Notre Dame football: Cincinnati could spell trouble for the Irish

Notre Dame football 2021 Opponent Preview: Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s Offense

Cincinnati, unlike most of the AAC, hasn’t built up its reputation on offense. That doesn’t mean that they’re bad on offense by any means, though. They’re a tough running team, with a four-year starter at quarterback in Desmond Ridder.

His knowledge and control over the offense are what make the Bearcats difficult to stop.

Cincinnati runs RPO almost every play. However, they don’t like to push the ball downfield in the RPO. Rather, they throw to tight ends crossing or receivers on a quick slant or screen. The run option is up the middle, though Ridder often has the option to keep it too.

He’s a long strider and gets places quicker than he looks like a runner. The one knock to how Ridder is that he has never thrown a particularly good deep ball, which prevents Cincinnati from becoming explosive on offense.

Instead, they stick with a methodical bleed of their opponents.

The Bearcats have become known for their running back play under Fickell, and that should continue in 2021. Jerome Ford, a transfer from Alabama, will be the next up in their backfield. Over the course of the season, Cincinnati will want to find a second option too, but for now, they’re not without options. Meanwhile, they’re weak at wide receiver compared to a lot of the top AAC teams, but former Notre Dame receiver Michael Young Jr. and Alec Pierce are solid options.

The question is going to come on the Bearcats offensive line, where they have to replace both tackles, and could go through growing pains in the early parts of the season.