Getting to Know the 2012 Bearcats: Linebackers

So far, we've met the UC defensive backs and defensive line. One part of the defense is missing. You can probably guess what if you know the positions for the defense. If you are new to football and randomly came across this blog, the position is linebacker. If you are new to the blog and don't know what a linebacker is, it's exactly what it sounds like. You should have a little common sense. 

Linebackers



Kevin Hyland

Kevin is a redshirt freshman from right here in Cincinnati. After playing at Elder, will be in line to be the long snapper if something happens to Kirk Willis. Hyland is a linebacker according to the roster. He could see other action on special teams. He also could not because of fear of having the back up long snapper hurt. Kind of how managers in baseball won't use their back up catcher to pinch hit. If the back up got hurt, and then the starter got hurt, there would be pandemonium and Cincinnati would probably have to cancel football. 

Joey Jones

Jones is a freshman from Honestead, Florida. He is #37. That was JK Schaffer's number. If you happen to have a JK jersey, wear it to games and root for Joey. He may be redshirted this season, so wear it to home games. Don't tell him it's a JK jersey though. He could be sensitive. Also, it's not known if he is a teen in witness protection who had a terrible name assigned to him by the government. If this is the case, sorry for blowing your spot, JJ. 

Maalik Bomar

The senior linebacker was the 5th leading tackler for the Cats a season ago. He made 61 stops. He assisted on more tackles than he made by himself. He had 1 sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. He scored a TD on a fumble recovery. He recovered another fumble last season. He broke up 3 passes and defended 3 passes. Bomar is starting for the 3rd straight season. For the first, and only, time of his career, he is the elder statesman of the lineback corp. He's expected to have a big season on and off the field. Bomar has had a problem with stingers. Something to look out for. 

Greg Blair

Greg Blair is DeJuan Blair's brother, your guess was correct. That seems like a racist guess. Let's move off of it. Blair was a JUCO transfer last season. He played in the Miami game before getting injured. He made a tackle for loss in that game. This offseason has seen Blair recover from his injury and win the starting middle linebacker spot. A lot of people were happy he signed with UC. He will do the damn thing. I believe in him. 

Soloman Tentman

Soloman Tentman is the man that Blair beat out for the starting middle linebacker job. Tentman, like Blair, didn't play much last season. He was part of 5 games and made 3 tackles. Tentman and Blair have both recovered from devastating injuries. Tentman is a feel good story. He will back up Maalik Bomar as the weak side linebacker. He's a very nice person to converse with on twitter. He also overcame a lot of adversity by making it out of the stinking mudhole known as Roger Bacon. 

Corey Griffin 

Corey is a freshman from Miami. He is number 42. There is not a lot to say about Corey. The only two times he is mentioned in the game notes for Pitt are in the roster. He is kind of small. He's 6-1, 216 lbs. Joey Jones is 204 lbs. If it weren't for Jones, Griffin would be the smallest linebacker on the roster. 

Franklin Bruscianelli

The winner for last name I'm going to spell once and then abbreviate goes to Bruscy. He is a freshman from Illinois. He will wear 53. His nickname should be Frankie B Five Three. I hope to god we can make this a thing. Frankie B Five Three, baby. 

Corey Mason

Mason is a redshirt sophomore. Mason is an SQ. That means he's a member of the team, but has not played. That designation will go away because Mason is set to back up the strong side linebacker. Or the SAM backer. Corey is the tallest of the UC linebackers at 6-3. 

Devin Bruns

Bruns comes from the Highlands. His twin brother is Drake Bruns. Neither Bruns is expected to see a lot of playing time, at least this week. I hope when they play, they play at the same time. Maybe they can use their twin power of telepathy to reek havoc on opposing teams. It must have worked at Highlands since they both are division 1 players. 

Clemente Casseus

Clemente Casseus has someone google search his name a lot. The occasional times I check to see the site numbers, there are google searches for Clemente Casseus. Either he has a lot of people interested in Clemente Casseus, or he google searches himself and reads the same article over and over. Clemente Casseus played in the Austin Peay and Akron games. He made 2 tackles against AP and 5 against Akron. He had a tackle for loss in both games. He was redshirted the rest of the season, so he's still a freshman. Clemente Casseus is the back up to Greg Blair at middle linebacker. His name is fun to type and say in your head in a very macho, John Facenda-type voice. 

Nick Temple

Temple is the man pictured at the top of this article. He played in every game last year, starting 8. He made 35 tackles, 2.5 for loss. He forced a fumble. He had an interception last season. As you can tell, it was in the Liberty Bowl against Vanderbilt. It was the game sealing pick. Temple is back to reprise his role as the SAM linebacker. He flashed quite a bit of talent last season. If he can keep growing, he can be the next great UC linebacker. 

Colin Lozier

Lozier is a senior. He played in the last 11 games last season. He was a special teams player. I say this because he didn't record a single statistic. He is number 47. Watch for him on kicking plays. 

Jordan Luallen

He's listed as a linebacker on the website, but that's wrong because he got moved to receiver, not linebacker. Good job, good effort person who messed up the official UC roster. 

Jeff Luc

Luc is a transfer from Florida State. He was hotly recruited a couple of years ago. He joined the Bearcats over the summer. He's sitting out this season. If you know what he looks like, he will be the guy in street clothes. 

Innocent Macha

Innocent Macha is listed on the UC roster page, but is not on the roster according to the game notes. Another roster failure. Maybe Innocent Macha is a prank by whoever had to put this on the internet. You are busted, intern. 

Mason Antoun

Antoun redshirted his first year in Cincinnati. He is from Cincinnati, Reading high, so he probably hung out and lived the life. He shares 38 with Adam Fearing. You'll be able to tell him from Fearing because Antoun is 6-1, 230 lbs and Adam Fearing has yet to hit puberty. 

Ey'Shawn McClain

For my money, Ey'Shawn is a pretty kick ass name. That name brings the thunder. People who don't like it can say it's an Ey'Sore. They are spoil sports. McClain is a freshman from Jacksonville. At 249 pounds, he's the heaviest of the linebackers. I don't know how much he'll play, but it could be a lot for a freshman. It could also not be. I don't know, they don't let me in on the coaches meetings.