Cincinnati Bearcats' Running Back Rotation Takes Shape for 2026 Season

Four new transfers will compete for carries in Scott Satterfield's offense

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:56pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in red, black, and white tones depicting the motion and energy of a football game, with overlapping shapes and planes representing the multiple running backs competing for the ball.A cubist interpretation of the Cincinnati Bearcats' backfield battle captures the dynamic competition for carries in Scott Satterfield's offense.Cincinnati Today

The Cincinnati Bearcats football team will enter the 2026 season with a crowded backfield, featuring one returning running back and three new transfers who are all expected to see significant playing time. Redshirt freshman Zion Johnson, Louisiana transfer Emani Perry, Notre Dame transfer Audric Payne, and Stanford transfer Tanner Tabb will all compete for carries in Scott Satterfield's offense as the Bearcats look to improve their rushing attack from recent seasons.

Why it matters

Cincinnati's running game has been a key part of their offense in recent years, but the team has seen a decline in rushing yards per game over the past few seasons. The addition of these four new running backs gives the Bearcats a chance to revitalize their ground game and provide more balance to their offense as they enter their fourth season in the Big 12 Conference.

The details

Redshirt freshman Zion Johnson is the lone returning running back with game experience, having seen action late last season and in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The other three running backs are all transfers - Emani Perry from Louisiana, Audric Payne from Notre Dame, and Tanner Tabb from Stanford. Each of the four backs brings a different skill set, with Johnson being the smallest at 5-foot-8 and 185 pounds, while Perry, Payne, and Tabb all combine size and power. Running backs coach Sean Dawkins says the competition in the running back room is the best it's been since he's been at Cincinnati, and the Bearcats plan to utilize two primary backs while also getting the third guy involved.

  • Zion Johnson saw increased playing time late in the 2025 season and in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl due to injuries to other running backs.
  • Emani Perry rushed for close to 1,400 yards combined over the last two seasons at Louisiana.
  • Audric Payne played three seasons at Notre Dame, with his best year coming in 2023 when he ran for 168 yards and had two rushing touchdowns.
  • Tanner Tabb played his first two seasons at Stanford, where he had 445 yards and three touchdowns in 2025.

The players

Zion Johnson

A redshirt freshman running back who turned heads in preseason camp and saw late-season action for the Bearcats in 2025.

Emani Perry

A transfer from Louisiana, where he rushed for close to 1,400 yards combined over the last two seasons with 12 total touchdowns.

Audric Payne

A transfer from Notre Dame, where his best season was in 2023 when he ran for 168 yards and had two rushing touchdowns.

Tanner Tabb

A transfer from Stanford, where he had 445 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, including a 118-yard game against Florida State.

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What they’re saying

“If there's a Corey Kiner/Evan Pryor situation or a Tawee (Walker)/Evan Pryor situation, we're definitely going to always play two. You've got to because of the physicality of the position. Those guys understand that. There's a lot of competition in that room.”

— Sean Dawkins, Running Backs Coach

“You give me the ball, I can score, get positive yards, catch it out of the backfield. I can do a whole bunch of stuff. In the open field, I can make defenders miss. That's my specialty.”

— Emani Perry

What’s next

The Bearcats will continue to evaluate the running back competition throughout spring practice and into fall camp, with the goal of determining the primary two-back rotation for the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Cincinnati's crowded backfield gives them a chance to revitalize their rushing attack and provide more balance to their offense as they enter their fourth season in the Big 12. The competition between the four transfers should bring out the best in each player and push the Bearcats' running game to new heights.