The Cincinnati Bearcats defense in the 2016 season was nothing to be proud of. During an abysmal 4-8 year, the defense ranked 72nd in the country, allowing 3.2 opposing touchdowns per game and 422.8 yards of opposing offense per game. For a comparison, Michigan's No. 1 ranked defense only allowed 22 touchdowns all year and gave up only 261.8 yards per game. So new head coach Luke Fickell will have a lot of work to do to get UC back on the right track.
In Fickell’s time as defensive coordinator at Ohio State, the Buckeyes were frequently ranked among the top 10 best defenses in the country, including finishing No.