There was a moment last fall when it felt like Cincinnati football was finally turning the Big 12 corner. A red-hot 5–2 start. The Bearcats had juice, swagger, and—at long last—a QB who looked built for the big time. Brendan Sorsby was that guy. But then, like someone yanked the cord, the lights went out. Five straight Ls later, Cincy was out of the bowl picture and finished the season with a 5-7 record. Not any worse than Luke Fickell‘s 2024 season with Badgers football (5-7). So now, heading into 2025, the heat’s on Sorsby to prove last year’s collapse wasn’t the start of a trend.

On June 2, Bud Elliott didn’t pull punches when he posed the question to Chad Brendel (BearcatJournal) on the Cover 3 podcast: “Brendan Sorsby returns on offense, had a nice debut. What is the next step he can take to kind of level up in this league?” Brendel’s answer hit straight: “Consistency is probably the biggest key.” He pointed out what Bearcat fans know too well. Brendan Sorsby started strong. But once the season hit turbulence, he started scrambling—literally. Trust faded. Confidence got shaky. And with a WR corps that looked like JUCO ballers, the QB was left holding the bag and running for his life.

Let’s not forget—Sorsby didn’t come in with sky-high expectations. He transferred from Indiana with more potential than hype. But man, did he deliver early. Over 2,800 yards passing, 18 touchdowns, only 7 picks. Add in 447 yards and 9 scores on the ground, and you’ve got a legit dual-threat weapon. He even dropped 478 total yards on Texas Tech like it was light work on the season-opener. But those stats didn’t tell the full story. When defenses adjusted, Cincinnati’s offense couldn’t. Sorsby’s reads slowed down. His happy feet got happier. And those red zone trips turned into field goals—or worse.

Chad Brendel broke it down bluntly: “So I think that’s the biggest thing—that progression from ‘now the tape is out on you,’ you have to beat the adjustments. And he didn’t do a great job of that last year. I think this offseason that has to be a focus for him. But the talent is absolutely there.” Translation? Defensive coordinators cracked the code. Now Sorsby’s got to upgrade his software. The tools are there. But in the Big 12, talent’s not enough. You’ve got to evolve week to week. Cincinnati’s collapse wasn’t just on him, but it sure didn’t help when he stopped trusting his eyes and started playing hero ball.

Here’s where the plot gets interesting. 2025 ain’t 2024. And Brendan Sorsby isn’t rolling with the same crew. The Bearcats reloaded. Texas A&M burner Cyrus Allen is in the building. So is Caleb Goodie from Colorado State—another speedster. Add in FCS freak Jeff Caldwell—6’5″, 4.4 speed—and suddenly, the WR room looks like a real problem… for opposing defenses. Tight end Joe Royer’s back, too, bringing hands and leadership. All that? It means Sorsby finally has targets who don’t need GPS to get open.

The offensive line? Overhauled. Five new FBS transfers who’ve been in the trenches. If they hold up, Sorsby won’t need to be Houdini just to get a pass off. And when he does throw? He’s got guys who can take a slant 60 yards to the crib. So the excuses? Yeah, those are gone. It’s go-time.

The expectation for Bearcats: Luke Fickell’s year 2

Now let’s get something clear. No one’s asking Scott Satterfield to do a Luke Fickell 2021 impression. That man took the Bearcats to the damn College Football Playoff. Cinderella with cleats. But what folks are whispering? Can Satterfield pull off a Luke Fickell 2018—the comeback year.

Bud Elliott hinted at it when he said, “Non-conference is very manageable to go 2–1 or perhaps 3–0.” And Chad Brendel jumped in with a correction and a bag of context: Nebraska’s not at Nippert. It’s in Kansas City—Arrowhead to be exact—because, well, two million extra dollars talk loud. But even if it’s basically a Cornhusker home game, the chance is there for Cincinnati to make a national statement out of the gate. Just like Fickell’s 2018 team did when they stunned Chip Kelly’s UCLA squad in the Rose Bowl.

Chad kept it real,” Bud, you may remember this—the second year of Luke Fickell, okay? They went to the Rose Bowl and opened up the season against Chip Kelly and UCLA at the Rose Bowl. That was the coming-out party for Luke Fickell’s era of Cincinnati football. They have a chance to do this again under Scott Satterfield.”

That 2018 season flipped the narrative in Clifton. From 4–8 to 11–2. From doubts to dominance. It was defense-heavy, gritty, and old-school Cincy football. But more than that, it was the year the locker room bought in. The fanbase woke up. The pipeline was lit. And it all started with that season opener. No one’s asking for a CFP berth. But another 5–7? Nah, that isn’t flying. A bowl berth is the bare minimum for Scott Satterfield’s squad.