Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule discusses Cincinnati

The 2025 Cincinnati Football season begins Thursday night Aug. 28 against Nebraska in the Battle Sports Kansas City Classic at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

The game is set to kick off at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule met with media Friday to offer a comprehensive preview of Nebraska and their matchup against Cincinnati,

Rhule is entering his third season as head coach and is looking to improve on last seasons' 7-5 finish, following a 5-7 finish in year one,

In regards to Cincinnati, Rhule primarily focused on head coach Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, and their offensive and defensive schemes.

Rhule emphasized the challenge of facing a dynamic, balanced offense and a disciplined defense drawn from Tyson Veidt and the Iowa State influence. He also highlighted the importance of fundamentals like tackling, special teams, and turnover margin—especially in a season opener. Rhule went on to mention his respect for Cincinnati’s program history as well as viewing them as a well-coached, battle-tested opponent in the Big 12.

Key Notes & Takeaways

On Scott Satterfield 

• “Scott Satterfield is a winner.”

• Rhule has known Satterfield for years and respects his body of work—especially how he contributed to the success of FIU, App State, and Louisville.

• “They got off to a hot start last year… the guys stuck around. They love Cincinnati. They love Coach Satterfield.”

On Cincinnati as a Program

• “Cincinnati is a place that should win. It’s in a football hotbed.”

• Strong tradition of success and player development.

• Returning players show buy-in and belief in the coaching staff.

 On Brendan Sorsby (QB)

• “In our camp, we don't really have anybody like him. We don't have anybody like Sorsby."

• Can beat defenses in multiple ways: speed option, zone read, drop back passing, quarterback draws.

• “You're seeing the total picture from him. He can RPO you, drop back and throw, drop back and run, and do the designed run game.”

 On Cincinnati’s Defense

• Influenced by Iowa State’s “cloud” zone scheme.

• “It takes a maturity at your quarterback position” to handle their 3-2 zone coverage.

• Elite players: “Corleone, the nose tackle, is elite.” 

 On Game Prep and Execution

• Emphasized pocket discipline: “I’d be very disappointed if we don’t do that.”

• Importance of containing mobile QBs: “Who has the quarterback? Who has the pitch?”

• Special teams, tackling, and avoiding early-game mistakes are critical.

• Praised recent scrimmage: “Probably the best mock game I’ve ever been a part of.”

 On Broader Context

• Acknowledged the uniqueness of Cincinnati’s offense in the Big 12.

• Cincinnati poses challenges that aren't typical of the rest of Nebraska’s upcoming schedule.

You can watch the full video below (from HuskerOnline)

- Cincinnati talk begins at the 6:47 mark.

- Discussion on Sorsby begins at the 33:36 mark