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Aac conference4/30/2023 ![]() ![]() There’s also no matchup against Cincinnati or UCF in the regular season.ĭespite injuries to a couple of key players (including quarterback Dillon Gabriel), coach Gus Malzahn guided the Knights to a 9-4 season capped by a win over Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl for his debut in Orlando. Another run to 10-plus wins is within reach, as the Cougars open at UTSA and catch winnable games at Texas Tech and Kansas (home). Replacing lineman Logan Hall and cornerbacks Marcus Jones and Damarion Williams tops the list of priorities for Belk. This unit ranked first in the conference against the run, third against the pass, and led the way in sacks (43). After giving up 32 points a game in ’20, the Cougars cut that total to 20.4 in ’21. Houston’s defense showed big-time improvement under coordinator Doug Belk last fall. An offensive line that allowed 38 sacks and cleared the way for rushers to average 3.9 yards per carry must replace three starters. Holgorsen supplemented Dell and the receiving corps with a handful of transfers, including Cody Jackson (Oklahoma), Joseph Manjack (USC) and Samuel Brown (West Virginia). Running back Alton McCaskill was lost indefinitely due to a torn ACL in the spring, but Ta’Zhawn Henry and USC transfer Brandon Campbell should be an effective one-two punch in the backfield. A high-powered offense (35.9 points a game in ’21) returns projected first-team All-AAC quarterback Clayton Tune, along with an All-America candidate at receiver Nathaniel Dell (90 catches for 1,329 yards and 12 TDs). The Cougars jumped to 12-2 in coach Dana Holgorsen’s third year at the helm, and with Cincinnati losing a handful of key contributors, the door is open for Houston to close the gap a little more in ’22. If Cincinnati pulls off an upset at Arkansas in Week 1, another 12-0 regular season is within reach. However, the next wave of stars is ready to emerge, including linebackers Deshawn Pace, end Malik Vann and defensive backs Arquon Bush and Ja’von Hicks. ![]() A defense that limited opponents to 16.9 points a game and 4.5 yards per play must replace seven full-time starters, including standouts and NFL draft picks Myjai Sanders (end) and cornerbacks Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant. The Bearcats return the AAC’s top offensive line, added LSU transfer Corey Kiner to a capable group of backs to replace Jerome Ford, while Tre Tucker and Tyler Scott anchor a receiving corps already featuring tight ends Josh Whyle and Leonard Taylor. Ben Bryant and Evan Prater will battle to replace Desmond Ridder under center, but the rest of the supporting cast is strong. Coach Luke Fickell has recruited well and with a strong track record of talent development, Cincinnati should be among the top 10-15 teams once again. How does Athlon Sports project the American Athletic Conference for 2022? Steven Lassan predicts and ranks the AAC for this fall: American Athletic Conference 2022 Predictionsĭespite the departure of several key players from last year’s team that made the CFB Playoff, the Bearcats are still Athlon’s pick atop the AAC.
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