Cincinnati Bearcats aren’t the new kids at the Big 12 lunch table anymore. That novelty wore off the second they stepped back into media days this year—not in Arlington, but in Frisco, at The Star, where no one’s handing out grace periods anymore. Scott Satterfield’s entering year three as head coach, and while the first two seasons weren’t disasters, they didn’t exactly scream upward momentum. This time, with 39 new players (21 transfers and 18 freshmen) the Bearcats are trying to do what Satterfield was hired to do: build a Big 12 roster that can finish games and win in November.
This isn’t just about retooling depth charts or plugging transfer holes. AD John Cunningham knows what this season means for the program, and he’s not backing away from the moment. “Yeah, I mean I think it does take time… you’ve got to kind of reset your roster just naturally when you have a coaching change,” Cunningham said on 365 Sports. “Then we entered into the Big 12 the same year that he started, and that’s a tough, tough transition.” He emphasized that while the record hasn’t shown it yet, the foundation is being laid.
“The culture of the program is great. Everything behind the scenes is really good. These are great young men. Like I said, our best players are our leaders… and he has a great staff around it, too,” Cunningham said. There’s also optimism around the roster—not just the new faces, but some returning ones who could’ve cashed in elsewhere. Dontay Corleone, one of the most disruptive noseb tackles in the country when healthy, is back after missing most of last year due to a blood clot in his lungs. So is tight end Joe Royer, who’s generated first-round NFL draft buzz.
Neither had to come back. But they did. And maybe more importantly, Brendan Sorsby did too. After flashing in 2023, the QB returned despite other Power Four offers. His recommitment mattered, especially as he helped recruit some of the Bearcats’ newest weapons.
There’s a subtle but noticeable shift in how this program carries itself now. Two years ago, they looked like a Group of Five team trying to fake it in a Power Five league. Now, physically and stylistically, they look the part. But Cunningham knows looking the part isn’t enough anymore. “I’ve used this analogy a couple times, but year three, they talk about ‘moving day’ in golf on the third day,” Cunningham said at Big 12 media day. “Year three is our moving year. We’ve got to advance, we’ve got to start playing better. We saw signs last year. We’ve got to take those extra steps and win those close games.”
Scott Satterfield himself seems more settled than he’s ever been since leaving Louisville. The talent gap is shrinking, and the roster churn has slowed to something resembling normalcy. This isn’t just another year of rebuild. It’s the season they have to start delivering results, and everyone inside the building knows it. The third time has to be the charm, or Cincinnati risks falling further behind in a Big 12 that’s never been more chaotic—or more crowded with middle-tier teams trying to break through.
Why Scott Satterfield thinks this is his best Cincinnati team yet
Scott Satterfield didn’t hesitate when asked what feels different about Year 3. He’s said it on multiple stages, in quiet media huddles and under the bright lights of Big 12 Media Days: this is the best Cincinnati Bearcats team he’s coached. Not just the deepest, not just the most talented—his best. And he’s not shy about why.
“Because of the players that we brought back that have great experience in the Big 12,” Satterfield said confidently. “Our leaders are right here today—Brendan Sorsby, Dontay Corleone, Joe Royer, Gavin Gerhardt. I think we did a great job in the portal to get positions of need. Also, this is the best chemistry we’ve had with the guys that are on our roster. It’s a connected football team.” That connection? It’s not just talk.
Monday night in Frisco, the team bond was served medium-rare at a local steakhouse. Gerhardt and Corleone each ordered 35-ounce cuts. Corleone loved his so much, he asked for another one to go—and not a single teammate blinked. No official 2025 media poll was released this year, but the buzz says Cincinnati is no longer a basement dweller. They’re somewhere in the middle of the Big 12 pack and if Satterfield’s gut (and Corleone’s appetite) are any indication, they’re hungry for much more.
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