Xenia grad named captain for Cincinnati Bearcats

Xenia offensive lineman Gavin Gerhardt (right) was named first team All-Ohio Division II. MARC PENDLETON / STAFF

Xenia offensive lineman Gavin Gerhardt (right) was named first team All-Ohio Division II. MARC PENDLETON / STAFF

Xenia High School graduate Gavin Gerhardt is among the Cincinnati football captains for 2023.

Gerhardt, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound junior, is the only returning starter on the offensive line for the Bearcats.

He started 13 games last season at center after appearing in four games in 2021.

A three-star recruit at Xenia, Gerhardt was a driving force in the Buccaneers’ earning their first playoff berth in 2019 when he was a first-team all-state pick and shared the Doug Adams Most Valuable Player Award.

Quarterback Emory Jones and defensive linemen Dontay Corleone and Jowon Briggs were also named captains by new coach Kenny Satterfield, who replaced Luke Fickell after Fickell left to become head coach at Wisconsin.

UC opens the season at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Eastern Kentucky at Nippert Stadium.

The Bearcats are No. 46 in preseason SP+ projections from ESPN, but that places them just ninth in the Big 12, which will have 14 teams this season.

Cincinnati is 71st in Phil Steele’s preseason power poll.

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