Report: Cincinnati plans to add Luke Pachall
Per 247Sports' Matt Zenitz, Cincinnati plans to hire current Middle Tennessee State Special Team Coordinator Luke Paschall to the same role on Scott Satterfield's staff.
Cincinnati is expected to hire Middle Tennessee’s Luke Paschall as special teams coordinator, a source tells @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) May 8, 2025
Paschall has coordinated special teams for the last 11 years for teams like Arkansas State, North Carolina, UMass and Louisiana in addition to… pic.twitter.com/RB4tIq828z
Cincinnati has struggled on special teams over the past two seasons, leading to the ultimate firing of former special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach, Kerry Coombs. The Bearcats had issues in virtually all categories related to special teams over the past two seasons, ranking 125th nationally last season (ESPN FPI).
Pachall comes to Cincinnati with 11 years of experience in the same role. His resume consists of stops at Oklahoma State (2008-10), Ole Miss (2011), North Carolina (2012-13, 2018), Arkansas State (2014-17), UMass (2019-21), Louisiana (2022-23), and Middle Tennessee State over the past two seasons.
Paschall's experience also includes coaching wide receivers at various stops.
During the 2022 season at Louisiana, Pachall's group led the nation in punt returns for touchdowns, punt return yards (442), and ranked first in the Sun Belt in punt return average, blocked kicks, yards per kick return allowed, and blocked punts. In his two seasons at Louisiana, his unit had seven blocked kicks.
Middle Tennessee State ranked 25th nationally as a special teams unit.
Cincinnati lost several games during the 2024 season due to poor special teams play. The hope is Pachall will come in and immediately improve that aspect of the Bearcats.