Who Starts at Quarterback for Cincinnati Will Determine Very Different Game Plans

With one who'd rather pass than ever run, another who'd rather run than ever pass, Fickell much decide team's identity against Arkansas with QB choice

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When Cincinnati rolls into town, head coach Luke Fickell will reportedly already know who his quarterback is, but will not make a formal announcement until as close to game time as possible.

#Bearcats release their first unofficial two-deep depth chart ahead of Week 1 @ Arkansas.

There are a lot of "or" spots on here. Including at QB. pic.twitter.com/nFfMZvv1WX

— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) August 30, 2022

Had there been a quarterback battle between KJ Jefferson and Malik Hornsby without an announcement, the preparation would have been similar for both quarterback as their styles are essentially the same in principle. 

Jefferson will throw the ball a lot more and Hornsby is quicker in comparison to the raging bull Jefferson is, but the plays called would be essentially the same with minor adjustments for number of passes versus runs.

That's not the case for Cincinnati. Fickell's choice at quarterback is as much about the identity he wants his offense to have as it is about who he thinks is the better player and leader.

The first option is Ben Bryant, a 6-4, 220 pound senior who recently made his return to Cincinnati via transfer portal. 

Bryant quarterbacked Eastern Michigan last season, a school known for painting its turf to appear as if it's from a black and white movie if shown on television.

Bryant is your traditional style quarterback. He is more comfortable dropping back into a solid pocket and waiting as long as possible for something to come open.

While Bryant technically ran the RPO quite often last year, he rarely ran the ball. His comfort level is to pull the ball and make a quick throw to a receiver on a short route over the middle.

Almost never will Bryant run. If he does, he'd rather throw a short quick pass and have it go incomplete than scramble for a short gain.

While short slants are his bread and butter, Bryant will try to keep the defense honest with a long pass from time to time. 

Forcing Cincinnati into long situations will be key if Bryant gets the call as starter. While he fires bullets at close range, his longer passes tend to float in the air for long periods of time.

Given the experience in the Arkansas secondary, as long as they don't bust an assignment and let one of the Bearcat receivers run free, the defensive backs should get a few chances at interceptions.

Option B is Evan Prater, a 6-4, 200 pound redshirt sophomore. To get a feel for his game, picture Hornsby the last two years, make him skinnier and slow him down a little bit. 

Whereas Bryant hasn't found an opportunity to run that he can't turn into a pass, Prater will look for every way possible to turn a passing situation into a run.

It's hard to judge what kind of arm Prater has because there is very little film of him throwing passes against colleges. He only completed 5-of-11 passes last season for 38 yards while rushing for 105 yards on 12 carries in mop-up duty spread across five games.

In comparison, Hornsby was 5-of-12 for 46 yards while rushing for 136 yards on 24 carries during seven appearances, mostly against Ole Miss, Georgia, Texas A&M, Texas and Penn State.

Who starts will be most important for Arkansas linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders as the difference in styles will dictate their play the most. 

Should Bryant start, they will be relied upon heavily to help with quick hitters over the middle. Should Prater start, they will need to be disciplined and keep him contained so he can't stretch into his long stride, which is where the speed finally kicks in.

Either way, if there's one thing Arkansas has proven against everyone but Georgia over the past two years, it's that defensive coordinator Barry Odom will have a plan ready for whoever steps on the field.

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