Score One for Satterfield, Jason Patterson Picks Cincinnati over Kentucky

It took five years and a new job, but Scott Satterfield finally recorded a win over the University of Kentucky. Tuesday morning four-star running back Jason Patterson committed to Cincinnati, choosing the Bearcats over the Kentucky Wildcats. Vanderbilt, Rutgers and Boston College were also in the running for Patterson’s services.

A 6-foot, 205-pound running back from Sneads (FL) High led the state of Florida in rushing last fall. Jason Patterson tallied 2,700 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns to average 13.1 yards per rush in 2022.

Patterson’s production resulted in a rankings bump. He was recently upgraded to a four-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He’s the 34th-ranked running back and the No. 382 player overall.

A physical athlete, Jay Boulware envisioned a 1-2 Florida punch in the backfield of Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class. Tovani Mizell has the big-play lightning, while Patterson provided the thunder. Instead, he is rolling the dice with Scott Satterfield.

How did Scott Satterfield do this?

The recruiting victory for Scott Satterfield is perplexing. Luke Fickell’s departure has been a Godsend for Kentucky’s football recruiting operation in Southwest Ohio. Four-star cornerback Terhyon Nichols might not be a Cat if Fickell was still in the Queen City. That would certainly be the case for All-American tight end Khamari Anderson, who flipped from Cincinnati to UK following Fickell’s departure.

Of course, Kentucky can’t win every recruiting battle. That’s not how it works. However, Satterfield struggled to gain any traction at all with Kentucky targets during his Louisville tenure. His “NIL, NIL, NIL” approach was too disingenuous. Maybe now it finally struck a cord with the right prospect. Maybe Patterson didn’t want to share carries in Lexington. Regardless of circumstances, it’s a tough pill for Kentucky fans to swallow.

Patterson would’ve been a nice addition for the Wildcats, but Kentucky’s running back room remains in good shape. Jamarion Wilcox has potential star-power and NC State transfer Demie Sumo-Karngbaye has a couple years of eligibility in Lexington. Kentucky could find another high school player this fall to team up with Mizell, or lean into the transfer portal for running back reinforcements.