10 Power Four college football coaches on the hot seat in 2024

6. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati

The entry of Scott Satterfield might be a bit surprising on this list. He's only entering his second year on the job at Cincinnati. However, he could be facing questions about his job security throughout 2024 if another bad season occurs. To be fair, last year was Cincinnati's inaugural season in the Big 12. The Bearcats went 3-9 last season and only enjoyed one win in league play.

That win was against Houston, another school that made the transition to the Big 12 last year. Cincy was rebuilding and still is to some degree. So why is Satterfield on here? Well, other than last year's struggles, the pressure to win more games and get to a postseason bowl invitation has ramped up. The coaching staff did a great job over the offseason as they added 25 incoming transfers through the portal.

There are some good players on the roster already that will contribute. Examples are in the forms of running back Corey Kiner and defensive tackle Dontay Corleone. The ladder is arguably the best individual defensive lineman in college football. As far as the offense is concerned, the unit wasn't horrendous last year but lacked a consistent passing attack.

Cincinnati added former Indiana Hoosier Brendan Sorsby and he'll most likely take the reigns as the starting quarterback. The Bearcats also added three receivers through the portal with FAU's Tony Johnson, UTEP's Tyrin Smith, and UAB's Jamoi Mayes. The three will join Cincy's leading wideout from last year, Xzavier Henderson.

Cincinnati is hopeful the new additions plus decent offensive line production will give the team a better passing team. The running game will be there and two more tailbacks were added to the rotation. The problem last year was the defense. They need to get more pass-rushing and contain the run more. Cincy added Wisconsin's Darian Varner, Eastern Michigan's Mikah Coleman, and West Virginia's Jared Bartlett to strengthen that element.

They also added some pieces to the secondary. They got Mehki Miller from New Mexico State and Josh Minkins from Louisville. Both should be penciled in as starters. Derrick Canteen from Virginia Tech is also another name to look out for. Overall, both sides of the ball have been bolstered with starting talent.

Another reason why Satterfield is here is due to Cincinnati's manageable schedule for 2024. In league play, the Bearcats avoid facing off against Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Arizona, BYU, and even Baylor. Last year's schedule wasn't a valid excuse for why the school in the Queen City struggled as they didn't play many top teams either.

This year, Cincinnati plays five teams that had losing records the year before in the first half of the year. Most expect this team to be back in the bowl picture. If the Bearcats fall flat once again, Satterfield might just get the boot. Again, this is more of a surprise but keep your eyes on how well these guys perform. Satterfield being here is not completely unrealistic, especially when Cincinnati has been used to the idea of winning since 2018.