Evan Prater
2021: Appeared in seven games as the backup to starting quarterback Desmond Ridder...Completed 5-of-11 passes for 38 yards and two touchdowns with one interception...Talented passer and runner who also has 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries...Scored his first career touchdown in the home opener against Miami (Ohio), finding the end zone to cap a 14-yard scamper...His first career touchdown pass was an 18-yard throw to Payton Singletary versus Murray State...Had a six-yard rushing touchdown versus UCF...Saw his most action versus SMU, playing the entire fourth quarter...He completed 3-of-6 passes for 16 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Jones...He added 44 yards on three carries, including a 33-yard dash....Held a 40-2 record at Wyoming High School, winning Ohio's Mr. Football Award in 2019... Four-start recruit who was ranked the No. 4 QB and No. 45 overall player by 247Sports in the 2020 Class.
2020: Redshirted. Made his collegiate debut against Austin Peay, rushing two times for four yards in his only game action of the season.
Signed with UC in December 2019.
PRIOR TO UC: Local standout from Wyoming HS was named the 33rd Ohio Mr. Football in December 2019 ... Prater is the fourth winner of Ohio’s Mr. Football award to play for UC, including RB Michael Warren II (2016), QB Ben Mauk (2002) and RB Akise Teague (2010) … the first winner of the Mr. Football Award from the Cincinnati area since 1992 … prepped for coach Aaron Hancock … ranked as the nation’s No. 4 overall QB and the No. 45 player overall in 247’s final 2020 player rankings … composite four-star recruit lists as the No. 3 player in Ohio and No. 9 dual-threat quarterback nationwide in the 2020 signing class ... Cincinnati Enquirer Division IV Offensive Player of the Year and a First-Team Fall 2019 All-Star ... added LaRosa's Boys Most Valuable Player as the region's top graduating senior student-athlete and Cincinnati.com Boys Small School FB Player of the Year at the Cincinnati.com Sports Awards ...closed out his prep career throwing for 5,699 yards and 72 TDs and running for 4,124 yards and 73 scores … most of his stats came over three seasons as he was a backup QB as a freshman … tabbed as Cincinnati Hills League Offensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior and earned First-Team All-CHL honors three times ... selected for and played in the 2020 U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 4, 2020 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas … Had a 40-2 record as a high-school starting QB … both losses came deep in the OHSAA playoffs … helped lead the Cowboys to the OHSAA Division IV State Championship in 2018 … had a standout performance in the title game, running for 242 yards and three TDs while going 6-of-11 for 149 yard and two scores … named the 2018 Ohio Division IV Offensive Player of the Year and USA Today Ohio Offensive Player of the Year … Son of Gary and Lori Prater ... Has a brother, Garyn, who is a wide receiver at UC ... Mother attended UC ... Father played football at Tennessee and South Carolina … Chose UC over reported offers from over 20 FBS schools, including Louisville, Michigan State and Oklahoma State.
