CINCINNATI — When Dontay Corleone wakes up each morning he is inspired by the example of his mother, Resheda Myles.
"I grew up in a single-parent home with three other siblings," said Corleone, a redshirt sophomore defensive lineman at the University of Cincinnati. "My mom worked 16 hours every day. She made sure we could eat and have clothes on our back."
Corleone, named to the Walter Camp Preseason All-American First Team selection last week, is making his family, UC coaches and teammates and former high school coaches very proud after just one season of college football.
"Just a great human being," UC defensive coordinator Bryan Brown said. "I love him to death."
Myles was able to watch Corleone this past season and his senior year at Colerain High School after missing half of his high school career. Corleone is grateful for his mother's sacrifice and example with work obligations through the years.
Corleone said his mom sends him a daily text message that includes a prayer. They speak to each other nearly every day. Myles is often emotional telling her son how proud she is of his accomplishments.
"That's my rock," Corleone said. "She didn't complain one time all those years of working and not doing anything else. I take pride in that. Most of my awards go straight to her to put a smile on her face. I love her."
There are plenty of honors to share with Myles as Corleone enters his second season on the field at UC.
Corleone earned four All-American honors in 2022 including as an Associated Press third-team selection. He is one of five sophomores on this year's preseason All-American team.
"I take pride in that," Corleone said. "You know I work very hard but I don't really look into that stuff. You know I work hard for my team to provide for them and step up to be a leader this year for my guys. I'm going to take that role this year."
Corleone has a different jersey number (No. 2) and a new outlook focused on leadership at Nippert Stadium as UC prepares for its annual spring game April 15.
"I love (jersey number) 58," Corleone said. "You know that was my high school number. I really love 58. But a big man's dream is to always have a single-digit number. You know I had to take my shot with that."
UC defensive line coach Walt Stewart said Corleone has taken a 180-degree turn in his perspective from spring practice a year ago.
"Last spring around this time he was just getting out there, just playing and kind of listening," Stewart said. "You know you got guys like Jowon Briggs and Malik Vann out there. So he was doing a lot of listening last year. Now, he's right out front. He's always in here watching film, always around the coaches, always trying to pull guys around. He's done a really good job."
Brown, who is in his first season with the Bearcats with new UC head coach Scott Satterfield, said Corleone is part of a very promising defensive line.
"You can't move on the football field," Brown said. "It's really hard. It's almost impossible. But, I'm excited to work with him. He's a joy to be around. He's always smiling."
That smiles radiates how much Corleone loves being around the game and his hometown. He never doubted whether to stay at UC after former head coach Luke Fickell left for Wisconsin in late November.
"When Coach Fick (Fickell) left, I sat down with my family and I told them I'm going to stay here because I like representing the C-Paw pride," Corleone said. "Everywhere I go you always see me with UC gear on. I just take pride in being from Cincinnati."
Stewart knows how much passion Corleone has for the Bearcats. Whether it's film study, typing notes on his iPad during a coaches' meeting or helping other teammates, Corleone doesn't waver.
"He's a student of the game," Stewart said. "He puts the work in. He loves football. He takes care of himself. So it's been an awesome deal to coach him."
Corleone said Stewart made an immediate impact on him as a student-athlete starting in spring practice last year.
"My confidence wasn't very high at that moment but now he's there making me laugh, all that type of stuff," Corleone said. "Just the little details make me better as a person on the field and off the field."
It's that guidance that Corleone is passing along to younger teammates. It's also why he can't wait to take the field Sept. 2 in the season opener against visiting Eastern Kentucky University.
"Football is everything to me," said Corleone. "I wake up thinking about football. I go to sleep thinking about football. Just my whole life I grew up loving football."
