Cincinnati Bearcats running back Evan Pryor (6) scores a touchdown in the first quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Iowa State Cyclones at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Oct. 4, 2025. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cincinnati Bearcats Football Shorthanded Offensively Against Arizona

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bearcats on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Nov 15, 2025 10:03 AM ET

The Cincinnati Bearcats football team is tracking to miss a couple of key offensive players on Saturday. ESPN's Pete Thamel noted Evan Pryor will miss a second consecutive game with an ankle injury, while starting wide receiver Caleb Goodie is a long shot to play with a doubtful status.

Pryor missed the Utah loss with an ankle injury, while Goodie is on the injury report for the first time this season. Elijah Jones should get more run in his stead, while Manny Covey and Chance Williams will pick up the slack rushing the ball. Tawee Walker is the Bearcats' lead running back today.

The Wildcats already ruled out a key player earlier this week in starting nose tackle Tiaoalii Savea (372 snaps this season, 62.8 Pro Football Focus grade).

He leaves a big hole in the middle of Arizona's strong defense. They rank in the top five in the country with 12 interceptions this season.

“I think that's also a big part of their success, creating turnovers, and they've taken care of the football too on the offensive side," UC head coach Scott Satterfield said this week. "That turnover margin is a huge stat, and I think that's why they'vehad a lot of success this year. They just do a good job. Their coaches are putting their guys in position to make plays. They do a lot of things on defense, a lot of different pressures. Linebackers are walking up, off the edge, blitzing. They'renot scared to blitz a safety or a corner. They're going to give you a lot of different looks to try to confuse the offense.

"They have some good tacklers. Number 43 [Dalton Johnson] is their safety lead tackle. He’s a really good player. Number four [Max Harris] is their middle linebacker, another really good one. They have some good D-linemen that are quick-twitched, who can cause problems when they're on one, blocking. They give you a lot of different looks. You guys mentioned they play man, they do a lot of things back in the back end. They'll play quarters. They'll play man, they'll play Cover 3. They'll jump into some different looks to try to confuse the quarterback. I think that's where quarterbacks have gotten in trouble, throwing into coverage.”

Check out our full preview before the game kicks off at noon on FS1.