Entering the third season of a post-Desmond Ridder landscape and with last season’s starter Emory Jones departed, the Cincinnati Bearcats will have a new starting quarterback for the 2024 college football campaign. Head coach Scott Satterfield remained tight-lipped on the situation as he met with reporters in Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, for the 2024 Big 12 Media Days.
Scott Satterfield Not Ready To Name Starting Cincinnati QB at Big 12 Media Days
One of the most significant questions surrounding Cincinnati heading into the 2024 college football season centers around who will be the starting signal-caller for the Bearcats. Satterfield added several new pieces to the quarterback room this offseason, with incoming Indiana transfer Brendan Sorsby widely expected to be the one lining up under center in Week 1.
However, Sorsby is joined by true freshman Samaj Jones and returning talent Brady Lichtenberg in a three-way quarterback competition. During his availability at Big 12 Media Days, Satterfield refused to be drawn on which quarterback will be handed the reins for their season opener against Towson.
“We want those guys to compete,” the Cincinnati head coach began when asked for a timeline for his quarterback decision.
“People mentioned Brendan Sorsby, you got Samaj Jones that we signed as a true freshman that just got to Cincinnati in January. And you’ve got Lichty. Lichty started one or two games for us last year and played a lot. All three of those guys are competing.”
If you’re a Bearcats fan foaming at the mouth in anticipation of an imminent decision, don’t expect an answer anytime soon.
“We’re going to see how it goes throughout camp,” Satterfield continued.
“I think it had been a great summer for those guys competing, and I tell you, it doesn’t hurt to have several guys that can play at the quarterback position. So we all know that. So I think by the end of the camp, hopefully a week or week and a half before our first game, we’ll be able to name a starter.”
Answering an earlier question about the offensive line and their ability to rally around and adjust to Sorsby, Satterfield was equally cagey about the quarterback battle.
“What it’s going to do is hopefully take some pressure off the quarterback,” the Cincinnati head coach answered the question while steadfastly referencing “the quarterback” without naming a specific signal-caller.
“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.”
“Now, if we can get some great play out of the quarterback and be able to push the ball down the field, it will open up more in the running game as well. Hopefully, this year, we’ll be able to stretch the field more with our receivers and throw the ball down the field a little more to help open up the run game better.”
Satterfield’s Bearcats will try to beat teams up on the ground again this fall. Cincinnati ranked third in the conference in rushing yards per game during their inaugural Big 12 campaign, and to that end, running back Kiner is more important to the offensive identity than whichever QB is eventually named the starter.
However, there’s also an element of getting this decision correct at play. Satterfield has presided over quarterback consistency during his college coaching career, with long-term starters at each of his previous FBS stops.
Taylor Lamb was a four-year starter at Appalachian State, and a healthy Malik Cunningham was always the heart and soul of Satterfield’s Louisville offense.
As such, letting the quarterback competition play out through camp and naming a starter then provides a greater potential for long-term stability. Or, it could just be that one hasn’t separated themselves from the others. Either way, Satterfield remained tight-lipped on the situation during Big 12 Media Days, and will likely do so until just before the start of a pivotal campaign.
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