The Cincinnati football team returned to campus from Higher Ground Saturday for a scrimmage at Nippert Stadium.

While the session would be better described as full-contact, managed periods of evaluation, the first-string offense went against the second-team defense and vice versa for plenty of work. Younger players and those gunning for spots in the two-deep received as many reps as possible, too.

"Just want to put them in situations where they have to react, where they have to be able to handle some adversity and emotion, especially when they're really tired," UC head coach Luke Fickell said.

Here's what we learned:

• Three players – redshirt freshman Lorenz Metz, sophomore Vincent McConnell and junior Darius Harper – are still in the running for the starting right tackle spot. That was the position Fickell said he most prioritized entering the scrimmage.

"The tackles were a big deal," Fickell said. "Not just Metz but Vinnie McConnell and Harper, those three guys took a lot of reps today. That's probably one of the number one things I wanted to see."

Sooner than later the competition has to be cut to two and then one. But Fickell has expressed encouragement at several positions that the battles to start remain competitive for the sake of overall depth. Though he's the least experienced player in the running, Metz, the 6-foot-9, 330-pound German, has appeared to be capable should he win out.

"I watch body language," Fickell said. "I watch demeanor, and I know that's a tough thing for some young guys when something doesn't go perfect. That's where you see (Metz's) growth. He's obviously growing as a football player, but can he handle 40-something thousand people here on a Thursday night and 100-something thousand the next weekend? That's going to be a big step."

• Wide receiver continues to be an area of interest. Fickell said he wants the unit to use training camp to prove consistency is possible. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said wideouts can separate themselves for playing time by winning one-on-one matchups.

"We wanted to kind of see if those guys on the outside could provide a little something, a little spark, a little momentum, a little energy," Fickell said.

In that pursuit, senior Rashad Medaris and sophomore Trent Cloud flashed on Saturday. Alec Pierce, the sophomore who has had a strong camp, did not participate as a precaution due to a minor injury.

• Of course the staff would love to have Cortez Broughton and Marquise Copeland back for another season at defensive tackle. But Fickell said the two-deep comprised of juniors Elijah Ponder, Curtis Brooks and Marcus Brown and sophomore Jabari Taylor is earning trust.

"I was really high (on the position as a whole) in the first 10 practices," Fickell said. "Their ability for what we try to talk about with having 1's and 1-B's, I think that might be where we're more solid than any place else. Not saying they're Cortez and Cope. I'm not trying to put them in those categories yet, but their ability to be 1 and 1-B, meaning if guys each play 40 plays a game they're going to be a lot different, especially towards the end of that game. I think where we're coming with those guys is what I like."

As first-year defensive line coach Chad Wilt put it earlier in camp, one person doesn't have to replace Broughton or Copeland individually. The entire unit is expected to account for the production.

"That's what I think the idea is, the healthy competition," Fickell said. "There's guys that go out there with the first group. I mean, I'm not saying Elijah and Jabari haven't maybe separated themselves in little ways, but Brooks and Brown are right there behind them, and I think that's what gives us a chance to be a solid down the middle."

• Young corners in redshirt freshmen Arquon Bush and Taj Ward and true freshmen Justin Harris and Ahmad Gardner continue to get plenty of run, at times with the No. 1 defense. One of the group's biggest adversaries Saturday: the referees.

"We don't do a great job every day of seeing the flags come out and then all of a sudden you come out here with some real officials and you see the guys that panic a little bit, especially those young guys today," Fickell said. "Way too much grabbing. I think that's what you see is when the lights go on and you come in here, I know they can do it. But will they panic? Will they start to go away from the fundamental things and put us in a situation where you can't panic, you can't bail, you can't just grab, or you're never going to get better and we're not going to be successful that way."

• Quick hits: junior Joel Dublanko continued at linebacker with the No. 1 defense in place of Bryan Wright (concussion). Dublanko nearly had an interception and batted down another pass at the line-of-scrimmage. ... junior safety James Wiggins had an interception. ... Gerrid Doaks received the bulk of carries out of the backfield with the first-string offense. That was planned because Michael Warren II has nothing to prove. Warren, however, did have a catch for a long gain during his limited action.