Pro Experience for UC Players at Senior Bowl

by B. Clifton Burke

The University of Cincinnati had four players participate in the 2009 Under Armor Senior Bowl played in Mobile, Alabama on Saturday night: Punter Kevin Huber, cornerback DeAngelo Smith, right guard Trevor Canfield, and defensive end/tight end Connor Barwin. Cornerback Mike Mickens was also named to the team and participated in some of the week’s practices, but decided to forego playing in the game due to a sore knee. The UC players were members of the North team coached by Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and his staff, while the South was coached by the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff, led by head coach Jack Del Rio.

The South won the game 35-18 and West Virginia quarterback Pat White was named as the game’s most valuable player.

The players spent the week in Mobile showcasing their talents in practice and the game, hoping to impress the many NFL scouts in attendance during the annual pre-draft event.

“We were extremely busy from the time we got there to the game,” said Connor Barwin.

Cornerback DeAngelo Smith saw action in the first quarter, and returned two punts for 18 yards. First-team All-American punter Kevin Huber finished with 196 yards on four punts including one for 61 yards. Lineman Trevor Canfield saw significant playing time throughout the game and was involved in both touchdown drives for the North. Conner Barwin played both sides of the ball, and collected a solo tackle at defensive end but had no passes thrown his way at tight end.

Throughout the week in Mobile, Barwin practiced under the tutelage of the two brothers on the Bengals coaching staff, Jon and Jay Hayes. Jon works with the tight ends while his brother Jay is the team’s defensive line coach.

“It was kind of a funny situation because I was jumping back and forth between them,” Barwin said. “It was good to work with them both.”

Barwin thinks that his role on the team that drafts him, will depend on their defensive scheme. He said that the 4-3 teams that he has spoke with project him as a defensive end, while the teams who play a 3-4 scheme see him more of an outside linebacker. Barwin can also line up at tight end where he played around 20 snaps during the Senior Bowl.

UC is only the sixth team to have five or more players named to the Senior Bowl since 2005.

“It’s been a great experience as far as being able to play against the top players in the country and to see how good you are against them,” Barwin said, “but the best part was that I was down there with so many of my teammates.”

Up next for Barwin and the other Bearcats considered to be pro prospects, is the NFL Scouting Combine scheduled for Feb.18-24 in Indianapolis.