Corey Kiner on his running game: 'I'm a peacock'

Cincinnati running back Corey Kiner had an interesting way to describe his game at Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday. The Bearcats senior broke out this past season to finish with 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career and is hoping for an even bigger 2024.

Speaking with reporters, Kiner had high praise for coach Scott Satterfield’s system while quoting the movie “The Other Guys.”

“So I feel like Coach Satterfield’s heavy run game philosophy has helped me a lot,” he said. “You know, I like to think of it as, like, I’m a peacock, and it’s like, just let me fly. So yeah, he does that in a great way.”

Kiner is one of several star running backs to return to the Big 12 this season. Overall, he is the sixth leading returning rusher, something that speaks to the talent at the position in the league.

Cincinnati finished just 1-8 in conference play last year in its first season of Big 12 play. Still, the departures of Oklahoma and Texas as well as the additions of four new teams make the Big 12 wide open this year.

Kiner only seemed to get better as the season went on in 2023. After failing to reach the 100-yard mark in his first three Big 12 games, he ended the year with 100+ in three of the final four games.

The 5-foot-9, 212-pound running back began his college career at LSU in 2021 before transferring to Cincinnati ahead of 2022. He rushed for 362 yards in his first season under Luke Fickell but saw a big jump when Satterfield took over. The Bearcats saw about a 10% increase in the amount of running plays called in the coach’s first season as they average 43.1 carries per game.

Cincinnati is just three seasons removed from making the College Football Playoff in 2021, becoming the first Group of 5 team to ever make the field. The move to the Big 12 has required some adjusting, but with Kiner leading the way in the backfield, the Bearcats will hope they can continue taking steps forward this year.

Cincinnati is set to kick off the 2024 season on Aug. 31 against Towson. The Big 12 opener for the Bearcats is scheduled for Sept. 21 in a home game against Houston, which finished just above the Bearcats with two league wins this past season.