Phil Steele released his annual preseason all-conference teams and the Cincinnati Bearcats have taken over the All-AAC team this year, with four players named to the first team.

First Team

Gunner Kiel (QB)

Mekale McKay (WR)

Parker Ehinger (OT)

Silverberry Mouhon (DE)

Second Team

Chris Moore (WR)

Shaq Washington (WR)

Deyshawn Bond (C)

Zach Edwards (S)

Andrew Gantz (K)

Johnny Holton (KR)

Shaq Washington (PR)

Third Team

Justin Murray (OT)

Fourth Team

Mike Boone (RB)

Leviticus Payne (NB)

If that’s not an indication of the kind of loaded team the Bearcats return this season, I don’t know what is.

A total of 11 Cincinnati players (if you count Shaq twice) were named to either Steele’s first or second All-AAC team. No other AAC school could say the same. East Carolina and Tulsa came close with eight and seven respectively but UC had the most of any in the conference.

Again, it speaks to how stacked this team is heading into their 2015 campaign. First teamers Gunner Kiel, Mekale McKay, and Parker Ehinger return along with second teamers Chris Moore, Shaq Washington, and Deyshawn Bond on offense. Cincinnati has more first and second team players on the offensive side of the ball than USF, Navy, Houston, UCF, Memphis, and SMU do total. If this unit doesn’t break all kinda of records this season I’d be very disappointed.

I’m mildly curious as to how Steele broke up Cincinnati’s receivers. He gave the first team nod to Mekale McKay but he didn’t lead the team in receptions or receiving yards last year, Shaq Washington did. And while McKay led the Bearcats in touchdowns in 2014, he tied with Chris Moore in that department, who also led the team in yards per catch. I guess Steele is giving him credit for being a 6’6″ defensive nightmare with the most potential of any wide out on the team.

The others make sense. Silverberry Mouhon is an all-conference first teamer if he can return to his sophomore year form. Justin Murray has shown the capability to a third team All-AAC player at minimum and the same goes for Mike Boone and Leviticus Payne. Overall, Cincinnati seems to have gotten a fair shake from Steele this year.