Cincinnati Football Takeaways From Big 12 Media Days

Cincinnati had some interesting developments come to light.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Jul 14, 2023 9:17 AM EDT

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CINCINNATI — Big 12 Media Days have come and gone with a few intriguing happenings regarding UC football and how the 2023 squad is taking shape.

From speed and slimming down, to a bevy of new transfer talent, there were a few takeaways from the event. Let's dive in as the program shifts focus to Camp Higher Ground in just a couple of weeks.

Slim Fast

Cincinnati Bearcats defensive lineman Jowon Briggs (18) chases Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune (3) in the first quarter of the American Athletic Conference Championship football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Houston Cougars at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. The Bearcats led 14-13 at the half. Houston Cougars At Cincinnati Bearcats American Athletic Conference Championship — © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Niko Palazeti wasn't on any Texas podiums Thursday, but his impact on the event was palpable. Players like Jowon Briggs and Dontay Corleone highlighted how the director of football sports performance has transformed their bodies to eat up in a more fast-paced defense.

Head coach Scott Satterfield noted Corleone is tipping the scales at a slimmer 325 pounds.

"I gotta give my hat off to Coach Niko," Corleone said about his new look. "He wanted me to be lean and a machine, and he said he wanted me to get more vocal. Those two things he challenged me with this offseason and I felt like I did good. He also helped me get faster too, which is key."

The defense, and especially the front seven, will be major factors in UC's 2023 success and should act as a floor for the team to lean on if the offense doesn't gel in Year One.

Briggs is going to play a nice role in all of that as he plays more of a hybrid DT/DE role at a new weight himself.

"I started at nose (tackle) last year and now I'm playing defensive end," Briggs said. "It's a lot of fun being out there a little bit more and you know to add on to that this defense is a lot different. Last year it was more so of you know, things fit together we're doing something for you know, a linebacker or linebacker doing something for a safety or safeties doing something for a D-lineman to get him free, but this defense is a lot more aggressive, go and get upfield, attack, you know, kind of create those seams whereas, you know, in some different defenses an inverted seam would be a bad thing. In this one, you want that seam, you know, you want to make something shake up there at the line because it makes it easy for guys to play target practice."

How quickly the havoc defense translates to this group in September will be a big marker for success once Oklahoma rolls into town.

Roles Clarifying

Cincinnati Bearcats running back Myles Montgomery (26) runs the ball during a spring practice at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Cincinnati Bearcats Spring Practice — © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

A trio of interesting nuggets got confirmed by Satterfield on Thursday starting with Evan Prater's move to wide receiver. The head coach praised Prater's transition thus far, noting strong hands and a willingness to fully dive into the role.

Cincinnati could use some depth at that spot and Prater's athleticism deserves use in some form or fashion given his rushing success as a scrambler the past few seasons. Speaking of receivers, Satterfield noted the dynamic skillset of projected starting slot receiver Aaron Turner.

The 5-foot-7 talent is a solid run blocker and earned a 71.4 overall PFF grade last season. He could do a lot more than just catch short passes in 2023 as part of a run-heavy offense.

That run game will feature Myles Montgomery and Corey Kiner as the main pieces of a "committee" unit.

"Probably going to be a little bit by committee the way I would see it," Satterfield said. "Those guys (Kiner/Montgomery) are going to need to stay healthy as well, as we go back and look and you know guys getting dinged here and there, particularly in that room, you know, over my career coaching backs tend to get banged up a little bit because they are carrying the ball and particularly for us, we're gonna want to run the football, so they're gonna have opportunity to get hurt, and hopefully they'll stay healthy. And then you know, we have two or three other guys we feel like they can go in there as well, but I mean, they'll probably be the two main guys and then we'll have to see how it pans out. I think August camp is going to be really big for us."

Establishing those run concepts and finding unique ways to get playmakers like Turner the ball will be big markers to watch for the offense at Camp Higher Ground and beyond.

Mystery Men

The Cincinnati Bearcats mascot cheers on the team in the student section in the second quarter during a college football game against the Tulane Green Wave, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Ncaaf Tulane Green Wave At Cincinnati Bearcats Nov 25 0273 — © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bearcats have been picked near the bottom of nearly every Big 12 poll so far this offseason, but that added disrespect chip and the unknowns of a roster with 21 transfers could be a positive for the team.

Satterfield noted that their conference foes don't know much about how they'll play or who will get utilized in key ways.

"It probably is a negative for us but it's a negative for them too," Satterfield said. "They don't really know what we have. They don't know anything about our players, how we do things, it's going to be new for them. Guys that have been playing in this league, they obviously know each other. They got history, they don't have any history with us, you know, and they've probably never come to play at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, a tough place to play. So I think we've certainly got to use a lot of that to our advantage. They don't know a lot about our players or how we do things offensively, defensively. So all those things we'll use to our advantage and I think that's probably the biggest difference."

The unknown becomes Big 12 history very soon as fans flood Nippert Stadium this fall.

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