Per GoBearcats:
Led by seven first-team selections, the Cincinnati football team had a league-best 20 athletes named to the 2022 Preseason American Athletic All-Conference Team on Thursday.
Junior center Jake Renfro, senior tackle Dylan O’Quinn and senior guard Lorenz Metz were all named to the preseason all-conference first team on offense, while senior defensive end Malik Vann, junior linebacker Deshawn Pace and senior defensive back Arquon Bush collected first-team accolades on defense.
Senior running back/punt returner Ryan Montgomery was selected as a first-team specialist.
Renfro, O’Quinn and Metz were all named first team all-conference by the American coaches in 2021 after leading a Bearcats’ offense that averaged the sixth-most yards per play (6.93) of any team in the country while paving the way for UC to set school records for touchdowns (70) and points (510).
Additionally, Metz collected CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team accolades. The 6-9, 326-pounder had a 4.0 in his first semester of graduate school in the spring.
On defense, Vann, Pace and Bush return as leaders of a “Blackcats” unit that ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense (16.5) and 10th in total defense, yielding just 318.4 yards per game.
Pace grabbed honorable mention all-conference honors in 2021 after finishing sixth in the conference with 94 tackles and snagging a team-best four interceptions. Vann enters his fifth season at UC having already appeared in 47 games and making 87 tackles and nine sacks in his career.
Bush also returns for his fifth season, having served as UC’s nickelback the last two years. He recorded 42 tackles and three interceptions for the nation’s top pass defense in 2021.
Montgomery is expected to be UC’s starting punt returner for a fourth consecutive season in 2022. He has a career average of 9.5 yards per return. Montgomery ranked second in the AAC with an 11.4 average in 2021.
Senior tight end Josh Whyle and junior defensive tackle Jowon Briggs earned preseason second team accolades, while transfer sophomore running back Corey Kiner, senior wide receiver Tre Tucker, senior left tackle James Tunstall, senior defensive lineman Jabari Taylor, senior linebacker Ty Van Fossen and senior safety Jav’Von Hicks all collected third team honors. Tucker was also named to the third team as a kick returner.
Junior wide receiver Tyler Scott, senior tight Leonard Taylor, senior guard Jeremy Cooper and sophomore punter Mason Fletcher were named to the preseason fourth team.
Athlon also ranked the Bearcats No. 15 in its preseason Top 25 rankings.
Athlon Sports American Preseason All-Conference Honors (Cincinnati Athletes)
First-Team Offense
C Jake Renfro
OL Dylan O’Quinn
OL Lorenz Metz
First-Team Defense
DL Malik Vann
LB Deshawn Pace
CB Arquon Bush
First-Team Specialists
PR Ryan Montgomery
Second-Team Offense
TE Josh Whyle
Second-Team Defense
DL Jowon Briggs
Third-Team Offense
RB Corey Kiner
WR Tre Tucker
OL James Tunstall
Third-Team Defense
DL Jabari Taylor
LB Ty Van Fossen
S Ja’von Hicks
Third-Team Specialist
KR Tre Tucker
Fourth-Team Offense
WR Tyler Scott
TE Leonard Taylor
OL Jeremy Cooper
P Mason Fletcher
