University of Cincinnati Bearcats Quarterback Preview: Breaking Down the 2026 QB Room

The quarterback position has become one of the most important storylines for the University of Cincinnati heading into the 2026 football season. Following the departure of standout quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the Bearcats enter a new era with an experienced transfer expected to lead a talented, but largely unproven, quarterback room. The competition behind the starter also gives Cincinnati quality depth and developmental upside.

With co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Pete Thomas guiding the position, the Bearcats have assembled a quarterback room that offers experience, athleticism, and long-term potential. While there appears to be a clear favorite entering fall camp, every quarterback on the roster brings a unique skill set that could help Cincinnati throughout the season.

Pete Thomas: The Man Developing Cincinnati’s Quarterbacks

Pete Thomas enters 2026 as Cincinnati’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after serving as the Bearcats’ quarterbacks coach since 2023. A former collegiate and professional quarterback himself, Thomas understands the position from every angle and has earned a reputation as an excellent teacher of mechanics, decision-making, and offensive execution.

Before arriving at Cincinnati, Thomas coached quarterbacks at Louisville, where he helped develop talented signal callers while learning under offensive-minded coaching staffs. His experience as both a player and coach allows him to relate well to quarterbacks while emphasizing leadership, ball security, and efficient decision-making.

Thomas prefers an offense built around balance. While Cincinnati wants to establish the running game, the Bearcats also utilize play-action passing, quick rhythm throws, intermediate concepts, and occasional vertical shots to stretch opposing defenses. Quarterbacks in Thomas’ system must be accurate, protect the football, read coverages quickly, and have enough mobility to extend plays when protection breaks down.

Cincinnati Quarterback Depth Chart

1. JC French IV (Redshirt Senior – Transfer)
2. Liam O’Brien (Redshirt Senior – Transfer)
3. Samaj Jones (Redshirt Sophomore)
4. Zebulin Kinsey (Freshman)

JC French IV

JC French enters the season as the projected starter and the quarterback most Bearcat fans expect to lead the offense. After transferring into Cincinnati, French brings valuable collegiate experience and maturity to a team replacing one of the Big 12’s top quarterbacks.

French possesses good arm talent, solid athletic ability, and the confidence to attack defenses down the field. He throws well on the move, has enough mobility to escape pressure, and fits the offensive philosophy that Pete Thomas wants to run. His experience should also help Cincinnati avoid many of the growing pains that often come with breaking in a first-year starter.

The biggest reason French should start is his experience. He has played meaningful college football and has demonstrated the ability to manage games while still creating explosive plays. His leadership qualities and command of the offense should make the transition smoother for the Bearcats.

His weaknesses center around consistency. Like many aggressive quarterbacks, French can occasionally force throws into tight coverage and will need to limit turnovers against Big 12 defenses. Improving his anticipation and chemistry with Cincinnati’s receiving corps will also be important as the season progresses.

Overall, French gives Cincinnati its highest ceiling entering 2026 and should enter fall camp as the clear QB1.

Liam O’Brien

Liam O’Brien provides Cincinnati with one of the better backup options in the conference. Another experienced transfer, O’Brien brings intelligence, maturity, and reliability to the quarterback room.

O’Brien is considered more of a traditional pocket passer. He processes defenses well, delivers an accurate short-to-intermediate passing game, and understands situational football. Coaches value quarterbacks who consistently make the correct read, and O’Brien has built a reputation for doing exactly that.

The argument for O’Brien starting would be his steady decision-making. If injuries occur or the offense struggles to find rhythm, his experience and calm demeanor could stabilize the unit. Every successful program needs a backup capable of winning games, and O’Brien fits that description.

His limitations are physical more than mental. He doesn’t possess elite mobility or a cannon arm, meaning explosive plays often require perfect timing and execution. Nevertheless, his football IQ makes him one of the most valuable players on the roster despite beginning the season as the backup.

Samaj Jones

Samaj Jones represents the future of Cincinnati football. The young quarterback possesses exciting athletic ability, natural playmaking instincts, and considerable developmental upside.

Jones can create outside the pocket, throw accurately while rolling to either side, and extend broken plays with his legs. Those traits fit today’s college football landscape, where dual-threat quarterbacks create constant problems for defenses.

Why could Jones eventually become the starter? His athletic ceiling may be the highest in the quarterback room. If he continues developing as a passer while refining his understanding of the offense, he has the talent to eventually become one of the Big 12’s better quarterbacks.

His biggest challenge is experience. Young quarterbacks often struggle with reading disguised coverages, identifying blitz packages, and consistently making quick decisions. Jones will benefit from another year learning behind experienced veterans before potentially competing for the starting job in the future.

Zebulin Kinsey

Freshman Zebulin Kinsey enters Cincinnati as one of the developmental quarterbacks in the program. While he is unlikely to compete immediately for playing time, his presence adds valuable depth and future promise.

Kinsey possesses good size and intriguing physical tools that attracted Cincinnati’s coaching staff. Freshman quarterbacks frequently spend their first season learning the speed of the college game, mastering the playbook, and improving their mechanics against Power Four competition.

The reason Kinsey remains important is long-term development. Every successful program must continue building quarterback depth, and Cincinnati believes he has the talent to become a contributor later in his career.

Like most freshmen, his weaknesses involve experience, game speed, and consistency. Those areas typically improve with time in the weight room, film study, and practice repetitions.

Overall Evaluation of the Quarterback Room

Cincinnati’s quarterback room combines experience with future potential. French gives the Bearcats a proven veteran capable of leading the offense immediately, while O’Brien provides one of the stronger backup options in the conference. Behind them, Jones offers exciting athletic upside, and Kinsey gives the program another developmental prospect for the future.

The room lacks a nationally established superstar, but it makes up for that with quality depth and versatility. If French performs as expected and stays healthy, Cincinnati should receive solid quarterback play throughout the season. More importantly, the Bearcats appear well-positioned for the future with Jones and Kinsey continuing to develop.

Quarterback Room Grade: B+

The Bearcats earn a B+ at quarterback. The room features an experienced starter, a dependable veteran backup, and two promising young quarterbacks with significant upside. While replacing Brendan Sorsby is no easy task, Cincinnati has assembled a group capable of keeping the offense competitive in the Big 12.

Conclusion

Quarterback play will ultimately determine how high Cincinnati can climb in the Big 12 standings in 2026. Pete Thomas has built a balanced quarterback room featuring veteran leadership, reliable depth, and promising young talent. JC French appears ready to take control of the offense, while Liam O’Brien provides insurance and Samaj Jones represents the future of the program. If the offensive line protects well and the receiving corps develops chemistry with the new starter, the Bearcats have every reason to believe their quarterback position can be a strength rather than a question mark throughout the season.