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The Higher Ground Conference & Retreat Center? I know, that's the official name when Camp Red & Black Blood is not in session.

Quote:The University of Cincinnati football team opened fall camp on Friday with a two-hour workout under hot and sunny skies at the Higher Ground Conference & Retreat Center in West Harrison, Indiana.

The Bearcats were working in helmets only on the first of five NCAA-mandated acclimatization practices. It is Head Coach Luke Fickell's second camp with the Bearcats and the staff's first chance to see the 2018 team on the field.

UC returns 13 starters including All-American Athletic Conference selections DE Cortez Broughton (Warner Robbins, Georgia/Veterans), DT Marquise Copeland (Cleveland, Ohio/Bedford) and P James Smith (Wangaratta, Australia/Galen College) along with a highly-touted signing class which ranked atop the American and included 15 signees from Ohio and 19 from the 300-mile radius surrounding UC's campus.

Fickell set the tone early in the brisk workout and wanted the squad to focus on the small details.

"You're not going to win championships on day one, but you can sure lose them," Fickell said. "I mean that in the way you prepare. If you don't create the culture you want, the expectations you want and start to set the tempo you want. But that's what we are here to do."

The Bearcats are the only team in The American Athletic Conference to return its leading rusher (Gerrid Doaks), passer (Hayden Moore) and receiver (Khalil Lewis) from last season.

// ADDING TO THE ROSTER
The Bearcats added several players to the roster with graduate transfers, transfers and walk-ons joining the team. LB Tinashe Bere (Duke), OL Dino Boyd (Rhode Island), CB Cameron Jefferies (Bowling Green) and LB Jaylyn McKinney (Liberty) come to Cincinnati as graduate transfers while OL Darius Harper (Miami OH) and WR Aulden Knight (Hampton) join the team as transfers.

S Will Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mason), QB John Keller (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover), LB Nate Lawler (Dresden, Ohio/Tri-Valley), CB Jake Tewart (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon), RB Colin Thurman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller), OL Colin Truett (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) and OL Ethan Voelker (Cincinnati, Ohio/Taylor) were also added to the roster.

// YOU LOOK FAMILIAR
The coaching staff underwent several changes during the offseason with some familiar faces returning to UC. Special Teams Coordinator Brian Mason served as the Bearcats Director of Recruiting in 2017, cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens was an All-America selection at cornerback who helped lead UC to the 2018 BIG EAST title and Orange Bowl and defensive line coach Steve Stripling was previously on staff from 2010-13 and was UC's interim head coach in the 2013 Belk Bowl win over North Carolina.

On the offensive side of the ball, coordinator Mike Denbrock shifted over to tight ends, Gino Guidugli moved over to quarterbacks and Doug Phillips shifted to running backs.

// WHAT'S NEXT?
The Bearcats will be back on the practice field at Higher Ground Saturday and Sunday, working through the second and third acclimatization practices over the weekend. UC opens the 2018 campaign at UCLA on Saturday, Sept. 1 in the Rose Bowl.

// TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Season tickets for the 2018 football season are on sale now for as little as $99. Season-ticket holder benefits include: season-ticket holder only events, access to the same seat location for all six games at Nippert Stadium, merchandise discounts at the UC Bookstore. Buying a season ticket is the best deal for Bearcats fans, who can save up to 40 percent when compared to the single-game rate at the door. Single-game tickets and pricing will be available in August. Call 1-877-CATS-TIX or visit GoBEARCATS.com/tickets to make your purchase today!

// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.

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