The Cincinnati Bearcats football team faced another turning point Monday as head coach Scott Satterfield confirmed quarterback Brendan Sorsby will not suit up for the Armed Forces Bowl. The decision adds new complexity to roster management for Cincinnati during the revenue-sharing era. The development also produced notable comments from the Bearcats head coach that quickly gained traction across social media.
Satterfield explained that Sorsby and his family are weighing their next step, with the NFL Draft and the transfer portal both under consideration. The answer underscored the difficult financial decisions programs now face under the player compensation model. BearcatJournal.com's Keegan Nickoson took to his X (formerly known as Twitter), to share the coach’s comments on whether the Bearcats could afford to retain their starting quarterback. The comments highlighted the financial reality now shaping roster decisions across the country.
“… Probably not.”
Those two words summed up the reality of Cincinnati’s 2025 roster puzzle. Under the current cap of roughly $22 million, Satterfield acknowledged that retaining Sorsby would require shifting resources away from other key positions. The dual-threat quarterback, who is entering his final year of NCAA eligibility, illustrates the widening gap between upper-tier and mid-tier Power Four programs, where elite quarterbacks can now command more than $2 million annually.
With Sorsby moving on, fifth-year senior Brady Lichtenberg prepares into the starting role for the upcoming bowl game for the Bearcats vs. the Navy Midshipmen. The loyal backup, who stayed with the program through multiple coaching changes, will finally get his moment. His steady pocket presence will be crucial against the Midshipmen’s unpredictable pressure schemes.
Despite the uncertainty, Satterfield stressed that the locker room remains united and focused on the AutoZone Liberty Bowl following a 7-5 season. The storyline now centers on Lichtenberg in the starting role as the program moves forward. Cincinnati will face Navy on January 2 in Memphis. For Cincinnati, the bowl game is less about who is gone and more about proving the Bearcats can still compete in college football’s new financial era.
