For Scott Satterfield, 2025 might be the most critical chapter yet. The heat’s real, but so is the opportunity. One of the few things leaning in his favor? A forgiving schedule. The Cincinnati Bearcats open the season under the primetime lights at Arrowhead Stadium against Nebraska. Big-name clash that sets the tone. But after that, things open up: Bowling Green and Northwestern State, back-to-back at home, offer a golden cushion to start 2-1 before the grind begins. For a coach staring down hot-seat whispers, this is the stretch where you plant seeds or get buried.
Still, schedules only matter if you’ve got the horses up front—and that’s where Scott Satterfield just cashed in big. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 315 pounds, OT Joe Cotton is the headline transfer that has insiders buzzing.
A portal pickup from South Dakota, Cotton was one of the most coveted FCS-to-FBS risers this cycle. His physicality and winning pedigree offer Satterfield something he desperately lacked in 2024—control at the line of scrimmage. Paul Catalina of 365 Sports put Satterfield’s new offensive tackle at No. 4 on his list of top Big 12 transfer newcomers. “Joe Cotton, who comes in from South Dakota, one of the better teams in the FCS… was one of the most sought-after prospects in all the transfer portal… This is a big dude, long arms, and has won a lot of games in his career. If you are wondering why Cincinnati all the way up to No. 4, they really cleaned up when it came to getting those FCS and smaller school guys who are highly rated that everyone else wanted,” Catalina said.
Cincinnati’s transfer portal strategy has been deliberate. They’ve built with a blueprint—grab proven winners from smaller schools, mix them with returning core pieces, and raise the floor. In the trenches, this means protection for a quarterback they fully believe in: Brendan Sorsby. The former Indiana signal-caller showed glimpses last year, and Cincinnati has doubled down. With a reinforced offensive line and a more vertical passing attack, Sorsby’s 2025 leap will be the heartbeat of any bowl hopes.
The Bearcats’ schedule helps, but nothing’s a cakewalk in the modern Big 12. They face five league teams that finished under .500 last year. Kansas, UCF, Oklahoma State, Utah, and Arizona—but three of those matchups are on the road. That means tough flights and tougher environments. On the June 19 episode of The Cover 3 podcast, Bud Elliott weighed in: “I’m going to go Cincinnati. I think that Cincinnati has not a super-easy schedule, but a manageable schedule.”
“Could they beat Nebraska week one?” Elliot asked, and co-host Tom Fornelli didn’t flinch, saying yes. “I think so too,” Elliot added. That kind of cautious optimism surrounds the program. Despite their 3–9 finish in 2024, Cincy did show a pulse. The offense had spurts, including a win over Arizona State. And now, with reinforcements like Cotton up front and a growing rapport between Sorsby and the skill group, that promise feels less theoretical.
The road back to relevance starts with beating teams you’re supposed to beat and stealing a few you’re not. Scott Satterfield isn’t promising fireworks—he’s promising a foundation. Joe Cotton’s addition is that kind of trench-level investment. And while Satterfield’s seat isn’t cool, it’s not melting either. As Catalina summed it up, “Let’s see how it transfers to on the field.” Because in the Big 12, hype is always welcome. But production’s the currency that keeps you from packing boxes.
Cincinnati’s run game is just how Scott Satterfield likes it
If Cincinnati’s offense is going to punch above its weight in 2025, the running backs will have to lead the charge. Sean Dawkins knows it. The UC’s RBs coach brought some colorful energy to this week’s From The 513 episode, describing his unit’s mentality with one unforgettable image: “We have to be a rolling ball of butcher knives.”
Dawkins wants his group to attack defenses with all gas, no hesitation. That includes physical backs like Tawee Walker and former Ohio State transfer Evan Pryor, both of whom are expected to feature heavily in UC’s ground-and-pound approach. “We have to be a great protector of the football. We have to be great protectors of the quarterback, but we have to be able to create our own yards,” Dawkins said. “Not getting tackled by the first person is one of the deals right there.”
This isn’t just talk. In 2024, Cincinnati quietly churned out 184.1 rushing yards per game—gritty, trench-built production that now looks like the heart of their identity. Add in dual-threat QB1 Sorsby, and this backfield doesn’t just have legs—it has bite. “The biggest thing is go hard.” Message received.
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