University of Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder and punter James Smith were named First-Team Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Football and Volleyball Teams recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field or court and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First- and second-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early July.

Ridder, the 2020 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, 2021 AAC Championship Game Most Outstanding Player and 2018 AAC Rookie of the Year, helped lead the Bearcats to an AAC Championship and the team's first New Year's Six appearance since 2009. A finalist for the Manning Award, Ridder has 22 career rushing TDs, most ever for a UC QB and tied for No. 8 in the Bearcats annals. He is the active career leader in winning percentage among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision signal callers, winning over 88% of his career starts. He is the No. 2 passer in school history, throwing for 6,905 yards and 57 touchdowns. Ridder was a 2020 finalist for the Manning Award and semifinalist for the Maxwell and O'Brien Awards.

Smith, UC's all-time leading punter and a four-time all-conference player, earned First-Team All-AAC recognition in 2017 and 2018 and second-team plaudits in 2019 and 2020. He became UC's all-time leader in punting yardage during the Houston game. For his career, he has kicked 235 times for 10,245 yards and just three touchbacks and was a 2018 All-America selection and finalist for the Ray Guy Award as one of the nation's best punters. Looking at the UC record book, Smith also sits No. 2 in punting average (43.6) and tied for third in punts (235).