The battle for the Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback position appears to be between Sorsby and Lichtenberg

WEST HARRISON, Ind. — In an effort to release as little information as possible, college football teams often delay naming their starting quarterback. Typically, only a returning starter or a highly publicized transfer player is given the nod. Otherwise, the goal is to get opposing defenses prepared for a couple of options in Week 1.

Coach Scott Satterfield’s Cincinnati Bearcats are no different. Right now, it looks like it’s going to be a two-man race: Brendan Sorsby, a transfer from Indiana who started seven games for the Hoosiers last season, and Brady Lichtenberg, who started one game last season and played in seven.

Sorsby is a redshirt freshman, Lichtenberg is a redshirt junior and also getting plenty of reps in training camp is Philadelphia freshman Samaj Jones. Jones was unavailable after Thursday’s practice, so here’s what we know about the run as the Bearcats face one more week of Camp Higher Ground before returning to practice at Nippert Stadium for the season.

Brendan Sorsby

The 6-foot-3 Sorsby transferred to UC last December and has since dropped from 275 pounds to 225 pounds. Given his Big Ten record and the fact that he came through the portal, the consensus view would be that he’s the favorite.

He took charge of the ball in Indiana with 15 touchdown passes and just five interceptions. He also rushed for 286 yards and scored four touchdowns. With his size and style, he admires the tough runs of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

“First time ‘live’ I’m more than happy to try and take on a couple of guys, have some fun and get back to playing football,” Sorsby said.

Bearcat quarterbacks coach Pete Thomas agrees with the comparison to Allen and Satterfield has previously pointed out Sorsby’s running style in the red zone.

“Obviously, Josh Allen is an All-Pro and an elite quarterback in the world, but they both have a lot of similarities,” Thomas said. “Just how they play, how they lead, the type of players they are.”

All of UC’s quarterbacks have the luxury of a returning offensive line, which allows them time to go through their progressions and also helps with the quarterback runs that are often utilized in this offense.

Before you consider him a “run-first” quarterback, the former baseball player can throw the ball at many angles thanks to his experience on the gridiron. He also has enough experience on the track to have thrown three touchdowns at Penn State last year and five at Illinois.

“I think the running game we have is going to help get those throws down the field,” Sorsby said. “You’ve got to be alert every time you make them and make sure you’re giving your guys a chance and trusting that they’re going to make a play.”

Asked to name receivers who were having good camps, Sorsby picked last year’s top receiver Xzavier Henderson, Chattanooga/UAB transfer Jamoi Mayes (62 catches at Chattanooga), FAU transfer Tony Johnson (37 catches for the Owls), UTEP transfer Tyrin Smith (123 catches in 29 games) and returning slotback Aaron Turner.

The much-improved tight end room is also an advantage for the UC quarterback.

“We have some creative players that play that position,” Thomas said. “Especially with Joe Royer. He’s a big, strong player who knows how to run a lot of routes. The more comfortable our quarterbacks get with relying on those players in the middle of the field, the better our offense will be.”

Brady Lichtenberg

Lichtenberg made his first start at West Virginia last season. He finished the year a respectable 19-of-34 for 252 yards and ran for 80 yards and a touchdown, mostly in relief of Emory Jones Jr. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder from Toledo has always been respected as an accurate passer, but he might be quicker than he’s given credit for when he gets out on the run.

“I think I’m faster than I am quick,” Lichtenberg said. “A lot of that has to do with playing high school basketball. I think ‘sneaky’ is a good word for it. I’m not going to impress you at all. I think I’m athletic enough. I’ll let you guys decide that.”

This will be Lichtenberg’s fourth season and he notices that the team is different and more connected thanks to his preseason regimen. As for himself, he has more confidence and says the game has slowed down for him. This has helped him in his competition with Sorsby.

“A valuable lesson I learned very early in college is that you can’t worry about what other people are doing,” Lichtenberg said. “When he makes a play on the field, it’s like, ‘Great! Let’s make a play by myself.’ Early in my career I was paying attention to what other people were doing. Now, it’s just about focusing on yourself and how you can get the best out of yourself and others.”

Lichtenberg’s list of receivers is similar to Sorsby’s, as he singled out Aaron Turner for his leadership, as well as transfers Mayes and Smith. Quarterbacks coach Thomas has a lot of confidence in Lichtenberg, saying he “knows the offense like the back of his hand.”

Samaj Jones

Jones is a 6-foot-10, 210-pound freshman who led St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia to back-to-back 6A titles and was a four-star recruit. ESPN ranked him the No. 5 dual-threat quarterback in the country and the Bearcats beat Oklahoma, Louisville, Penn State and West Virginia, among others, for him.

Coach Satterfield mentions Jones often and he appears to be getting the same amount of reps as Sorsby and Lichtenberg.

“He’s got a lot of talent,” Thomas said. “He’s playing really well for a rookie. When he has a plan and knows what he’s doing, he’s very, very impressive. He can throw the ball over those trees, but it’s not about how far you can throw it. You have to be accurate, you have to be on time and you have to throw a catchable ball. We’re working on a lot of touch passes. There’s no doubt he has the raw talent to be really, really good.”

Sorsby and Lichtenberg have noticed this, and it is difficult to look away from the obvious.

“He’s incredibly talented,” Sorsby said. “He’s got an incredible arm. He just needs to stay the course. He’s still a young guy. Every quarterback goes through that.”

Said Lichtenberg: “He had a cannon for an arm. That comes out of there a little bit different than a lot of other guys. He’s got everything that you can’t teach. He’s done a great job. He’s impressed with what he’s been able to do and he’s going to be very good for the Bearcats.”

The rest of the field

Freshman Danny Stoddard is a non-scholarship player from Medina, while redshirt junior Jacob Hoying and redshirt freshman Will Kocher were with the team last year.

Hoying hasn’t played in two seasons. He played at Bishop Watterson in Columbus and his father, Bobby, played quarterback at Ohio State. His uncle is former UC coach Luke Fickell. Kocher didn’t play in a game last season but was a three-year starter at Kings High School, where he often connected with Michael Mussari, another non-scholarship player who has caught the attention of coaches with his contested catches.

This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer: Who wins the battle for UC football’s quarterback spot? Sorsby or Lichtenberg?