It has been a rough transition to the Big 12 for Cincinnati. Right before they switched conferences, Luke Fickell left to take the job at Wisconsin. Under Fickell, the Bearcats saw their best six-year stretch in program history. To replace him, UC went with former Appalachian State and Louisville head man, Scott Satterfield. Two years into his new job, things haven't looked good.
In 2023, Cincinnati finished 3-9 in its inaugural Big 12 season. Last season, the Bearcats did improve but still finished with a losing 5-7 record. Transitioning to a new conference is no easy task and the school is learning that the hard way. While Satterfield was never considered an elite college coach before he arrived at Cincinnati, there was hope and expectations that he would keep them at a respectable level.
He hasn't been able to do that. Because of the loss, people have been questioning his status with the university quickly. With two years under his belt, the 52-year-old needs to show the athletic staff that he has been able to get things back in order. After all, Cincinnati has been one of the more successful teams in college football since Brian Kelly took over in 2007.
There is a culture established with the program and an expectation of winning. The school hasn't seen a streak of three or more straight losing seasons since the program went through its darkest period from 1983 to 1992. These current, modern-day Bearcats are one more underwhelming year away from being a part of that history, which I'm sure they don't want.
Time will tell whether Satterfield will be able to right the ship in the Queen City. By the time a coach enters his third year at a job, improvements are always expected. If no signs of progress are shown, we could see Satterfield get released from his job.