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As spring practice comes to a close for University of Cincinnati Bearcats football, the spring transfer portal has opened. From now until Friday, April 25 teams can add to their rosters to cover their subtractions and/or defections.
UC coach Scott Satterfield has said the Bearcats probably wouldn't take many more than five guys. However, as the portal opened April 16, visits nationwide were being scheduled and the football portal might turn out to be the same carnival ride the basketball portal has been.
In the meantime, some UC veterans and a new offensive lineman to remember have some opinions on this spring session which began March 6 and wrapped up April 18.
The UC center from Xenia is in his sixth year thanks to NCAA extra eligibility for everyone on a roster in the pandemic year of 2020.
With his short hair, highway patrol-style mustache and longevity, Gerhardt has the respect and look of a drill sergeant. Plus, he walks the walk. No. 53 doesn't ask any more from others that he wouldn't do himself.
"Reps," Gerhardt bluntly said when asked the key to a solid offensive line. "Getting in the O-line room and learning the scheme helps. As long as they know what they're doing, it just comes with time."
UC will miss Luke Kandra, John Williams and Dartanyan Tinsley from last year's line, three players likely headed for NFL rosters in some capacity. Deandre Buford returns and Evan Tengesdahl and Ball State transfer Taran Tyo offer up the most experience from there.
Gerhardt was part of every recruit dinner that involved hefty road graders, with quarterback Brendan Sorsby involved with every transfer that could enhance the offense through the air or by ground. Both are high on the addition of Ohio State tight end Patrick Gurd who excels at blocking and brings a national championship ring.
"When I saw that news, and I heard about it a couple days ahead, it was very exciting," Gerhardt said. "The scheme we run, we need a guy that can throw his hat in there and block somebody. Looking at the roster that came back last year, that was one of the first things I told Coach Satt that we needed somebody that could help us block. Spring some of those plays that were maybe a shoelace tackle just a little bit more to help us score a few more touchdowns."
Gerhardt began like many pointing out sophomore linebacker Simeon Coleman.
"He's a smaller guy, I think he was under-looked a little bit," Gerhardt said. "The speed at which he plays and he uses his size to his advantage. If a guy works up to him, he can easily get under your arms, swim underneath you and make plays I don't see made every day."
In the trenches, he mentions Tyro and Tengesdahl, both capable of playing multiple positions on the line, including spelling him at center.
Receiver Jeff Caldwell comes to mind, the FCS transfer from Lindenwood University who continues to be a featured target at 6-foot-5.
"Freak on the outside that has tremendous length," Gerhardt said. "He'll help us a lot this year."
His last mention may not be a household name but he went with running back Jakarian Caffey, a 5-foot-11, 212-redshirt freshman. The Bearcats return Evan Pryor, Manny Covey and Chance Williams and added Tawee Walker from Wisconsin out of the portal. But, in the spring showcase scrimmage, Caffey was handed a workload.
"They weren't necessarily playing the other (guys) that much but the reps he took were all quality reps," Gerhardt said. "He'll produce a lot for us this year."
Taran Tyo is younger than Gerhardt but has started the last two seasons at Ball State. When UC's center found out he was the top offensive line transfer target, he was all in on the bulldozer from Greenville, Ohio.
"I looked him up," Gerhardt said. "I knew he had played a lot of ball there (Ball State). I knew he was going to be a great addition. He's held guys accountable not only out here on the field but in the weight room. If a guy is skipping a rep or two, he'll let them know."
When a 6-foot-4, 326-pound human who benches 350 pounds and squats close to 700 speaks in the weight room, the wise teammate listens.
"The bar's a little bit higher this year," Tyo said. "When I hit the portal I was telling people I want to play ball and I want to be a leader."
Few challenge him though he admits he'd like to wrestle some with fellow lineman Ethan Green who hails from Fremont. Both were Ohio High School Athletic Association state tournament wrestlers, but it was Green who won a heavyweight championship in Division I in 2022.
"Me and Greenie also go back and forth about who would win," Tyo said. "We were both in the state championship and both pretty good wrestlers. He was in Division I, I was in Division III."
Tyo finished as state runner-up. As for grappling with pads, Tyo enjoys going one-on-one with Dontay Corleone and Rob Jackson. He has seen power conference powerhouses before as two seasons ago, the Ball State Cardinals tangled with Georgia.
Jack Dingle is now a redshirt senior for the team his father and brother represented. Dingles know football and Jack Dingle agrees with Gerhardt that Simeon Coleman will shine.
"That kid can frickin' play some ball," Dingle said. "The mental side, he's matured a lot and his football IQ's gone up a lot. He's become one of the leaders on defense, for sure."
At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Dingle and fellow linebacker Jake Golday are carbon copies, while Jonathan Thompson brings experience and Coleman and Montay Weedon bring a year of Big 12 seasoning. The rest in the room add to the depth and they're all capable of making head-turning plays.
"That's a good thing!" Dingle said of the crew. "When you have guys that can rotate, everybody can play, that's what you want. We are very competitive. We stay on each other. This is the closest group I've been with since I've been here."
Dingle also has observed the 3-3-5 defense in other areas and points out Middle Tennessee State safety Xavier Williams as being someone that can help. Williams is a former quarterback at Charlotte and UCF that brings a different perspective.
"He comes out here and he's making frickin' plays, it's awesome to see," Dingle said. "He tries to brag a little bit that he was a quarterback and made all these plays. I don't believe him. He's definitely a defensive guy now."
Confidence is high on the defense and even Coach Satterfield, an offensive-minded play caller spoke with excitement when the defense picked off his offense three times in the spring showcase.
"He goes both ways," Dingle said. "I got a pick the other day and he was cheering me on a little bit. I also dropped one the other day and he screamed at me. I was, 'Whoa, stay on your side a little bit!' We've just been competing out here, it's been fun."
Though nothing scheme-wise was revealed too much in the April 15 scrimmage, the players and coaches seem encouraged.
Perhaps that excitement will continue with some timely post-spring portal additions. Stay tuned.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Names to know from Cincinnati Bearcats spring football practice
Continue reading...
UC coach Scott Satterfield has said the Bearcats probably wouldn't take many more than five guys. However, as the portal opened April 16, visits nationwide were being scheduled and the football portal might turn out to be the same carnival ride the basketball portal has been.
In the meantime, some UC veterans and a new offensive lineman to remember have some opinions on this spring session which began March 6 and wrapped up April 18.
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Cincinnati Bearcats captain Gavin Gerhardt commands attention
The UC center from Xenia is in his sixth year thanks to NCAA extra eligibility for everyone on a roster in the pandemic year of 2020.
With his short hair, highway patrol-style mustache and longevity, Gerhardt has the respect and look of a drill sergeant. Plus, he walks the walk. No. 53 doesn't ask any more from others that he wouldn't do himself.
"Reps," Gerhardt bluntly said when asked the key to a solid offensive line. "Getting in the O-line room and learning the scheme helps. As long as they know what they're doing, it just comes with time."
UC will miss Luke Kandra, John Williams and Dartanyan Tinsley from last year's line, three players likely headed for NFL rosters in some capacity. Deandre Buford returns and Evan Tengesdahl and Ball State transfer Taran Tyo offer up the most experience from there.
Gerhardt was part of every recruit dinner that involved hefty road graders, with quarterback Brendan Sorsby involved with every transfer that could enhance the offense through the air or by ground. Both are high on the addition of Ohio State tight end Patrick Gurd who excels at blocking and brings a national championship ring.
"When I saw that news, and I heard about it a couple days ahead, it was very exciting," Gerhardt said. "The scheme we run, we need a guy that can throw his hat in there and block somebody. Looking at the roster that came back last year, that was one of the first things I told Coach Satt that we needed somebody that could help us block. Spring some of those plays that were maybe a shoelace tackle just a little bit more to help us score a few more touchdowns."
You must be registered for see images
UC center Gerhardt's 'Cats to watch
Gerhardt began like many pointing out sophomore linebacker Simeon Coleman.
"He's a smaller guy, I think he was under-looked a little bit," Gerhardt said. "The speed at which he plays and he uses his size to his advantage. If a guy works up to him, he can easily get under your arms, swim underneath you and make plays I don't see made every day."
In the trenches, he mentions Tyro and Tengesdahl, both capable of playing multiple positions on the line, including spelling him at center.
Receiver Jeff Caldwell comes to mind, the FCS transfer from Lindenwood University who continues to be a featured target at 6-foot-5.
"Freak on the outside that has tremendous length," Gerhardt said. "He'll help us a lot this year."
His last mention may not be a household name but he went with running back Jakarian Caffey, a 5-foot-11, 212-redshirt freshman. The Bearcats return Evan Pryor, Manny Covey and Chance Williams and added Tawee Walker from Wisconsin out of the portal. But, in the spring showcase scrimmage, Caffey was handed a workload.
"They weren't necessarily playing the other (guys) that much but the reps he took were all quality reps," Gerhardt said. "He'll produce a lot for us this year."
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UC offensive lineman Tyo is new, yet seasoned
Taran Tyo is younger than Gerhardt but has started the last two seasons at Ball State. When UC's center found out he was the top offensive line transfer target, he was all in on the bulldozer from Greenville, Ohio.
"I looked him up," Gerhardt said. "I knew he had played a lot of ball there (Ball State). I knew he was going to be a great addition. He's held guys accountable not only out here on the field but in the weight room. If a guy is skipping a rep or two, he'll let them know."
When a 6-foot-4, 326-pound human who benches 350 pounds and squats close to 700 speaks in the weight room, the wise teammate listens.
"The bar's a little bit higher this year," Tyo said. "When I hit the portal I was telling people I want to play ball and I want to be a leader."
Few challenge him though he admits he'd like to wrestle some with fellow lineman Ethan Green who hails from Fremont. Both were Ohio High School Athletic Association state tournament wrestlers, but it was Green who won a heavyweight championship in Division I in 2022.
"Me and Greenie also go back and forth about who would win," Tyo said. "We were both in the state championship and both pretty good wrestlers. He was in Division I, I was in Division III."
Tyo finished as state runner-up. As for grappling with pads, Tyo enjoys going one-on-one with Dontay Corleone and Rob Jackson. He has seen power conference powerhouses before as two seasons ago, the Ball State Cardinals tangled with Georgia.
You must be registered for see images attach
UC linebacker, legacy Dingle discusses spring
Jack Dingle is now a redshirt senior for the team his father and brother represented. Dingles know football and Jack Dingle agrees with Gerhardt that Simeon Coleman will shine.
"That kid can frickin' play some ball," Dingle said. "The mental side, he's matured a lot and his football IQ's gone up a lot. He's become one of the leaders on defense, for sure."
At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Dingle and fellow linebacker Jake Golday are carbon copies, while Jonathan Thompson brings experience and Coleman and Montay Weedon bring a year of Big 12 seasoning. The rest in the room add to the depth and they're all capable of making head-turning plays.
"That's a good thing!" Dingle said of the crew. "When you have guys that can rotate, everybody can play, that's what you want. We are very competitive. We stay on each other. This is the closest group I've been with since I've been here."
Dingle also has observed the 3-3-5 defense in other areas and points out Middle Tennessee State safety Xavier Williams as being someone that can help. Williams is a former quarterback at Charlotte and UCF that brings a different perspective.
"He comes out here and he's making frickin' plays, it's awesome to see," Dingle said. "He tries to brag a little bit that he was a quarterback and made all these plays. I don't believe him. He's definitely a defensive guy now."
Confidence is high on the defense and even Coach Satterfield, an offensive-minded play caller spoke with excitement when the defense picked off his offense three times in the spring showcase.
"He goes both ways," Dingle said. "I got a pick the other day and he was cheering me on a little bit. I also dropped one the other day and he screamed at me. I was, 'Whoa, stay on your side a little bit!' We've just been competing out here, it's been fun."
Though nothing scheme-wise was revealed too much in the April 15 scrimmage, the players and coaches seem encouraged.
Perhaps that excitement will continue with some timely post-spring portal additions. Stay tuned.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Names to know from Cincinnati Bearcats spring football practice
Continue reading...
