How a walk-on quarterback learned to build winning cultures through failure

History · Published 5 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before coaching at the University of Cincinnati, Scott Satterfield learned a vital lesson on the field: success requires embracing failure. From his beginnings as a non-scholarship walk-on to leading major programs, his journey highlights how resilience and culture drive performance in high-stakes environments.

Scott Satterfield’s coaching philosophy is rooted in his experience as a non-scholarship walk-on quarterback at Appalachian State. His career was shaped by early setbacks, including a sophomore season game where he threw three interceptions and fumbled twice, causing him to fall down the depth chart. Rather than quitting, Satterfield learned that persistence through adversity is essential for long-term success.

This perspective has defined his tenure as a head coach. During his time at Appalachian State from 2013 to 2018, Satterfield guided the Mountaineers through a successful transition from FCS to FBS. He achieved three consecutive conference titles and secured four bowl game appearances. His success earned him the 2018 Sun Belt Coach of the Year award before he moved to the University of Louisville in 2019.

At Louisville, Satterfield was named the 2019 ACC Coach of the Year after leading the team to an 8–5 record and a victory in the Music City Bowl. He left Louisville with a 25–24 overall record and three bowl appearances. Now the head coach at the University of Cincinnati as of the 2023 season, Satterfield focuses on creating a positive culture that embraces modern challenges like the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules.

For Satterfield, innovation comes from removing the fear of failure. He encourages his staff to experiment and view mistakes as opportunities to find new ways to succeed, a mindset he believes is necessary to stay competitive in the rapidly changing landscape of college football.

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