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UCLA Bruins Football 2019 Season Preview Part 2: Cincinnati Running Game

By Tyler Glaze

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats is chased down from behind by Lokeni Toailoa #52 of the UCLA Bruins during a 26-17 Bearcat win at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats is chased down from behind by Lokeni Toailoa #52 of the UCLA Bruins during a 26-17 Bearcat win at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats follows a block from Dino Boyd #70 on Krys Barnes #14 of the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 01: Michael Warren II #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats follows a block from Dino Boyd #70 on Krys Barnes #14 of the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl on September 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Rest of the Cincinnati Rushing Attack

Behind Warren, Cincinnati returns two other accomplished running backs in sophomores Tavion Thomas and Charles McClelland, who together ran for nearly 1,000 yards along with 10 touchdowns in the 2018 campaign.   The Bearcats also celebrate the return of Gerrid Doaks, who in 2017 led the team with 513 rushing yards, and will look to return to form in the 2019 season.

Thomas (6’2, 234) is the traditional power back, thriving in short-yardage and goalline situations where his size is difficult to contain.  Like Warren, he also possesses excellent vision and solid quickness for a player is size, and is deceptively fast in the open field.  Look for Cincinnati to rely on Thomas in short-yardage situations, or to give Warren a change of pace.

Lastly, do not discount the running ability of quarterback Desmond Ridder.  As I mentioned in my previous post, Ridder possesses excellent mobility, running for 572 yards and five touchdowns in 2018.  He has enough speed to beat defenders to the edge on broken plays, and make him a terror to contain in the zone-read game, forcing defenses to choose to contain the excellent stable of Bearcat running backs or contain Ridder.  Rarely in 2018 were they able to contain both.