TicketsCINCINNATI - Over the last three seasons, the Cincinnati Bearcats ran 2,713 offensive plays.
Offensive lineman Chris Ferguson wasn't on the field for a single snap.
But this year, the fifth-year senior has started every game at right tackle for a team that is 7-1 and averaging 34.1 points per game.
"I'm loving it and enjoying every second of it," said Ferguson. "My past just made me a better person up to this point. Persevering through everything that I've been through.
"The guys who haven't played as much come to me for counsel. How did I do it? How did I get through it? I'm just in a very positive place right now and I'm loving every second of it."
Ferguson was born and raised in the Bahamas and came to Cincinnati in 2014 with minimal football experience.
"I started playing football when I moved to America my senior year of high school," he said. "I played seven games in high school. It was actually a funny story. Originally I wanted to play basketball and the coach was like, 'Basketball doesn't start until January. You might as well play football to stay in shape.' So I said, 'Let's do it.' I went out to practice and was pretty good at it so I got some big offers. I wound up playing one game of basketball and that was it.
"I'm glad I got into it because it's paying off. My parents don't have to pay for college so it's a blessing."
Chris was recruited as defensive lineman before switching to the offensive line as a redshirt freshman. But he wasn't able to crack the lineup until this year.
"We never gave up on him, he never gave up on himself, and he never gave up on us," said head coach Luke Fickell. "I didn't know that he only played seven games of high school football, but it shows you that guys with the right attitude that are willing to work will have an opportunity – especially in some of those 'big guy' positions. We are going to continue to take pride in our program in the development of all people but in particular some of those big guys – especially offensive lineman."
The Bearcats lost four senior offensive lineman from last year's team, and Ferguson put himself in position to win a starting job with a great offseason.
"I just worked," he said. "When I went home I worked through winter break. I was training every single day and watching film. I just stayed positive. When I got to spring ball I said, 'Every snap I'm going to go my hardest. Every snap I will try not to mess up.' It paid off."
But even when he wasn't playing, Ferguson was a valuable teammate.
"Everybody thinks they should be on the field and I was one of those guys," Chris told me. "But I used it in a different way. I was on the sideline getting everybody hyped and making sure that everybody was going crazy. That was my job. I was always there to cheer people up and that's just me. I like positivity around me."
"You're always looking for those guys that provide energy and Chris has always been a guy that had a bounce in his step," said Fickell. "Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to play a lot of football for us last year, but he came back this year with the same attitude and same bounce in his step. He's a hard-working guy, he has some talent and is athletic, and he just kind of settled in and figured the game out a little bit more. I think he took some things more seriously and figured out what he needed to do to be successful as a senior. He's been a pleasant surprise for us this year."
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Offensive lineman Chris Ferguson wasn't on the field for a single snap.
But this year, the fifth-year senior has started every game at right tackle for a team that is 7-1 and averaging 34.1 points per game.
"I'm loving it and enjoying every second of it," said Ferguson. "My past just made me a better person up to this point. Persevering through everything that I've been through.
"The guys who haven't played as much come to me for counsel. How did I do it? How did I get through it? I'm just in a very positive place right now and I'm loving every second of it."
Ferguson was born and raised in the Bahamas and came to Cincinnati in 2014 with minimal football experience.
"I started playing football when I moved to America my senior year of high school," he said. "I played seven games in high school. It was actually a funny story. Originally I wanted to play basketball and the coach was like, 'Basketball doesn't start until January. You might as well play football to stay in shape.' So I said, 'Let's do it.' I went out to practice and was pretty good at it so I got some big offers. I wound up playing one game of basketball and that was it.
"I'm glad I got into it because it's paying off. My parents don't have to pay for college so it's a blessing."
Chris was recruited as defensive lineman before switching to the offensive line as a redshirt freshman. But he wasn't able to crack the lineup until this year.
"We never gave up on him, he never gave up on himself, and he never gave up on us," said head coach Luke Fickell. "I didn't know that he only played seven games of high school football, but it shows you that guys with the right attitude that are willing to work will have an opportunity – especially in some of those 'big guy' positions. We are going to continue to take pride in our program in the development of all people but in particular some of those big guys – especially offensive lineman."
The Bearcats lost four senior offensive lineman from last year's team, and Ferguson put himself in position to win a starting job with a great offseason.
"I just worked," he said. "When I went home I worked through winter break. I was training every single day and watching film. I just stayed positive. When I got to spring ball I said, 'Every snap I'm going to go my hardest. Every snap I will try not to mess up.' It paid off."
"What he did differently this year going into spring ball is that he had a completely different approach and mentality and it showed in the way that he played," said offensive line coach Ron Crook. "He practiced with a much more physical nature and was much more focused in doing his job the right way. Those were the things that really made him take a step up in our eyes."Who said big boys can't run?
— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) October 6, 2018
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But even when he wasn't playing, Ferguson was a valuable teammate.
"Everybody thinks they should be on the field and I was one of those guys," Chris told me. "But I used it in a different way. I was on the sideline getting everybody hyped and making sure that everybody was going crazy. That was my job. I was always there to cheer people up and that's just me. I like positivity around me."
"You're always looking for those guys that provide energy and Chris has always been a guy that had a bounce in his step," said Fickell. "Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to play a lot of football for us last year, but he came back this year with the same attitude and same bounce in his step. He's a hard-working guy, he has some talent and is athletic, and he just kind of settled in and figured the game out a little bit more. I think he took some things more seriously and figured out what he needed to do to be successful as a senior. He's been a pleasant surprise for us this year."
I'd love to hear from you at Dan.Hoard@Bengals.nfl.net
If you're on Twitter, you can follow my tweets at http://twitter.com/Dan_Hoard
And I'm on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dan.hoard.1