Ty Van Fossen
Van Fossen took a major step last year as he was mostly on special teams in 2020 during his sophomore year. He saw the field a lot more last year and made the most of it finishing the year with 70 total tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss. Looking to help a young core in the linebacker room and build upon what he did last year. When talking to Ty Van Fossen he has communicated multiple times about continuing the leadership tradition and what he wanted to do for the team this year, “the big thing about this year is just bringing guys along, you know a lot of times I have just been a silent guy who has just done his work day in and day out. Now it is time for me to grab some guys by the shoulder pads and bring them along and make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing.” Van Fossen is a guy who will step into a leadership role and make a lot of plays for the Bearcats this year.
Ivan Pace, Jr.
Pace jumps right into the mix with his younger brother. He collected Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021 from Pro Football Focus and All-MAC First Team honors after leading the conference and ranking 10th in the nation with 125 tackles. Pace had an NCAA-record-tying six sacks in a win over Akron in 2019. He will step into a leadership role for the Bearcats who lost two of the core linebackers Joel Dublanko and Darrian Beavers. Pace has been given a ton of credit from the coaching staff and teammates throughout camp. One of Pace’s teammates described him as a slippery, strong, powerful playmaker who is going to make a lot of plays. Ivan Pace will bring a lot of experience to the linebacker room and a chance to show what he and his brother Deshawn can do together.
Jaheim Thomas
Thomas is a very interesting part of this linebacking core that could make an impact this year for the Bearcats defense. He stepped in last year and played in 12 games with his first career start coming at Tulane. Tallying 23 tackles on the year and showed some flashes last year. He could be a guy that gets some chances to make plays in a very young and talented linebacking core.
There are also a lot of guys who could step out on the field that will also get a chance to show their potential to the coaching staff in the LB room this upcoming year. There is a lot of potential with this young group and they will look to prove that last year was not a fluke. Coach Mike Tressel and coach Luke Fickell have always talked about the next-man-up mentality and the Bearcats will surely get the opportunity to show who can step in for the two former stars and now NFL linebackers Joel Dublanko and Darrian Beavers.
