“From Rivals to Allies: How Portal Moves United Key Cincinnati Bearcats Football Transfers in a Quest for Glory”

In the thrilling realm of college football, there’s always a buzz surrounding fresh talent and strategic shifts. The Cincinnati Bearcats are turning heads this offseason as they gear up with new recruits, ready to blend dynamism with experience under the leadership of Coach Scott Satterfield. Among the exciting additions are Taran Tyo, a mammoth offensive lineman with roots at Ball State, and Xavier Williams, a versatile player whose journey from quarterback to safety promises to enrich the Bearcats’ secondary. Both athletes are part of a considerable wave of transfers and high school signees, shaping a landscape that hints at a promising season ahead. In this piece, we delve into their stories, aspirations, and how they are set to redefine the Bearcats’ identity in the Big 12. So, stick around, because you’ll want to catch every play of this unfolding narrative! LEARN MORE.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder now looks the defensive part. But, he admits looking into the eyes of an opposing signal-caller, he can sometimes have an edge.As thick as Dontay Corleone of the Cincinnati Bearcats is on the defensive line, Ball State transfer Taran Tyo is a slightly taller version of a human brick wall on the offensive line.Williams left Charlotte to play quarterback at UCF under Gus Malzahn but was moved to safety. After not seeing action for the Knights, he went to Middle Tennessee State last season.

Better late than never, Tyo is Cincinnati Bearcat

Both are part of Coach Scott Satterfield’s new class of 15 transfers and 13 high school signees. Here are their stories.

“He’s been a pleasant surprise,” Satterfield said. “He’s been able to play guard and center. He can play both at a high level and that gives us a lot of value up front. Obviously, Gavin (Gerhardt) can play center but I love to have another guy to slide in there if we need to.””Bench is like 350 right now, I hit 605 by four on squat (estimated one lift max of 685.7),” Tyo said. “Dead lift? I’m not sure. Probably close to 6 (as in 600).”

Dontay Corleone is generally recognized as the strongest Bearcat on bench press, but Tyo’s squat numbers have raised the eyebrows of Director of Football Performance Niko Palazeti.Tyo was down on UC, but offensive line coach Nic Cardwell and head coach Satterfield brought him around. Color him happy to be back at Nippert in uniform and he’ll do his talking in the trenches.

Cincinnati Bearcats offensive lineman Tyo has displayed ‘Godfather’ strength

“I think that I’ve learned a lot from going place to place,” Williams said. “I’ve taken all the experiences I’ve learned from each place. I’ve taken what I’ve liked and disliked and used it to adapt. It’s been a fun experience.””Playing quarterback helps,” Williams said. “I kind of process things in a different way than most people because I’m used to thinking about so much more, like big picture rather than just one thing.”

UC coach Satterfield talks Tyo

If you’re familiar with the term “ghosted”, you know what happened. Tyo, now at 6-foot-4 and 326 pounds, made his way to Ball State where he was Third Team All-Mid-American Conference last season. The Cardinals were the No. 2 passing team in the MAC and Tyo was part of their pass protection. The last two seasons he’s started 11 games at right tackle and 12 games at right guard. This spring, he has spelled captain Gavin Gerhardt at times at center.”I’m not sure what they looked like before, but we definitely look good and we’re ready to go win it all,” Williams said.

Don’t besmurch MACtion around UC’s Tyo

Though a quarterback early on with four carries for eight yards, he was switched again to safety. In 10 games with nine starts, he had 77 tackles for the Blue Raiders and earned Honorable Mention Conference USA honors. He also had three pass breakups, three tackles for loss, an interception and a fumble recovery.

Long path for Xavier (Williams) could pay off at UC

“In the MAC there are great football players,” Tyo said. “The games are always one-score games, especially during MACtion late in the year. They’re always tough, they’re always physical. The battle of who’s more physical is going to come out in that game.”

“I’m pretty quiet hanging with the guys or whatever,” Tyo said. “I like to do a lot of my talking on the field. I don’t like to really trash talk to anybody. I like to talk through my play and be nasty on the field.”The high school team of Xavier Williams in Colquitt County, Georgia had an abbreviated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic but finished 7-0. That was good enough to earn him a look as a quarterback at Charlotte where in seven games (one in 2021, six in 2022) he was 34-for-67 for 420 yards and two touchdowns. He had 26 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns and in one start against Maryland of the Atlantic Coast Conference he was 19-for-35 for 191 yards passing and two touchdowns.Taran Tyo played at Versailles High School and hails from Greenville, northeast of Dayton. During a previous regime he came to Nippert Stadium for a camp and the offensive line coach said he’d be in touch with an offer.Williams averaged nearly 64 snaps per game on defense and twice recorded 13 tackles in a game (vs. Jacksonville State and Liberty).It all starts Aug. 28 with the neutral site game at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium vs. Nebraska, followed by a home slate that will start Sept. 6 vs. Bowling Green. One game Williams is circling is the Oct. 11 matchup with UCF.

“I thought I had performed pretty well at the camp,” Tyo said of his past experience. “I come from a smaller high school. Not a lot of guys get recruited out of there.”

UC’s Williams prefers making INTs over throwing them

The redshirt senior cites the love and support he got through recruiting as getting him to wear a C-Paw. He calls it a “true family”.The college football transfer portal technically doesn’t begin until April 16, but some have already jumped. One of those is senior cornerback Jordan Robinson, a 6-foot-4, 210 player who transferred in from Kentucky last year.

Are Cincinnati Bearcats Big 12 ready now?

Though the coaching staff that didn’t play him are gone, he smiles at the mention.Robinson in 10 games last season had 18 tackles, two for loss, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. UC brought in corner Matthew McDoom from Coastal Carolina and moved Logan Wilson and Kye Stokes to the position.

As much as the UC secondary has struggled in the Big 12, one of the starting safeties could be a former Division I quarterback. Xavier Williams is one of two players on the team with the same first name as the Jesuit institution on Victory Parkway. Both pronounce it in the manner that makes Musketeers fans cringe: “X-avier”.

UC cornerback enters portal

Satterfield says Tyo has picked the offense up as if he had been at UC the past three seasons.”It’s night and day!” Williams said. “Throwing picks isn’t fun, but it comes with the game.”