New Cincinnati head coach, Scott Satterfield took the podium during the Big 12 Media Days to answer and bring clarity to a wide range of topics. With Satterfield being a first-year head coach at UC, the conversation mostly revolved around his transition into the new role and the changes that they have made to the roster throughout the off-season. 

Following the departure of former head coach, Luke Fickell, the Bearcats had a handful of players enter the transfer portal and three players drafted. Cincinnati now enters the 2023 season with only one scholarship player that was on the roster last year. 

Due to the circumstances, Satterfield had his hands full when he took the position, but he has stepped up to the plate, bringing in a total of 33 new players this year, with 12 incoming freshman and 21 transfers. 

In regards to the roster overhaul, Satterfield is confident in the players they’ve brought into the program, saying, “I like our mix of players that we’ve brought in. I feel like most of all the guys that we’ve brought in will help us this year, will play, that will, if not start, they’ll have extensive roles through our football team at a lot of different positions.”

Most would make the argument that bringing in 33 new players is not an ideal situation for a program. The players may have difficulty buying in, meshing with new teammates, etc. Satterfield believes he and his staff have brought in the right group of guys to mitigate these issues. 

When speaking about the transfers that they’ve brought in, Satterfield said,

Ultimately, it’s a team game and you have to play together and play as a team. When we go out and we’re looking for guys to bring in like that, that’s what we’re looking for. Obviously, these guys are individuals and they want to do the best they can do for themselves, but I want guys to come in and play for Cincinnati football. These guys have all done that.”

Satterfield and his staff filled the roster spots they needed to be competitive moving into the Big 12. With a first-year head coach, bringing a program into their first season in a Power 5 conference, it will be interesting to see where the Bearcats stand at the end of the year. 

Photo credit: Cameron Robertson/FAAZ Sports