Williams' inbox: Scott Satterfield's job status, Joey Votto's exit, Dusty Baker's legacy

Time for another deep dive into my inbox. Lots of subscriber emails about first-year University of Cincinnati football coach Scott Satterfield's job status, Joey Votto's departure and Dusty Baker's retirement. Many emails about the Bengals, too.

The inbox will become a regular weekly column henceforth, so please send your questions and comments. Here's a sampling of your emails:

Subject: Questioning Cincinnati Bearcats AD John Cunningham's hires

Message: "The difference between when Luke Fickell took over and when Satterfield took over, is that Fickell took over a program that was a mess and Satterfield took over a program that was Top 25 quality. The real problem at UC, however, is (athletic director) John Cunningham. All of his coaching moves have been terrible. Wes Miller is a great recruiter, but can’t coach. Satterfield can’t coach or recruit."

Reply: I understand fans’ impatience. But it’s still early for both Satterfield and Miller, especially when considering the transition to the Big 12. Try to hold off on judging Cunningham on his football and basketball hires until at least the 2024-25 school year.

Football has to show major progress in 2024. I’m not talking about a 10-win season or being in the Big 12 title race, but Satterfield has to show he has things pointing in the right direction next year. The problems that have dogged the 2-7 Bearcats this season − consistently being ill-prepared, undisciplined and poor quarterback play − should be unacceptable in 2024.

As for basketball, I was critical of UC’s lack of progress during its final season in the American Athletic Conference. The Bearcats were a disappointment last season, no matter how they spin it inside the Lindner Center. But Miller still deserves time to get the program back to where Bearcats fans expect.

The Big 12 is the best basketball conference. And Miller’s been dealt an unfair hand by the incompetent overlords at the NCAA for deeming transfers Aziz Bandaogo and Jamille Reynolds ineligible. A sign of progress this season would be to consistently compete, maybe pull off a couple upsets, be an NCAA Tournament bubble team and make the NIT. Then it’s time to definitely make the NCAA Tournament in 2024-25 and beyond.

Meantime, don't overlook the things Cunningham has accomplished − including the $134 million indoor practice facility, Nippert Stadium naming-rights deal with Total Quality Logistics, fan-friendly gameday upgrades around the stadium and switch to Nike.

Subject: Tom Herman could be good fit at UC

Message: "While I am disappointed with UC’s record so far, I think Satterfield can coach offense. He deserves two full years to show what he can do at this level. But if there is no improvement by then I have already identified his replacement. Tom Herman took the FAU job this year and looks to be turning the program around. He used to be the Texas head coach and, I’m certain, wants to get back into the Big 12. If Satterfield fails and Herman succeeds as I think he will, Herman could end up here. You heard it here first!"

RE: Herman should've been a top target for Cunningham to consider, as I suggested in a column after Fickell departed for Wisconsin. Herman was born in Cincinnati and has family here. He has strong recruiting ties in Ohio. As an assistant coach on Urban Meyer's staff, Herman recruited Joe Burrow to Ohio State. Herman averaged 9 wins a season as head coach at Houston and Texas. He appears on his way to turning around FAU, which is 4-5 with three losses by one score. You never know. If things keep progressing at FAU and regressing at UC, Herman might be a serious candidate here next time.

Subject: Bummed Joey Votto didn't get to World Series with Cincinnati Reds

Message: "There was something different about Joey. He helped me love baseball after the terrible late 90s and early 2000s. His smile, his confidence, his honesty, his ability to change. He wanted to win more than he wanted to breathe. How many years did he hear from management: 'Don't worry Joey, we're going to win now.'

"Disappointing year after disappointing year, he worked all winter to be his best only to be met with the reality that ownership and management didn't have the same commitment. Through it all he stayed loyal to the organization by staying positive and keeping his concerns quiet.

"It's a shame that the organization wasn't as committed as he was. I'll always love number 19. Maybe the best Red ever!"

RE: Well said. Reds fans have every right to be upset that ownership went most of Votto's 17 seasons without having a plan to win consistently. In the end, though, it's heartening to see both sides part amicably. Don't be surprised to see Votto back in the Reds broadcast booth after he retires from playing.

Subject: Dusty Baker’s retirement, legacy as Reds manager

Message: “Dusty is a great regular season manager, but like Bobby Cox and Davey Johnson is a terrible postseason manager, mainly because of blunders regarding when to take pitchers out, whom to put in and who is to start certain games. To compare Dusty to Sparky Anderson is a joke, because Sparky is one of the all-time great managers regarding when to take pitchers out!”

RE: You’re referring to the point-counterpoint column I did with Cincinnati.com Reds reporter Gordon Wittenmyer about Baker’s legacy in Cincinnati. To be clear, we did not compare Dusty’s and Sparky’s in-game managing styles. We pointed out that Sparky ranks No. 6 and Dusty No. 7 in all-time managerial wins. They both managed 26 seasons. They both won everywhere they managed. All facts.

Nonetheless, you bring up a good point about their styles. Sparky earned the nickname “Captain Hook” because he wasn’t afraid to change pitchers at the first sign of a guy struggling. Generally, Dusty gave pitchers more time. Perhaps it reflects that Dusty was known more as being a player’s manager.

There's no denying this: They were both winners and should be highly regarded for what they did in Cincinnati.

Contact columnist Jason Williams by email at  jwilliams@enquirer.com.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Inbox: UC football struggles, Joey Votto's exit, Dusty Baker's legacy