TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati football team returned to the gridiron on Wednesday, holding its first practice since spring break and fourth overall of spring ball.
The Bearcats last took the field on Friday, March 14 before spring break began and reconvened on campus this past Sunday.
Practicing in full pads, Cincinnati battled through 21 periods and picked up right where it left off before the break began.
As the newcomers continue to acclimate themselves to Bearcat Football, one position group that will be exciting to watch throughout the rest of spring practice is the running backs. With returner Evan Pryor and transfer addition Tawee Walker leading the charge, UC's ground game should once again provide the offense with reliable production and big play potential.
Pryor was as good of a big play threat as anyone in the Big 12 Conference last season, scoring seven total touchdowns and recording 622 all-purpose yards. He had four touchdowns of at least 55 yards and averaged 7.46 yards per carry, good for second in the conference among qualified players.
Walker, who transferred in from Wisconsin this winter, was an honorable mention All-Big Ten recipient last season. He logged 864 rushing yards on 190 carries with 10 touchdowns for the Badgers in 2024 and played two seasons in the Big 12 prior to that at Oklahoma.
"It's a great group of guys," Walker said of the running back room. "Evan [Pryor] has a lot of experience, Zion [Johnson] is a great guy, really everyone is great. We all learn from each other and bounce ideas off of each other. Manny [Covey] is a great guy; he doesn't have a lot of experience, but played a little bit last year. He's a great player. Chance [Williams] is another great player. I can't wait to play with these guys this year."
Despite not playing a down in a Cincinnati uniform yet, one thing Walker has in common with Pryor, Williams, and Covey is that he has taken the field at Nippert Stadium before – although, it was as a member of the opposing team. He visited Cincinnati as a Sooner when playing at Oklahoma in 2023.
One word he'd likely use to describe his visit to Nippert?
Loud.
"It was a great atmosphere when I came here," Walker said. "We were shocked by how good it was. If you go back and watch the game, there was a lot of adversity. The fans were amazing. It was a very loud game."
Adversity is also something facing the running game in 2025 as Cincinnati will have to replace departing running back Corey Kiner, who put together an excellent three-year career as a Bearcat from 2022-24. Kiner recently wrapped his collegiate career with his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. His 1,153 rushing yards brought his career total at UC to 2,562, which puts him eighth all-time in program history in career rushing. He had six 100-yard rushing games in 2024 and 13 total as a Bearcat, which ranks fifth in school history.
Walker is prepared to help replace some of the production that left with Kiner's departure, and he is impressed with the infrastructure in place that will help him do just that.
"This is a great system to be in," Walker said. "We have great weapons on the outside and a great offensive line, so I'm really looking forward to this season and running the ball."
UC's spring practice schedule is highlighted by the Spring Showcase presented by Skyline Chili scheduled for Saturday, April 12. The open football practice begins at 12 p.m. and will be preceded by an AD Tailgate for season ticket members featuring special guests. More information on the Spring Showcase can be found here.
The Bearcats last took the field on Friday, March 14 before spring break began and reconvened on campus this past Sunday.
Practicing in full pads, Cincinnati battled through 21 periods and picked up right where it left off before the break began.
As the newcomers continue to acclimate themselves to Bearcat Football, one position group that will be exciting to watch throughout the rest of spring practice is the running backs. With returner Evan Pryor and transfer addition Tawee Walker leading the charge, UC's ground game should once again provide the offense with reliable production and big play potential.
Pryor was as good of a big play threat as anyone in the Big 12 Conference last season, scoring seven total touchdowns and recording 622 all-purpose yards. He had four touchdowns of at least 55 yards and averaged 7.46 yards per carry, good for second in the conference among qualified players.
Walker, who transferred in from Wisconsin this winter, was an honorable mention All-Big Ten recipient last season. He logged 864 rushing yards on 190 carries with 10 touchdowns for the Badgers in 2024 and played two seasons in the Big 12 prior to that at Oklahoma.
"It's a great group of guys," Walker said of the running back room. "Evan [Pryor] has a lot of experience, Zion [Johnson] is a great guy, really everyone is great. We all learn from each other and bounce ideas off of each other. Manny [Covey] is a great guy; he doesn't have a lot of experience, but played a little bit last year. He's a great player. Chance [Williams] is another great player. I can't wait to play with these guys this year."
Despite not playing a down in a Cincinnati uniform yet, one thing Walker has in common with Pryor, Williams, and Covey is that he has taken the field at Nippert Stadium before – although, it was as a member of the opposing team. He visited Cincinnati as a Sooner when playing at Oklahoma in 2023.
One word he'd likely use to describe his visit to Nippert?
Loud.
"It was a great atmosphere when I came here," Walker said. "We were shocked by how good it was. If you go back and watch the game, there was a lot of adversity. The fans were amazing. It was a very loud game."
Adversity is also something facing the running game in 2025 as Cincinnati will have to replace departing running back Corey Kiner, who put together an excellent three-year career as a Bearcat from 2022-24. Kiner recently wrapped his collegiate career with his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. His 1,153 rushing yards brought his career total at UC to 2,562, which puts him eighth all-time in program history in career rushing. He had six 100-yard rushing games in 2024 and 13 total as a Bearcat, which ranks fifth in school history.
Walker is prepared to help replace some of the production that left with Kiner's departure, and he is impressed with the infrastructure in place that will help him do just that.
"This is a great system to be in," Walker said. "We have great weapons on the outside and a great offensive line, so I'm really looking forward to this season and running the ball."
UC's spring practice schedule is highlighted by the Spring Showcase presented by Skyline Chili scheduled for Saturday, April 12. The open football practice begins at 12 p.m. and will be preceded by an AD Tailgate for season ticket members featuring special guests. More information on the Spring Showcase can be found here.