BCI Offensive Player of the Year

It’s time to hand out some honors to those players who’ve enjoyed a great season on the field. We start with the offensive side of the football with our Offensive Player of the Year. Is it really a surprise?

If he never puts a Bearcats uniform on again, Ben Mauk will have left his mark and a lasting impression on the Bearcats football program for years to come. The gutsy quarterback from Kenton, Ohio was an unknown heading into the season, but soon caught the attention of the Bearcat faithful and has become a Bearcats Legend with his overall performance during the 2007 season.



Coming back from an injury many felt would end his playing career; Ben Mauk used a shortly kept rule by the NCAA to transfer from Wake Forest to his home state of Ohio last winter. With questions on his ability following him until the start of preseason camp, Mauk keep looking straight ahead never questioning if he’d be on the field, but when he’d take his place among the other quarterbacks fighting for the starting position.

Playing in an offense like the one he played under at the high school level, Ben Mauk showed the country why he posted some great offensive numbers as a prep player that gained him national attention and records.



Leading the Bearcats to nine of their ten victories Mauk posted some great offensive numbers and earns Bearcat Insiders Offensive Player of the Year honors for 2007.

For the season Mauk connected on 235 of his 386 pass attempts while throwing for 31 touchdowns with only 9 interceptions and 3,121 yards. But while fans watched as he made some great throws, it was his ability to escape and keep a play going fans will remember most. In the process Ben picked up another 377 yards and 3 touchdowns.

With the possibility of gaining a sixth season of eligibility, Bearcat fans have their fingers crossed until official word is heard from the NCAA. If granted Bearcat fans will be excited heading into next season as many will expect to see Ben give a repeat performance and help the Bearcats football program take the next steps toward a Big East Championship and BCS game.

Bearcat Insider would like to congratulate Ben on such a memorable season and thank him for all the time he gave Bearcat Insider during the course of the past season.