recently as defensive coordinator at Ohio State the previous two seasons. He also was an assistant coach at Ohio State from 2012 to 2017 where he developed five first-round NFL draft picks. Coombs previously coached at Cincinnati from 2007 to 2011, overseeing defensive backs and special teams. Additionally, he coached with the Tennessee Titans (2017–18) and was head coach at Colerain High School, from 1991 to 2006.
On January 19, 2022, Cincinnati hired former Bearcats defensive linemen Walter Stewart to coach outside linebackers, Stewart played at Cincinnati 2008–2012. Prior to returning to Cincinnati Stewart coached at defensive line at Arkansas State. From 2019–2021 he was the defensive line coach at Temple, Defensive line at Northern Illinois in 2018. Prior to NIU Stewart was defensive line coach at Eastern Kentucky from 2016 and 2017. In 2015, Stewart coached defensive ends at Florida A&M after being on the Tennessee staff from 2013–14.
On February 21, 2022, Cincinnati announced it has promoted offensive graduate assistant Nate Letton to tight ends coach.
On March 3, 2022, it was reported that Greg Scruggs accepted an assistant defensive line coach position with the New York Jets. After the departure of Scruggs, Walter Stewart was promoted to become the defensive line coach and James Ross III was hired as the outside linebackers coach.
Offseason departures 2022 Cincinnati offseason departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Darrian Beavers 0 LB 6' 4" 255 Graduate Student Cincinnati, OH Graduated Sauce Gardner 1 CB 6' 3" 200 Junior Detroit, MI Declared for NFL draft Bryan Cook 6 S 6' 1" 210 Senior Cincinnati, OH Graduated Coby Bryant 7 CB 6' 1" 198 Graduate Student Cleveland, OH Graduated Michael Young Jr. 8 WR 5' 10" 195 Graduate Student Saint Rose, LA Graduated Desmond Ridder 9 QB 6' 4" 215 Senior Louisville, KY Graduated Alec Pierce 12 WR 6' 3" 213 Senior Glen Ellyn, IL Graduated Cole Smith 17 K 5' 11" 193 Senior Middletown, OH Graduated Myjai Sanders 21 DL 6' 5" 258 Senior Jacksonville, FL Graduated Jerome Ford 24 RB 5’ 11” 220 Junior Seffner, FL Declared for NFL Draft Michael Kopaygorodsky 30 RB 6' 0" 215 Senior Mason, OH Graduated Casey Kirk 31 CB 5' 10" 190 Senior Dublin, OH Graduated Ryan Royer 35 LB 5' 11" 218 Senior Hilliard, OH Graduated Joel Dublanko 41 LB 6' 3" 240 Graduate Student Aberdeen, WA Graduated Vincent McConnell 77 OL 6' 5" 300 Senior Massillon, OH Graduated Noah Davis 82 TE 6' 4" 244 Graduate Student Cincinnati, OH Graduated Miles Manigault 91 DL 6' 2" 280 Senior Cincinnati, OH Graduated Curtis Brooks 92 DL 6' 2" 285 Graduate Student Danville, VA Graduated Marcus Brown 99 DL 6' 2" 297 Graduate Student Naples, FL Graduated
Transfers Outgoing Name Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown New School De'Arre McDonald S 6' 1" 205 Sophomore Murfreesboro, TN Middle Tennessee Marquez Bell WR 6' 0" 160 Freshman Lake City, FL Old Dominion Marcelo Mendiola OL 6' 5" 285 Sophomore Chicago, IL Bowling Green Zeiqui Lawton DE 6' 3" 240 Freshman Charleston, WV West Virginia Joey Groeber OL 6' 3" 330 Senior Williamsburg, OH Youngstown State Mychal Keys DL 6' 4" 246 Junior Columbus, OH Jordan Jones WR 6' 2" 190 Senior Smackover, AR Missouri State Jack Perry QB 6' 1" 201 Senior Mountain View, CA Western Illinois Alex Bales K 6' 0" 168 Junior Westfield, IN Oregon Jalen Monrrow DE 6' 4" 258 Sophomore Lafayette, IN Illinois State Sterling Miles DE 6' 5" 220 Freshman West Bloomfield, MI Eastern Michigan Iesa Jarmon CB 6' 0" 175 Freshman Cincinnati, OH Buffalo
Incoming Name Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Prev. School Ryan Coe K 6' 3" 225 Senior McDonald, PA Delaware Ivan Pace Jr. LB 6' 0" 239 Senior Cincinnati, OH Miami (OH) Ben Bryant QB 6' 3" 214 Graduate Student LaGrange, IL Eastern Michigan Nick Mardner WR 6' 6" 190 Senior Mississauga, Canada Hawaii Dartanyan Tinsley OL 6' 5" 315 Senior Owensboro, KY Kentucky Christian Corey Kiner RB 5' 10" 213 Sophomore Cincinnati, OH LSU Noah Potter DL 6' 5" 250 Sophomore Mentor, OH Ohio State
Recruiting
Preseason
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
Dodd Trophy Luke Fickell HC Biletnikoff Award Nick Mardner WR Sr.John Mackey Award Josh Whyle TE Sr. Leonard Taylor TE Sr.Butkus Award Deshawn Pace LB Jr. Ivan Pace Jr. LB Sr.Outland Trophy Dylan O'Quinn OL Sr. Jake Renfro OL Jr.Bronko Nagurski Trophy Deshawn Pace LB Jr. Ivan Pace Jr. LB Sr. Lou Groza Award Ryan Coe K Sr. Wuerffel Trophy Wilson Huber LB Sr. Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Paul Hornung Award Ryan Montgomery RB Sr.Chuck Bednarik Award Deshawn Pace LB Jr. Ivan Pace Jr. LB Sr. Lombardi Award Lorenz Metz OL Sr.
American Athletic Conference preseason media poll The American Athletic Conference preseason media poll was released at AAC Media Day on July 28, 2022. Cincinnati, the defending champions, were narrowly pipped by Houston to be preseason favorites, while obtaining 3 more votes for No.1.
Media poll 1 Houston 243 (7) 2 Cincinnati 242 (10) 3 UCF 225 (7) 4 SMU 187 5 Memphis 162 6 East Carolina 157 7 Tulane 115 8 Tulsa 93 9 South Florida 71 10 Navy 61 11 Temple 28
Schedule The Bearcats' 2022 schedule consisted of six home games, five away games, and one neutral site game. Cincinnati hosted two of its four non-conference games; against Kennesaw State (FCS) and Indiana. The Bearcats traveled to Arkansas to open the season in a one-game non-conference matchup, and played a neutral site matchup vs. Miami (OH) at Paycor Stadium in the battle for the Victory Bell rivalry game.
Game summaries
at No. 19 Arkansas
No. 18 (FCS) Kennesaw State
vs. Miami (OH)
Indiana
at Tulsa
South Florida
at SMU
at UCF
Navy
East Carolina
at Temple
No. 19 Tulane
vs. Louisville (Fenway Bowl)
Personnel
Roster and staff
Rankings
After the season
Awards and AAC honors
Weekly Awards Mason Fletcher Special Teams Player of the Week September 19, 2022 Ivan Pace Jr. Defensive Player of the Week September 26, 2022 Tyler Scott Offensive Player of the Week September 26, 2022 Mason Fletcher (2) Special Teams Player of the Week October 24, 2022 Ryan Coe Special Teams Player of the Week November 21, 2022
American Athletic Conference Individual Awards Ivan Pace Jr.AAC Defensive Player of the Year Mason FletcherAAC Special Teams Player of the Year
All-AAC DL 1 DL 1 P 1 LB 1 CB 1 TE 1 K 2 S 2 WR 2 OT 2 OT Hon. OG Hon. Reference: * Denotes Unanimous Selection
All-Americans NCAA Recognized All-American Honors Ivan Pace Jr. 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st Consensus The NCAA recognizes a selection to all five of the AP, AFCA, FWAA, TSN and WCFF first teams for unanimous selections and three of five for consensus selections.
Other All-American Honors Ivan Pace Jr. 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
References