𖣐 QB NEWS!
🇫🇷 Cincinnati Bearcats land their next signal caller — Georgia Southern transfer QB JC French IV.
Cincinnati Bearcats QB JC French IV
JC French IV will be the 3rd starting QB for HC Scott Satterfield during his UC tenure. JC finished his Georgia Southern career as the all-time leading passer for the program with 5,882 yds. Also added 38TD with 20INT and was sacked a remarkable 59 times. While there is some skepticism about how good JC French IV actually is there is some reason to believe he could improve as a QB behind Cincinnati’s strong offensive line.
The Bearcats missed out on OSU transfer QB Lincoln Kienholz who cancelled his visit to Cincinnati and committed to the University of Louisville for a rumored price tag over $3mill.
A quick pivot to JC French IV ended up with his commitment just a day later and it’s now official — we are going to see if a drastically different team team building strategy can work for Scott Satterfield and co. Previously the staff was spending a ton of resources on a star QB, TE, DT and LB. Landing the commitment of JC French IV guarantees that the Bearcats have some money sitting around for other positions. We can only hope this money will be spent smartly on defensive players as that side of the ball will be completely revamped. There’s more than one way to skin a cat and a more affordable QB like French IV should give the staff enough $ to fill out the rest of the roster.
🗒 1 year of eligibility for French IV
⬇ @FrenchBearcat on Twitter clipped a few of French’s throws ⬇
🎉 Joining CJ French IV is breakout FCS ⭐ WR Larenzo Fenner of South Dakota. Fenner burst out onto the scene this past season as a redhirt sophomore with 1,0002yds and 15TD for the Coyotes. Fenner has one thing in common with French IV — he is a school record holder with those 15TD in 2025. Also good for 2nd most in all of FCS! Something tells me French to Fenner is going to be the #1 connection for the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2026.
🗒 2 years of eligibility remain for Fenner
𖣐 INCOMING PORTAL RECAP
🔴 Gi’Bran Payne, RB, Notre Dame RS Junior, 5’10 205lbs.
Background: From Cincinnati, OH (LaSalle HS) and was previously a 4⃣ ⭐ in the 2022 HS class. Transferred from Notre Dame after getting buried behind one of the best 1-2 punches in the country in Jeremiyah Love & Jadarian Price.
Analysis: This pickup is similar to the Corey Kiner one from a few years back, except it doesn’t have as much buzz because UC didn’t have much traction with Payne out of HS. Payne was actually playing for 10-2 ND in 2023 before he got buried, so I don’t think this is a case of him just not being good enough. Payne had a TD in the 17-14 loss vs. Ohio State and also added over 200 all purpose yards over the entirety of that season before getting injured (torn ACL) in 2024. He never got back into the rotation after the injury. This is an ideal buy low for Cincinnati and it would not shock me at all if he ends up like Joe Royer did turning his career around at a lower level. Cincinnati fans should be excited about this pickup and I expect Payne to make a strong case for RB1 in 2026.
⚫ Cole Tabb, RB, Stanford RS Sophomore, 5’8 200lbs.
Background: Played as a freshman and RS freshman in the ACC for Stanford accruing 575yds and 3TD over the last 2 seasons. Tabb will have 3 years of eligibility remaining and is a great way to round out the RB room.
Analysis: Cincy has 5 RB now and all 5 have at least 2 years of eligibility remaining and all 5 are also trusted by the staff to compete for snaps next season. There is currently no scholarship RB on the roster who can’t win RB1 or RB2 job next season.
🔴 Chidera Otutu, DT, UTSA Junior, 6’1 305lbs.
Background: True junior. 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks for the Roadrunners this past season. For sure a DT at this size.
Analysis: Joins Cam Roetherford and Elijah Gunn as DTs on this roster who have 2 years of eligibility remaining. There are no clear standouts of this group, but Otutu has far and away the most production out of those 3 at this point. I think Otutu will play this year, but if he doesn’t get into the rotation he has a redshirt available to him.
⚫ KK Meier, CB, UTSA RS Senior, 6’0 190lbs.
Background: Experienced CB who has recorded 25+ tackles in each of his last 3 seasons for Nevada and UTSA. 1 career INT (98yd pick six), 1 career forced fumble and 13 career pass deflections.
Analysis: Solid pickup for Cincy but very likely isn’t the statement CB pickup that we are looking for in Clifton.
🔴 MJ Cannon, S, Bowling Green RS Senior, 6’3 205lbs.
Background: Recorded 57 tackles, 1 pass deflection, 2 sacks and 2 INT for Bowling Green this year as a CB.
Analysis: Cannon plans to change his position and play safety for the Cincinnati Bearcats. With Cannon’s size this is an intriguing position switch. This was mentioned in a Chatterbox Bearcats recording from 2 days ago ⬇
⚫ Jasper Beeler, S, NIU RS Senior, 6’2 194lbs.
Background: Recorded 77 tackles, 2 pass deflections, 0.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 3 INT in his lone season in DeKalb.
Analysis: More size in the DB room! Nice to see the safeties we are targeting have power size, it’s TBD if they can have power production but Beeler is on one hell of a climb in his career that started at Saginaw Valley State and will now end in Cincinnati. Beeler had 47 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 1 INT and 5 PBU at SVSU. Very productive player with size.
𖣐 OUTGOING PORTAL RECAP
6 Cincinnati Bearcats have announced their intentions to enter the Portal since our last Bearcat Bunch Newsletter ⤵
🔴 Barry Jackson Jr., WR, RS Sophomore, 5’11 195lbs.
Background: Committed to Cincinnati before Satterfield’s first season here after decommitting from Nebraska. Had a little hype early on but ended up with only 122yds and 1 TD in his 3 seasons at UC.
Analysis: Jackson Jr. will likely transfer down a level to get on the field.
⚫ Caleb Goodie, WR, RS Junior, 6’1 178lbs.
Background: Transferred from Colorado State as a part of last year’s portal class. Had a very solid season with UC — 484yds + 2TD but only recorded 150yds & 0TD in his final 5 games as a Bearcat.
Analysis: Goodie is a speedster and speedsters are in demand. He was obviously transferring laterally or up a level and has already committed to Missouri. 🤯 Rumored price tag north of $500k. 🤯
5 — Cincinnati Bearcats only have 5 players who are seniors and have experience at the power level. LT Joe Cotton, OG Evan Tengsdahl, DL Jaylon White-McClain, LB Jonathan Thompson and DB Antwan Peek Jr.
🔴 Tim Griffin, DL, Freshman, 6’5 275lbs.
Background: Committed to the current staff as a member of the 2025 freshman class. 3 star but was one of the bigger pick ups we’ve had in recent years as Griffin sported offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and West Virginia. It’s unclear how many, if any of those offers were truly committable. Griffin redshirted his freshman season.
Analysis: Griffin is talented but will likely be transferring laterally or down a level. This one is a head scratcher for a talented player that should probably be in a developmental power program like ours.
⚫ Noah Jennings, WR, Junior, 6’0 190lbs.
Background: Transferred from Charleston Southern as a part of last year’s portal class. Performed solidly as expected with 323yds. Jennings didn’t have a TD but had one of the biggest moments of the season when he snagged a ball from QB Brendan Sorsby on 4th down during the game winning drive at Kansas.
Analysis: Jennings will likely be transferring up a level or laterally. WR with power production are in demand.
🔴 Darrell Gipson Jr., LB, RS Sophomore, 6’1 242lbs.
Background: Transferred from Idaho State as a part of last spring’s portal class. Was a late addition to the LB room. Recorded 3 tackles as a Cincinnati Bearcats.
Analysis: Gipson Jr. will be transferring back down a level.
⚫ Lendric Barber, DL, RS Freshman, 6’3 305lbs.
Background: Committed to this staff as a member of the 2024 class. Recorded 1 tackle in his two seasons in Clifton.
Analysis: Barber will be transferring down a level.
🏈 AROUND THE BIG 12 & OTHER NEWS
Tyson Veidt is heading to Penn State to be the LB coach. Cincinnati Bearcats fans are rejoicing everywhere, but this was bad timing and I am told it was Veidt’s decision to leave. I, for one, will be happy to see a different formation next season and am really excited to see what a new guy can do here.
21 Cincinnati Bearcats have left the program during this portal and 6 players have already landed at power programs ⬇
💡 STUFF
8 transfers have publicly announced commitments to UC so far but I’m told the actual number is actually north of 10, so expect to see a few more commitments in the coming hours/days.
It is likely that the staff promotes Cort Braswell to DC & the defense shifts to a 3-4. I was told this is down to 2 names and it should be announced sometime soon. It might already be “official” since we have seen a flurry of defensive commits.
Names to monitor: NIU CB Jacob Finley 🔮, Alabama WR Jalen Hale, Oklahoma WR JaVonnie Gibson, Wazzu CB Kenny Worthy III 🔮 , South Alabama S Ty Goodwill 🔮
WR JV Gibson (6’2 211lbs) was a target for Cincy last time he was in the portal out of UAPB (1,215yds 9TD) and spent 1 season in Norman where he tallied up 199yds & a TD. Sooners fans like Gibson and he is a high upside prospect.
S Ty Goodwill (6’2 200lbs) is a NFL talent and would be a big pick up. He recently visited Illinois but left campus without committing. Illinois wants Goodwill to join a deep DB room, Bearcats fans should be hoping that Goodwill wants to get on the field and prove himself in a situation like ours.
Syracuse also involved.
Goodwill took the Illinois visit but only posted pics of UC 👀
Per source Goodwill does not plan to take any more visits and the Bearcats are in great shape here.
I expect the Bearcats to target another QB in the portal to add to the QB room.
MULTIPLE WRs are visiting now or about to visit, no surprise to see this happening a day after the commitment from QB JC French IV.
⬇ Updated Scholarship Sheet ⬇
2026 Cincinnati Bearcats Football Scholarship Sheet
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