TicketsCINCINNATI – Cincinnati football stars Dontay "The Godfather" Corleone and Luke Kandra were each named to preseason watch lists on Tuesday.
Corleone was named to the Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Watch Lists. Kandra joined his teammate on the Outland list.
Corleone, a rising redshirt junior nose tackle from Cincinnati, collected All-Big 12 Second Team honors in 2023 after totaling 39 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and three sacks while starting all 12 games to anchor defense. The Colerain High School product capped the fall as the Big 12's third-rated defensive lineman (83.6), according to Pro Football Focus. Corleone also made the Preseason All-Big 12 Team for a second straight year. He collected consensus Freshman All-America and Associated Press Third Team All-America honors in 2022 after finishing as the nation's highest-graded defensive players by PFF.
Kandra is also a Cincinnati native, having transferred back home to the Bearcats after playing at Louisville for three seasons. The Elder High School product proved to be one of the nation's top interior offensive linemen in 2023. He ranked as the third-best Power Five guard (81.8) according to PFF, while starting all 12 games and leading UC with 79 knockdowns. He returns as the country's top-graded P4 right guard in 2024 and will anchor an offensive line that returns all five starters. Cincinnati finished fifth nationally in rushing (217.1 ypg) in 2023 behind Kandra and running back Corey Kiner (1,047 yards), who also returns.
About the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw "Bronko" Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from the five finalists named in November. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
About the Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy, celebrating 79 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 20, and those players will then be paired down to three finalists announced on Nov. 26. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.
Help us Keep the Streak Alive, Buy Tickets Today
UC ranks among the Top 25 winningest programs in the country over the last 10 years and Nippert Stadium's incredible homefield advantage is a major reason why. Help the Bearcats keep their streak of 18 consecutive Nippert Stadium sellouts alive by becoming a season ticket member HERE.
Season tickets are fans' best chance for best seats to cheer on the Bearcats. However, single-game tickets are on sale now (starting as low as $30) Towson (Aug. 31) and Pitt (Sept. 7).
Led by head coach Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati enters its second season in the Big 12 this fall. In 2023, the Bearcats ranked fifth in the country in rushing and return 1,000-yard rusher Corey Kiner and their entire offensive line. Cincinnati also brings back All-Americans: right guard Luke Kandra, nose tackle Dontay "The Godfather" Corleone and punter Mason Fletcher.
A pair of historic rivalries return to Nippert Stadium with Pitt coming to town for the first time since 2012 and West Virginia heading to the Queen City for the first time since Isaiah Pead led the Bearcats to a 24-21 victory in 2009. Cincinnati will also open the season against Towson, host Arizona State for the first-time ever and TCU for the first time since 2004. Additionally, Houston returns to Nippert Stadium for the first time since the Bearcats' 35-20 victory in the 2021 AAC Championship.
The complete 2024 Cincinnati football schedule can be found here: Web | Printable
Corleone was named to the Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Watch Lists. Kandra joined his teammate on the Outland list.
Corleone, a rising redshirt junior nose tackle from Cincinnati, collected All-Big 12 Second Team honors in 2023 after totaling 39 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and three sacks while starting all 12 games to anchor defense. The Colerain High School product capped the fall as the Big 12's third-rated defensive lineman (83.6), according to Pro Football Focus. Corleone also made the Preseason All-Big 12 Team for a second straight year. He collected consensus Freshman All-America and Associated Press Third Team All-America honors in 2022 after finishing as the nation's highest-graded defensive players by PFF.
Kandra is also a Cincinnati native, having transferred back home to the Bearcats after playing at Louisville for three seasons. The Elder High School product proved to be one of the nation's top interior offensive linemen in 2023. He ranked as the third-best Power Five guard (81.8) according to PFF, while starting all 12 games and leading UC with 79 knockdowns. He returns as the country's top-graded P4 right guard in 2024 and will anchor an offensive line that returns all five starters. Cincinnati finished fifth nationally in rushing (217.1 ypg) in 2023 behind Kandra and running back Corey Kiner (1,047 yards), who also returns.
About the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw "Bronko" Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from the five finalists named in November. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
About the Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy, celebrating 79 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 20, and those players will then be paired down to three finalists announced on Nov. 26. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.
Help us Keep the Streak Alive, Buy Tickets Today
UC ranks among the Top 25 winningest programs in the country over the last 10 years and Nippert Stadium's incredible homefield advantage is a major reason why. Help the Bearcats keep their streak of 18 consecutive Nippert Stadium sellouts alive by becoming a season ticket member HERE.
Season tickets are fans' best chance for best seats to cheer on the Bearcats. However, single-game tickets are on sale now (starting as low as $30) Towson (Aug. 31) and Pitt (Sept. 7).
Led by head coach Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati enters its second season in the Big 12 this fall. In 2023, the Bearcats ranked fifth in the country in rushing and return 1,000-yard rusher Corey Kiner and their entire offensive line. Cincinnati also brings back All-Americans: right guard Luke Kandra, nose tackle Dontay "The Godfather" Corleone and punter Mason Fletcher.
A pair of historic rivalries return to Nippert Stadium with Pitt coming to town for the first time since 2012 and West Virginia heading to the Queen City for the first time since Isaiah Pead led the Bearcats to a 24-21 victory in 2009. Cincinnati will also open the season against Towson, host Arizona State for the first-time ever and TCU for the first time since 2004. Additionally, Houston returns to Nippert Stadium for the first time since the Bearcats' 35-20 victory in the 2021 AAC Championship.
The complete 2024 Cincinnati football schedule can be found here: Web | Printable