Cincinnati Head Football Coach Scott Satterfield on Transfer Portal Additions
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00:00 How important was it to get him into the bowl
00:03 as quickly as you did, and then what do you think
00:06 his impact on the program right away?
00:09 Yeah, we thought it was, you know,
00:11 imperative to get that done quickly.
00:13 You know, you think about all the stuff
00:15 that's been going on the last two weeks of quarterbacks.
00:18 It's kind of been crazy to see, you know,
00:20 particularly some of the guys that jumped into portal
00:22 as starters and then, you know, other players
00:25 that have played a lot of football.
00:26 And, you know, what we loved about him
00:28 was the fact that he was young.
00:30 He hasn't played a lot of football,
00:33 but he did play the last half of the season,
00:35 started and did some really, really good things.
00:38 We like the fact that he's a big player.
00:39 He's 6'3", 2'3". He brings great size.
00:41 So in the pocket, guys that are trying to push the pocket
00:45 or even, you know, maybe getting a hand on it,
00:48 he's not easily swayed in the pocket.
00:50 He's going to be able to stand strong in that pocket
00:51 and still make those throws that you have to make down the field.
00:54 And sometimes you're getting hit,
00:55 and he showed that on film.
00:58 He also, at that size, he also showed the ability
01:00 to get out of trouble and also to run the football.
01:04 And, you know, he's not a runner, you know,
01:06 that's like a Cunningham that we had at Louisville
01:08 that can really fly, but he's a powerful runner
01:11 that is able to get first downs and touchdowns.
01:13 And he showed that as well.
01:15 And then the fact that he does have years,
01:16 I think, was huge for us because of what,
01:18 you know, you put the time and effort
01:19 and you put it into somebody in the spring
01:21 and summer and the fall,
01:22 you'd like to be able to get that back a little bit more, too.
01:24 And so I think for all that.
01:26 And then I think for him it's just about coming in here
01:28 competing with the other guys that we have,
01:31 with, you know, Bellichte and Drogos and, you know, Samanche.
01:35 I mean, you know, all these guys
01:37 are going to be competing this spring.
01:38 I think, man, it's going to be a fun run to watch.
01:40 Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, for us, I mean, number one,
01:55 you know, we get in here last year,
01:56 get hired about this time,
01:57 and it's hard to put together a class
01:59 because, you know, you just got here,
02:00 you're trying to build your staff out,
02:02 you don't even have a recruiting department,
02:03 I mean, all those things.
02:04 And so this is really our first true class
02:07 when you think about having a full year
02:10 to put this class together
02:12 and to get the kind of players that we feel are going to come in
02:14 and help us compete for championships.
02:15 And so, you know, that's the thing that you're selling,
02:19 that, you know, we're putting together a great class,
02:21 we've got some really good transfers that are coming in
02:23 to help, we're keeping the core unit of our team on this -
02:28 on this past team that did some great things,
02:31 some great leaders, you know,
02:33 and so you put all that together,
02:35 then it gives you a great opportunity and a great chance.
02:37 And I do think that, you know, there are some games,
02:40 we all know this, last year, where it could have went
02:42 either way, probably about four or five games,
02:44 and we didn't get it done.
02:46 And I think part of that, which we've talked a lot about,
02:49 is discipline and, you know, the character piece
02:51 and all those type things,
02:53 and we've addressed that with these guys.
02:54 And that's what we sold to these guys,
02:56 is that, hey, you're the kind of guys that are coming here
02:58 to join with our guys here that have great character,
03:01 that want to work hard,
03:02 that want to do all those things right,
03:04 to help get us to where we're very competitive,
03:06 we're winning Big 12 games.
03:07 And so, they wanted to be a part of that,
03:09 and, you know, again, we're so excited
03:13 that they wanted to be a part of that
03:14 and be able to join our program.
03:16 Several staffers that work at Ohio State
03:18 obviously have had no prior health symptoms
03:22 of the guys because of the play right now.
03:26 Yeah, you know, I think prior as a guy
03:28 who had an injury two years ago,
03:31 you know, really came back this year and, you know, was healthy.
03:35 You know, but I think the second year
03:38 after an injury like that is when you really can excel.
03:40 You're back to your old self.
03:42 You know, if you go back and watch Evan's high school stuff,
03:44 it's tremendous.
03:45 He's one of the best backs in the country coming out.
03:48 You know, so I think he'll be a great addition,
03:50 you know, to go along with Corey.
03:51 You know, Corey's that man, that bruiser.
03:54 He's going to get you tough yards
03:56 and really, you know, grind out those first downs.
03:59 And I think he's another guy -
04:00 Evan's a guy who can catch the ball
04:01 on the backfield really, really well,
04:04 but also gives you a little bit more shiftiness.
04:06 And so, you know, to me, they're a great one-two punch.
04:08 And so, he'll certainly be a guy that we'll anticipate
04:10 getting right in the mix.
04:12 You know, Ky Stokes is a guy who's an exceptional athlete.
04:18 You know, I think Coach Niko, who was there,
04:20 you know, speaks very, very highly of him.
04:22 And when he came in on his visit, I mean, I don't know.
04:25 I was trying to tell my wife how pleasant he was to be around.
04:29 You know, an outstanding young man.
04:31 And, you know, you just -
04:33 that's what you want to be having in your locker room.
04:34 You know, he's 6'1", 200 pounds.
04:36 He can run and jump, but also a great person.
04:40 And so, you know, we're excited about him.
04:42 Certainly we need help in the secondary.
04:44 And, you know, one of the reasons
04:46 why he wanted to come be a part of this
04:47 is because he knows he's got opportunity.
04:49 You know, opportunity to come and, you know,
04:51 have great significance right from the start.
04:54 The long snapper, if you only transfer or brought in
04:57 with one year of eligibility,
05:00 is that something that's important to you?
05:01 If we're going to go into the portal,
05:03 we want to do our best to make sure
05:07 that we're going to have you guys for a little while?
05:09 Yeah, I mean, that's what we wanted, you know,
05:10 is we targeted all these guys.
05:12 You know, again, what I mentioned earlier,
05:14 you know, what you're putting into them in the summer
05:16 and spring and the fall,
05:18 we're going to get back at least another year
05:20 for most of these guys.
05:22 You know, and I think that's a great way to see
05:25 how you can continue to grow your program.
05:28 You know, what it does, it also gives you, you know -
05:30 so for next year, when we go sign another high school class,
05:33 you know, you're able to continue
05:36 to sign high school players
05:37 and develop them from, you know, freshman year on.
05:40 And you don't have to go get 20, 25 transfers every year.
05:43 And I think being able to have these guys back
05:45 for multiple years helps ensure that.
05:48 You can't believe that it's not -
05:51 Mm-hmm.
05:55 Yeah. Yeah, I mean, Gums is a guy who's, you know,
05:59 to me, his best football is certainly ahead of him.
06:01 You know, he was a guy who just started D-line last year,
06:04 but has great twitch and speed and length coming off the edge.
06:08 I think, you know, he's got a huge upside.
06:11 He has a motor, too. Now, he doesn't stop.
06:13 You know, he's one of these guys that's going to chase the ball
06:16 every day at practice and obviously in the games
06:19 that's going to be awesome to be able to have.
06:21 I really like the length on that.
06:23 You know, and we needed to have some more of that.
06:26 You know, we needed to have some more of the length
06:28 with the speed, you know, and I think we addressed that
06:31 in both these players.
06:32 I mean, Coleman's 6'5", I think maybe 255
06:35 when he weighed in on his visit.
06:37 Again, size, speed, coming off the edge,
06:40 you know, one of the things that we wanted to have.
06:41 And, you know, got players like this
06:43 is going to help guys like Corleone, you know,
06:45 and help free those guys up a little bit more
06:47 so we can get more pressure on the quarterback.
06:50 Offensive line in the portal is maybe as difficult
06:55 and more difficult than even quarterback
06:57 that you've talked about.
06:59 Is that why it's so important to go and find a test
07:03 where you've got a sack of our guys with that requisite size?
07:07 Maybe you need to put a little bit more weight on them.
07:09 But you have to develop tackle instead of trying to hide it.
07:12 You do, because, you know, in the portal,
07:14 number one, there's not as many linemen that go in,
07:17 and if they do go in, particularly if they have
07:19 some years, then they're sought after.
07:21 And, you know, I think to being able to, you know,
07:24 homegrown your offensive line
07:26 because it is a developmental position.
07:28 Everybody knows that, you know, you've got guys -
07:30 we're taking guys with some great length right there,
07:33 bring them in, let Coach Nikko and his staff go to work,
07:35 you know, put the great weight and great size
07:38 that they need to have in order to compete at a high level,
07:41 you know, but those guys have huge potential.
07:43 You know, when you think about 6'7", 6'6",
07:45 I mean, these are, you know, good guys with good length
07:47 that to be able to tackle.
07:48 Tackle is probably one of the hardest positions
07:49 to recruit in football and to get quality young men.
07:53 And these guys, I think they have tenacity.
07:55 They get after it.
07:56 They can move, but you mentioned it,
07:59 we'll put the weight on them.
08:00 They've got great frames to be able to put the weight on there
08:02 and we're hoping they'll develop into,
08:04 you know, some -
08:05 are starting tackles for years to come.
08:08 You look at the expansion of the playoff,
08:10 14, 12, and 20,
08:12 do you notice that as your staff noticed that at all,
08:15 helping a mid-power conference school
08:17 like UC Fremont build their way up?
08:19 Is that helping you guys at all?
08:20 Are you noticing that or are they still kind of -
08:22 Well, I think it's - I think it's still a little too early
08:24 to tell because we haven't done it yet, you know,
08:27 but I think - I think we all know in the back of our minds,
08:29 right, there's going to be more opportunity
08:31 and more chances to get into that final 12
08:34 to be able to, you know, play for it all.
08:36 And - which I think is a great thing.
08:38 You know, I think it's, you know,
08:39 for a lot more schools now,
08:41 it's not just, you know, the four schools at the end,
08:44 you know, four or five guys fighting for those four spots.
08:47 And now, you know, there's teams that are going to be able -
08:50 you can stomp your toe once, maybe even twice,
08:52 and still be in that final group in 12.
08:54 And so - but I love the opportunity
08:56 that it gives all the programs
08:58 and a program like ours to be able -
09:00 if you have a special year, then you're going to -
09:01 you're going to have a great opportunity
09:02 to go in that final 12.
09:04 That's going to be exciting to see.
09:05 Harper, what do you think of the experience you've got?
09:09 Mm-hmm.
09:11 Yeah, Sinks is, number one, a great leader.
09:14 He's a great leader in Hess High School
09:16 and went to an outstanding high school,
09:18 very competitive school there.
09:21 And, you know, he is one of the guys in the back row
09:23 that can make all the calls, you know.
09:25 He can direct people, very smart football player,
09:29 has good size, not as much length,
09:32 maybe, as some of these other DBs that we have,
09:34 but he brings a very physical presence.
09:37 And he'll stick his head in there
09:39 and make some great tackles.
09:41 But I love his leadership, and I love his -
09:43 the way he handles himself on a daily basis.
09:44 And I think, you know, certainly he'll be that guy
09:46 that can stop the run,
09:48 but also defend the pass at that start position.