The Cincinnati Bearcat football syllabus was effectively handed out on the last day of July at Nippert Stadium. Coach Scott Satterfield’s second UC squad got in three sessions at Nippert Stadium before week’s end and the Bearcat buses were off to Camp Higher Ground in West Harrison, Indiana for some hot August bonding and football.
The Bearcats have been heading to the solitude of the forest since the Rick Minter years where they eat, drink, sleep and play the game in between voluminous buffet meals in a cafeteria you wished you could find off the interstate.
While there will be plenty of tales from camp in the coming weeks, here are some reactions/overreactions from UC’s “acclimation work” at The Nipp.
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There are a fair amount of duplicate numbers you should know
With 47 new scholarship players, there are new numbers to learn each season. If you’re scoring at home, Louisville transfer safety Josh Minkins Jr. and Florida Atlantic transfer receiver Tony Johnson share No. 0; Indiana transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby and “The Godfather” Dontay Corleone share No. 2; receiver Evan Prater and Ohio State transfer safety Kye Stokes share No. 3; safety D.J. Taylor and freshman quarterback Samaj Jones share No. 5; Southern Utah transfer defensive back Trevon Gola-Callard and Ohio State transfer running back Evan Pryor share No. 6; Grambling State transfer running back Chance Williams and West Virginia transfer linebacker Jared Bartlett share No. 7, Idaho transfer cornerback Ormanie Arnold and top receiver Xzavier Henderson share No. 8; receiver Aaron Turner and freshman “star” Jiquan Sanks share No. 9; Chattanooga transfer receiver Jamoi Mayes and Virginia Tech transfer safety Derrick Canteen share No. 10; Central Arkansas transfer linebacker Jake Golday and Ohio State transfer tight end Joe Royer share No. 11; quarterback Brady Lichtenberg and Kentucky transfer corner Jordan Robinson share No. 16 and running back Corey Kiner and corner Kalen Carroll share No. 21.
2. Luke Kandra and Dontay Corleone are your best-known players and lead the team in the making of preseason lists
On Thursday, the newly married, 6-foot-4, 323-pound Kandra added the Wuerffel Trophy watch list for community service to his preseason accolades. He’s also nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, on the Outland Trophy list, a Preseason Walter Camp Second Team All-American, and on the Preseason All-Big 12 teams voted on by Big 12 media and Athlon and Phil Steele publications. Pro Football Focus ranked him as 2024’s best-returning guard.
“It’s really an honor getting that recognition but just being with the guys, being with my family, that’s really the best part,” Kandra said. “Having them humble me is really funny. It’s easier and a lot more fun being back home.”
Corleone is on the Outland Trophy list, the Bronko Nagurski Award list, and the Preseason All-Big 12 teams selected by media, Athlon and Phil Steele.
Kandra will be spending what would have been his honeymoon in the woods of Camp Higher Ground. Corleone hopes to be cleared to play while recovering from blood clots in his lungs in June. Thus far, he’s practiced and participated in individual drills but hasn’t been involved in offense vs. defense situations.
Former Michigan State transfer Jalen Hunt appears ready to step in for “The Godfather” if he must miss games. Satterfield has repeatedly mentioned Hunt’s improvement during spring work.
“He’s up to the task,” Satterfield said. “He’ll be a great one to be able to get in there. Hopefully, Dontay will be able to come back. That’s a good 1-2 punch to rotate and there’s not a whole lot of drop-off. Hunt is not as big but adds more quickness. That’s a good combination to have with those guys at nose (tackle).”
3. Eastern Michigan transfer Mikah Coleman is out for the season
Satterfield made it public just before practice during the week that the 6-foot-4, 255-pound redshirt junior had suffered a lower leg injury in June. Coleman, from Reynoldsburg, was a projected starter and would have shared reps on the end with redshirt seniors Eric Phillips and Wisconsin transfer Darian Varner.
Still in good spirits, Coleman was wearing a boot but peddling an exercise bike this week. The upside of the COVID-19 “extra year” is that he’ll have two years of eligibility upon his return.
4. Redshirt junior linebacker Jake Golday is quite the specimen
Defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt noticed the UC’s linebackers were “spent” late in the year from being on the field too much. Jack Dingle and Jonathan Thompson return and the Bearcats added Jared Bartlett from West Virginia who played in 50 games over four years with 134 tackles and 21 tackles for loss.
Looking for depth in the offseason, they found 6-foot-4, 235-pound Golday from Central Arkansas where he had 82 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a pair of fumble recoveries. UC General Manager Zach Grant called him, “the best linebacker in the portal.” Satterfield has said he resembles teammate Dingle in size and speed.
UC’s “Catapult” vests measure running in terms of miles per hour and Golday is one of several Bearcats who can hit 22 miles per hour. That equates to a sub-4.5 40-yard dash.
“He’s a freakishly athletic guy,” Bartlett said. “He runs 22 miles per hour, he jumps almost a 40-inch vertical. He’s a freak and I think he’s going to be a really good addition to the defense.”
5. Don’t sweat the tight ends
UC lost starter Chamon…
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