August 21, 2025 • 19 mins
Tony talks UC / Nebraska, basketball, and more with Keegan Nickoson from BearcatJournal.com on ESPN 1530!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Since e three to sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored
in part by Cincy Shirts.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Cincy Shirts all since.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
The all day.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
All right, welcome back. It's our number two thanks to
Cincy Shirts. Thank you for listening on ESPN fifteen thirty
Cincinnati Sports Station. Let's get right to it. A week
from today, nine o'clock Arrowhead Stadium, the Cincinnati Bearcats season
gets underway against Nebraska. Who better to talk Bearcats football
and a little Bearcat basketball as well, with our guy
(00:38):
covering them for Bearcat Journal dot Com joining us right now.
Keegan nickoson what's up? Keegan?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Not how much?
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Channey?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Keegan?
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I'm great. Are you making the trip to Kansas City
next week?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Absolutely? I am.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I haven't looked forward to a college football game like
this since they're playing Alabama in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I'm very excited for this one.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
What gives you the most reason for optimism? We'll get
into some positions, but if you look at where this
team is at now, maybe compared to where they were
last year, what gives you reason for optimism that this
team can go and beat Nebraskan game one.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
I think the biggest thing is the amount of turnover
that the Cornhuskers had on defense, bring in a new
defensive coordinator, the only four returning starters they have on the.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Defensive side of the ball or defensive backs. So I
think this new Cincinnati offense not tokeing new, but you
know they brought in new wide receivers. They've talented wide
receivers Kaled Good and Syrahs Allen. I think that they'll
be able to take advantage and maybe pick apart this
defense that is trying to gel with, you know, a
(01:51):
bunch of new players and new defensive coordinators. So I
think this game could get in the sixties total. I
think it's going to be a shootout, and the offense
did have a good chance to do some damage.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
We know what Joe Royer was able to do last year,
and we know Brendan Sorez. But you talk about preseason
watch list, he's on so many of them. A quarterback
point of view, but what is it specifically about this
wide receiver room. What added feature does this group give
them that they just were lacking in years past.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I think it's the breakaway speed downfield They had Terrence
Smith last year who really just didn't stick, played very
little in the early parts of the season, and then
I believe he decided the red shirt and then transfer
before he hit the four game mark. And you know,
they had Tony Johnson and Jimoyne's and those were two
(02:44):
good wide receivers. And you see that by Jimoyne's playing
with the Bengals, Tony Johnson transferring and getting a big payday.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I think he was a Miami.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
So they had tough and gritty kind of traits and
they could they could on the routes, they could catch balls,
they could get down and dirty in the blocking game,
but they didn't have the downfield speed. And Cyrus Allen
and Ko Goody have that. Jeff Calvo has that as well.
So they're going to be able to stretch the field
this year, which they haven't been able to do in
(03:15):
the past. And I think it could It could really
affect the offense as a whole.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Set up your Royer for some.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Success, set up the running backs for some success, and
kind of just open the playbook as a whole.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
I was going to go there next the running backs.
I think you look and you think man Corey Kiner
has gone. How will they replace that production? And yeah,
you don't see one but two University of Cincinnati running
backs on the Dolk Walker preseason Award Watch. So what
what do they have at running back this year? And
can that look at all similar to what they were
able to do last year on the ground.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, I think they have a lot of good running
backs and not just going past Manny Kobe and or
going past Tywery Walker up and prior Andy Kobe returns.
Zion Johnson, a true freshman, has been playing really good
Chance Williams.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
It's a ton of firsts.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
But when you're looking at those top two guys, I
think they did as good of a job replacing Corey
Kiner as possible. And you bring in Tylie Walker. You
have Evan Pryor, who I talked to prior the other
day put on ten to fifteen pounds and he said, look,
I got to get through a whole season without getting hurt,
and I've got to be able to break tackles, and
(04:26):
I also have to be able to play a professional schedule,
because that's his goal is to go to the NFL.
And I think that's one of the most intriguing things
about me with the running back room, or for me
with the running back room, because if you take Evan
Pryor's speed and then you say, okay, well he's going
to be able to break some tackles.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Now, I think he could have a.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
More productive season than Tylie Walker, and I think he
could get to that seven hundred eight hundred yard mark.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I don't know if we're going.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
To have a thousand yard rusher this year, just because
of the complexities and the kind of identity that the
Big twelve is going to take Offensively, you lost a
ton of great running backs across the whole conference, and
I have a ton of great quarterbacks. So it kind
of feels like it's going to be one of those
vintage Big Twelve seasons where you're just you're scoring forty
points a game on both sides and the over unders
(05:15):
or in the stratosphere.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So but you know, they have the.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
N and the yang like they did last year, with
sure Tybie Walker being the power rusher, the bruiser, Evan
Pryor being more of the receiving back but can also
take handoffs and.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Go for sixty yards. So they're set up like they
are not lacking at all at running back.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I just wouldn't expect it to be as impactful as
a kind of running back room in terms of a
numbers standpoint than last year.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
They go out and they get one of the top
transfer offensive linemen in the spring portal window. I believe
you bring back Gavin Gerhart. Is the line up front?
Do they remain a strength for this offense? Or are
their question marks up front?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah, there's obviously question marks when you just you look
at you had to bring in I think it was
two editions and Taran Tyo and Joe Cotton, and then
you're adding in Evan Tangstol. I think there are definitely
question marks. But I'm also very bullish that this group
can actually be better than the group that they had
(06:22):
the last two seasons. Taran Tyo is very very good,
and then Joe Cotton could be a second third round
pick here in a couple of years. I'm also intrigued
and me and my boss have talked about this, how
can this group perform as a pass blocking line because
(06:42):
the group the last two years was really good at
run blocking, but then pass blocking they weren't horrible. But
you just want to give your quarterback a little bit
more time. This group and pass blocking through fall camp
has been awesome, and I'm wondering about what this offense
can look like if you get Brennan Sowarsby a bunch
of time to sit back there and pass and you
(07:03):
don't have to hand it off so much like the
last two years and lean on that. So that kind
of goes back to being able to open the playbook
with the receivers. If the offensive line can be better
in pass protection, this team can score more points. You
don't have to rely on twelve thirteen play drives. You
can kind of bust it open and have a four
play drive that ends up in a long touchdown. So
(07:26):
I think this line can legitimately be better. I tucked
hi Nick Cardwell and asked him that. He said, I'm
not looking to go there yet, but they have the
tools and the potential to do so.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
On the offensive side of the ball. To round things off,
you mentioned Soorsby and a lot of preseason watch list
and what he was able to do at times last year.
What does the ceiling in your opinion look like this
year for Brennan Sooresby.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Oh, I love these questions.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
They get me in a lot of trouble every time
they get asked them. The ceiling for Brendon Sooresby, I
think the ceiling would be he's a top three quarterback
in the Big Twelve by.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
The end of the season.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I'm not going to go to the thing of you know,
he could be a Heisman candidate like you, Tony like
at that point. Yet yeah, so see, I'm the favorite
Nickoson Brothers now yet I but I legitimately think that
he's being underrated in this crop of Big twelve quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
You've heard a lot about Devin Dan.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Pier, Tory Robertson and all these other guys. Baron Morton
at Touches Tech. I think he's one of the best
pure throwers in the country. I think he put it
on the film and then now he has the tools
to kind of explode.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Onto the scene and.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I think if he does it against Week one in
Week one against Nebraska, he could really So I think
that kind of at the end of the season, he'll
be thought of as one of the top three quarterbacks
in the Big twelve, and then he'll be a popular
name after the season of you know, as we go
every year, Is.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
He going to stay? Is he going to transfer?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Does he have a good enough year that he says, Look,
I'm projected to be a late second round, early third
round pick. Maybe I'll just go to the draft, which
would surprise me. But he's got a lot of talent
and barricats. Fans should be looking forward to watching this
kid play.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
On the other side of the ball. It's interesting because
you get Golday at the linebacking level, you have Dante
Corleone on the defensive line, and because there were injuries
last year, you were able to mix in a lot
of young defenders.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So I would.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Imagine that this team possesses would you say depth on
the defensive line all across?
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Oh, yeah, they have a ton of depth. You think
of the guys they brought in. CJ McCrae. I'm really
intrigued by him. I talked to coach Shadderfield at Big
Twove media days and he said that he CJ McCray
is going to be a really, really good kind of
third down pass rush guy like pen your ears back,
get after the quarterback. Micah Coleman, more of a power rusher,
(10:00):
will have a more of an impact in the run
game than seez McCray might and then you have Jalen Hunt,
Hunt and Coleman coming back last year after those injuries.
And then they also bring in Jalen Light McClain, Elijah Gunn.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Isaiah Rogers.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
So there's a ton of depth, not even talking about
Mark west Parker who started as a true freshman in
multiple games.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
And then Drew.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Logan who was given a scholarship in April from a
walk on standpoint and now he might even get into
the rotation. So and I talked to Dante Corleone after practice,
I think it was yesterday, and I asked them, like,
what's it like getting in like late into the fourth
quarter and you've played sixty snaps on the defensive line
And he says, look, you like you can barely do
(10:43):
anything like And a lot of people talk about playing
patty Cake with defensive linemen sometimes because they're so tired worn.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Now that's basically what it is. So it's those.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Small plays, it's the small impacts they can make when
they have that depth of you know, getting a hand
in the cour backt face, putting just a little bit
of pressure on them that can force quarterbacks to throw interceptions.
And then the game slips. They did not have that
at all last year, so I'm not expecting this team
to set the stats record, especially since they're in the
(11:14):
three three five and it doesn't exactly promote getting to
the quarterback. But the defensive line is going to be
much better, and I don't even think that they have
to be great to get this defense to where they
want to be.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
You mentioned the three three five. A lot is put
in the three three five a new year, another year
with coach Tyson Vite. But you have to have the
back end to be able to hide things to match
what other teams want to do. I've heard so much
about the d line. I've heard about the linebackers. We've
talked about the offense. What does the secondary look like
(11:46):
for this team when you are again running a three
three five. Are they capable on the back end of
getting the job done or is that still a question
mark for this roster?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
To me, on the back end, it stays specifically, there's
still question marks. I think at corner they're far and
away better, and that's an interesting thing of what this
defense can look like when you have a capable corners.
I think Matthew McDoom is going to be one of
the better defensive players this season. And I think Logan
(12:18):
Wilson is really the quality cornerback two that you won
and he's just voted as a captain. But the most
interesting player on that back end to me is Christian Harrison,
and I think by the end of the year we'll
be talking about him in the same breath as Jake
Golde and Dante Courleone. Is those really impactful, really good
defensive players for U see. And one of the biggest
(12:40):
things that makes me say that is like he and
Joe Royer search each other out in drills, they search
each other out in seven on sevens and in team
periods because they want to go against the best.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
And I've seen Christian Harrison.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
I've seen him beat Joe Royer a lot and get
those pass breakups and kind of gopher And so I
think his ability to be flexible in the back end
playing both steeld them boundary. He can even go down
and play a little bit of the sam linebacker position,
he can go out and play corner. I think he's
going to be all over the field and I think
one of my bold predictions this year was that he'd
(13:15):
have four interceptions, which would tie to Sean Pace for
the most since twenty twenty one. So look for Christian
Harrison to make his impact this year and kind of
take advantage of it through through five s teams.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Keigan. If we're talking a week from tomorrow about U
SEE getting a big win on the road at Arrowhead Stadium,
what is the biggest thing that we're talking about that
they were able to get done?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Interceptions?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Dylan Roula had a thirteen to eleven touchdown interception ratio
last year. It was his biggest struggle, his biggest issue,
and I feel like especially this year, and Bud Elliott,
who does a great job for two four seven Sports
in the CBS, has talked about it that if if
you if I'm a coach and I play Nebraska, I
(14:03):
want to play them early, like I want to get
them when there's still a bunch of question marks around them,
before they can really get their feet dug in, and
take advantage of all the talent they have. I think
you take advantage of Raola playing in the stadium in
front of what it'll be seventy five thousand fans, sixty
five thousand which will probably be Nebraska get him on
(14:25):
his heels with the hype and force him into a
couple interceptions, and then the offense has a great day,
scores thirty five thirty six points. I think if you
don't force turnovers, Nebraska's probably going to win. They brought
in Dame Key from Kentucky, really good ride receiver, and
Zaiyah Hunter another really good ride receiver. So they've got
(14:46):
the talent, they've got the tools, but I think it's
just going to come down to the two quarterbacks. Who
can play cleaner and can you force dealing Marilla into
a couple of mistakes.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Keegan nickoson covering the Bearcats for barcat Journal Dot. I
would be remiss if I didn't before I'll let you go, Keegan.
Obviously the news earlier in the week the Gigsel James
is no longer with the men's basketball program, and we
saw what Wes Miller had to say or not comment on.
At this point, outside of of what happened with Gisele,
can they replace his production? Do they have the roster
(15:20):
build around that they can they can take on losing
Gigsel James and still thrive in the Big twelve.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
At this point, I'm gonna say no in terms of
like actually replacing him. There's still some guards sitting in
the portal waiting for a spot, and they're kind of
waiting for a unique scenario or like this want to
take advantage of. So that's a possibility. But I'm not
gonna stand here and say that everything's gonna be okay
(15:48):
after you lose a cornerstone piece of pure offense and
your team as a whole.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I mean, this was a guy that fans are.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Super super excited about, struggled to start last season, but
then really came on.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
I think he averaged upwards of.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Fifteen points in the last half, maybe seventeen points the
last half of the season last year.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So you know, it doesn't make me confident.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
I can't sit here and say, well, they have Shanabayev,
so they're gonna be fine. Or Keishan Tillery or kerk
Risa like Keischan Tillery and Shauna Biab or true freshmen
that you can't expect to just.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Take on a huge load. Those are guys that would have.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Really benefited from Gisel James being here at Cincinnati and
kind of being able to ease them in.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Now it's more of okay, there's.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
There's a sense of urgency to try to get these
guys involved offensively. Kirk Criest has struggled with injuries since
your hair has shot at eleven percent from three last year.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
So do I think there's a path for this team
to be as good, if not better.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Absolutely, But until I see them play at the start
of the season, until I see how the offense looks,
I think it's it's there's a ton of question marks
because when you lose such an important player, like the
heartbeat of your team, I think that it's it's a
reason for questioning for a lot of fans.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
Lastly, we are getting more of an indication of what
that non conference schedule is going to look like. For years,
I've heard folks say, well, they got a schedule harder,
they got to play a tougher non conference schedule. So far,
what we know they host Dayton, they go on the
road to Xavior, and then we're going to see Louisville
at Heritage Bank. We're going to see a Georgia game
in Atlanta. They're going to play Clemson in Greenville. Do
you think ultimately this helps as they get ready for
(17:27):
Big twelve? Play to play the type of competition their
scheduled to play.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Yeah, I think Wes has talked about it in the
past when he got criticized for not scheduling tough about
you know, we play in the Big twelve, like we
can't get burned out, Like we have a tough enough
schedule in the Big Twelve. I am not of the
opinion that you have to schedule a really big, like
(17:54):
non conference, really good non conference schedule when you're in
the Big Twelve, other than like you're trying to make
statement early, because we've seen like last year, how did
you see doing the non conference They did a great
beat Zager beat Dayton, killed Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and
then the Big Twelve conference comes and it goes downhill
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
So I think it's awesome for fanfare.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
I'm really going to look forward to covering these games,
especially Louisville that was one of my favorite rivalries to
watch as a kid. But I don't really think it
does a ton to get them ready, because I mean,
you should know what it takes to be ready for
the Big Twelve, and you know west Miller knows that,
and he knows if his guys are going to be
ready by January.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
But this does it can either help you or hurt you.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
And he's scheduling some teams that have the possibility to
hurt him, which I have to give him.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Props for Keigan Man, I cannot thank you enough. Keigan's
coverage on Bearcat Journal is fantastic. What is the easiest
way you'd recommend folks to follow along to get ready
for everything that a week from tonight is going to
be along with basketball so much more.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yeah, follow it at k Nickoson forty two on Twitter,
and then make sure you subscribe to Barcat Journal on
Bearcat Journal dot com and also on YouTube. I know
are our the rest of our team had a podcast
last night kind of going through a season preview and
kind of projecting what the record might be, So that
would be an interesting one for a lot of youc
fans to watch.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
That is Keegan Nickoson. He is my second favorite Nickoson
that I've ever come across, and I can't thank you enough.
I look forward to uh to catching up all season
long and look forward to seeing you in Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Absolutely see it, Tanny. Thank you.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
That is h Keegan nickoson Bearcat journal dot com. This
is since he three sixty and when we come back,
your talkbacks on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Yeah, your chance,
Since e three to sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored
in part by Cincy Shirts.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Cincy Shirts all since.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
The all day.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
All right, welcome back. It's our number two thanks to
Cincy Shirts. Thank you for listening on ESPN fifteen thirty
Cincinnati Sports Station. Let's get right to it. A week
from today, nine o'clock Arrowhead Stadium, the Cincinnati Bearcats season
gets underway against Nebraska. Who better to talk Bearcats football
and a little Bearcat basketball as well, with our guy
(00:38):
covering them for Bearcat Journal dot Com joining us right now.
Keegan nickoson what's up? Keegan?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Not how much?
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Channey?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Keegan?
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I'm great. Are you making the trip to Kansas City
next week?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Absolutely? I am.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I haven't looked forward to a college football game like
this since they're playing Alabama in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I'm very excited for this one.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
What gives you the most reason for optimism? We'll get
into some positions, but if you look at where this
team is at now, maybe compared to where they were
last year, what gives you reason for optimism that this
team can go and beat Nebraskan game one.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
I think the biggest thing is the amount of turnover
that the Cornhuskers had on defense, bring in a new
defensive coordinator, the only four returning starters they have on the.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Defensive side of the ball or defensive backs. So I
think this new Cincinnati offense not tokeing new, but you
know they brought in new wide receivers. They've talented wide
receivers Kaled Good and Syrahs Allen. I think that they'll
be able to take advantage and maybe pick apart this
defense that is trying to gel with, you know, a
(01:51):
bunch of new players and new defensive coordinators. So I
think this game could get in the sixties total. I
think it's going to be a shootout, and the offense
did have a good chance to do some damage.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
We know what Joe Royer was able to do last year,
and we know Brendan Sorez. But you talk about preseason
watch list, he's on so many of them. A quarterback
point of view, but what is it specifically about this
wide receiver room. What added feature does this group give
them that they just were lacking in years past.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I think it's the breakaway speed downfield They had Terrence
Smith last year who really just didn't stick, played very
little in the early parts of the season, and then
I believe he decided the red shirt and then transfer
before he hit the four game mark. And you know,
they had Tony Johnson and Jimoyne's and those were two
(02:44):
good wide receivers. And you see that by Jimoyne's playing
with the Bengals, Tony Johnson transferring and getting a big payday.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I think he was a Miami.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
So they had tough and gritty kind of traits and
they could they could on the routes, they could catch balls,
they could get down and dirty in the blocking game,
but they didn't have the downfield speed. And Cyrus Allen
and Ko Goody have that. Jeff Calvo has that as well.
So they're going to be able to stretch the field
this year, which they haven't been able to do in
(03:15):
the past. And I think it could It could really
affect the offense as a whole.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Set up your Royer for some.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Success, set up the running backs for some success, and
kind of just open the playbook as a whole.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
I was going to go there next the running backs.
I think you look and you think man Corey Kiner
has gone. How will they replace that production? And yeah,
you don't see one but two University of Cincinnati running
backs on the Dolk Walker preseason Award Watch. So what
what do they have at running back this year? And
can that look at all similar to what they were
able to do last year on the ground.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, I think they have a lot of good running
backs and not just going past Manny Kobe and or
going past Tywery Walker up and prior Andy Kobe returns.
Zion Johnson, a true freshman, has been playing really good
Chance Williams.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
It's a ton of firsts.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
But when you're looking at those top two guys, I
think they did as good of a job replacing Corey
Kiner as possible. And you bring in Tylie Walker. You
have Evan Pryor, who I talked to prior the other
day put on ten to fifteen pounds and he said, look,
I got to get through a whole season without getting hurt,
and I've got to be able to break tackles, and
(04:26):
I also have to be able to play a professional schedule,
because that's his goal is to go to the NFL.
And I think that's one of the most intriguing things
about me with the running back room, or for me
with the running back room, because if you take Evan
Pryor's speed and then you say, okay, well he's going
to be able to break some tackles.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Now, I think he could have a.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
More productive season than Tylie Walker, and I think he
could get to that seven hundred eight hundred yard mark.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I don't know if we're going.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
To have a thousand yard rusher this year, just because
of the complexities and the kind of identity that the
Big twelve is going to take Offensively, you lost a
ton of great running backs across the whole conference, and
I have a ton of great quarterbacks. So it kind
of feels like it's going to be one of those
vintage Big Twelve seasons where you're just you're scoring forty
points a game on both sides and the over unders
(05:15):
or in the stratosphere.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So but you know, they have the.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
N and the yang like they did last year, with
sure Tybie Walker being the power rusher, the bruiser, Evan
Pryor being more of the receiving back but can also
take handoffs and.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Go for sixty yards. So they're set up like they
are not lacking at all at running back.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I just wouldn't expect it to be as impactful as
a kind of running back room in terms of a
numbers standpoint than last year.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
They go out and they get one of the top
transfer offensive linemen in the spring portal window. I believe
you bring back Gavin Gerhart. Is the line up front?
Do they remain a strength for this offense? Or are
their question marks up front?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah, there's obviously question marks when you just you look
at you had to bring in I think it was
two editions and Taran Tyo and Joe Cotton, and then
you're adding in Evan Tangstol. I think there are definitely
question marks. But I'm also very bullish that this group
can actually be better than the group that they had
(06:22):
the last two seasons. Taran Tyo is very very good,
and then Joe Cotton could be a second third round
pick here in a couple of years. I'm also intrigued
and me and my boss have talked about this, how
can this group perform as a pass blocking line because
(06:42):
the group the last two years was really good at
run blocking, but then pass blocking they weren't horrible. But
you just want to give your quarterback a little bit
more time. This group and pass blocking through fall camp
has been awesome, and I'm wondering about what this offense
can look like if you get Brennan Sowarsby a bunch
of time to sit back there and pass and you
(07:03):
don't have to hand it off so much like the
last two years and lean on that. So that kind
of goes back to being able to open the playbook
with the receivers. If the offensive line can be better
in pass protection, this team can score more points. You
don't have to rely on twelve thirteen play drives. You
can kind of bust it open and have a four
play drive that ends up in a long touchdown. So
(07:26):
I think this line can legitimately be better. I tucked
hi Nick Cardwell and asked him that. He said, I'm
not looking to go there yet, but they have the
tools and the potential to do so.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
On the offensive side of the ball. To round things off,
you mentioned Soorsby and a lot of preseason watch list
and what he was able to do at times last year.
What does the ceiling in your opinion look like this
year for Brennan Sooresby.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Oh, I love these questions.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
They get me in a lot of trouble every time
they get asked them. The ceiling for Brendon Sooresby, I
think the ceiling would be he's a top three quarterback
in the Big Twelve by.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
The end of the season.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I'm not going to go to the thing of you know,
he could be a Heisman candidate like you, Tony like
at that point. Yet yeah, so see, I'm the favorite
Nickoson Brothers now yet I but I legitimately think that
he's being underrated in this crop of Big twelve quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
You've heard a lot about Devin Dan.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Pier, Tory Robertson and all these other guys. Baron Morton
at Touches Tech. I think he's one of the best
pure throwers in the country. I think he put it
on the film and then now he has the tools
to kind of explode.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Onto the scene and.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I think if he does it against Week one in
Week one against Nebraska, he could really So I think
that kind of at the end of the season, he'll
be thought of as one of the top three quarterbacks
in the Big twelve, and then he'll be a popular
name after the season of you know, as we go
every year, Is.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
He going to stay? Is he going to transfer?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Does he have a good enough year that he says, Look,
I'm projected to be a late second round, early third
round pick. Maybe I'll just go to the draft, which
would surprise me. But he's got a lot of talent
and barricats. Fans should be looking forward to watching this
kid play.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
On the other side of the ball. It's interesting because
you get Golday at the linebacking level, you have Dante
Corleone on the defensive line, and because there were injuries
last year, you were able to mix in a lot
of young defenders.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So I would.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Imagine that this team possesses would you say depth on
the defensive line all across?
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Oh, yeah, they have a ton of depth. You think
of the guys they brought in. CJ McCrae. I'm really
intrigued by him. I talked to coach Shadderfield at Big
Twove media days and he said that he CJ McCray
is going to be a really, really good kind of
third down pass rush guy like pen your ears back,
get after the quarterback. Micah Coleman, more of a power rusher,
(10:00):
will have a more of an impact in the run
game than seez McCray might and then you have Jalen Hunt,
Hunt and Coleman coming back last year after those injuries.
And then they also bring in Jalen Light McClain, Elijah Gunn.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Isaiah Rogers.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
So there's a ton of depth, not even talking about
Mark west Parker who started as a true freshman in
multiple games.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
And then Drew.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Logan who was given a scholarship in April from a
walk on standpoint and now he might even get into
the rotation. So and I talked to Dante Corleone after practice,
I think it was yesterday, and I asked them, like,
what's it like getting in like late into the fourth
quarter and you've played sixty snaps on the defensive line
And he says, look, you like you can barely do
(10:43):
anything like And a lot of people talk about playing
patty Cake with defensive linemen sometimes because they're so tired worn.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Now that's basically what it is. So it's those.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Small plays, it's the small impacts they can make when
they have that depth of you know, getting a hand
in the cour backt face, putting just a little bit
of pressure on them that can force quarterbacks to throw interceptions.
And then the game slips. They did not have that
at all last year, so I'm not expecting this team
to set the stats record, especially since they're in the
(11:14):
three three five and it doesn't exactly promote getting to
the quarterback. But the defensive line is going to be
much better, and I don't even think that they have
to be great to get this defense to where they
want to be.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
You mentioned the three three five. A lot is put
in the three three five a new year, another year
with coach Tyson Vite. But you have to have the
back end to be able to hide things to match
what other teams want to do. I've heard so much
about the d line. I've heard about the linebackers. We've
talked about the offense. What does the secondary look like
(11:46):
for this team when you are again running a three
three five. Are they capable on the back end of
getting the job done or is that still a question
mark for this roster?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
To me, on the back end, it stays specifically, there's
still question marks. I think at corner they're far and
away better, and that's an interesting thing of what this
defense can look like when you have a capable corners.
I think Matthew McDoom is going to be one of
the better defensive players this season. And I think Logan
(12:18):
Wilson is really the quality cornerback two that you won
and he's just voted as a captain. But the most
interesting player on that back end to me is Christian Harrison,
and I think by the end of the year we'll
be talking about him in the same breath as Jake
Golde and Dante Courleone. Is those really impactful, really good
defensive players for U see. And one of the biggest
(12:40):
things that makes me say that is like he and
Joe Royer search each other out in drills, they search
each other out in seven on sevens and in team
periods because they want to go against the best.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
And I've seen Christian Harrison.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
I've seen him beat Joe Royer a lot and get
those pass breakups and kind of gopher And so I
think his ability to be flexible in the back end
playing both steeld them boundary. He can even go down
and play a little bit of the sam linebacker position,
he can go out and play corner. I think he's
going to be all over the field and I think
one of my bold predictions this year was that he'd
(13:15):
have four interceptions, which would tie to Sean Pace for
the most since twenty twenty one. So look for Christian
Harrison to make his impact this year and kind of
take advantage of it through through five s teams.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Keigan. If we're talking a week from tomorrow about U
SEE getting a big win on the road at Arrowhead Stadium,
what is the biggest thing that we're talking about that
they were able to get done?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Interceptions?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Dylan Roula had a thirteen to eleven touchdown interception ratio
last year. It was his biggest struggle, his biggest issue,
and I feel like especially this year, and Bud Elliott,
who does a great job for two four seven Sports
in the CBS, has talked about it that if if
you if I'm a coach and I play Nebraska, I
(14:03):
want to play them early, like I want to get
them when there's still a bunch of question marks around them,
before they can really get their feet dug in, and
take advantage of all the talent they have. I think
you take advantage of Raola playing in the stadium in
front of what it'll be seventy five thousand fans, sixty
five thousand which will probably be Nebraska get him on
(14:25):
his heels with the hype and force him into a
couple interceptions, and then the offense has a great day,
scores thirty five thirty six points. I think if you
don't force turnovers, Nebraska's probably going to win. They brought
in Dame Key from Kentucky, really good ride receiver, and
Zaiyah Hunter another really good ride receiver. So they've got
(14:46):
the talent, they've got the tools, but I think it's
just going to come down to the two quarterbacks. Who
can play cleaner and can you force dealing Marilla into
a couple of mistakes.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Keegan nickoson covering the Bearcats for barcat Journal Dot. I
would be remiss if I didn't before I'll let you go, Keegan.
Obviously the news earlier in the week the Gigsel James
is no longer with the men's basketball program, and we
saw what Wes Miller had to say or not comment on.
At this point, outside of of what happened with Gisele,
can they replace his production? Do they have the roster
(15:20):
build around that they can they can take on losing
Gigsel James and still thrive in the Big twelve.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
At this point, I'm gonna say no in terms of
like actually replacing him. There's still some guards sitting in
the portal waiting for a spot, and they're kind of
waiting for a unique scenario or like this want to
take advantage of. So that's a possibility. But I'm not
gonna stand here and say that everything's gonna be okay
(15:48):
after you lose a cornerstone piece of pure offense and
your team as a whole.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I mean, this was a guy that fans are.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Super super excited about, struggled to start last season, but
then really came on.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
I think he averaged upwards of.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Fifteen points in the last half, maybe seventeen points the
last half of the season last year.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So you know, it doesn't make me confident.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
I can't sit here and say, well, they have Shanabayev,
so they're gonna be fine. Or Keishan Tillery or kerk
Risa like Keischan Tillery and Shauna Biab or true freshmen
that you can't expect to just.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Take on a huge load. Those are guys that would have.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Really benefited from Gisel James being here at Cincinnati and
kind of being able to ease them in.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Now it's more of okay, there's.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
There's a sense of urgency to try to get these
guys involved offensively. Kirk Criest has struggled with injuries since
your hair has shot at eleven percent from three last year.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
So do I think there's a path for this team
to be as good, if not better.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Absolutely, But until I see them play at the start
of the season, until I see how the offense looks,
I think it's it's there's a ton of question marks
because when you lose such an important player, like the
heartbeat of your team, I think that it's it's a
reason for questioning for a lot of fans.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
Lastly, we are getting more of an indication of what
that non conference schedule is going to look like. For years,
I've heard folks say, well, they got a schedule harder,
they got to play a tougher non conference schedule. So far,
what we know they host Dayton, they go on the
road to Xavior, and then we're going to see Louisville
at Heritage Bank. We're going to see a Georgia game
in Atlanta. They're going to play Clemson in Greenville. Do
you think ultimately this helps as they get ready for
(17:27):
Big twelve? Play to play the type of competition their
scheduled to play.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Yeah, I think Wes has talked about it in the
past when he got criticized for not scheduling tough about
you know, we play in the Big twelve, like we
can't get burned out, Like we have a tough enough
schedule in the Big Twelve. I am not of the
opinion that you have to schedule a really big, like
(17:54):
non conference, really good non conference schedule when you're in
the Big Twelve, other than like you're trying to make
statement early, because we've seen like last year, how did
you see doing the non conference They did a great
beat Zager beat Dayton, killed Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and
then the Big Twelve conference comes and it goes downhill
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
So I think it's awesome for fanfare.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
I'm really going to look forward to covering these games,
especially Louisville that was one of my favorite rivalries to
watch as a kid. But I don't really think it
does a ton to get them ready, because I mean,
you should know what it takes to be ready for
the Big Twelve, and you know west Miller knows that,
and he knows if his guys are going to be
ready by January.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
But this does it can either help you or hurt you.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
And he's scheduling some teams that have the possibility to
hurt him, which I have to give him.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Props for Keigan Man, I cannot thank you enough. Keigan's
coverage on Bearcat Journal is fantastic. What is the easiest
way you'd recommend folks to follow along to get ready
for everything that a week from tonight is going to
be along with basketball so much more.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yeah, follow it at k Nickoson forty two on Twitter,
and then make sure you subscribe to Barcat Journal on
Bearcat Journal dot com and also on YouTube. I know
are our the rest of our team had a podcast
last night kind of going through a season preview and
kind of projecting what the record might be, So that
would be an interesting one for a lot of youc
fans to watch.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
That is Keegan Nickoson. He is my second favorite Nickoson
that I've ever come across, and I can't thank you enough.
I look forward to uh to catching up all season
long and look forward to seeing you in Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Absolutely see it, Tanny. Thank you.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
That is h Keegan nickoson Bearcat journal dot com. This
is since he three sixty and when we come back,
your talkbacks on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Yeah, your chance,
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