TicketsJuly 30, 2014
A quartet of University of Cincinnati football players, head coach Tommy Tuberville and director of athletics Mike Bohn recently returned from two days in Newport, Rhode Island for the American Athletic Conference Football Kickoff event.
The four senior student-athletes representing the Bearcats at the league event were: Ralph David Abernathy IV (Atlanta, Ga./Westminster School), Munchie Legaux (New Orleans, La./Edna Karr), Nick Temple (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) and Adrian Witty (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach).
The two-day event kicked off on Monday night with the always popular clambake outside the Hyatt Regency Goat Island Hotel and Spa. Players, coaches, administrators and media all partook in the event that featured fresh clams, lobster and many other seafood options in a relaxed setting on the water.
Prior to Tuesday's media day events, the American released the 2014 preseason media poll, which tabbed Cincinnati as the favorite, taking 17 of the 30 first-place votes. UCF, who was the inaugural league champion a year ago, and Houston followed in second and third, respectively, and were the only other programs to receive first-place votes.
Mike Aresco, the commissioner of the American, opened up the second day by addressing all in attendance with his thoughts on the conference's inaugural year and where the league is going. Aresco made it essential to point to utilize the word "power" during his speech to drive home the fact that the American can compete with the so-called 'Power Five' conferences.
"We all hear a lot about Power 5 conferences, the Equity 5, the High Resource 5, the Group of 5, the Autonomy 5, whatever you choose to call them, and we consider ourselves a power conference as well," Aresco said Tuesday. "We're not going to take a backseat to anyone. We see the landscape as five plus one and we're knocking on the door. Our goal is to be in the conversation as the sixth power conference. I believe by virtue of our performance that we already are."
Following Aresco's message, player and coaches scattered around the hotel for interviews with numerous local and national media outlets, including CBS Sports Network, ESPN and USA Today.
Interviews with Dan Hoard
| Tommy Tuberville | Mike Bohn |
Ralph David Abernathy IV | Munchie Legaux |
Nick Temple | Adrian Witty |
Jim Kelly Jr. |
Coverage from Media Day
Bearcats quarterback Munchie Legaux primed for comeback (Enquirer)
UC players on being picked to win the American (Enquirer)
Cincinnati's Legaux coming back string from injury (Associated Press)
Munchie Legaux aims to be a factor again for Cincinnati (USA Today)
Tommy Tuberville Interview (MarkRogersTV)
Tweets of the Day
LB Nick Temple, RB Ralph David Abernathy IV enjoying @American_FB clambake #UC #Bearcats pic.twitter.com/jp9Qo7S0K3
-- Tom Groeschen (@TomGroeschen) July 29, 2014 The 2014 preseason media poll has been released and @Bearcats_FB are the favorite pic.twitter.com/yDdjagYPOy
-- American Football (@American_FB) July 29, 2014
#UC players Nick Temple, Adrian Witty, Ralph Abernathy, @MunchieLegaux set for @American_FB media day. #Bearcats pic.twitter.com/w8gLQqmqY8
-- Tom Groeschen (@TomGroeschen) July 29, 2014 Legaux suffered a gruesome knee injury against Illinois last season. If he does play in 2014, it will be a remarkable comeback.
-- Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) July 29, 2014 Tuberville hasn't named a starter at QB for Cincy, but Gunner Kiel has been the incumbent all summer. "Someone has to beat him out."
-- Steven Godfrey (@38Godfrey) July 29, 2014 Tuberville: "Anybody in our conference can beat anyone in any other conference." #AmericanRising
-- American Football (@American_FB) July 29, 2014 Wrapping things up on the @ESPN3 set with John Rooke and @Anthony_Becht #Bearcats pic.twitter.com/D5sV7V4Wjz
-- Ryan Koslen (@Koz_UC) July 29, 2014