TicketsA two-time conference Coach of the Year, Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield enters his fourth season leading the Bearcats in 2026.
Hired by Cincinnati Director of Athletics John Cunningham on Dec. 5, 2022, as the 43rd head football coach, Satterfield brings a wealth of experience with a 91-70 career record (.568) over 13 seasons at Cincinnati, Louisville, and Appalachian State.
Satterfield guided Appalachian State through a historic transition from FCS to FBS, serving first as an assistant coach (1998-2008) and previously as the Mountaineers’ starting quarterback (1991-95). Under his leadership, Appalachian State secured three NCAA Division I FCS national championships and eight conference titles. He called the offensive plays for the Mountaineers’ legendary upset of No. 5 Michigan in 2007.
As head coach (2013-18), he led the Mountaineers to three consecutive conference titles and four bowl appearances before taking over at Louisville in 2019. A Durham, N.C., native, he was named 2018 Sun Belt Coach of the Year at Appalachian State and earned 2019 ACC Coach of the Year honors after guiding Louisville to an impressive six-win improvement.
Building a Championship Culture from the Inside
Cincinnati boasted one of the best offensive lines in the nation in 2025, anchored by AP All-American and First Team All-Big 12 selection Evan Tengesdahl. All-Big 12 left tackle Joe Cotton and right guard Taran Tyo return for 2026 as well, giving UC its top linemen back from a unit that allowed the fewest sacks (8) and tackles for loss (43) among Power Four teams in 2025.
The Bearcats also retained two key off-the-field personnel in general manager Zach Grant and director of football sports performance Niko Palazeti, two of the best in the business in their respective fields.
Highlights from 2025 include:
38-30 win over No. 14 Iowa State, Cincinnati’s highest-ranked home victory since 2006.
Appearances on ESPN College Gameday and FOX Big Noon Kickoff, the latter of which came to Cincinnati for the final home game of the season vs. BYU.
Thirteen Bearcats earned All-Big 12 honors, including first-team selection linebacker Jake Golday.
Player Development & NFL Success
Satterfield has developed and mentored elite talent, including Walter Payton Award winner and FCS All-American Armanti Edwards at App State.
Beyond Edwards, Satterfield has coached multiple All-Americans and more than 10 NFL Draft picks, including:
- Mekhi Becton (Philadelphia Eagles) – First-round pick (2020), Super Bowl champion offensive lineman from Louisville.
- Tutu Atwell (Los Angeles Rams) – Second-round pick (2019), Super Bowl champion and school-record holding wide receiver from Louisville.
- Akeem Davis-Gaither (Cincinnati Bengals) – Former Bengals’ team captain and standout linebacker at Appalachian State.
- Luke Kandra (Cincinnati) – Two-time All-American offensive lineman who followed Satterfield from Louisville and became one of the nation’s top guards.
- Jake Golday (Minnesota Vikings) – Second-round pick (2026), two-time All-Big 12 linebacker.
Golday was one of four Bearcats selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, bringing Satterfield’s total to six draftees since coming to Cincinnati.
Running back Corey Kiner, who had just 686 career rushing yards in two years before joining Satterfield, emerged as one of Cincinnati’s all-time greats, finishing as only the fifth Bearcat with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons (2024-25).
Satterfield also coached Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham, who tallied one of the best dual-threat quarterback seasons in ACC history in 2021 with 1,031 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing to go along with 2,941 yards and 19 scores passing.
Cincinnati’s Growth in the Big 12
After a 3-9 debut season in the Big 12, Satterfield led UC to a 5-7 mark in 2024 before achieving bowl eligibility with a 7-6 season in 2025. UC appeared in its 23rd bowl game in program history, earning a berth into the 2026 AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Bearcats opened 2025 at 7-1 and climbed as high as No. 17 in the AP Poll, showing clear progress for the second straight year.
A proven offensive strategist, Satterfield calls plays with a balanced approach. In 2025, Cincinnati ranked third nationally in yards per play (5.69) and finished in the Top 20 in yards per carry for the third straight season under Satterfield.
Offensive Success Throughout His Career
Satterfield’s teams have consistently been among the nation’s best rushing offenses. Across his 13-year FBS head coaching tenure at Appalachian State, Louisville, and Cincinnati, his offenses have averaged over 200 rushing yards per game and finished among the Top 30 rushing teams 11 times.
Additionally, his units have achieved remarkable balance, surpassing both 200 passing yards and 200 rushing yards per game in five of the last seven seasons.
Before arriving at Cincinnati, Satterfield revitalized Louisville, leading the Cardinals to three bowl games in four years. He inherited a struggling 2-10 team in 2018 and immediately turned things around, finishing 8-5 in 2019. Over four seasons, 32 Louisville players earned All-ACC honors, and six were selected in the NFL Draft.
Appalachian State Success
Satterfield’s tenure as Appalachian State’s head coach from 2013 to 2018 stands as one of the most successful eras in program history. Taking over during the Mountaineers’ transition from FCS to FBS, he quickly built a dominant Group of Five program that went to four bowl games and won three straight Atlantic Sun Conference championships.
After going 4-8 in his first season, Appalachian State finished 7-5 in its first-ever FBS season in 2014 – winning its final six games.
In 2015, Appalachian State finished 11-2 and made NCAA history as the first team to win a bowl game in its first season of eligibility at the Camellia Bowl. From there, the Mountaineers won three straight Sun Belt Conference championships. Appalachian State went 41-11 with four straight bowl wins in Satterfield’s final four years coaching his alma mater.
Early Career & Personal Life
Satterfield’s coaching career also includes stints as Toledo’s passing game coordinator (2009) and FIU’s offensive coordinator (2010-11).
As a player, he started 27 games at quarterback for Appalachian State and was a First Team All-Conference selection in 1995, graduating with a degree in physical education in 1996.
Satterfield and his wife, Beth—an accomplished track and field athlete—met at Appalachian State. They have three children: daughter Alli and sons Bryce and Isaac.