Rain and wind sent the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football training camp indoors for the first time on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
It’s something that wouldn’t have been possible had the troops been at Camp Higher Ground, their previous preseason location for 27 years. Under the lights in the morning, the Bearcats put some spirited work in with some big plays and a few scuffles.
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Also during the practice, the Bearcats found out that starting left guard Evan Tengesdahl made the Wuerffel Award watch list. The Wuerffel Trophy is presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field.
This is in addition to Tengesdahl’s appearance on the Bruce Feldman Freak List published by the New York Times. UC has recently had several players listed, including defensive lineman Dontay Corleone, linebacker Jake Golday and receiver Jeff Caldwell.
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5 takeaways from UC Bearcats’ feisty indoor practice on Day 5
1. 1st UC Bearcats ‘scuffles’ appear inside Sheakley Indoor Athletic Performance Facility
Maybe it’s just five days of hitting one another, but the offense and defense had several physical disagreements. UC 6-foot-5 freshman Jalen Williams made what may have been the catch of the day in a red-zone drill for a touchdown. After that, the UC defense was in his face and Williams let them know he wasn’t up for the chatter.
There was later some extracurricular shoving among the defensive and offensive lines that had to be separated.
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“I like it,” UC head coach Scott Satterfield said. “It was chippy. We try to create chaos and an atmosphere that creates adversity. Guys are getting after it. We don’t want guys to cross the line, but I love the intensity.”
Notre Dame transfer and former La Salle High School standout Gi’Bran Payne has made some impact plays for the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first week of spring football.
2. La Salle High’s Gi’Bran Payne continues to be factor in Bearcats backfield
Fifth-year running back Payne scampered down the left sideline for a long touchdown run Aug. 11 and has caught the eye of Coach Satterfield since he arrived.
He’s carried the ball on a high level at Notre Dame, but last season he was behind two teammates who were picked in the first round of the NFL Draft this past year (Jeremiyah Love, 3rd overall; Jadarian Price, 32nd overall).
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Now, like childhood friend Corey Kiner, who blossomed after coming from LSU to the Bearcats, Payne is embracing competition and looking forward to his Nippert Stadium debut.
UC’s running back room also features sophomore Zion Johnson, who showed late flashes, Stanford transfer Cole Tabb and Louisiana transfer Zylan Perry.
“I like all four of these backs, ” Satterfield said. “There’s going to be some competition to see who the guy is that gets the most carries.”
Said Payne, “Yeah, I’m definitely used to this. The running back room is stacked. Everybody does a little bit of everything, so we all mesh well together, and that’s why we’re so tight as a group. It was the same case at Notre Dame.”
Cincinnati Bearcats defensive back MJ Cannon (2) directs the defense during the Cincinnati Bearcats Spring Showcase in Cincinnati on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
3. UC Bearcats defense delivers some blows
Among the defensive hits of the day, Zay “Gravy” Johnson had a break-up of a pass intended for Malachi Henry. Fifth-year UTSA transfer KK Meier also got the black jerseys (defense) cheering with a breakup.
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The most devastating hit came from MJ Cannon, but slot receiver Cade Wolford hung onto the ball for a touchdown. Cannon lived up to his name, but the hit came in the end zone and Wolford, as he often does, didn’t lose ball.
4. Bearcats punter Max Fletcher specializes in hang time
The UC football team has a machine that looks like it could have been in a Star Wars installment. Its function is to simulate punts and passes for receivers and return men. The device isn’t cheap.
This machine is used to simulate punts and passes for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football team.
One of the reasons it’s needed in the Sheakley Indoor Performance Facility is that Pro Football Network Preseason All-American Max Fletcher routinely booms his punts into the rafters. If UC played in an indoor stadium, it might be appropriate for Fletcher’s “walk-out” music to be “Up On The Roof,” an old hit by the Drifters.
Cincinnati Bearcats guard Evan Tengesdahl (50) presides over UC’s “Pancakes With Us” promotion Aug. 8. Fans were treated to free pancakes then an open practice at Nippert Stadium Aug. 8.
5. Rating UC Bearcats on strength
Now that the “Pancake Trio” of Tengesdahl, Joe Cotton and Taran Tyo have put on their chef’s hats to serve pancakes to the public, they continue to work on flattening defenders.
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Tengesdahl has benched 425 pounds, sumo-lifted 615 and back-squatted 615 according to Feldman’s calculations, confirmed by Director of Football Performance Niko Palazeti. Agility-wise, he has a 1.75-second 10-yard split, a 4.68 shuttle time, and runs 18.12 miles per hour via UC’s Catapult speed measurement.
“He’s brutally strong,” Palazeti said. “Big, strong, physical guy, and he’s really been a professional in his approach, which is why his numbers are where they are. Hopefully, he has the season that he should be slotted to have.”
Tyo, the center, is slightly less in the bench than his linemate, but can squat 700 pounds. He is tied with Tengesdahl as the strongest-rated player in the College Football 27 video game.
“Everyone that trains with him (Tyo) gets better because of how intense he is in his training,” Palazeti said. “From a strength standpoint, he’s an absolute freak. From a squat standpoint, there’s no ceiling for him; it’s me holding him back so he doesn’t put himself in injury risk.”
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Tengesdahl also mentioned 6-foot-1, 207-pound CJ Crite in the “Freak Report” for lifting three times his body weight. Palazeti says UC has a force plate to measure how much force you put into the ground and how high you’re jumping. Crite’s always No. 1 in force production, and the Bearcats hope to see those talents on the field.
Recently, Crite was mentioned as someone who could step up at safety after the season-ending injury to South Alabama transfer Ty Goodwill.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 5 takeaways from 1st UC Bearcats indoor camp practice at Sheakley IPF
