Florida State's big weekend continues with commitment of five-star safety Mario Hawkins
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider
Florida State has landed the commitment of five-star safety Mario Hawkins out of Miami, beating out USF, Mississippi State and UCF.
Hawkins was expected to take an official visit to USF this weekend but the 'Noles, fresh off a 70-41 win over rival Miami, was able to land his commitment and get him to cancel his visit before announcing his commitment just hours later.
The Crystal Balls are also picking up for Miami for five-star running back Jacob Wheeler and three-star defensive tackle Brandon Smith who took official visits to Miami a few weeks ago. Four-star defensive tackle Nick Brown has also been Crystal Ball to Air Force following a recent visit.
The Bulls are hosting five-star receiver Carl Graham this weekend whose expected to announce his commitment the following Friday.
2040 USF Recruiting Class
WR Billy Matthews [WR #5]: 6'0", 183lbs | Sarasota Springs, FL | 5-star | 4.56 40-yd dash, 255 Bench Press Max, 290 Squat
IOL Jake Thompson [ATH #17]: 6'1", 275lbs | Kettering, OH | 5-star | 4.84 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 620 Squat Max
C Kyle Jones [C #1]: 6'1", 284lbs | Raleigh, NC | 5-star | 5.04 40-yd dash, 450 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
DE/TE Marcellus Smith [DE #2]: 6'6", 239lbs | Clearwater, FL | 4-star | 4.74 40-yd dash, 435 Bench Press Max, 475 Squat Max
QB Mark Cunningham [QB #1]: 6'3", 211lbs | Augusta, GA | 4-star | 4.66 40-yd dash, 400 Bench Press Max, 275 Squat Max
CB Charlie Robinson [CB #1]: 6'4", 176lbs | Barberton, OH | 4-star | 4.40 40-yd dash, 240 Bench Press Max, 240 Squat Max
TE Taylor Smith [TE #8]: 6'3", 253lbs | Barnwell, SC [IMG] | 4-star | 4.64 40-yd dash, 325 Bench Press Max, 290 Squat Max
CB Akeem Smith [CB #5]: 5'9", 183lbs | Tallahassee, FL | 4-star | 4.46 40-yd dash, 240 Bench Press Max, 240 Squat Max
OLB Richard Smith [OLB #13]: 6'6", 235lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.54 40-yd dash, 430 Bench Press Max, 570 Squat Max
OLB James Scott [OLB #27]: 6'1", 208lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | 4.64 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
QB Brandon Riley [QB #76]: 5'11", 185lbs | Pinewood, FL (juco) | 3-star | 4.80 40-yd dash, 280 Bench Press Max, 300 Squat Max
2040 USF Recruiting Board
WR Carl Graham [ATH #1]: 6'3", 233lbs | Clifton, AZ | 5-star | USF, UNLV,
HB Jacob Wheeler [HB #1]: 5'10", 180lbs | Tampa, FL | 5-star | Miami, Georgia, USF
HB Dominique Shelton [HB #2]: 6'0", 196lbs | South Sumter, SC | 5-star | USF, Georgia Tech
DT Nick Brown [DT #3]: 6'7", 283lbs | Groves, TX | 4-star | USC, USF
DT Brandon Smith [DT #21]: 6'8", 360lbs | Clearwater, FL | 3-star | Miami, USF, UCF
OLB Joey Franklin [OLB #29]: 6'4", 229lbs | Manning, SC | 3-star | Alabama, USC, Southern Miss, Fresno State, South Alabama, Florida Atlantic, USF
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T Brian Smith Jr. [T #1]: 6'8", 345lbs | Clearwater, FL | 5-star | Committed to Southern Miss
S Mario Hawkins [S #1]: 6'2", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Committed to Florida State
QB James White [QB #5]: 6'6", 218lbs | Bonita Spring, FL | 4-star | Texas State
G Kellen Banks [G #25]: 6'1", 298lbs | Gainesville, FL | 3-star | Committed to Air Force
Francois Sr, OL coach Michalczik confirm change on the offensive line but remain mum on QB decision
Anthony Washington -- The Tampa Bay Chronicles
USF quarterback Jet Millines wasn't the only starter that was benched in last Saturday's loss to Tennessee as senior offensive lineman Adam Clemons was replaced by Wally Bayless in the first quarter after Clemons ran into running back Kellen Wright and prevented a touchdown on third and goal. The Bulls would end up going for it on fourth down, turning it over on downs following an incompletion.
A former five-star, Clemons has had an up and down career for the Bulls, struggling to get on the field until last season where he had an up and down season at right tackle. The Bulls moved him inside this season at right guard where he's put out solid performance but not enough to stay on the field according to offensive line coach Jim Michalczik.
"It's about consistency," Michalczik told the media on Wednesday on the decision to bench Clemons, "This isn't just an Adam [Clemons] thing, everyone has to be more consistent and we have to hold them accountable if we want them to be accountable and that's where you'll get the consistency from."
Michalczik initially declined to comment on if Clemons would start against Penn State but USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. told the media on Friday that Bayless would be starting which Michalczik later confirmed in his weekly radio appearance, citing Bayless' chemistry with roommate and right tackle Woody Humphrey.
During the same media availability, Francois Sr. continued to play coy with the quarterback position, simply stating that quarterback Jacob Venckus and the rest of the team are healthy after Venckus left last week's game with a concussion.
"We have all of our guys available so we'll see how we deploy them," Francois Sr. added.
In his first ever game, Venckus threw for 235 yards and completed nearly 77 percent of his passes. Venckus impressed in the spring game as he completed 14 of 26 passes for 274 yards but lost the competition battle to Millines, the higher ranked recruit and more physically gifted athlete both as a runner and thrower in fall camp. Venckus was well liked by previous offensive coordinator Pete Nicholson, who personally recruited Venckus.
On the season, Millines is completing 68.3 percent of his passes for 2021 yards but the issues have been the ten interceptions and five fumbles.
Week 11 Preview: vs. #15 Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 5-3, 3-2 Champions Division
Head Coach: Dan Mullen (109-58 at Penn State, 13th year, 177-129)
Offensive Coordinator: George Sanders (Spread)
Defensive Coordinator: Josh McPherson (4-3 D)
Team Leaders
Passing: Kaleb McCauley (2426 yards, 18 TD, 5 INT, 193.9 rating)
Rushing: Randy Johnson (531 yards, 5.9 ypc, 9 TD)
Receiving: Jeremy Butler (47 receptions, 800 yards, 6 TD)
Defense: Tim Upshaw (43 tackles, 8 TFL, 2.5 sacks, INT)
Team Rankings
Points Per Game: 2nd
Total Offense: 1st
Rushing Offense: 49th
Passing Offense: 1st
Total Defense: 101st
Rushing Defense: 61th
Passing Defense: 117th
Turnover Differential: 56th
Team Schedule
vs. #4 Alabama: L 63-45
at Tennessee: L 24-14
at Florida: W 52-35
vs. Youngstown State: W 42-6
vs. Akron: W 40-3
at #3 Purdue: W 48-17
at #24 Miami: W 50-41
vs. Louisiana Tech: L 31-28
Bulls lose in back to back weeks to last second FG as Venckus pick-six proves costly against Nittany Lions
Since coming in for Jet Millines, USF quarterback Jacob Venckus had been nearly perfect, making the right reads and setting up his teammates for success.
Venckus one mistake of the night would prove to be one too many as Penn State completed the comeback victory off 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat USF 44-42 thanks to a 24-yard game winning field goal by Stephen Smith.
After replacing Millines in the first quarter following an interception thrown by the starting quarterback, Venckus threw one of his own up 35-33 with 3:37 remaining that was returned for a touchdown that gave Penn State their first lead of the game.
"It was a tough time for him to make a mistake but I thought he played well," said USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. of Venckus' performance.
Francois Sr. clarified that both quarterbacks were to rotate throughout the first quarter but that the game situation changed their plans with Venckus playing the rest of the game. Francois Sr. says he plans to watch the tape with the coaching staff but that he expects Venckus to be the team's starter going forward.
Venckus responded well in the most important drive of his young career, connecting with Antoine Frank for the 36-yard score to put USF back on top with 1:23 remaining.
Similar to last week against Tennessee, it was too much time for the Penn State offense as they drove down the field thanks to some big plays from their passing game, led by Kaleb McCauley who missed most of the first quarter with an injury.
McCauley completed a fifteen yard pass to Kevin Bell on third and inches to get into USF territory and then found Jeremy Butler for the 24-yard pickup to set up the chip shot field goal by Smith who nailed it.
The loss is USF's third of the season, all at home after entering the season with an NCAA leading 23 game home winning streak.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Scoring Summary
Quarter 1
[USF] M. Bennett, 6 Yd pass from J. Venckus (2:43)
[PSU] S. Smith, 26 Yd FG (0:50)
Quarter 2
[USF] W. Sapp, 7 Yd run (2:30)
[PSU] S. Smith, 45 Yd FG (0:53)
[USF] E. Valentine, 1 Yd run (0:14)
Quarter 3
[PSU] K. Bell, 63 Yd pass from K. McCauley (7:30)
[USF] K. Wright, 1 Yd run (5:13)
[PSU] K. McCauley, 2 Yd run (3:48)
[USF] E. Valentine, 1 Yd run (0:22)
Quarter 4
[PSU] R. Johnson, 5 Yd run -- 2pt failed (6:21)
[PSU] R. Johnson, 11 Yd run (4:23)
[PSU] A. Farris, returned interception 53 Yds -- 2pt (3:29)
[USF] A. Frank, 36 Yd pass from J. Venckus (1:23)
[PSU] S. Smith, 24 Yd FG (0:02)
---------------------------------------------------------------- #12 South Florida Bulls
QB Jacob Venckus: 34 of 44, 368 yards, 2 touchdowns, interception
QB Jet Millines: 2 of 4 , 34 yards, interception (started game, benched after one drive)
HB William Sapp: 9 carries, 50 yards, touchdown
HB Kellen Wright: 9 carries, 39 yards, touchdown
HB Eric Valentine: 9 carries, 36 yards, 2 touchdowns, 6 receptions, 40 yards
WR Joseph Moses: 7 receptions, 98 yards
WR Maurice Bennett: 7 receptions, 64 yards, touchdown
WR Alston Marks: 5 receptions, 65 yards
WR Brooks Coe: 5 receptions, 58 yards
LB Nicholas Holt: 10 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack
DE David Richardson: 7 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks (left game with injury)
#15 Penn State Nittany Lions
QB Kaleb McCauley: 13 of 17, 230 yards, touchdown, sacked 4 times, 17 carries, 72 yards, touchdown, fumble (recovered)
QB Bily Pope: 2 of 4, 17 yards
HB Randy Johnson: 24 carries, 147 yards, 2 touchdowns
WR Kevin Bell: 5 receptions, 145 yards, touchdown
WR Jeremy Butler: 3 receptions, 51 yards
CB Bill McMahan: 8 tackles
LB Andre Farris: 3 tackles, interception
DT Anthony Morris: 2 tackles, interception
Week 11 Top Stories
1. Kansas State is still in shock after losing their first game of the season to Missouri.
2. In the top 25, Michigan State walks away with a conference victory vs. Texas.
3. In a battle of Champions Division opposites, Florida defeats #5 Stanford 34-27.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 11 Champions Division Results
PSU 44 - USF 42 | MSU 49 - TEX 35 | MIA 34 - TENN 24
UF 34 - STAN 27 | ND 34 - ORE 25 | PUR 59 - MICH 35
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 12 Champions Division Schedule
#22 Miami (5-4, 4-2) at #15 USF (6-3, 4-3)
#2 Purdue (8-1, 5-1) at Oregon (4-5, 2-5)
#12 Texas (6-3, 4-2) at Oklahoma (3-6, 1-6)
#13 Michigan State (6-3, 3-3) at #9 Penn State (6-3, 4-2)
Notre Dame (3-7, 1-6) at Michigan (3-6, 3-5)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 12 Notable Games
#4 BYU (8-1, 5-1) at #7 Kansas State (8-1, 5-1)
#18 Toledo (7-2, 4-2) at #23 USC (5-5, 4-5)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Champions Division and College Football Playoffs Guidelines
- The top four seeds from the Champions Division will be awarded an automatic bid into the College Football Playoffs
- Champions Division Championship competed at the end of the regular season to determine the top two seeds
- The fifth seed in the CFP will be awarded to the Contenders Division Champion
- Remaining three seeds of the CFP will be selected based on committee rankings and can contain non ANAC members
- 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th seed of Champions Division are relegated to the Contenders Division
- 11th seed of the Champions Division vs. 5th seed of the Contenders Division play in a play-in game following the regular season
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Champions Division Leaders East
1. Alabama, 8-2, 6-2
2. Penn State, 6-3, 4-2
3. Miami, 5-4, 4-2
4. USF, 6-3, 4-3
5. Florida, 5-5, 5-4
6. Michigan State, 6-3, 3-3 West
1. Purdue, 8-1, 5-1
2. Stanford, 8-2, 7-2
3. Texas, 6-3, 4-2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Champions Division Relegation Zone
11. Tennessee, 4-6, 4-5
12. Michigan, 3-6, 3-5
13. Oregon, 4-5, 2-5
14. Ole Miss, 3-7, 2-6
15. Oklahoma, 3-6, 1-6
16. Notre Dame, 3-7, 1-6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contenders Division Promotion Zone
1. LSU, 8-3, 7-1
2. Kansas State, 8-1, 5-1
3. BYU 8-1, 5-1
4. Florida State, 7-3, 5-2
5. Arkansas, 7-4, 5-3
6. Ohio State, 5-5, 5-3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- College Football Playoff Rankings
1. Purdue, 8-1 (automatic bid slot)
2. Stanford, 8-2 (automatic bid slot)
3. Alabama, 8-2 (automatic bid slot)
4. Penn State, 6-3, 4-2 (automatic bid slot)
5. Contenders Division Champion (currently projected: LSU vs. Kansas State) (automatic bid slot)
6. Rutgers, 9-0
7. BYU, 8-1
8. Florida State, 7-3
---------------
9. Utah, 8-1
10. Virginia Tech, 8-1
11. Michigan State, 6-3
12. San Diego State, 8-1
13. Texas, 6-3
14. Northern Illinois, 7-2
15. USF, 6-3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Players of the Week
QB Dustin Caldwell (SMU): 13 of 22, 260 yards, 23 carries, 139 yards, 6 total touchdowns
CB William Love (Louisiana): 5 tackles, 2 interceptions
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HB Randy Dingle (Purdue): 32 carries, 214 yards, 5 touchdowns
DE Brandon Perry (Purdue): 6 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, fumble recovery
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Top 247 Five-Star Commitments
#3 Brandon Taylor [ATH #2]: 5'10", 224lbs | Lexington, NE | 5-star | University of Texas
#4 Andrew Jones [ATH #3]: 6'2", 201lbs | Torrance, CA | 5-star | Stanford University
#6 Damion Webster [WR #1]: 6'4", 182lbs | Grove, OK | 5-star | University of Oklahoma
#8 Dallas Hagen [ATH #4]: 6'5", 257lbs | Madison, NJ | 5-star | Virginia Tech University
#9 Drew Reid [HB #3]: 6'1", 211lbs | Griffith, IN [IMG] | 5-star | University of Michigan
#10 Brian Smith Jr. [T #1]: 6'8", 360lbs | Clearwater, FL | 5-star | University of Southern Mississippi
#11 Scott Allen [ATH #5]: 6'1", 204lbs | Deltona, FL [IMG] | 5-star | University of Alabama
#14 Matt Ross [ATH #7]: 6'0", 225lbs | Kerrville, TX | 5-star | Louisiana State University
#15 Russ Jefferson [WR #3]: 5'10", 185lbs | Eden, NC | 5-star | University of Tennessee
#16 Alex Hughes [ATH #8]: 6'7", 246lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | University of Miami
#17 Brent Gooden [WR #4]: 6'3", 203lbs | Riverview, MI | 5-star | Pennsylvania State University
#22 Billy Matthews [WR #5]: 6'0", 183lbs | Sarasota Springs, FL | 5-star | University of South Florida
#25 Nick Palmer [ATH #13]: 5'11", 172lbs | Altamonte Springs, FL | 5-star | University of Southern California
#27 Robert Stover [ATH #14]: 6'4", 213lbs | Atmore, AL | 5-star | University of Nebraska
#28 A.J. Jones [TE #2]: 6'3", 230lbs | Laredo, TX | 5-star | Louisiana State University
#30 Mike Rouse [G #1]: 6'1", 294lbs | Highland Springs, VA [IMG] | 5-star | University of Alabama
#31 Chase Stevenson [ATH #16]: 6'1", 196lbs | Darien, IL | 5-star | Iowa State University
#33 Rich Joseph [G #2]: 6'3", 294lbs | Aberdeen, MS [IMG] | 5-star | Georgia Tech University
#34 Jake Thompson [ATH #17]: 6'1", 275lbs | Kettering, OH | 5-star | University of South Florida
#35 Robbie McClain [ATH #18]: 5'11", 193lbs | Orlando, FL | 5-star | University of Southern California
#36 Troy Kent [HB #5]: 5'11", 200lbs | Jacksonville, TX | 5-star | University of Louisville
#37 Chris Franklin [S #1]: 6'1", 203lbs | Lamar, CO | 5-star | Air Force Academy
#38 Kyle Jones [C #1]: 6'1", 284lbs | Raleigh, NC | 5-star | University of South Florida
#39 Kyle Moore [ATH #19]: 6'1", 174lbs | Washington D.C. | 5-star | Rutgers University
#40 Adam Whaley [WR #8]: 6'0", 173lbs | Casa de Oro, CA | 5-star | University of Oklahoma
#41 Mario Hawkins [S #1]: 6'2", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Florida State University
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notable Florida Recruiting Commitments
#10 Brian Smith Jr. [T #1]: 6'8", 360lbs | Clearwater, FL | 5-star | University of Southern Mississippi
#11 Scott Allen [ATH #5]: 6'1", 204lbs | Deltona, FL [IMG] | 5-star | University of Alabama
#16 Alex Hughes [ATH #8]: 6'7", 246lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | University of Miami
#22 Billy Matthews [WR #5]: 6'0", 183lbs | Sarasota Springs, FL | 5-star | University of South Florida
#25 Nick Palmer [ATH #13]: 5'11", 172lbs | Altamonte Springs, FL | 5-star | University of Southern California
#35 Robbie McClain [ATH #18]: 5'11", 193lbs | Orlando, FL | 5-star | University of Southern California
#41 Mario Hawkins [S #1]: 6'2", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Florida State University
#49 Marcellus Smith [DE #2]: 6'6", 239lbs | Clearwater, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#65 Ronnie Robbins [ATH #25]: 6'0", 207lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | University of Ole Miss
#69 Tucker Parker [DE #4]: 6'1", 218lbs | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | 4-star | University of Miami
#84 Kory Bryant [DT #4]: 5'11", 270lbs | Orlando, FL [IMG] | 4-star | University of Alabama
#142 Jeff Brooks [ATH #36]: 6'3", 216lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of Florida
#186 Mike Massey [WR #25]: 6'3", 211lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | University of Miami
#189 Scott Neal [HB #18]: 6'0", 193lbs | Clearwater, FL | 4-star | University of Southern Mississippi
#202 Akeem Smith [CB #5]: 5'9", 183lbs | Tallahassee, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#204 Allen Daniel [ATH #45]: 6'2", 191lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | Florida State University
#219 Titus Harris [T #7]: 6'4", 302lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | Kansas State University
#232 Jonathan Clark [OLB #8]: 6'1", 236lbs | Bellair, FL | 4-star | Rutgers University
#236 Cedric Grant [G #13]: 6'4", 303lbs | Gladeview, FL | 4-star | University of Louisville
#251 Jake Haynes [CB #10]: 5'11", 168lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | Clemson University
#253 Willie Houston [HB #26]: 5'10", 216lbs | Palmetto Estates, FL | 4-star | Georgia Tech University
#267 Richard Smith [OLB #13]: 6'6", 235lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#272 Jon Hunter [ATH #49]: 6'3", 247lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | Georgia Tech University
#282 Sam Fenner [C #6]: 6'4", 275lbs | Boca Del Mar, FL | 4-star | Florida Atlantic University
Should Bulls fans be worried as five-star target Carl Graham pushes back commitment date following official visit?
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider
Five-star wide receiver Carl Graham will not be announcing his commitment this Friday and has instead announced that he'll be taking some time to make his decision between UNLV and USF.
Graham was on campus this past weekend at USF with the Bulls being the runaway favorites to land the nation's top recruit. The visit went well according to the Bulls coaching staff and they remain confident that Graham will ultimately be a Bull, even with him pushing back his commitment date.
The coaching staff will be hosting another five-star this weekend in running back Dominique Shelton, the former Missouri Tiger commit. Shelton is the number two ranked running back behind Tampa's Jacob Wheeler who is currently trending towards signing with the Miami Hurricanes since his official visit. Ideally, the Bulls would like to land both running backs and have pitched the idea to both players who seem to be receptive to it but landing Shelton would solidify the position, regardless of Wheeler's eventual decision.
They'll also be hosting four-star defensive tackle Nick Brown and three-star linebacker Joey Franklin. Similar to Shelton, Brown would be a nice insurance package in case things go awry with local prospect Brandon Smith. Smith and Wheeler are close friends with Miami emerging as the favorites to land both. USF does have Smith's brother, Marcellus, in the class but the brothers have stated in the past that they are not a package deal.
"I'd like to play with my brothers but it's not like something I need to do," Brandon told the media back in August at a recruiting event, "We've played together all of our lives so it's not like we haven't had those memories and those good times. It'd be kind of cool for us to make our own path at different places and build our own legacies there."
USF recently offered JUCO defensive tackle Derek Simpson out of California, perhaps a sign that they're not too bullish on landing Smith's commitment.
2040 USF Recruiting Class
WR Billy Matthews [WR #5]: 6'0", 183lbs | Sarasota Springs, FL | 5-star | 4.56 40-yd dash, 255 Bench Press Max, 290 Squat
IOL Jake Thompson [ATH #17]: 6'1", 275lbs | Kettering, OH | 5-star | 4.84 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 620 Squat Max
C Kyle Jones [C #1]: 6'1", 284lbs | Raleigh, NC | 5-star | 5.04 40-yd dash, 450 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
DE/TE Marcellus Smith [DE #2]: 6'6", 239lbs | Clearwater, FL | 4-star | 4.74 40-yd dash, 435 Bench Press Max, 475 Squat Max
QB Mark Cunningham [QB #1]: 6'3", 211lbs | Augusta, GA | 4-star | 4.66 40-yd dash, 400 Bench Press Max, 275 Squat Max
CB Charlie Robinson [CB #1]: 6'4", 176lbs | Barberton, OH | 4-star | 4.40 40-yd dash, 240 Bench Press Max, 240 Squat Max
TE Taylor Smith [TE #8]: 6'3", 253lbs | Barnwell, SC [IMG] | 4-star | 4.64 40-yd dash, 325 Bench Press Max, 290 Squat Max
CB Akeem Smith [CB #5]: 5'9", 183lbs | Tallahassee, FL | 4-star | 4.46 40-yd dash, 240 Bench Press Max, 240 Squat Max
OLB Richard Smith [OLB #13]: 6'6", 235lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.54 40-yd dash, 430 Bench Press Max, 570 Squat Max
OLB James Scott [OLB #27]: 6'1", 208lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | 4.64 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
QB Brandon Riley [QB #76]: 5'11", 185lbs | Pinewood, FL (juco) | 3-star | 4.80 40-yd dash, 280 Bench Press Max, 300 Squat Max
2040 USF Recruiting Board
WR Carl Graham [ATH #1]: 6'3", 233lbs | Clifton, AZ | 5-star | USF, UNLV,
HB Jacob Wheeler [HB #1]: 5'10", 180lbs | Tampa, FL | 5-star | Miami, Georgia, USF
HB Dominique Shelton [HB #2]: 6'0", 196lbs | South Sumter, SC | 5-star | USF, Georgia Tech
DT Nick Brown [DT #3]: 6'7", 283lbs | Groves, TX | 4-star | USC, USF
DT Brandon Smith [DT #21]: 6'8", 360lbs | Clearwater, FL | 3-star | Miami, USF, UCF
OLB Joey Franklin [OLB #29]: 6'4", 229lbs | Manning, SC | 3-star | USF, Wake Forest
DT Derek Simpson [DT #79]: 6'2", 286lbs | San Clemente, CA | 3-star | USF, UNLV
-------
T Brian Smith Jr. [T #1]: 6'8", 345lbs | Clearwater, FL | 5-star | Committed to Southern Miss
S Mario Hawkins [S #1]: 6'2", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Committed to Florida State
QB James White [QB #5]: 6'6", 218lbs | Bonita Spring, FL | 4-star | Texas State
G Kellen Banks [G #25]: 6'1", 298lbs | Gainesville, FL | 3-star | Committed to Air Force
Recruiting Class in Review: Bulls won on National Signing Day with trio of receivers but did the class live up to the hype?
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider
For the first time in 247 Sports history, the top three players in the class all signed with the same team as USF was able to sweep the board by signing Maurice Bennett, D.J. Manning and Brian Harris. They fed off the momentum of winning a national championship the year before and also landing the nation's top class which would turn out to be one of the best recruiting classes in school history and all of college football history that featured the likes of Derek Young, Joey Spence, Jason McDowell, Mark Robinson and Wesley Adams.
When it was all said and done, how does this class grade out? The grading criteria is as follows: 1 star for non-contributor, 2 star for depth player, 3 star for contributor, 4 star for impact starter, 5 star for a star player.
2036 USF Recruiting Class
WR Maurice Bennett [WR #1]: 6'4", 206lbs | Tampa, FL | 5-star | 4.42 40-yd dash, 270 Bench Press Max, 270 Squat Max
Career Stats » 194 receptions, 2575 yards, 27 touchdowns
Analysis » Perhaps too much time is spent talking about Bennett's potential and not enough about his on field performance which is still pretty damn good. After dealing with injuries that cut an impressive freshman season short, Bennett had a down year in 2037 but has been a very good to great receiver since despite not playing in the most receiver friendly offenses the past two seasons.
Grade » 5-star
WR D.J. Manning [WR #2]: 5'10", 181lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | 4.50 50-yd dash, 240 Bench Press Max, 285 Squat Max
Career Stats » 81 receptions, 1185 yards, 11 touchdowns
Analysis » After really one season of production, Manning bolted for the draft and was a third round pick by the Buffalo Bills. Manning was an impact player during his junior season, the only year he started, and earned him that fourth star.
Grade » 4-star
WR Brian Harris [WR #3]: 6'1", 180lbs | Columbia, TN | 5-star | 4.46 40-yd dash, 295 Bench Press Max, 195 Squat Max
Career Stats » 15 receptions, 160 yards, touchdown at USF | 117 receptions, 1376 yards, 15 touchdowns at Tennessee
Analysis » After two uneventful seasons at USF, the five-star receiver moved closer to home where he's been one of their best players, averaging 59.8 yards per game. He's on his way to being a five-star player for the Vols but was a dud for the Bulls.
Grade » 2-star
CB Tyler Matthews [CB #1]: 5'11", 169lbs | Thomaston, GA | 5-star | 4.36 40-yd dash, 250 Bench Press Max, 280 Squat Max
Career Stats » 131 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 8 interceptions, 15 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles
Analysis » An instant impact player, Matthews slid into the rotation at nickel right away as a true freshman and eventually worked his way up to be one of USF's top players on defense before declaring early for the draft
Grade » 5-star
C Leroy Richards [C #2]: 6'2", 292lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 5.04 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 640 Squat Max
Career Stats » 21 pancakes, 2 sacks allowed
Analysis » A consistent player for the Bulls, Richards is a two-time All-Champions Division selection and was an All-American as a junior before the NFL came calling. In 29 starts for USF, he surrendered just two sacks as one of the nation's top centers.
Grade » 5-star
DE David Richardson [DE #5]: 6'3", 240lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | 4.64 40-yd dash, 430 Bench Press Max, 555 Squat Max
Career Stats » 63 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, touchdown
Analysis » Richardson's redshirt junior season is likely over due to a recent injury but he still managed to put up career numbers with ten sacks and fifteen tackles for loss and an impressive three forced fumbles on the year. He redshirted as a freshman and then was part of the rotation in his second season before emerging as a leader the past two seasons with fourteen sacks over the course of the last two years. A fifth-star evades him but he's been a pretty good player for the Bulls.
Grade » 4-star
C Brad Bonner [C #4]: 6'2", 290lbs | Bradenton, FL | 4-star | 5.18 40-yd dash, 435 Bench Press Max, 620 Squat Max
Career Stats » 7 pancakes, 2 sacks allowed
Analysis » Bonner is talented in his own right but was stuck behind Richards and others for the past three seasons before finally getting the start this season where he's been one of USF's best offensive lineman. Unfortunately, he's ran out of eligibility and will be graduating this spring.
Grade » 3-star
LB Brett Freeman [OLB #12]: 5'11", 207lbs | Vero Beach South, FL | 4-star | 4.66 40-yd dash, 375 Bench Press Max, 535 Squat Max
Career Stats » 107 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries.
Analysis » A tweener coming out of high school that was too slow to play safety and too small for linebacker, Freeman has been deployed as a sub package linebacker in Trai Martinez' defense where he's found some success. He's not the most dynamic of players but with eighteen tackles for loss in the past two seasons since he's started playing, the Bulls got a quality linebacker in Freeman.
Grade » 3-star
OL Dane Clay [T #22]: 6'3", 321lbs | Winter Haven, FL | 3-star | 4.84 40-yd dash, 430 Bench Press Max, 580 Squat Max
Career Stats » No career stats.
Analysis » They can't all be hits and Clay is certainly not one. The Bulls took a shot with Clay with his size and athleticism but it hasn't translated on the practice field with him barely cracking the two deep throughout the course of his career.
Grade » 1-star
S Brady Johnson [S #9]: 6'5", 208lbs | Boca Grande, FL | 3-star | 4.54 40-yd dash, 405 Bench Press Max, 285 Squat Max
Career Stats » No stats at USF | 71 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, sack, 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, fumble recovery, 2 blocks at Ole Miss
Analysis » After one season at USF, the physical specimen transferred to Ole Miss where he proves USF's evaluation to be correct, becoming an absolutely playmaker for the Rebels. He would have had a tough time cracking the starting lineup sandwiched between the duos of Wesley Adams/Mark Robinson and then the signings of Joey Bailey, Michael Robinson and Kyle Locher in the classes to follow him.
Grade » 1-star
OL Brandon Jones [G #47]: 6'5", 275lbs | Orlando, FL | 3-star | 4.84 40-yd dash, 465 Bench Press Max, 620 Squat Max
Career Stats » 9 pancakes, sack allowed.
Analysis » Similar to Clay, Jones was a project with his size and athleticism and after some seasoning, he's developed into a quality interior guy for the Bulls that could be a draft prospect by the end of next season.
Grade » 3-star
LB/S Adrian Bolden [S #33]: 6'3", 219lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | 4.46 40-yd dash, 315 Bench Press Max, 320 Squat Max
Career Stats » 17 tackles, 4 tackles for loss.
Analysis » Bolden made the move to linebacker after two seasons at safety and he's been a core special teams guy. He's starting to etch himself a role as a sub package linebacker this year with fourteen tackles and could see a bigger role next year with the departure of Freeman and Nicholas Holt who are the other sub package linebackers.
Grade » 2-star
TE Antoine Frank [FB #5]: 6'2", 236lbs | Bloomingdale, FL | 3-star | 4.66 40-yd dash, 305 Bench Press Max, 270 Squat Max
Career Stats » 63 receptions, 768 yards, 7 touchdowns.
Analysis » A team captain as a senior, Frank has emerged as a leader after impressing as a freshman in a backup role to Chris Wallace. Frank didn't play much in 2037 but then caught 29 passes last year and is averaging 28 yards per game this year with three touchdowns.
Grade » 3-star
FB Obadiah Denman [FB #28]: 6'1", 249lbs | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3-star | 4.62 40-yd dash, 365 Bench Press Max, 270 Squat Max
Career Stats » 7 carries, 12 yards, touchdown, 2 receptions, 16 yards, pancake
Analysis » No real use for a fullback in the Bulls offense and Denman has been okay as a lead blocker when asked upon.
Grade » 2-star
Superlative Awards Most Important Signing: Bennett was a bit of a layup as his father, Mark, played at the school and his personal trainer is former USF tight end Jean-Jacques Francois, son of USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. but landing the nation's top player is always a big deal.
Most Productive Signing: Bennett, Matthews and Richards all have strong cases but Matthews is the only one of the bunch that is a two-time All-American.
Biggest Bust of the Class: It wasn't due to talent as he shined with Tennessee but it's Harris who was ranked higher than Bennett and Manning in other rankings.
Most Untapped Potential: The right answer for this might again be Harris but just to mix it up, throw Brady Johnson in there as he could have been a dynamic player for the Bulls. As far players that didn't transfer out, it feels like Bonner's eligibility should have been better managed with a redshirt as a freshman and potentially trying him out at guard or another position instead of not starting him for four seasons.
Biggest Steal of the Class: Nothing jumps off the page but Frank turned into a decent college tight end.
Biggest Lost of the Class: The Bulls didn't suffer a loss on the trail this cycle, at least not publicly. They probably should have made a push for Brandon Walker, the four-star linebacker out of Miami that turned into a stud for Florida State with 31 tackles for loss, five sacks and three interceptions along with sixteen pass deflections in four seasons for the Seminoles.
Francois Sr. names Venckus official starter at QB for remainder of the season
Johnny Murray -- The Tampa Bay Times Sports Columnist
A little over a month removed from lending his vote of confidence to starting quarterback Jet Millines, USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. has officially announced that redshirt freshman Jacob Venckus will make his first career start against the University of Miami this Saturday on Senior Day and will be the team's starter for the remainder of the season.
"It's the right thing to do for this football team and the development of everyone involved," Francois Sr. told the media on Wednesday, "We still believe in Jet [Millines] and think he can be a real asset to this team going forward but right now, Jacob [Venckus] is the team's starting quarterback and he will be for the rest of the year."
In his two appearances, both times replacing a benched Millines, Venckus is averaging 301.5 yards per game and five touchdowns to just one interception, a costly pick six that ultimately led to the loss last week against Penn State. Venckus is completing nearly 78 percent of his passes and has proved to be a more reliable thrower than Millines although the lack of a running threat (0.7 yards per carry) and a few underthrows highlight why the team likely went with Millines coming out of camp in the first place.
While the Bulls still have an outside shot at making the playoffs, Venckus' play for the rest of the season will also help set the table for the fierce competition on the horizon in the spring. USF has two quarterback commitments, including top JUCO prospect Brandon Riley and the nation's top high school quarterback in Mark Cunningham.
Week 12 Preview: vs. #22 Miami Hurricanes
Head Coach: Ron English (128-98 at Miami, 18th year, 155-145)
Offensive Coordinator: Dana Holgorsen (Spread)
Defensive Coordinator: Rashad Smith (4-3)
Team Rankings
Points Per Game: 12th
Total Offense: 3rd
Rushing Offense: 24th
Passing Offense: 15th
Total Defense: 109th
Rushing Defense: 87th
Passing Defense: 110th
Turnover Differential: 54th
Team Schedule
at #23 USC: W 49-21
vs. #16 Kent State: L 35-30
vs. UAB: W 31-19
vs. Michigan: L 38-31
at Ole Miss: W 38-17
vs. Florida: W 35-28
vs. #9 Penn State: L 50-41
at #5 Florida State: L 70-42
vs. Tennessee: W 34-24
USF's losing streak continues with Senior Day loss to Hurricanes behind porous offense
Jacob Venckus first career and Maurice Bennett's last home game were ones to forget as the dynamic duo of the past two weeks combined for zero points in USF's 30-14 loss to the Miami Hurricanes, needing two late touchdowns to avoid a shutout at home for the first time in school history.
Venckus would be replaced by Jet Millines in the fourth quarter who managed to score a touchdown with 1:41 remaining for the team's first offensive touchdown, having gotten on the scoreboard thanks to a kickoff return for a touchdown by true freshman Kellen Wright. Venckus completed just 48 percent of his passes after entering the day with a 77 percent completion percentage in two games.
The win for the Hurricanes keeps them in the hunt for the Champions Division Final and a shot at an automatic bid for the College Football Playoffs as a top-four seed. It also puts the defending champions within striking distance of the promotional bowl and facing relegation.
Miami's defense suffocated the Bulls offense, holding them to 4.8 yards per pass attempt and 2.6 yards per rushing attempt. On offense, it was fireworks for the Canes offense that rushed for 261 yards on 6.5 yards per carry.
USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. called the loss embarassing and put it on the offense.
"We just couldn't block, couldn't catch, couldn't throw, couldn't coach, just bad overall. We stole some money today," Francois Sr. said after the game.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Scoring Summary
Quarter 1
[MIA] L. Jones, 18 Yd pass from T. Hughes (3:31)
Quarter 2
[MIA] S. Cabral, 43 Yd FG (7:29)
[MIA] J. Peterson, 13 Yd pass from T. Hughes (2:00)
[MIA] S. Cabral, 37 Yd FG (0:01)
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
[MIA] S. Cabral, 49 Yd FG (6:17)
[USF] K. Wright, returned kickoff 102 Yds -- 2pt (6:07)
[MIA] T. Hughes, 24 Yd run (3:15)
[USF] J. Millines, 2 Yd run -- 2pt failed (1:41)
---------------------------------------------------------------- #15 South Florida Bulls
QB Jacob Venckus: 16 of 33, 141 yards, sacked twice
QB Jet Millines: 3 of 8, 57 yards, 3 carries, 16 yards, touchdown
HB Kellen Wright: 5 carries, 38 yards
HB William Sapp: 5 carries, 5 yards
HB Eric Valentine: 3 carries, 1 yard
WR Alston Marks: 7 receptions, 60 yards
WR Maurice Bennett: 5 receptions, 69 yards
S Michael Robinson: 11 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
LB Brett Freeman: 8 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, sack
CB Julius Hughes: 3 tackles, interception
LB Alex McDaniel: 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks
#22 Miami Hurricanes
QB Trey Hughes: 11 of 17, 175 yards, 2 touchdowns, interception, sacked 3 times, 12 carries, 65 yards, touchdown
HB Brian Fernando: 26 carries, 182 yards
WR Landon Jones: 3 receptions, 67 yards, touchdown
WR Scott Hill: 2 receptions, 64 yards
S C.J. Graham: 8 tackles
LB Chris Grant: 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
