FAYETTEVILLE — Nine Cincinnati players advanced to the NFL Draft from last season's team that crashed the previously all-Power 5 College Football Playoff.
The losses of such outstanding players, including quarterback Desmond Ridder, the 2021 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, can’t help but somewhat affect Coach Luke Fickell’s Bearcats heading into Saturday’s 2:30 p.m., ESPN-televised season opener with the Arkansas Razorbacks at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
A key for the Razorbacks seems the degree of Cincinnati’s somewhat effect.
Given its Fickell history, Cincinnati’s depletion won’t be nearly as severe as it might seem. While never before upgrading nine to the NFL, Fickell previously has graduated outstanding players and kept winning without them.