With practice having been over for 30 minutes Thursday, Aug. 20, one Cincinnati Bearcatsplayer remained on the field near the student section.
Doing a version of shadow boxing, he would get into a three-point stance, then rise up, dodging mythical blockers. He then went to the goalpost and worked on a move around it as if it were an all-league left tackle.
Thomas Johnson is one of 22 transfers, coming from UNC-Central, where he had 12 sacks, 49 tackles and 18 tackles for loss. Like several Bearcats, he's trying to prove he belongs in power conference football.
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"I'm an HBCU guy," Johnson said. "You've got to earn your respect."
Wearing the black shirts, the defense has embraced new coordinator Nate Woody's 3-4 blitzing, aggressive attack. Likewise, the offense has benefited, as every score is earned.
Come Sept. 5, Johnson will be looking at that Nippert Stadium student section again with his teammates on the major conference stage.
5 takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats Aug. 20 training camp
1. Cincinnati Bearcats set tone Aug. 20 with major tackle
In an early 11-on11 drill, UC quarterback JC French IV flipped a screen pass to running back Cole Tabb. Tabb has been tough to bring down in practice, but on this morning it was "3-on-3" as offense No. 3 collided with defensive player No. 3, Antwan Peek Jr. Even for a practice thud, it was a violent collision.
Peek grinned through his helmet and liked the hit. Oddly, so did Tabb.
"That's definitely a little wake-up to get you ready for the season," Tabb said. "Sometimes you kind of want that physicality. He's a great player that brings a lot of speed and awesome power. He helps me prepare for what I'm going to see in the season."
Said UC linebacker Damaine Wilson, "His bloodline just shows what type of player he's going to be or that he is. Seeing that was nothing new. He does that every day."
2. UC Bearcats backup quarterback battle
JC French IV is pretty well set as the starter, but Samaj Jones and Liam O'Brien have traded off reps after him. Jones had a good scrimmage last week, and both players have been impressive with their run-pass option plays and their ability to scramble.
The cerebral O'Brien from the Ivy League (Penn) could be on the job in investment banking, but is taking advantage of a final year of eligibility to play Big 12 football.
"Liam's probably the smartest quarterback I've been around," UC co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Pete Thomas said. "We have to pull him back a little bit. He wants all the information, all the checks. He's so smart, he overthinks a little bit. It's fun having him in the room to pick his brain a little bit."
Thomas said each quarterback dedicates the season to someone and puts a picture up on the wall. O'Brien dedicated his to his parents, then revealed the family tree included grads from Cornell, Harvard, Yale and MIT.
"Some stuff he says goes right over our heads," Thomas said.
3. UC's offensive line remains in headlines
Just days after guard Evan Tengesdahl was named a First Team Associated Press Preseason All-American, left tackle Joe Cotton was named to the Panini Senior Bowl watch list.
The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Sioux Falls, South Dakota native started all 13 games at left tackle for Cincinnati last fall, anchoring an offensive unit that allowed the fewest sacks (8.0) and tackles for loss (43.0) in the Power Four. His performance earned him All-Big 12 honors and an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week nod following a dominant performance against Iowa State. He's also on this season's Outland Trophy Watch List.
Canadian Nolan Latulippe has been selected as one of the top professional prospects in Canada, earning the No. 12 spot in the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau's Preseason edition of the Class of 2027 prospect rankings. The 6-foot-8, 315-pound Latulippe will see time at tackle this season.
4. UC fans should get to know LB Damaine Wilson
The Bearcats have recently had some luck getting linebackers to the NFL with Ivan Pace Jr. and Jake Golday with the Vikings and Jack Dingle with the Bengals. Now joining Jonathan Thompson, Simeon Coleman, Montay Weedon and Brian Simms III is Wilson from Georgia State, who is expected to be a starter.
Wilson is 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds.
"I'm really just a dog; I go get to the ball any way I can," Wilson said. "I strive to be great. When you talk to God every day, you have to live up to what the hype is. Sometimes the hype can get to your head."
Wilson is learning a lot from senior Thompson, who is on the Preseason Butkus Award list, and he was influenced to come to Cincinnati based on the number of linebackers they've sent to the NFL.
"Jake Golday, I texted him before I committed," Wilson said. "I asked him how is Coach Bras (linebackers coach Cort Braswell). He was like, 'He got me to the league,' so why not?"
5. Who mans middle for UC Bearcats defensive line?
Marques Parker and Thomas Johnson look to be outside starters, but the nose tackle position could be a variety of guys. Southern Illinois transfer Elijah Gunn at 6-foot and 307 pounds and freshman Jonathan Rulo at 6-foot-1 and 320 pounds could get time, as will 6-foot-2, 335-pound speedy specimen Josh Hough.
"Josh Hough has had a good training camp getting himself ready to play," defensive line coach Walter Stewart said. "He's a college running back, so he's still got some of that athleticism. It's really impressive. That's a big man that can move."
Stewart also likes the production he's seen from Johnson, who he describes as a "20 TFL guy and a violent player".
As for the chatty Parker, Stewart says the guys use some of his sayings as motivation and that he's good at rallying the troops.
"He's a talker, that's just who he is," Stewart said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats defense swarming, popping as end of training camp nears
