Editor’s note: Fifth in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2024.
The 2023 season did not go well for the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The loss of head coach Luke Fickell, who led Cincinnati to a New Year’s Six bowl and a College Football Playoff appearance in back-to-back-seasons, combined with the jump from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12, wasn’t the most ideal situation for Scott Satterfield, who took over after Fickell’s departure to Wisconsin.
The first year under Satterfield, who came to Cincinnati after four years as the head man at Louisville, resulted in a 3-9 record and just one Big 12 win, over fellow cellar-dweller Houston.
“Obviously learned a lot last year,” Satterfield said last week in Las Vegas during Big 12 football media days. “Went through obviously a difficult season for us our first year in the Big 12, looking forward to the second year.”
Running back Corey Kiner spearheaded the nation’s fifth-best rushing attack, which averaged 217.1 yards per game, and Emory Jones took over at quarterback for Ben Bryant (2,732 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2022) after Bryant transferred to Northwestern.
Jones threw for 2,219 yards and 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, but was inconsistent, and with only three returning starters, the offensive experience wasn’t there as Cincinnati averaged 24.1 points per game, even with one of the country’s most productive rushing attacks.
On defense, the Bearcats’ secondary struggled and Cincinnati allowed 30 points per game — No. 100 out of 130 FBS teams.
This season, the presumed starter at quarterback is Brendan Sorsby, who transferred from Indiana — where he threw for 1,587 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions on 57.2% accuracy — to try and stabilize the Bearcats’ passing attack. Helping matters for the new-to-Cincinnati signal-caller is the return of every single starter along the offensive line, including All-Big 12 preseason member Luke Kandra.
“We’re going to rely on those guys up front,” Satterfield said. “What it’s going to do is hopefully take some pressure off the quarterback. The quarterback knows he doesn’t have to make every play. He’s got a great support cast with Corey Kiner, with some of the receivers and tight ends that we have, and will help take the pressure off that guy.”
Joining Kiner in the backfield will be Grambling transfer Chance Williams (890 yards, six TDs) and Ohio State running back Evan Pryor, adding even more firepower to the Bearcats’ running back room. Xzavier Henderson, who had 762 receiving yards, returns to anchor the receiving room, though someone will need to step up at WR2 after Braden Smith graduated — perhaps FAU transfer Tony Johnson.
Last season’s leading tight end, Chamon Metayer, transferred to Colorado, then to Arizona State, but Cincinnati added Ohio State tight end Joe Royer to replace him.
There’s little continuity from last year’s defense, as the Bearcats return just four starters, but they bring back preseason All-Big 12 defensive tackle Dontay Corleone, who had 39 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble last season.
Corleone, who was hospitalized in June, was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs. He’s now back with the team.
“He will continue to work out all summer, hopefully. We’re taking it day-by-day,” Satterfield said.
“But hopefully, as we progress throughout the summer and head into fall camp, that he will be available to play and available to go. I know he wants to. He’s such an incredible young man. But I think we’ll take this day-by-day and we’ll see where it’s at. But obviously the hope is that he’ll be able to play with us this fall and play at a high level.”
Other key returnees include defensive lineman Eric Phillips (14 tackles, forced fumble), linebacker Jack Dingle (53 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack) and cornerback Jordan Young (34 tackles, one interception and seven pass breakups).
Besides the returning Young, the secondary has been completely rebuilt through the transfer portal. Satterfield brought in New Mexico State nickel/linebacker Mehki Miller, Idaho cornerback Ormanie Arnold, Virginia Tech safety Derrick Canteen and Ohio State safety Kye Stokes.
The influx of new talent should result in an improvement over last year’s defense. The Bearcats also have a new defensive coordinator, Tyson Veidt, who was the linebackers coach at Iowa State for the last eight years.
With one Big 12 season under his belt, what’s the outlook for Satterfield and the Bearcats in Year 2? Still a long way to go, media personalities think.
The Bearcats were picked 14th out of 16 teams in the preseason Big 12 media poll, but with a new quarterback, returning offensive line and Kiner back in the fold, a rebuilt secondary, and a favorable schedule, Cincinnati could surprise some onlookers and get back to a bowl game.
Cincinnati Bearcats 2023 record
- 3-9 (1-8 Big 12)
Utah ties
- Safety Trevon Gola-Callard (Southern Utah)
2024 schedule
- Aug. 31: Towson
- Sept. 7: Pittsburgh
- Sept. 14: at Miami (Ohio)
- Sept. 21: Houston
- Sept. 28: at Texas Tech
- Oct. 5: Bye
- Oct. 12: at UCF
- Oct. 19: Arizona State
- Oct. 26: at Colorado
- Nov. 2: Bye
- Nov. 8: West Virginia
- Nov. 16: at Iowa State
- Nov. 23: at Kansas State
- Nov. 30: TCU