Strength in Unity.

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 14:01

Captain Canada wrote: ↑
13 Oct 2020, 13:03
Finally made it

yessir. been along for the ride since day one.

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 14:02

New Years Six Bowl Matchups
Rose Bowl :: Nebraska defeated Oregon, 41-24.
Fiesta Bowl :: Virginia Tech defeated Oklahoma, 48-14.
Sugar Bowl :: Alabama defeated Marshall, 42-10
Orange Bowl :: Syracuse defeated Texas A&M, 45-42
Cotton Bowl :: Florida defeated Texas, 38-31
National Championship :: South Florida defeated Southern Methodist, 49-7

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 14:29

Run of the Bulls ‣ USF Football News
Andrew Lake -- 247 Sports Staff Writer

‣ Francois was considered top candidate for Georgia, Miami job

USF fans can breathe again after Malcolm Francois was spotted in Athens and Coral Gables the past weekend but is now back in Tampa and expected to be on the recruiting trail soon for the next cycle.

Francois reportedly interviewed and was offered openings at both Georgia and Miami, strongly considering the Miami job before ultimately turning them down. Francois' son enrolled at USF just two weeks ago and might have had a part in keeping the coach home.

While Francois Jr. is certainly going to try to make his impact on the field and on his own, his greatest presence thus far has been keeping his father on the staff for likely the next four seasons.

‣ Venables takes head coaching job at Louisville, could Strong replace him?

Brent Venables coached arguably the best defense of this century in his lone season at South Florida, parlaying it into a head coaching job at Louisville.

Venables was always viewed as a rental, especially after leaving Clemson in hopes of creating an identity for himself outside of Death Valley. He did just that with a ferocious defense that swept the defensive awards and nine of the eleven starters were named all-conference.

Replacing him might be the guy that Louisville fired, defensive coordinator Charlie Strong. Strong has Florida ties on the recruiting trail and would be another big name to the Bulls coaching staff.

‣ Harrell and Francois to meet ahead of deadline

USF quarterback Michael Harrell's passing numbers increased across the board in each of his seasons as USF's starting quarterback. Now a national champion, he'll need to decide if combing back to school will indeed aid his draft stock.

The deadline for draft eligible players to declare for the NFL draft is just four days away and according to reports, Harrell has yet to decide on what he will do. Harrell is among several USF juniors that could declare along with cornerbacks Marcus Hines and Ben Lewis, defensive end Chuck Sanders, linebacker Scott Stewart and on offense, center Jamie Babcock and running back James Thomas.

Harrell and the rest of the juniors are expected to meet with USF head coach Malcolm Francois this week to discuss their options.

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 14:55

MacIntyre hired to keep the ball rolling with Bulls defense following Venables hire
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

Whoever was hired to replace defensive coordinator Brent Venables following his hiring at Louisville was going to have their hands full. Mike MacIntyre, welcome to the pressure cooker.

MacIntyre, who was fired by Colorado following a 2-10 season, was hired to replace Venables in what was the nation's top defense last season. MacIntyre is known for running a 3-4 defense, and coaches don't typically change the style of defense they run. Even though South Florida ran a 4-3 last season under Venable, they will likely be going back to the 3-4 under MacIntyre.

The Bulls last ran a 3-4 defense several seasons ago under Marty English.

Notable Head Coaching Changes
Duke :: Josh McCray replaces Scott Frost (fired)
Louisville :: Brent Venables replaces Charlie Strong (fired)
Miami :: Ron English replaces Neal Neathery (fired)
North Carolina :: Antoine Smith replaces Todd Grantham (fired)
-----
Maryland :: Don Treadwell replaces John Papuchis (fired)
Northwestern :: Jarrod Parks replaces Pat Fitzgerald (fired)
-----
Colorado :: Travis Washington replaces Mike MacIntyre (fired)
-----
Arkansas :: Gus Malzahn replaces Paul Haynes (fired)
Georgia :: Bryan Harsin replaces Mark Richt (fired)
Kentucky :: Matt Campbell replaces Nick Mason (left for new job)
LSU :: Jay Johnson replaces Randy Edsall (fired)
South Carolina :: Nick Mason replaces Doug Nussmeier (fired)

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 15:11

Harrell declares for draft along with six other underclassmen
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

To the victor, don't go the spoils.

Just a few weeks removed from their BCS National Championship, USF is without it's defensive coordinator and now seven players, including quarterback Michael Harrell.

Harrell declared for the NFL Draft, as did running back James Thomas, center Jamie Babcock and on defense, the Bulls also lost corners Marcus Hines and Ben Lewis as well as defensive end Chuck Sanders and linebacker Scott Stewart.

USF will now need to replace it's starting quarterback, the entire left side of it's offensive line, it's center for the past two seasons, it's lead back from last season and it's top two corners, it's top pass rusher and the top tackler for the past three seasons.

Should be an interesting year next season.

2021 Players Leaving » Career Stats
#1 Michael Harrell (QB, Junior): Declared Early » 560 of 743, 6138 yards, 56 touchdowns, 29 interceptions, 415 carries, 2857 yards, 26 touchdowns.
#2 Marcus Hines (CB, Junior): Declared Early » 86 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions.
#54 Scott Stewart (LB, Junior): Declared Early » 262 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, 18 sacks, 2 interceptions, 10 pass deflections.
#9 Chuck Sanders (DE, Junior): Declared Early » 101 tackles, 63 tackles for loss, 43 sacks, 3 pass deflections.
#25 James Thomas (HB, Junior): Declared Early » 402 carries, 2284 yards, 20 touchdowns.
#65 Jamie Babcock (C, RS Junior): Declared Early » 33 pancakes, 2 sacks given up.
#24 Ben Lewis (CB, Junior): Declared Early » 81 tackles, 2 sacks, 11 interceptions, 8 pass deflections, 1 touchdown, forced fumble.
#69 Victor Tucker (T, Senior): Pro Draft » 51 pancakes, 10 sacks given up.
#14 E.J. Newsome (DT, Senior): Graduation » 60 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 17 sacks.
#12 Marco Mason (WR, Senior): Graduation » 112 receptions, 1393 yards, 9 touchdowns.
#83 Joe Wayne (T, Senior): Graduation » 17 receptions, 116 yards, 2 touchdowns.
#19 Michael Walker (CB, Senior): Graduation » 18 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions.
#96 Ben Woodard (DT, RS Senior): Graduation » 12 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 4 sacks.
#5 John Jacobs (OLB, RS Senior): Graduation » 27 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks.
#72 Nic Haynes (G, RS Senior): Graduation » 23 pancakes, 1 sack given up.
#90 Ben Jennings (DT, RS Senior): Graduation » 12 tackles, 4 tackles for loss.

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 15:26

Bulls add three transfer to the roster following mass exodus as National Signing Day approaches
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider

South Florida was in need of some depth and potential day-one starters following the early departure of seven players. Re-enforcements are on the way.

USF got three transfers to commit to the Bulls over the last week, including Florida defensive tackle Mark Robinson and Georgia Tech guard Bernard Livingston. Miami of Ohio guard Clay Smith, a Tampa native, also committed to the Bulls.

The transfer additions also helps fill up a recruiting class that was already filled to the brim. A name to watch for on National Signing Day? Three-star corner Cedric Whaley out of Clifton, Arizona.

2022 USF Recruiting Class
HB Gerald Mitchell [HB #3]: 6'0", 200lbs | Newington, VA | 5-star | 4.44 40-yd dash, 345 Bench Press Max, 350 Squat Max
HB/WR/DB Joel Bass [ATH #11]: 6'3", 220lbs | Marietta, GA | 5-star | 4.42 40-yd dash, 350 Bench Press Max, 290 Squat Max
TE Jacob Dickson [TE #2]: 6'4", 244lbs | Roselle, NJ | 4-star | 4.72 40-yd dash, 405 Bench Press Max, 300 Squat Max
S Ray Thompson [S #1]: 6'1", 187lbs | Calabasas, CA | 4-star | 4.46 40-yd dash, 285 Bench Press Max, 385 Squat Max
OLB John Reed [OLB #2]: 6'3", 215lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.62 40-yd dash, 430 Bench Press Max, 655 Squat Max
DE Travis Scott [DE #12]: 6'2", 260lbs | Boca Raton, FL | 4-star | 4.74 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 585 Squat Max
LB Alex Miller [ILB #9]: 6'2", 248lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | 4.58 40-yd dash, 400 Bench Press Max, 570 Squat Max
T Tanner Patton [T #13]: 6'7", 264lbs | Brandon, FL | 3-star | 4.66 40-yd dash, 455 Bench Press Max, 605 Squat Max
CB Ray Hill [CB 20]: 6'0", 180lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | 4.44 40-yd dash, 255 Bench Press Max, 230 Squat Max
OLB Skyler Wilson [OLB #25]: 6'3", 205bs | Miami, FL | 3-star| 4.72 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 535 Squat Max
OLB Matt Collins [OLB #41]: 6'5", 233lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | 4.62 40-yd dash, 420 Bench Press Max, 595 Squat Max
DE Kelvin Davis [DE #75]: 6'5", 255lbs | Coral Springs, FL | 3-star | 4.66 40-yd dash, 400 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
CB Cody Johnson [CB #59]: 5'11", 187lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | 4.46 40-yd dash, 270 Bench Press Max, 225 Squat Max
ILB Calvin Franz [ILB #60]: 6'1", 226lbs | Pompano Beach, FL | 3-star | 4.52 40-yd dash, 400 Bench Press Max, 605 Squat Max
S Malcolm Francois Jr. [S #55]: 5'11", 174lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | 4.40 40-yd dash, 305 Bench Press Max, 195 Squat Max
------
DT Mark Robinson [University of Florida]: 6'6", 252lbs | Palm Bay, FL | 79 Overall, 81 Strength, 69 Speed, 74 Block Shedding
LG Bernard Livingston [Georgia Tech]: 6'5", 288lbs | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 77 Overall, 86 Strength, 79 Pass Block, 84 Run Block
LG Clay Smith [Miami of Ohio]: 6'3", 284lbs | Temple Terrace, FL | 68 Overall, 79 Strength, 71 Pass Block, 80 Run Block

2022 USF Recruiting Board
CB Cedric Whaley [CB #118]: 6'0", 194lbs | Clifton, AZ | USF, USC, Michigan, Auburn, Ohio State
----------
WR Andy Austin [WR #1]: 5'11", 183lbs | Tarrant, AL | 5-star | Committed to Alabama

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 15:41

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 16:23

Run of the Bulls ‣ USF Football News
Andrew Lake -- 247 Sports Staff Writer

‣ McFarland falling behind in QB competition

When California quarterback Mike McFarland committed to the Bulls as a four-star prospect, it seemed a given that once incumbent starter Michael Harrell was off to the NFL, he would be the replacement.

Not so fast, my friend.

In public portions of practice thus far, McFarland is the third quarterback to get under center for USF behind James Pittman and Jeremy Thomas. Thomas is the player with the most experience with 37 career passing attempts while Pittman has arguably had the most success with a passing touchdown and 7.8 yards per carry as a runner, rushing for 62 yards.

McFarland's issue seems to be that Thomas is the better passer of the three and Pittman is the better runner of the three while McFarland is just in the middle. Redshirt sophomore Eugene Shaw and Eric Whitworth round out the QB room in fourth and fifth place.

‣ Defense still adjusting to three-man front while the safety room continues to show promise

USF will be switching from the 4-3 scheme that Manny Diaz and Brent Venables have ran for the past few seasons into the 3-4 defense that Mike MacIntyre will be implementing.

It doesn't help that USF lost two starters on the defensive line and will now need to reshape that front seven. Defensive end Mark Hawkins is not making the switch to outside linebacker and will instead stay on the defensive line, moving inside as a five-technique while inside linebacker Stephen Hill will play more on the edge as a stand-up pass rusher, something he very rarely did last season.

While the front seven of the defense will be very much different, the back four remains a strong hold, led by the safeties. In 2020, it was safety Sam Peterson coming onto the scene as a true freshman while in 2021, Edgar Thompson won the Thorpe as a true freshman. The latest addition is Ray Thompson, no relation to Edgar, and he's been turning heads with many inside the program thinking he's just as good as his predecessors.

Given USF's lack of depth at corner, all three safeties could be on the field at the same time in the team's nickel looks.

‣ Bass finds opening at receiver, could potentially start as a true freshman

Benji Bright was able to get on the field last season due to his size at six-foot-six. Five-star prospect Joel Bass isn't as tall at six-foot-three but does bring size with his 220 pound frame and his ability as a runner.

Bass played running back in high school but has found a spot at receiver since enrolling in January. He's splitting reps with Bright as the primary outside receiver, something that could continue as fall camp looms.

The addition of Bass to the WR room saw redshirt sophomore Johnny Dixon make the move to running back. In two seasons, Dixon has just one catch for the Bulls and with his speed, he might be able to get on the field faster next season as a backup running back than at receiver.

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Oct 2020, 19:04

Run of the Bulls ‣ USF Football News
Andrew Lake -- 247 Sports Staff Writer

‣ WR Green and QB Whitworth 'leave the program' heading into fall camp

In an off-season of roster casualties, these are ones that USF Bulls fan can live with.

QB Eric Whitworth and WR Joel Green have left the program. Whitworth, a redshirt junior, briefly served as a backup in 2020 before being relegated to the bottom of the depth chart while Green has just seven career catches.

It cannot be ignored that the moves come at the beginning of fall camp, typically when the initial pecking orders are set as far as a preliminary depth chart. Green was expected to be a backup receiver while Whitworth likely was going to be the fourth or fifth QB on the roster.

‣ RB Henry 'prepared' to be the lead back

USF and head coach Malcolm Francois is playing it coy when it comes to who will be their starting quarterback. Whichever way it goes, however, one thing is certain. We're going to see a lot of Troy Henry.

USF's leading rusher from a year ago, Henry has never led the Bulls in carries in his first two seasons yet has rushed for over 1,000 yards. Don't expect the former to be the case this season, even with return ace Greg Johnston and five-star running back Gerald Mitchell in the backfield.

"I'm prepared to carry the ball 300 times," said Henry, who is now over 200 pounds, "Will I need to? Who knows but if the team needs me to carry the rock 20, 30, 40 times in a game, I have to be ready and I'll be. We've got plenty of guys that are good in this [running back] room but at the end of the day, I've been blessed to rock that #1 jersey and that comes with expectations."

‣ Bulls add Ohio State to schedule following Rutgers drop out; add Iowa to 2023 schedule

After initially being scheduled to host Rutgers this year as one of their four non-conference games, USF fans can now look forward to one of the bigger games of their season.

Rutgers had to pull out of their scheduled matchup due to a scheduling conflict and with the Bulls scrambling to find a formidable opponent, Ohio State volunteered to replace one of their FCS opponent with the Bulls.

USF now opens their season at Florida, at home against Louisville before going back on the road against Oklahoma and Ohio State. All of this with a brand new starting quarterback and losing more than half of it's starters on defense and a new defensive coordinator in a new defensive scheme.

While the game against the Buckeyes has only been scheduled as a one-off, talks have already begun to schedule a future home-and-home as well. USF has openings in 2026 and 2028.

The Bulls also announced a home game against Iowa for 2023.

Post by **Captain Canada** » 14 Oct 2020, 11:45

Damn, that is a lot of lost firepower. Going to be interesting how the season pans out.

Login • Register