🗓️ TRANSFER PORTAL CHANGES & NOTES
Updated Transfer Portal Dates
Players must enter the portal by the time it closes in mid January, unless on a CFB Playoff team. In that scenario they must enter within 5 days of their season ending.
Opens: January 2nd, 2026
Closes: January 16th, 2026
What’s New In The Portal?
The CFB Spring Transfer Portal is now eliminated. There is only one portal and it is in January. Rosters will be set by Spring Practice!
Note: Players will announce their intention to enter the portal well before 1/2/2026
𖣐 WHO IS OUR NEXT QB?
Pete Thamel is now reporting Brendan Sorsby will enter the portal and also entertain the NFL Draft.
Cincinnati Bearcats linked with backup Notre Dame QB Kenny Minchey
Minchey has been linked with Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Texas Tech, Florida and North Texas per Steve Wiltfong of On3
Kenny Minchey was a 4⭐ QB out of Tennessee in 2023. Ranked 169th and the 14th QB overall. He has barely played for the Fighting Irish
Current RS Sophomore with 2 years remaining, scouting report from Cooper Petagna from 247Sports ⬇
As noted in last week’s newsletter the Bearcats will have a new starting QB for the Liberty Bowl. The Bearcats will have a new QB at the helm for 2026 as well. The front office had been preparing for Brendan Sorsby to enter the NFL Draft, so regardless of if he goes pro or to another college program the scouting for our next QB has already been happening for months.
Cincy will aggressively target portal QBs to be QB1 next season, I do not see current backup QB Samaj Jones being the starting QB in Week 1 next season.
Can Cincy lock down their next QB as fast as they did with Brendan Sorsby?
Previously this staff has shown they really care about getting their QB in the building early so that they can help recruit the rest of the portal class. Brendan Sorsby committed on December 6th, the timeline changes this year as Cincinnati is in a bowl game + the portal doesn’t open till January 2nd. Will be interesting to see how fast GM Zach Grant, QB coach Pete Thomas and HC Scott Satterfield can lock down the next guy.
A few QBs followed on social media:
ODU Colton Joseph 2,624 yds (59.7%) 21TD 10INT w/ 1,0007 rush yds and 13 TD
UMass Grant Jordan 595yds (57.3%) 3TD 2INT w/ 73 rush yds & 2TD
Previously 1,938yds (66.4%) 22TD 3INT w/ 360 rush yds & 5TD as a starter at Yale in 2024
NAU Ty Pennington (no relation) 3,071yds (65.6%) 19TD 4INT w/ 193 rush yds & 2TD
🏈 5 YEARS TO PLAY 5?
If this passes it could effect current Cincinnati Bearcats true seniors CB Matthew McDoom, WR Cyrus Allen and WR Jeff Caldwell ⬇
All 3 could gain an additional year, but don’t have to spend it in Cincy.
🏈 OUTGOING FRONT OFFICE PERSONNEL
Assistant General Manager Carter Wilson heads to USF
This is a big time promotion for Wilson as he heads to Tampa Bay to be a first time General Manager under new USF HC Brian Hartline
Director of Player Personnel Jack Griffith heads to Penn State as a recruiting assistant
On the surface this looks like a downgrade but it is a jump up to Penn State and also a move closer to Griffith’s alma mater Villanova. Cincy is now missing their head portal guy with less than 3 weeks until the portal opens. Will be interesting to see if someone is promoted or if there is an external hire.
Additional Thoughts: Cincinnati Bearcats GM Zach Grant will have to replace important positions on his team for the first time since he got to Clifton. Folks around college football have praised our front office the last few years and the hard part starts now — can you replicate or elevate it with new personnel? It’s crunch time in Clifton and it will be hard to capitalize in the portal after a 7-5 season.
𖣐 OUTGOING PORTAL RECAP
👋 5 Cincinnati Bearcats announced their intentions to enter the Portal this past week ⤵
⚫ Brendan Sorsby, QB, RS Junior, 6’3 235lbs.
Background: Transferred to Cincinnati for the 2024 season and was one of the best QBs in the Big 12 Conference over his 2 seasons in Clifton. 5,613 yds + 45 passing TD. 1,027 rushing yds + 18 rushing TD. There is a reason why Brendan Sorsby will be either one of the highest paid players in the sport + a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate or in the NFL next year. One of the best QBs to put on a Bearcats uniform.
Analysis: Sorsby will be transferring up a level or going to the NFL Draft. Has been linked with Indiana, Texas Tech, Miami (Fl.) and multiple SEC schools.
🔴 Kye Stokes, CB, RS Junior, 6’1 192lbs.
Background: Transferred to Cincinnati with Evan Pryor and Joe Royer 2 years ago. Stokes initially played safety here but switched to CB prior to this season. Stokes played 18 snaps all season on defense but had 107 snaps in special teams.
Analysis: Stokes will be transferring down a level.
⚫ Chance Williams, RB, RS Senior, 5’7 190lbs.
Background: Transferred to Cincinnati in 2024 from Grambling State. Finished his UC career with 102yds and a TD. Williams only had 38 snaps this season, good for third in the RB room just ahead of underclassmen Manny Covey (37) and Zion Johnson (26).
Analysis: Williams will likely be transferring down a level and looking for an increased role.
🔴 Christian Harrison, S, RS Junior, 6’0 195lbs.
Background: Transferred to Cincinnati in 2025 from the Tennessee Volunteers. Harrison was in the Vols’ rotation and was expected to be a starter in Clifton and he did just that. Harrison had 685 snaps, second most on a Cincinnati Bearcats defense that could not get off the field. Career highs all around for Harrison — 66 tackles, 7 pass deflections and 1 interception.
Analysis: Harrison will likely be transferring laterally or up a level to try to find a scheme that is a better fit for him.
⚫ Tayden Barnes, S, RS Sophomore, 5’8 165lbs.
Background: Transferred to Cincinnati in 2025 from New Mexico State. Barnes played a ton for the Aggies and was expecting to break into the Cincinnati Bearcats two deep. He kind of did that but ended up with only 185 snaps and clearly fell out of favor with the coaching staff. Finishes his Cincy career with 25 tackles and 1 forced fumble. The video below shows Barnes during the Kansas game in which he had a 25.1 PFF coverage grade, which is about as low as it can get ⬇
Analysis: Barnes will likely be transferring laterally or down a level.
🗒 Here is a graphic of every Cincinnati Bearcat that has announced their intention to enter the transfer portal including the names from previous weeks ⬇
🗒 All other Portal Trackers and Scholarship Sheets are now permanently on the Bearcat Bunch Website.
🏈 AROUND THE BIG 12 & OTHER NEWS
Legendary Utah Utes HC Kyle Whittingham steps down, replaced by DC Morgan Scalley who was HC in waiting.
Cincinnati Bearcats will now play 3 games next season vs. teams with new HC’s: @ Iowa State, Kansas State and Utah.
Arizona State HC Kenny Dillingham is rumored to be “close” to a contract restructuring per Chris Karpman of 247Sports ⬇
Would be awesome for the Big 12 if Arizona State are able to retain Kenny Dillingham especially as the Michigan job is now open.
Sherrone Moore fired at Michigan.
Hope everybody is okay. I got nothing.
Former Cincinnati Bearcats walk on RB Victor Dawson has another massive performance in the FCS Playoffs as Illinois State advances to the semifinals vs. Villanova.
148yds rushing for Dawson in a 42-31 win over UC Davis.
🙂 IT’S SAD RIGHT NOW, LET’S TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
💡 STUFF
I believe many of the NIL contracts are dated 12/15 so expect to see more movement as soon as today.
There will be a staff change on the defensive side of the ball as one of our position coaches will be heading to the SEC.
Thanks for making it this far and hope you tune in for more year round Cincinnati Bearcats insights and opinions. Share and subscribe! E-mail me at [email protected] or DM me on Twitter @BearcatBunch.