UC Bearcats football coaching veterans Satterfield, Coombs discuss new age recruiting

It's been less than 20 years since Kerry Coombs left a prep dynasty at Colerain High School to jump into the college ranks with Brian Kelly's Cincinnati Bearcats. It all started with his patchwork staff for the International Bowl in Dec. 2006 and his first full college season was 2007.

Likewise, Scott Satterfield was a much-heralded Appalachian State player who stayed on to coach at his alma mater. In 2007, as quarterbacks coach, the Mountaineers shocked the world knocking off No. 5 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 34-32.

Both coaches quickly rose through the ranks with Satterfield advancing to coordinator roles at Toledo and Florida International before returning to Appalachian State and eventually becoming head coach from 2013-2018. Four years at Louisville followed before he became head Bearcat in Dec. 2022.

By 2009, Kelly had moved Coombs to an associate head coach title, one he kept through two seasons with Butch Jones. From 2012-2017 Coombs was at Ohio State with Urban Meyer, eventually becoming assistant defensive coordinator. Two seasons with the NFL Titans followed as cornerbacks coach before he returned to the Buckeyes as defensive coordinator. In 2022, he was back to Cincinnati for a season with Luke Fickell where he's stayed through the Satterfield regime.

Night and day changes

Upon becoming head coach at the University of Cincinnati in 2006, Brian Kelly hired Kerry Coombs to familiarize himself with the local high schools. He made the unusual move of coaching the Bearcats in their International Bowl after leaving Central Michigan to fill the void left when Mark Dantonio left for Michigan State. Coombs then began his first recruiting with the 2007 season and could be seen fumbling around with a cell phone in his early stages of learning how to text.

Now, he wields his phone like a battle sword and posts that he's "planting flags" in whatever part of the country he's in for the given day. In 2024, coaching requires not just the act, but publicizing the act. Working "behind the scenes" in mystery can get you left in the dark.

"I've been all over the country this month," Coombs said in late May. "June will tell the tale. We've got three straight big weekends with some really good players coming in. We've got to do a good job. The city's got to shine and it will. Hopefully, a lot of those kids will make commitments."

When he started at UC, recruiting was area-based with geographic areas assigned. Once there, a coach would go from school to school. Now, with Division I schools having personnel staffs that rival NFL teams, it's a national game.

An old-school coach like Coombs will still refer to "film" when the projectors went to the landfill some time ago. As those who hoarded VHS tapes know, the digital world is king. Any player trying to advance has Hudl tape and either has or is connected to a website that has their video resumé available on demand.

That said, the in-person salesmanship is still needed and some have quipped Coombs could sell ice cream to our country's northern-most citizens.

"You've got to go see'em," he said. "You've got to shake their hand, you've got to try to get them on campus. And, you're a year ahead! Before, you'd only be (currently) recruiting juniors. Now, you're recruiting freshmen, sophomores and juniors."

COVID-19 played a role

"I would say the biggest change has been since 2020, since COVID hit," Satterfield said. "The transfer portal, the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) piece of it has changed and now we're looking to change again. You just kind of ebb and flow with the new rules."

The result of the unfortunate virus, was another year of eligibility for anyone who played in 2020, which benefited those at the college level, but hurt at the high school level. Essentially, coaches went to the portal for roster replacements with experience, rather than taking undeveloped high school players. If you did take high school players, with NCAA rules currently allowing unlimited transfers, you run the risk of developing a player for another team.

Still, grassroots recruiting at the prep level continues to be important in Satterfield's program.

"We want to continue to hit the high schools as hard as we can," he said. "Certainly right here in Cincinnati and also within our state. There's great high school football players here."

The high school element is just part of it for Satterfield. Re-recruiting your team is essential after the season. Though several Bearcats left via portal after a 3-9 season, a core group returned in solidarity as the Satterfield staff looked to rebuild with players on the same page.

Diamonds in the rough?

With recruiting sites like 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and the self-marketing that goes on via X, Instagram, etc. there aren't many hidden secrets. Players are identified by the number of "stars" assigned by operators of such sites. However, sometimes the "stars" aren't accurate or sometimes a player remains undiscovered.

However, the days of finding a "two-star" future NFL pass rusher Connor Barwin playing high school basketball in Michigan are mostly over.

"You find more of those kids locally than anywhere else, kids that are still developing," Coombs said. "Because you know so much about the school, the coach, the area, you have a tendency to find some of those local kids later than you do across the country. Some of the kids from Cincinnati will pop up here in the fall."

Few secrets exist

"The biggest difference is technology," Satterfield said. "Back in the day, you had your area, your region and that's how you found out about players. Now, it's all the internet. It was fun to do that (old recruiting). Build relationships with guys, bring'em on your campus and you would get a lot of those guys. Now, relationships matter, but maybe not as much to some of them. You can't hide any kids. Everybody knows about them. If they're good, they're going to get out there. It still comes down to relationships and recruiting at a high level and that's what we're doing."

Stories from the front line

At UC, Coombs has recruited with Brian Kelly, Butch Jones, Luke Fickell and Satterfield. At Ohio State, he recruited with Urban Meyer and Ryan Day. That leaves a lot of stories, some that will remain private.

However, Coombs can recall pulling into a tough neighborhood and the head coach deciding the player meeting should take place at a restaurant. Another time on the West Coast, a player told Coombs that he would have to meet him on a corner so he could ride into the area with him.

"I said, what do you mean? I'll find it!" Coombs said. "He said, 'Oh no coach, I've got to ride in with you or you're not coming. There's some areas where recruiting can be dicey or tougher than others, but it's what you do."

Snaring the prize

Coombs was able to coach five NFL first-round picks at Ohio State and was a formidable foe for UC when he was recruiting Greater Cincinnati. The highly energetic coach of corners not only likes to celebrate big plays, he also enjoys the thrill of reeling in a top player.

"There's so many that surprise you with their commitment," Coombs said. "You don't know it's coming. That's one of the most exciting things in the world. You're recruiting really hard against everybody in the country and all of a sudden, they pop up and decide they're going to play for you. It's one of the best feelings in the world. That happens more often than you'd think. It really does."

Regrets?

Coombs had to be convinced to leave Colerain High School where he was 161-34 with 10 state appearances, five state semifinal berths and a 2004 state championship. He's now 17 seasons into his college coaching career which includes bowl rings and a College Football Playoff championship.

"I'm never leaving Colerain, I told Brian (Kelly) that," Coombs recalled. "I wasn't leaving. I had a great job. I thought I was going to ride off into the sunset from there. I never know what God's got in store for me."

Kelly recognized his local value and his enthusiasm. At a recent gathering on the west side to promote Bearcat football, Coombs told host Dan Hoard he didn't have to ask any more questions that he would take it from there. As he spoke, he greeted visitors just arriving to the restaurant.

The recruiting never ends.

"I love getting out and meeting people," Coombs said. "I love high school football and always have. Getting to go see how these high schools do things and the game has changed at the high school level and how coaches are involved, it's very rewarding."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats football coaching veterans Satterfield, Coombs discuss new age recruiting