The Cincinnati Bearcats host USF in their annual Homecoming game tomorrow afternoon at Nippert Stadium. Alex talks about how the Cincinnati Bearcats need to avoid letting this game become a trap game with the bye week and a two-game gauntlet on the other side. In years past, the Cincinnati Bearcats would play down to their level of competition against USF. This year, though, they can't do that. This program has gotten better and better every year at avoiding the trap game. They'll need to do the...
Oct 07, 2022•29 min•Ep. 214
The Cincinnati Bearcats defense is off to a hot start over their first five games of the season, and there are thoughts this defense could be better this year than last year. Alex is joined by AllBearcats and Sports Illustrated colleague Russ Heltman for his thoughts on this year's defense and who the breakout player is in addition to Ivan Pace Jr. being the best player on defense. Alex and Russ then talk about their hope for Corey Kiner building on his breakout performance Saturday over the nex...
Oct 06, 2022•38 min•Ep. 213
Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Ben Bryant is off to a solid start this season, but Alex is imploring fans to stop comparing him to Desmond Ridder or thinking he's the next Desmond Ridder 2.0. It is very difficult to replace a legend at any school, team, etc. They're 1/1, and their replacements shouldn't be compared to them. Alex then asks if we are expecting too much from this Cincinnati Bearcats team. Considering all the talent that was lost from last year's team, they're right where they need...
Oct 05, 2022•29 min•Ep. 212
The Cincinnati Bearcats continue to shine on the hardwood in recruiting, this time landing top 60 prospect Jizzle James for the class of 2023. Alex and AllBearcats colleague Russ Heltman break down how James chose Cincinnati and what it means for a men's basketball program quickly regaining momentum back to a national level. Alex and Russ then get into how James could impact the program as it makes its move to the best college basketball conference in the Big 12 in 2023. Find Locked On Bearcats ...
Oct 05, 2022•17 min•Ep. 211
The Cincinnati Bearcats are back in the top 25 on the backs of a breakout performance by running back Corey Kiner. Alex explains why his performance at Tulsa is hopefully the beginning of him finding his role on this team and adding a huge piece of depth to the running back room. Throughout his tenure, Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell has been known for being aggressive, for taking chances. He did just that in the second quarter on Saturday, and it made all the difference in a 10-poin...
Oct 04, 2022•23 min•Ep. 210
The Cincinnati Bearcats smothered Tulsa 31-21 Saturday night in their final regular-season matchup as conference foes. Alex touches on how hard it was to watch the game and how he's thankful the television product of Big 12 games will be much better than that of the American Athletic Conference. Within the game, it was the Cincinnati Bearcats defense that took center stage. It's sparking questions if this year's defense is better than last year's defense, and the stats suggest that it might be. ...
Oct 03, 2022•26 min•Ep. 209
The Cincinnati Bearcats are set to take on the Tulsa Bearcats Saturday to open play in the American Athletic Conference. Russ Heltman fills in for Alex Frank to preview Saturday's matchup against a pesky Tulsa team that has give the Cincinnati Bearcats problems over the years. Russ explains his keys to the game, and how the Cincinnati Bearcats need to run the ball in this game. Russ also gives his most valuable players from nonconference play on offense, defense and special teams. To wrap up the...
Sep 30, 2022•30 min•Ep. 208
Despite the Cincinnati Bearcats beating Indiana by 21 points on Saturday, some fans are a little salty about it not being by more points. Alex is joined by Russ Heltman of AllBearcats and Sports Illustrated for his thoughts on the Bearcats 45-24 win over Indiana and what the team needs to improve upon heading into conference play. Alex and Russ then get into why there is no way Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Ben Bryant will be benched despite a lackluster second half against Indiana. Russ also ...
Sep 29, 2022•45 min•Ep. 207
There has been a lot of talk about Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Ben Bryant being benched for Evan Prater after a lackluster second half against Indiana. Alex explains why that recency bias will not get him benched, especially with him being the leader of the offense. Bryant is playing with too much confidence to be benched right now, and Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell reiterated yesterday how Bryant has done everything asked of him and exceeded all expectations. The running game ...
Sep 28, 2022•28 min•Ep. 206
A lot of the Cincinnati Bearcats success through nonconference play this season has been because of some key transfers in their first season in red and black. Alex assigns a letter grade to each of the key transfers including Ben Bryant and Ivan Pace Jr. While Ben Bryant has looked really good and exceeded expectations, Alex points out that Bryant needs to rid himself of long stretches of bad play heading into conference play. On the other side, Ivan Pace Jr. is a machine and is not only the bes...
Sep 27, 2022•30 min•Ep. 205
The Cincinnati Bearcats looked great in the first half but awful in the second half. Alex reacts to the Bearcats 45-24 win over Indiana, and why the team that showed up in the second half today cannot show up in bigger games later this season. A lot of things went wrong for the Bearcats in the second half from Ben Bryant struggling to playcalling to the lack of a running game... to Evan Prater not getting any playing time. While the Bearcats look like they are seemingly embracing the passing gam...
Sep 25, 2022•31 min•Ep. 204
The Cincinnati Bearcats will look to run their home winning streak, that's second-longest in the country, to 29 games when they take on the Indiana Hoosiers tomorrow afternoon. Alex explains how the one thing that can be counted on tomorrow afternoon is the impact the Ruckus will have. Nippert Stadium can be a very tough environment to play in, especially with the crowd being a factor added on to the Bearcats defense flying high, the offense making big plays and putting opponents into tough posi...
Sep 23, 2022•35 min•Ep. 203
The Cincinnati Bearcats offense has featured a more passing-focused offense this year, largely thanks to a big-armed quarterback and deep wide receiver room. Alex is joined by AllBearcats colleague Russ Heltman for his thoughts on Ben Bryant's development, running back Charles McClelland looking as healthy as ever and the offensive line's stout pass protection. Alex and Russ then get into Saturday's game at Indiana, and why this game should be a bread-and-butter game for the Bearcats as they loo...
Sep 22, 2022•35 min•Ep. 202
While the Cincinnati Bearcats are off to a solid 2-1 start, the Cincinnati Bengals are off to a stunning, and disappointing, 0-2 start. Alex is joined by Locked On Bengals host James Rapien to discuss the main reason for the Bengals 0-2 start and how much of it is on Joe Burrow. Alex and James then discuss Ben Bryant's development through the first three games and if James thinks the Bearcats can still win the rest of their regular-season games. James then gives listeners a first look at the New...
Sep 21, 2022•24 min•Ep. 201
Cincinnati Bearcats head football coach Luke Fickell earned his 50th win of his Bearcats head coaching career on Saturday against Miami. Alex debates if he's already the greatest head coach in UC football history. Whether or not he is, Fickell's approach to the Battle for the Victory Bell was evident in the Cincinnati Bearcats victory on Saturday. The Bearcats clearly wanted it more, they played with more energy and physicality and were, clearly, the better team. Alex then gets into something Lu...
Sep 21, 2022•33 min•Ep. 200
The Cincinnati Bearcats were reeling early on defense early on in the Battle for the Victory Bell, until an igniting boom from linebacker DeShawn Pace began the shutdown of Miami's offense. Alex looks at the key turning points from the Bearcats 38-17 victory over Miami on Saturday, including linebacker DeShawn Pace's booming tackle, cornerback Arquon Bush's interception and two receiving touchdowns. The receiving touchdowns showed how the Bearcats might be a little different than years past, and...
Sep 20, 2022•31 min•Ep. 199
The Cincinnati Bearcats dominated Miami 38-17 for their 16th straight win in the Battle for the Victory Bell, taking the series lead for the first time since 1915. Alex talks about what led to the Bearcats dominant win, starting with head coach Luke Fickell making sure he had his team ready to play and respecting the rivalry. On the field, quarterback Ben Bryant delivered his best performance for Cincinnati this season. running back Charles McClelland looks as healthy as ever, and the Bearcats r...
Sep 17, 2022•27 min•Ep. 198
The Cincinnati Bearcats program culture was on display in their win on Saturday, after Luke Fickell told the team to humble themselves after the season-opening loss at Arkansas. Alex is joined by AllBearcats and Sports Illustrated colleague Russ Heltman for the latest surrounding the program as they look to take the series lead in the Battle for the Victory Bell this Saturday against Miami (Ohio). Russ talks about Ivan Pace Jr.'s fast start to the season, and how the injuries to Malik Vann and W...
Sep 15, 2022•42 min•Ep. 197
The Cincinnati Bearcats defense has been led by transfer linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. in the first two games, and he's emerged as a front-runner for the American's Defensive Player of the Year. Alex then talks about the Cincinnati Bearcats once again being able to stop the triple option, holding Kennesaw State to just 142 rushing yards. Evan Prater performed well on Saturday, and Alex talks about what head coach Luke Fickell had to say about how that impacts Prater and the quarterback battle going f...
Sep 14, 2022•27 min•Ep. 196
The Cincinnati Bearcats made several plays that can be viewed as turning points in their 63-10 victory over Kennesaw State on Saturday. Alex looks at four key turning points in Saturday's game including the blocked field goal in the first quarter, Jabari Taylor's fumble return for a touchdown, Ja'von Hicks's pick six and Evan Prater's rushing touchdown. All four of these plays were not only turning points in the game but could also impact the season going forward. Evan Prater's performance was r...
Sep 13, 2022•27 min•Ep. 195
The Cincinnati Bearcats beat Kennesaw State 63-10 Saturday for their first win of the season. Alex explains why it was expected that the Bearcats won today and that it shouldn't be celebrated that they beat an FCS team. That said, the Bearcats did snap Kennesaw State's 73-game streak of at least 150 rushing yards. It's the latest impressive performance by the Bearcats defense against the triple option offense. In addition, the Bearcats showed that this team may have more depth than last year's t...
Sep 11, 2022•22 min•Ep. 194
Alex is joined by Locked On Bengals host James Rapien for this week's edition of the Cincinnati Bearcats-Bengals Crossover to preview the Bengals season-opener against the Steelers. James and Alex talk about the expectations for this year's Bengals team, and how healthy Joe Burrow is coming into this season. Alex then asks James the main reason for the shift in the Bengals-Steelers rivalry plus his keys to Sunday's game. Find Locked On Bearcats on your favorite podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts:...
Sep 10, 2022•26 min•Ep. 193
The Cincinnati Bearcats are gearing up for their home-opener against Kennesaw State on Saturday. Alex talks about the challenges of facing an FCS team, especially coming off a season-opening loss. Like Arkansas, Kennesaw State can run the football. Alex talks about the importance of stopping the run, especially Kennesaw State quarterback Xavier Shepard. Alex also talks about not playing down to the level of competition, despite Kennesaw State's impressive track record coming in. He also gives wh...
Sep 09, 2022•18 min•Ep. 192
The Cincinnati Bearcats were dealt a big blow leading up to the season opener when starting center Jake Renfro was lost, likely for the season. Alex talks about the impact his loss will have on this season. In particular, how will it impact the running game? The College Football Playoff is going to expand to 12 teams by 2026, possibly by 2024. Alex talks about how that impacts the Cincinnati Bearcats and how it makes their Playoff berth last year that much more impressive. Alex then takes a firs...
Sep 08, 2022•24 min•Ep. 191
It's Wednesday, which means it's time for the weekly film review and takeaways from the Cincinnati Bearcats previous game. This week, Alex takes a look back at the Cincinnati Bearcats season-opening loss at Arkansas. The biggest thing that stood out was Alex coming away thinking this team still belongs, and the Bearcats also did a great job handling the hostile environment they played in at Arkansas. Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Ben Bryant played a really good game despite his mistakes. Alex ...
Sep 07, 2022•30 min•Ep. 190
It's Tuesday, which means it's Turning Point Tuesday on Locked On Bearcats. Alex looks back at the key turning points in the Cincinnati Bearcats 31-24 loss at Arkansas. The biggest turning point came midway though the third quarter when the Cincinnati Bearcats squandered a golden opportunity to tie the game after recovering an Arkansas fumble inside the five yard line. Instead, four penalties on the ensuing drive forced the Cincinnati Bearcats to settle for a field goal, failing to flip the game...
Sep 06, 2022•29 min•Ep. 189
The Cincinnati Bearcats failed to take advantage of several opportunities in their season-opening loss at Arkansas. Alex explains how this was a game the Bearcats could have won, and maybe should have won. Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Ben Bryant showed incredible toughness and resiliency in the second half, overcoming several mistakes in the first half that put the Bearcats down 14-0 at halftime. Another glaring weakness from this game: penalties. A whole lot of them at some really inopportun...
Sep 04, 2022•26 min•Ep. 188
In today's bonus content, Alex previews the upcoming Cincinnati Bengals and NFL season. This is arguably the most anticipated season in Bengals franchise history. The franchise has a lot of momentum coming off a Super Bowl appearance led by Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Joe Mixon and an underrated defense and the fanbase is as connected with the team as ever. The NFL offseason was nothing short of eventful, and there are many storylines heading into the season. Alex looks at seven key storylines he...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 187
Alex previews tomorrow's Cincinnati Bearcats showdown at the Arkansas Razorbacks, including a long streak they're putting on the line. A loss would likely drop the Cincinnati Bearcats out of the top 25, a place the Cincinnati Bearcats have not been in quite some time. And Alex thinks that will also impact their chances at a third straight New Year's Six Bowl. The biggest key to the game will be the Cincinnati Bearcats defense slowing down Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson, but the Bearcats need ...
Sep 02, 2022•21 min•Ep. 186
It's the weekly crossover on Locked On Bearcats! Alex is joined by Locked On Razorbacks host John Nabors to preview Saturday's top 25 matchup between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Arkansas Razorbacks. John has high praise for the Cincinnati Bearcats and their winning culture, and explains why he, unlike other Arkansas fans, is not overlooking them leading up to the game. Alex and John then talk about how the Cincinnati Bearcats can slow down Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson. John also mentions th...
Sep 01, 2022•44 min•Ep. 185
