Players to Watch on Offense
Redshirt junior quarterback Hayden Moore: The 6-foot-3 quarterback went 17-for-28 last week against Austin Peay, throwing for 151 yards and three touchdowns and no picks. He won the job in camp, and coaches reportedly didn’t open up the entire playbook as to not give Michigan too much tape. Moore’s progress in week two will be crucial for the Bearcats. Last season, he threw for 1,744 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 57.3 completion percentage.
Senior running back Mike Boone: Taking over for current Detroit Lion Tion Green, Boone has some big shoes to fill. He played well last week, rushing 19 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. He is 5-foot-10, 205 pounds and has rushed for 1,887 yards and 21 touchdowns in his career. He has consistently gotten 101-105 carries in his first three seasons, but his yards per carry dropped considerably last season, from 7.2 to 3.7.
Sophomore wide receiver Thomas Geddis: Geddis is Moore’s top target and caught four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown last week. He will likely pass his totals from last season after this week, as he caught just seven passes for 139 yards last season. He is 6-foot-5 but weighs only 167 pounds.
Players to Watch on Defense
Junior safety Malik Clements: Clements was all over the field against Austin Peay, leading the Bearcats in tackles with 18, although only two were solo tackles. The secondary is the strong area of the defense, and will surely be tested by Michigan redshirt junior quarterback Wilton Speight. He is a leader on the defense, having played in all 24 games while at Cincinnati.
Sophomore linebacker Perry Young: Young was second on the team in tackles last weekend, with 17, 10 of which were solo. He also defended one pass. With run defense an area to work on, Young and the linebacker core will be busy against the Wolverines.
Junior safety Tyrell Gilbert: Gilbert is the other starting safety for the Bearcats. He had four tackles and recorded the team’s lone sack against Austin Peay. He was limited to just eight games last season due to injuries, but had 40 tackles and forced five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles).
Special Teams Player to Watch
Freshman punter James Smith: The 6-foot-5, 220 pound Australian joined the Bearcats this season and already made an impact in his first game, punting six times for a 42.2-yard average. His long was 64 yards. Cincinnati will likely be punting quite a bit on Saturday, so you should see Smith on the field quite often.
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