Bulls land tackling machine in Jesuit's Kevin Harris, four-star local linebacker prospect
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider
USF has landed their fourth commitment of the 2044 recruiting class in linebacker Kevin Harris, the undersized tackling machine out of Tampa Jesuit.
Harris, listed at five-foot-eleven and just 180 pounds, led the Tigers in tackles as a sophomore and a junior, recording 108 and 110 tackles respectively. Harris is well on pace to do so again with already 35 tackles on the season, along with seven tackles for loss.
How he'll fit in USF's base 3-4 scheme is a bit of a mystery but the Bulls will likely be able to use him in their sub packages in a similar way that they use Julian Harrell, a former safety whose significantly longer and bigger than Harris.
This is a bit of a gamble by USF's staff as they are banking on Harris' athleticism and instincts to overcome his physical limitations. USF has signed linebackers under six-feet such as Montrell Jennings and Marcus Rhoden but they were all well over 200 pounds, mostly in the 230-240 range as squatty, inside backers. The closest comparison is probably 2032 signee Nick Robinson who was six-foot-one and 206 pounds and has a really good career at USF with 141 tackles and 41 tackles for loss.
2044 USF Recruiting Class
QB Kevin Meadows [QB #1]: 6'4", 244lbs | Hollywood, FL | 4-star | 4.44 40-yd dash, 305 Bench Press Max, 345 Squat Max
TE Matt Jordan [TE #8]: 6'6", 265lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.68 40-yd dash, 405 Bench Press Max, 265 Squat Max
OLB Kevin Harris [OLB #10]: 5'11", 180lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | 4.50 40-yd dash, 370 Bench Press Max, 595 Squat Max
DB Sean Hart [ATH #39]: 6'0", 185lbs | Northbrook, IL | 4-star | 4.38 40-yd dash, 235 Bench Press Max, 250 Squat Max
2044 USF Recruiting Board
WR Donald Jones [ATH #1]: 6'0", 206lbs | Jacksonville, FL | 5-star | USF, Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Florida
HB Brian Clay [ATH #12]: 5'11", 178lbs | Alvin, TX | 4-star | USF, Alabama, Ohio State, Stanford
G Mike Miller [G #2]: 6'4", 290lbs | Olney, MD [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Ohio State
T Tim Hill [T #7]: 6'5", 291lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | USF, Florida, Florida State, Miami, UCF
G Tim Williams [G #7]: 6'3", 290lbs | Robinson, PA [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Army, Ohio State, Minnesota, Stanford
CB Ernest Bright [CB #5]: 6'2", 185lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Army, Minnesota, Virginia Tech
OLB Paul Mason [OLB #3]: 6'5", 211lbs | Laurel, MS | 4-star | USF, Alabama, Stanford, Ohio State, Georgia Tech
DT Dan James [DT #8]: 6'5", 280lbs | Monte Vista, CO | 4-star | USF, Minnesota, Purdue, Florida, Wisconsin
S Courtney Jones [S #7]: 6'3", 183lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | USF, Florida, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Florida State
ILB Justin Smith [ILB #7]: 6'2", 225lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Rutgers, Purdue
DB Michael Williams [ATH #20]: 6'0", 194lbs | Jonesboro, LA | 4-star | USF, LSU, Oklahoma, Stanford, Army
WR Will Madison [WR #22]: 6'3", 185lbs | Stillwater, OK | 4-star | USF, USC, Navy, Michigan State
WR Mark Collier [ATH #31]: 6'0", 216lbs | Clute, TX | 4-star | USF, Miami University, Toledo, Notre Dame, LSU
DE Alex Kelley [DE #20]: 6'3", 247lbs | Pecos, TX | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Alabama, Army, LSU
OLB Ryan Jones [OLB #19]: 6'5", 239lbs | Fairfax, VA | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Purdue, Rutgers
WR Theo Smith [WR #43]: 6'0", 171lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Akron, Navy, Kansas, Rutgers
Week 5 Preview: vs. #4 Virginia Tech Hokies
Record: 3-1, 2-1 Champions Division
Head Coach: Chris Tyson (79-29 at Virginia Tech, 9th year, 91-30)
Offensive Coordinator: James Parker (Pistol)
Defensive Coordinator: Doug Harrell (3-4 D)
Team Leaders
Passing: Vincent Pleasant (950 yards, 8 TD, INT, 213.4 rating)
Rushing: Brandon Fox (305 yards, 5.9 ypc, 5 TD)
Receiving: Cory Thorne (19 receptions, 301 yards, 4 TD)
Defense: Dallas Hagen (17 tackles, 9 TFL, 3.5 sacks)
Team Rankings
Points Per Game: 25th
Total Offense: 16th
Rushing Offense: 44th
Passing Offense: 26th
Total Defense: 25th
Rushing Defense: 33rd
Passing Defense: 31st
Turnover Differential: 41st
Team Schedule
at #23 LSU: W 35-3
vs. #1 Alabama: W 35-18
vs. #6 Stanford: L 34-24
vs. Fordham: W 42-7
Injuries
USF OLB Oliver Colvin, Freshman (questionable)
Recruits in Attendance
WR Donald Jones [ATH #1]: 6'0", 206lbs | Jacksonville, FL | 5-star
G Mike Miller [G #2]: 6'4", 290lbs | Olney, MD [IMG] | 4-star
OLB Paul Mason [OLB #3]: 6'5", 211lbs | Laurel, MS | 4-star
S Courtney Jones [S #7]: 6'3", 183lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star
OLB Ryan Jones [OLB #19]: 6'5", 239lbs | Fairfax, VA | 4-star
T Tim Hill [T #7]: 6'5", 291lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star
CB Ernest Bright [CB #5]: 6'2", 185lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star
WR Will Madison [WR #22]: 6'3", 185lbs | Stillwater, OK | 4-star
Rashad Woodard's injury, three USF fumbles in the second half help Hokies lead comeback over Bulls
Entering the halftime break, everything was clicking for USF as Rashad Woodard had already rushed for over 100-yards, thrown for a touchdown and was showing everyone why there was some dark horse Heisman buzz ever since he was named USF's starting quarterback.
On an option play that went nowhere, everything went wrong for USF. Woodard would leave the game with an elbow injury, Virginia Tech's defense would strip USF of the ball three times in the second half and the Hokies running game would erupt for 371 yards on the ground for the 45-38 win on Saturday in Tampa.
At the time of the injury, USF was leading 31-10 with 5:28 remaining in the third quarter and a chance to extend their lead after Virginia Tech's first drive of the second half resulted in a punt. After a punt of their own, USF would surrender a 42-yard touchdown run by Tye Johnson to make it a two possession game. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Chris Price -- who replaced Woodard at quarterback -- would be stripped on a sack and the fumble would be returned for a touchdown to make it a one score game that quickly.
Price and USF's offense would initially fight back, connecting on a 84-yard completion to Scott Price on the next drive to extend their lead back to fourteen. It was all Virginia Tech after, aided by turnovers from USF's offense.
The first came from Justin Thomas who fumbled the ball on a possession where USF had a chance, following a defensive stop, to extend their lead back to 21. Instead, it would set up Mike Gray's 26 yard touchdown catch to cut into the lead. The next turnover came from a play where Scott Price picked up the first down on third down but would fumble the ball, allowing Virginia Tech to tie the game with 3:39 remaining on a touchdown run by Brandon Fox.
USF's next drive would end with a dud as well with Chris Price missing a wide open Andre Morgan on 3rd and 2 with 2:45 remaining to give the ball back to Virginia Tech. It only took 34 seconds for Fox to find the end zone once more, this time on a 7-yard run after setting up his own touchdown with a 46-yard run. Fox finished with 252 yards on 35 carries with the two fourth quarter touchdowns.
USF defensive coordinator Trai Martinez called USF's rushing defense 'embarassing' after the game.
The Bulls last chance ended with a whimper as Scott Price would drop a would be first down on third down and when Justin Price went back to his top receiver on the next play with the game on the line, he would be intercepted to seal the win for the Hokies.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Scoring Summary
Quarter 1
[USF] A. Morgan, 7 Yd run (1:13)
[VT] M. Gray, 6 Yd pass from V. Pleasant (0:11)
Quarter 2
[USF] R. Woodard, 11 Yd run (6:57)
[USF] S. Price, 8 Yd pass from R. Woodard (4:34)
[USF] R. Woodard, 49 Yd run (2:43)
[USF] J. Love, 28 Yd FG (0:38)
[VT] P. Lee, 26 Yd FG (0:00)
Quarter 3
[VT] T. Johnson, 42 Yd run (1:43)
[VT] T. Ginn, returned fumble 13 Yds (1:37)
[USF] S. Price, 84 Yd pass from S. Price (0:57)
Quarter 4
[VT] M. Gray, 26 Yd pass from V. Pleasant (6:49)
[VT] B. Fox, 9 Yd run (3:39)
[VT] B. Fox, 7 Yd run (2:11)
---------------------------------------------------------------- #3 South Florida Bulls
QB Rashad Woodard: 13 of 17, 169 yards, touchdown, 12 carries, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns (left game with injury)
QB Chris Price: 2 of 6, 102 yards, touchdown, interception, sacked twice, fumble (lost)
HB Cameron Stokes: 7 carries, 42 yards
HB Dave Parker: 5 carries, 16 yards
HB Justin Thomas: 4 carries, 22 yards, fumble (lost)
WR Scott Price: 5 receptions, 146 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 drops, fumble (lost)
WR Eddie Shaw: 2 receptions, 63 yards
S Anthony Gunn: 11 tackles, 3 tackles for loss
LB Julian Harrell: 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks
DT Brandon Smith: 7 tackles, tackle for loss, sack
CB Travis Jones: 3 tackles, interception
#4 Virginia Tech Hokies
QB Vincent Pleasant: 11 of 17, 137 yards, 2 touchdowns, interception, sacked 4 times, 16 carries, 33 yards
HB Brandon Fox: 35 carries, 252 yards, 2 touchdowns, 5 receptions, 48 yards
HB Tye Johnson: 6 carries, 69 yards, touchdown
WR Kyle McClellan: 2 receptions, 40 yards
WR Mike Gray: 2 receptions, 32 yards, 2 touchdowns
S Joey Williams: 7 tackles
LB Kenny Nelson: 5 tackles, forced fumble
OLB Robert Tate: 4 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, forced fumble
CB Johnny Meyers: 4 tackles, forced fumble
S Clifford Williams: 3 tackles, tackle for loss, interception
Mike Miller and Tim Hill commit to USF as Bulls impressive offensive line recruiting continues
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider
After signing an impressive class last season along the trenches, USF is off to a great start in 2044 with four-stars Tim Hill and Mike Miller committing to USF, becoming the seventh blue-chip offensive line prospects to commit to USF in the last two cycles.
The Bulls were able to land their commitments while on visits and also beat out some in-state rivals while doing so as Florida and UCF were heavily involved in Hill's recruitment while Miller had some national powerhouses in Ohio State and Michigan looking to land his commitment.
Miller, the 2nd ranked offensive guard in the class, is exactly what coaching staffs want in a guard prospect as he's got good enough feet to play tackle while also being strong and sturdy enough to play on the inside. There's not a lot of weakness in Miller's game and he's been well tested, having played the past three seasons at IMG Academy and started as a junior and senior on their national team.
Hill is a bit more of a project as he continues to fill into his frame, having played last season at around 260 pounds. Hill weighed in at 291 pounds this summer at a camp although it remains to be seen if he can consistently keep the weight on throughout a season. Outside of the weight, Hill will also need to work on his run fitting and finishing blocks as he often relies on overpowering opposing players and when that doesn't happen, he has a tendency to get sloppy with his technique. While not a day-one starter, Hill projects to be a potential left tackle down the line if he can put it altogether.
2044 USF Recruiting Class
QB Kevin Meadows [QB #1]: 6'4", 244lbs | Hollywood, FL | 4-star | 4.44 40-yd dash, 305 Bench Press Max, 345 Squat Max
G Mike Miller [G #2]: 6'4", 290lbs | Olney, MD [IMG] | 4-star | 4.76 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 670 Squat Max
TE Matt Jordan [TE #8]: 6'6", 265lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.68 40-yd dash, 405 Bench Press Max, 265 Squat Max
OLB Kevin Harris [OLB #10]: 5'11", 180lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | 4.50 40-yd dash, 370 Bench Press Max, 595 Squat Max
T Tim Hill [T #7]: 6'5", 291lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.90 40-yd dash, 435 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
DB Sean Hart [ATH #39]: 6'0", 185lbs | Northbrook, IL | 4-star | 4.38 40-yd dash, 235 Bench Press Max, 250 Squat Max
2044 USF Recruiting Board
WR Donald Jones [ATH #1]: 6'0", 206lbs | Jacksonville, FL | 5-star | USF, Florida, LSU, Northwestern
HB Brian Clay [ATH #12]: 5'11", 178lbs | Alvin, TX | 4-star | USF, Stanford
G Tim Williams [G #7]: 6'3", 290lbs | Robinson, PA [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Minnesota, Army
CB Ernest Bright [CB #5]: 6'2", 185lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Minnesota
OLB Paul Mason [OLB #3]: 6'5", 211lbs | Laurel, MS | 4-star | USF, Alabama
DT Dan James [DT #8]: 6'5", 280lbs | Monte Vista, CO | 4-star | USF, Minnesota
S Courtney Jones [S #7]: 6'3", 183lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | USF, Florida, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Florida State
ILB Justin Smith [ILB #7]: 6'2", 225lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Rutgers, Purdue
DB Michael Williams [ATH #20]: 6'0", 194lbs | Jonesboro, LA | 4-star | USF, LSU, Oklahoma, Stanford, Army
WR Will Madison [WR #22]: 6'3", 185lbs | Stillwater, OK | 4-star | USF, USC, Navy, Michigan State
WR Mark Collier [ATH #31]: 6'0", 216lbs | Clute, TX | 4-star | USF, Miami University, Toledo, Notre Dame, LSU
DE Alex Kelley [DE #20]: 6'3", 247lbs | Pecos, TX | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Alabama, Army, LSU
OLB Ryan Jones [OLB #19]: 6'5", 239lbs | Fairfax, VA | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Purdue, Rutgers
WR Theo Smith [WR #43]: 6'0", 171lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Akron, Navy, Kansas, Rutgers
Last edited by Soapy on 31 Aug 2023, 17:55, edited 1 time in total.
Week 5 Top Stories
1. Stanford notches a conference win against LSU behind the arm of Jones.
2. Fox's play leads Virginia Tech to a 45-38 win over USF.
3. Iowa beats rival Iowa but lose starting QB David Peterson for rest of season.
4. SMU is sitting pretty after conference opener against TCU.
5. Kansas State squeaks by USC in Rising Division play.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 5 Champions Division Results
VT 45 - USF 38 | STAN 55 - LSU 24 | MIN 30 - MICH 14
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 6 Champions Division Schedule
#17 Minnesota (2-3, 1-3) at LSU (1-3, 1-3)
#3 Georgia Tech (4-0, 1-0) at #1 Alabama (4-1, 3-1)
#6 Ohio State (3-1, 1-1) at #5 Stanford (3-1, 3-1)
#2 Virginia Tech (4-1, 3-1) at Michigan (1-2, 0-2)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 6 Notable Games
#23 Missouri (3-1, 1-0) at #19 Michigan State (3-1, 3-1)
Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1) at #15 Miami (3-0, 2-0)
#13 Fresno State (4-0, 1-0) at UNLV (4-0, 1-0)
Washington State (3-1, 0-1) at #8 San Diego State (4-0, 1-0)
Kansas (3-0, 1-0) at #11 Penn State (4-0, 1-0)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Players of the Week
HB Mark Richards (Florida State): W 52-21 vs. Notre Dame - 5 receptions, 104 yards, 3 touchdowns, 13 carries, 172 yards
CB Scott Anderson (Navy): W 49-21 at Maryland - 5 tackles, 3 interceptions
-------
QB Andrew Jones (Stanford): W 55-24 vs. LSU - 21 of 28, 394 yards, 25 carries, 106 yards, 6 total touchdowns
LB Robert Tate (Virginia Tech): W 45-38 at USF - 4 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, forced fumble
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Top 247 Five-Star Commitments
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notable Florida Recruiting Commitments
#42 Kevin Meadows [QB #1]: 6'4", 244lbs | Hollywood, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#81 Blake Wright [ATH #24]: 5'10", 205lbs | Oakland Park, FL | 4-star | University of Miami
#98 Chris Wesley [WR #16]: 6'2", 175lbs | Fort Myers, FL | 4-star | Virginia Tech University
#131 Matt Jordan [TE #8]: 6'6", 265lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#148 Kevin Harris [OLB #10]: 5'11", 180lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#193 Tim Hill [T #7]: 6'5", 291lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
