“It’s been a roller coaster of the last few days, but this is a roller coaster I have been on two other times prior,” Briggs said. “It’s still waking up throughout the night help feed the kids and whatever else I may have to do for my family.”
However, for Briggs it means more for him and his family being from right here in Cincinnati. A key staple for what the Bearcats has been able to do successfully on the defensive side of the ball in recent years. Briggs is poised for a breakout season, after starting all 13 games last season at the nose tackle position finishing with 60 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks, earning All-AAC honors as a senior.
“It’s a loud house sometimes, but it’s reminiscing of how I was with my family growing up. I used to be right here in the Arlitt Center growing up. I have been around the University of Cincinnati my whole life. Coming back home, after spending two years at University of Virginia and being able to contribute is something really big for me,” said Briggs.
For Briggs, he’s done the same thing on and off the field in the last few years, and that was solely attack the quarterback. However, this year feels much different for many reasons. Briggs, is making the transition to defensive end, and is currently listed at 6’3″ 295 pounds, which is 25 pounds less than what he was a season ago. “Briggs, is playing some of the best ball of his career right now,” Scott Satterfield said.
We have heard all off season about the transition Briggs has made to his body throughout this offseason under new strength and conditioning coach Niko Palazeti, but he is looking forward to embracing the change and pairing up with Dontay Corleone, Malik Vann, Eric Phillips and Daniel Grzesiak, on that Bearcats defensive line. We have also seen what he has been able to do throughout fall camp, and it’s safe to say Jowon Briggs has thoroughly enjoyed the transition under new defensive coordinator Bryan Brown.
Briggs, is looking to anchor the Bearcats defensive line and find ways to disrupt opposing teams’ quarterbacks throughout the season, was named to the Wuerffel Watch List, along with the Reese Senior Bowl Preseason Watch List as well. “We take a lot of pride in everything that’s been laid down throughout the years,” Briggs said. “Even though Cincinnati will continue to progress, I think a lot of guys are going to see we are still laying down train tracks for the future.”
