Final Huddle: Cincinnati Embarrassed 49-16 on Senior Night

Cincinnati now enters its first full offseason with Scott Satterfield.

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats got embarrassed 49-16 against Kansas to close the 2023 season with a resounding thud at 3-9, the worst UC record this century.

The Jayhawks ripped off big play after big play behind quarterback Jason Bean (250 passing yards, two scores, four carries, 90 yards, two scores), and running back Devin Neal (10 carries, 106 yards, two TDs).

The Jayhawks tallied 562 yards as UC's defense collapsed to close the season. It was arguably the most lifeless performance of the season on Senior Night, no less. 

Cincinnati finishes a season with three wins for the first time since 1999.

Kiner Cruises To 1,000 Yards

The one feather in Cincinnati's cap is the run game and it got Corey Kiner (18 carries, 106 yards) to 1,000 yards for the first time in his college career. Kiner ran like his normal disciplined self as Cincinnati moved well on the ground against Kansas.

Kiner is the 13th player to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season at UC and the first to do it since Jerome Ford ran for over 1,300 yards en route to the College Football Playoff. The Cincinnati native has averaged over five yards per carry all season and that rolled on against Kansas.

Kiner, Ryan Montgomery (eight carries, 49 yards, one passing TD, three catches 22 yards, one score, and Emory Jones actually all averaged over four yards per carry but it wasn't enough to get the win. UC can hang its hat on a strong group of offensive linemen entering next season, but that's about it.

Bean Balls Out

The Kansas offense hasn't missed much of a beat this season with Jalon Daniels on the mend and Bean's a big reason for that. He was fantastic executing the Jayhawks' dynamic rushing attack and tallied a perfect first-half through the air (10-for-10, 190 yards, two TDs).

Cincinnati's secondary had no answer for the stable of Kansas receivers who utilized motion to create wide-open looks on the outside. In the middle, the coverage broke down to close the half and Bean threaded a few nice passes to his tight ends to keep the secondary guessing.

It was another interception-less day from the secondary. They end the season with eight overall (bottom-40 nationally), and just one fumble recovery in conference play. It's been a largely lifeless effort over the past two months.

Bean, a second-string player, shredded a Bearcats defense that's looked more and more dilapidated each week. The coverage issues haven't been figured out at all the entire season and the only salve feels like it can come from the transfer portal.

UC entered the day having allowed 22 20-plus yard pass plays this season (111th nationally). They allowed another 15 explosive plays overall on Saturday, including seven of 30-plus yards. It's a glaring issue with no answer on the current roster.

Defense Evaporates Down The Stretch

The vaunted UC defense of years past was nowhere to be found this season as Kansas posted another 562 yards in a field day on the ground and through the air.

Saturday was another defensive embarrassment in a season full of them. It all culminated on the two-play touchdown drive given up to close the half when UC had a chance to carry some momentum into halftime. Oh, it was set up by a questionable squib kick decision from a special teams unit that entered the game graded 120th out of 133 FBS teams on PFF.

The coverage unit and most aspects of the special teams outside kicker and punter have been a disaster this year. It's hard to point fingers at anyone other than Kerry Coombs who is a legendary (for good reason) coach at UC that may have too many plates to juggle as secondary and special teams coach.

Outside of the offensive line, every aspect of this program needs to be assessed with a fine tooth comb moving forward. From 12-0 in 2021 to 3-9 and the worst UC football this century just two years later.

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