Strength in Unity.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

Venables to join USF staff following Diaz hire at Cincinnati
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

If you're a fan of a Big 12 team that's not based out of Tampa and were hoping that USF's run would come to a screeching halt, your prayers were not answered.

South Florida head coach Malcolm Francois was considered a candidate for several high profile jobs, the top being the opening in Gainesville. Francois not only didn't accept the job, he didn't accept the interview either. Francois' decision also forced Nebraska and Notre Dame to pull his name from their list of candidates with the Gators ultimately going with Fresno State's Dave Schramm while Nebraska and Notre Dame went with fellow Group of 5 head coaches in New Mexico State's Jeremy Walker and Louisiana Tech's Skip Holtz.

USF did lose out on defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who was hired by Cincinnati, taking over a 2-10 team from the conference from which USF left in the previous decade. He also interviewed at Boston College where another former USF defensive coordinator Marty English was recently fired.

The Bulls defense will likely lose plenty of talent to the draft but in terms of play calling and scheming, they shouldn't miss a beat. Clemson's defensive coordinator Brent Venables' contract expired and Francois did not hesitate to snatch him.

Venables played and coached at Kansas State under legendary head coach Bill Snyder who Francois also worked for as an assistant prior to joining USF. While the official numbers haven't been released, Venables is expected to be one of the highest paid assistants in all of college football.

Notable Head Coaching Changes
Boston College :: Bobby Wilder replaces Marty English (fired)
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Nebraska :: Jeremy Walker replaces Bo Pelini (fired)
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TCU :: Jimbo Fisher replaces Jim Fleming (fired)
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Notre Dame :: Skip Holtz replaces Brian Kelly (fired)
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Arizona State :: James Coley replaces Todd Graham (fired)
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Florida :: Dave Schramm replaces Will Muschamp (fired)
Kentucky :: Nick Mason replaces Mike Bobo (fired)

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

Davis and Bryant declare for draft, leaving USF young in the secondary; Holmes and Young surprisingly joins them
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

As expected, USF safeties Trey Davis and Chip Bryant announced that they will be foregoing their senior season and declaring for the draft.

Members of the same recruiting class, Davis and Bryant have started the last two seasons for the Bulls after being contributors as freshman. Both made All-Big 12 teams and All-American teams juniors, leaving a giant hole in the Bulls secondary.

The Bulls also took some hits up front with redshirt junior Albert Young declaring for the draft as did junior Mike Holmes. Holmes had a down year in 2020 but it wasn't enough to keep him back from declaring early.

2020 Players Leaving » Career Stats
#3 Trey Davis (S, Junior): Declared Early » 124 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 5 interceptions, defensive touchdown, 10 pass deflections, 22 carries, 130 yards, touchdown, 8 receptions, 100 yards, 2 touchdowns.
#4 Mike Holmes (WR, Junior): Declared Early » 111 receptions, 1676 yards, 11 touchdowns.
#5 Chip Bryant (WR, Junior): Declared Early » 172 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 5 interceptions, 12 pass deflections.
#42 Albert Young (OLB, RS Junior): Declared Early » 61 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, interception, touchdown, 1 pass deflection.
#8 Matt Hill (WR, RS Senior): Declared Early » 46 receptions, 623 yards, 4 touchdowns.
#1 Brian Reynolds (HB, RS Senior): Graduation » 300 carries, 1549 yards, 17 touchdowns.
#11 Mark Bennett (DE, RS Senior): Graduation » 101 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 12 sacks.
#79 Brian Brown (G, RS Senior): Graduation » 44 pancakes, 2 sacks allowed.
#2 Bradley Bentley (CB, Senior): Graduation » 123 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, sack, 11 interceptions, touchdown, 10 pass deflections.
#21 Michael Bush (CB, Senior): Graduation » 97 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 6 interceptions, 4 touchdowns, 11 pass deflections.
#41 Chris Allen (DT, Senior): Graduation » 18 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 1 pass deflection, 1 forced fumble.
#44 James Tucker (DE, Senior): Graduation » 5 tackles, tackle for loss, sack.
#23 Carl Rodriguez (S, Senior): Graduation » 15 tackles, tackle for loss, sack.
#50 Derek O'Neill (LB, Senior): Graduation » 38 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass deflections.
#76 Quinton Payne (T, RS Senior): Graduation » No stats.
#55 Rob Matthews (LB, RS Senior): Graduation » 2 tackles.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

Bama, Texas and Ohio Sate edge out Bulls for top class but USF gets their guy in five-star CB Garcia
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider

USF fans had to console themselves as they watched Sonny Underwood commit to Iowa and Ben Hawthorne went to Northwestern. The consolation prize just happened to be their starting right guard and right tackle in Derek Charles and Brian Smith.

Their consolation prize for losing the top ranked class? Five-star cornerback Jason Garcia out of South Augusta, Georgia to give them their third five star of the class and joining Texas as the only other school with three five-stars.'

Garcia gives USF three of the top eight ranked players in the country alongside William Stone and Andrew Vincent. Texas' lowest ranked five star is 15th but Texas' larger class helped them get a higher class ranking.

South Florida is celebrating however after they not only got their guy but finished a season undefeated in the recruiting trail. Not a single player that they zeroed in on ended up elsewhere, a far cry from last season's heartbreaking losses.

2021 USF Recruiting Class
HB/WR William Stone [ATH #1]: 6'0", 206lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | 4.32 40-yd dash, 350 Bench Press Max, 315 Squat Max
WR Andrew Vincent [WR #1]: 6'0", 178lbs | Bradenton, FL | 5-star | 4.36 40-yd dash, 270 Bench Press Max, 220 Squat Max
CB Jason Garcia [CB #1]: 6'1", 189lbs | South Augusta, GA | 5-star | 4.26 40-yd dash, 310 Bench Press Max, 265 Squat Max
DT Jeremy Daniels [DT #2]: 6'2", 287lbs | Flat Rock, MI | 4-star | 4.70 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 640 Squat Max
QB Mike McFarland [QB #1]: 6'4", 197lbs | El Toro, CA | 4-star | 4.68 40-yd dash, 255 Bench Press Max, 255 Squat Max
C Joel Dixon [C #3]: 6'1", 277lbs | Zachary, LA | 4-star | 4.98 40-yd dash, 375 Bench Press Max, 595 Squat Max
WR Ben Bright [WR #39]: 6'6", 223lbs | Portage Lakes, OH | 4-star | 4.44 40 yd-dash, 235 Bench Press Max, 230 Squat Max
DL Brad Jones [ATH #32]: 6'4", 299lbs | Bristow, OK | 4-star | 5.10 40-yd dash, 430 Bench Press Max, 555 Squat Max
DT Daniel Elliott [DT #17]: 6'2", 277lbs | Fayette, AL | 4-star | 4.98 40-yd dash, 450 Bench Press Max, 535 Squat Max
S Edgar Thompson [S #5]: 6'0", 202lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | 4.62 40-yd dash, 330 Bench Press Max, 390 Squat Max
DT Josh Brown [DT #52]: 6'5", 283lbs | Dunmore, PA | 3-star | 5.22 40-yd dash, 450 Bench Press Max, 560 Squat Max
DE Dale Bolen [DE #57]: 6'3", 248lbs | Wauwatosa, WI [IMG] | 3-star | 4.70 40-yd dash, 345 Bench Press Max, 545 Squat Max
CB Dan Ross [CB #44]: 6'0", 172lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | 4.48 40-yd dash, 205 Bench Press Max, 220 Squat Max
CB Ronnie Gay [CB #48]: 6'3", 176lbs | Round Rock, TX | 3-star | 4.36 40-yd dash, 250 Bench Press Max, 215 Squat Max
T Charles Joseph [T #47]: 6'7", 302lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | 5.00 40-yd dash, 380 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
T Jimmie Hurd [T #96]: 6'8", 295lbs | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3-star | 4.94 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 640 Squat Max

Top 25 Recruiting Classes
1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Ohio State
4. USF
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan
7. Minnesota
8. Oklahoma
9. Florida
10. Stanford
11. Tennessee
12. Northwestern
13. USC
14. Syracuse
15. Wisconsin
16. Georgia Tech
17. Iowa
18. Arizona
19. Arizona State
20. UCLA
21. Colorado
22. Michigan State
23. Penn State
24. Navy
25. Virginia Tech

Top 247 Five-Star Commitments
William Stone [ATH #1]: 6'0", 206lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | University of South Florida
Andrew Vincent [WR #1]: 6'0", 178lbs | Bradenton, FL | 5-star | University of South Florida
Ryan Simmons [HB #1: 5'10", 187lbs | Tecumseh, OK | 5-star | University of North Texas
Pierre Randle [ATH #2]: 5'11", 177lbs | Saginaw, TX | 5-star | University of Texas
Mikal Mills [ATH #3]: 6'3", 216lbs | Whitehall, PA | 5-star | Louisiana State University
John Carroll [TE #1]: 6'3, 257lbs | Ephrata, PA | 5-star | Rutgers University
Anthony Walker [HB #2]: 5'11", 211lbs | Warren, PA | 5-star | Toledo University
Ernest Dorsey [WR #2]: 6'3", 210lbs | West Point, MS | 5-star | University of Texas
Jason Garcia [CB #1]: 6'1", 189lbs | South Augusta, GA | 5-star | University of South Florida
Jovon Price [HB #3]: 5'11", 202lbs | Ashland, KY | 5-star | University of Kentucky
Kevin McCoy [WR #2]: 6'5", 218lbs | Ankeny, IA | 5-star | University of Wisconsin
Alphonso Bush [ATH #4]: 6'3", 230lbs | East Riverdale, MD | 5-star | Ohio State University
Jason Shaffer [WR #4]: 6'0", 181lbs | Ishpeming, MI | 5-star | Kent State University
Jason Cunningham [ATH #5]: 6'0", 189lbs | Bay Minette, AL | 5-star | University of Alabama
Roderick Ostrander [ATH #6]: 5'11", 172lbs | Kileen, TX | 5-star | University of Texas
Ricky Washington [ATH #7]: 6'3", 270lbs | Tracy, CA | 5-star | Brigham Young University
Larry Jackson [DE #1]: 6'6", 252lbs | Shaker Heights, OH | 5-star | University of Iowa
Brandon Carter [ATH #8]: 6'1", 202lbs | Whiteville, NC | 5-star | North Carolina State
Jeff Chavis [ATH #9]: 5'11", 191lbs | Los Angeles, CA | 5-star | University of Oklahoma
Lance Mitchell [WR #5]: 6'3", 213lbs | Lamesa, TX | 5-star | University of Florida
Jermaine Summers [WR #6]: 5'10", 185lbs | Houma, LA | 5-star | University of California
Lamar Branch [ATH #10]: 6'1", 192lbs | Albany, GA | 5-star | University of Alabama
Blake Kennedy [DT #1]: 6'2", 297lbs | Rowlett, TX | 5-star | University of Nebraska
Darnell McDaniel [FS #1]: 6'1", 212lbs | Kathleen, FL | 5-star | University of Notre Dame
Steven Carey [HB #5]: 6'2", 217lbs | Littleton, NH | 5-star | University of Southern California
Chris Silva [HB #6]: 6'0", 238lbs | Muskogee, OK | 5-star | University of Miami
Ed Marshall [HB #7]: 5'9", 176lbs | Dalton, GA | 5-star | University of Georgia

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: is the Heisman -- or perhaps even the NFL -- in Harrell's future?
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

When USF went to Michael Harrell in the early stages of the 2019 season, he was a limited quarterback. While Harrell's passing abilities are still being questioned, limitless would be the word used to described the Heisman finalist.

Harrell rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, leading the Bulls in rushing as well as his second Big 12 championship and second BCS bowl. Harrell is a proven winner at the college level and his effectiveness with his legs as earned him some Heisman favorite talk. Can he prove to the NFL now that he's not just a runner?

A look at USF’s quarterback situation:

Projected depth chart
#1 Michael Harrell, Jr. | 6'2", 214lbs | 91 ovr, 81 spd, 86 thp, 81 tha
#10 Jeremy Thomas, Rs Fr. | 6'1", 245lbs | 76 ovr, 68 spd, 83 thp, 85 tha
#16 Eugene Shaw, Rs Fr. | 6'2", 212lbs | 70 ovr, 57 spd, 84 thp, 77 tha
#15 James Pittman, Rs Fr. | 6'6", 220lbs | 67 ovr, 80 spd, 78 thp, 72 tha
#13 Mike McFarland, Fr. | 6'4", 197lbs | 66 ovr, 71 spd, 86 thp, 71 tha
#18 Eric Whitworth, Rs So. | 6'5", 206lbs | 62 ovr, 53 spd, 74 thp, 72 tha

Expected starter: Harrell is unquestioned starter and now leader of this team, receiving the coveted #1 jersey.

Major storyline: Who is QB2? Thomas' probably has the best arm talent of the bunch, Pittman is an athlete with interesting physical tools while McFarland comes in with a lot of hype and expectations.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: Welcome to the Troy Henry Show, try to tackle at your own risk
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

A heralded five-star recruit, Henry entered last season as either USF's third or fourth running back behind Brian Reynolds, James Thomas and for some, Greg Johnston. After battling for that third spot with Johnston in the first few games of the season, it was clear that Henry might indeed by USF's best running back, rushing for over 1,000 yards and finishing second on the team in carries and first in receptions.

Reynolds is gone and Johnston seems to have found a niche as a returner, leaving Henry to split carries with another five-star in Thomas who should put up crazy numbers.

Projected depth chart
#6 Troy Henry, So. | 5'10", 195lbs | 79 ovr, 94 spd, 95 acc, 74 btk, 71 car
#25 James Thomas, Jr. | 5'10", 199lbs | 88 ovr, 89 spd, 88 acc, 91 btk, 85 car
#32 Greg Johnston, Rs Jr. | 6'0", 204lbs | 78 ovr, 95 spd, 91 acc, 73 btk, 70 car
#29 Scott Kimbrough, Rs Jr. | 6'0", 205lbs | 81 ovr, 88 spd, 92 acc, 77 btk, 99 car
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FB #40 Terrance Holland, So. | 6'1", 250lbs | 77 ovr, 81 spd, 85 acc, 78 car, 72 rbk

Expected starter: Thomas and Henry should handle the bulk of the carries.

Major storyline: USF has a chance to have three 1,000-yard rushers on this team. Harrell and Henry did so last season while Thomas rushed for 785 yards on a whopping 6.4 yards per carry. With Reynolds' 100+ carries now being distributed back towards Thomas and Henry, three 1,000-yard rushers seems almost a given.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: Stone and Vincent trying to live up to the lofty expectations of White-Sapp 2.0
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

The last time true freshman receivers turned as many heads as this current bunch was when Zac White and Franklin Sapp enrolled at the University of South Florida. This time around, it's two five stars in Andrew Vincent and William Stone. The other difference? A third freshman in six-foot-six Benji Bright who brings a different element to the Bulls offense than we've seen in a while.

The receivers room also got some new blood in former safety Brandon Burns making the switch to receiver following an uneventful freshman campaign.

A look at USF’s receiver situation:

Projected depth chart
#4 William Stone, Fr. | 6'0", 206lbs | 80 ovr, 95 spd, 91 acc, 70 cth
#3 Andrew Vincent, Fr. | 6'0", 178lbs | 79 ovr, 93 spd, 92 acc, 78 cth
#12 Marco Mason, Sr. | 6'2", 211lbs | 85 ovr, 94 spd, 88 acc, 84 cth OR
#8 Benjamin Bright, Fr. | 6'6", 223lbs | 70 ovr, 89 spd, 79 acc, 73 cth
#81 James Ellison, Jr. | 5'11", 189lbs | 71 ovr, 95 spd, 85 acc, 65 cth
#84 Joel Green, Rs Jr. | 6'1", 199lbs | 81 ovr, 90 spd, 89 acc, 85 cth
#28 Brandon Burns, So. | 6'1", 199lbs | 76 ovr, 76 spd, 96 acc, 70 cth
#85 John Dixon, So. | 6'3", 213lbs | 72 ovr, 95 spd, 78 acc, 65 cth
#80 Chad Hale, Jr. | 6'2", 190lbs | 72 ovr, 90 spd, 87 acc, 73 cth

Expected starter: Stone and Vincent are expected to get plenty of run with Mason and Bright rotating as the outside receivers.

Major storyline: Bright made a lot of noise at practice due to his ability to win jump balls at six-foot-six. With a ton of shifty guys all around six-foot, Bright does stand out in the WR corps and that could get him on the field quicker than expected.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: Bass and Wayne provide the ideal one-two punch at tight end
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

Erik Bass had a few moments last season that made people realize why the staff was so high on the former high school running back. He rushed for five touchdowns and averaged 12.9 yards per reception, including an incredible third down reception in the bowl game where he evaded a tackler and converted on a third-and-12.

Joe Wayne was effective as well, even with just seven catches. He was ruthless as a run blocker, tallying up 13 pancake blocks and paving the way for the nation's top rushing attack.

A look at USF’s tight end situation:

Projected depth chart
#26 Erik Bass, So. | 6'0, 246lbs | 74 ovr, 89 spd, 86 acc, 73 cth, 67 rbk OR
#83 Joe Wayne, Sr. | 6'4", 256lbs | 84 ovr, 77 spd, 78 acc, 70 cth, 76 rbk
#86 Jonathan Lamb, Jr. | 6'6", 236lbs | 80 ovr, 76 spd, 75 acc, 71 cth, 78 rbk
#88 Brian Knox, Jr. | 6'4", 252lbs | 79 ovr, 77 spd, 75 acc, 73 cth, 76 rbk
#87 Martin Rushing, RS Fr. | 6'7", 260lbs | 70 ovr, 76 spd, 83 acc, 72 cth, 74 rbk

Expected starter: Bass and Wayne will continue to rotate at tight end depending on down and distance and packages with Lamb will also continue to contribute as an extra blocking tight end.

Major storyline: Bass got more involved last season as the year went on and with everyone expecting the passing game to take a step forward this year as well, Bass' impact could be felt even more.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: Bulls return four starters on the offensive line but can they replace Brian Brown's edge?
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

Coming into last season, USF had to replace three starters on the offensive line and one of the two returning starters, Victor Tucker, was making the switch from guard to left tackle. It worked well last season with the two true freshman on the right side in Brian Smith and Derek Charles having a great season both in pass protection and run blocking. Smith didn't allow a single sack and Charles allowed just two.

Now, the Bulls lose only one starter in Brian Brown but he was their leader and set the tone with his aggressive style of finishing defenders.

A look at USF’s offensive line situation:

Projected depth chart
LT - #69 Victor Tucker, Sr. :: #75 Frank Lucas, Rs So. :: #73 Charles Joseph, Fr.
LG - #72 Nic Haynes, Rs Sr. :: #79 Brad Jones, Fr.
C - #65 Jamie Babcock, Rs Jr. :: #61 Brian McBride, Jr. :: #60 Joel Dixon, Fr.
RG - #77 Brian Smith, So. :: #64 Maurice Williams, Rs Jr.
RT - #78 Derek Charles, So. :: #66 Jimmie Hurd, Fr.

Expected starters:
#69 Victor Tucker, Sr. | 6'4", 323lbs | 87 ovr, 85 str, 91 pbk, 91 rbk
#72 Nic Haynes, Rs Sr. | 6'5", 318lbs | 79 ovr, 85 str, 92 pbk, 82 rbk
#65 Jamie Babcock, Rs Jr. | 6'4", 339lbs | 90 ovr, 81 str, 90 pbk, 90 rbk
#77 Brian Smith, So. | 6'4", 316lbs | 83 ovr, 90 str, 83 pbk, 90 rbk
#78 Derek Charles, So. | 6'6", 302lbs | 77 ovr, 87 str, 78 pbk, 87 rbk

Major storyline: The past two seasons have been very offensive line friendly with not a lot of deep drop backs and instead staying ahead on the chains and utilizing a quick passing game. Haynes is the only new addition to the starting five and has zero career starts but is good enough to not be a problem.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: Sanders chasing history in what could be his final season
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

For his first two seasons, USF defensive end Chuck Sanders had had quite the running mate. As a freshman, it was the uber-athletic Fred Hooper and as a sophomore, it was a proven commodity in Mark Bennett who made the flawless switch from outside linebacker to defensive end. Now just eight sacks away from being the record holder at USF, Sanders now needs to be that guy.

USF lost two starters in Bennett and Chris Allen and now will need to replace them with some unproven talent.

A look at USF’s defensive line situation:

Projected depth chart
DE - #9 Chuck Sanders, Jr. :: #98 John Mansfield, Rs So.
DT - #14 E.J. Newsome, Sr. :: #96 Ben Woodard, Rs. Sr :: #94 Justin Barry, Rs Jr.
DT - #99 Jeremy Daniels, Fr. :: #93 Daniel Elliott, Fr. :: #92 Josh Brown, Fr.
DE - #97 Mark Hawkins, Rs Jr. :: #90 Ben Jennings, Rs Jr. :: #95 Dale Bolen, Fr.

Expected starters:
#9 Chuck Sanders, Jr. | 6'3", 255lbs | 85 ovr, 77 spd, 76 acc, 84 str, 92 fmv, 80 bsh
#14 E.J. Newsome, Sr. | 6'3", 271lbs | 89 ovr, 70 spd, 84 acc, 85 str, 83 pmv, 86 fmv, 81 bsh
#99 Jeremy Daniels, Fr. | 6'2", 287lbs | 76 ovr, 68 spd, 75 acc, 81 str, 83 pmv, 82 fmv, 77 bsh
#55 Mark Hawkins, Rs Jr. | 6'2", 258lbs | 82 ovr, 76 spd, 94 acc, 78 str, 84 fmv, 86 bsh

Major storyline: Newsome was able to hold his own as a freshman, will Daniels be able to?

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: Stewart to anchor an inexperienced bunch at linebacker
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

With a future Lombardi Award winner to his left and a Bednarik, Nagurski and Butkus award winner to his right, Scott Stewart got spoiled as a true freshman. As a sophomore, they were inexperienced but he still had redshirt senior Derek O'Neill and redshirt junior Albert Young that hadn't played a whole lot but had been part of the program for years.

Stewart will have similar running mates as a junior, coming off his award winner sophomore season with O'Neill graduating and Young heading to the draft.

A look at USF’s linebacker situation:

Projected depth chart
MIKE - #54 Scott Stewart, Jr. :: #52 Montrell Jennings, Rs Fr. :: #56 Derrick Farris, Rs So.
WILL - #5 John Jacobs, Rs JS. :: #11 Stephen Hill, Rs So. :: #59 Ryan Fletcher, Rs So. :: #51 Nate Clark, Rs So. :: #57 Matt Stewart, Rs Jr.

Expected starters:
#54 Scott Stewart, Jr. | 6'3", 246lbs | 89 ovr, 81 spd, 91 acc, 86 tkl, 90 bsh, 91 hit power
#11 Stephen Hill, Rs. So | 6'2", 256lbs | 79 ovr, 86 spd, 89 acc, 77 tkl, 81 bsh, 89 hit power OR
#5 John Jacobs, Rs Sr. | 6'1", 253lbs | 81 ovr, 84 spd, 91 acc, 76 tkl, 84 bsh, 87 hit power

Major storyline: New DC Brent Venables leverages mainly just two linebacker in his primarily nickel defense. Pencil in Stewart as an every down linebacker while Hill and Jacobs will rotate.

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Bulls football preview: Fanfare aplenty in the secondary, can it turn into production?
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

Depending on who you asked -- or rather which games you focus on -- Marcus Hines either had an amazing 2020 season or a down year. His counting stats were down from his freshman season (17 tackles compared to 47 in 2019 and no interceptions compared to two as a freshman) and he allowed several touchdowns that were memorable, including the eventual game winner against Texas.

Nevertheless, Hines remains one of the top corner in the country and is now the unquestioned leader of a secondary that lost all of it's starters except for Hines.

A look at USF’s defensive back situation:

Projected depth chart
CB - #2 Marcus Hines, Jr. :: #23 Ronnie Gay, Fr.
CB - #24 Ben Lewis, Jr. :: #27 Dan Ross, Fr.
NICKEL - #21 Jason Garcia, Fr. :: #19 Michael Walker, Sr.
S - #17 Sam Peterson, So. :: #35 Chris Wade, Rs Fr.
S - #7 Edgar Thompson, Fr. :: #20 Pierre Hodge, Rs Fr.

Expected starters:
CB #2 Marcus Hines, Jr. | 6'2", 175lbs | 90 ovr, 98 spd, 92 acc, 95 mcv, 93 zcv, 95 press
CB #24 Ben Lewis, Jr. | 6'0", 185lbs | 84 ovr, 93 spd, 92 acc, 87 mcv, 89 zcv, 91 press
NB #21 Jason Garcia, Fr. | 6'1", 189lbs | 80 ovr, 98 spd, 94 acc, 85 mcv, 85 zcv, 85 press
S #17 Sam Peterson, So. | 6'1", 181lbs | 80 ovr, 95 spd, 92 acc, 78 zcv, 77 tkl, 73 hit power
S #7 Edgar Thompson, Fr. | 6'0", 202lbs | 79 ovr, 88 spd, 88 acc, 75 zcv, 88 tkl, 82 hit power

Major storyline: Lewis has played some in his two season as a dime corner but now moves up to that #2 CB role and at nickel, it's a true freshman in five-star corner Jason Garcia. At safety, it's a true freshman and a first year starter in Peterson who saw some spot duty last season. Last season, the secondary is elite. Expect a drop-off this season with so many new faces

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

2021 USF Football Preview
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

Ten Best USF Players
1. QB Michael Harrell, Junior [FL]
2. LB Scott Stewart, Junior [FL]
3. CB Marcus Hines, Junior [FL]
4. DT E.J. Newsome, Senior [AL]
5. DE Chuck Sanders, Junior [IL]
6. HB Troy Henry, Sophomore [AL]
7. HB James Thomas, Junior [FL]
8. C Jamie Babcock, RS Junior [FL]
9. T Victor Tucker, Senior [FL]
10. G Brian Smith, Sophomore [FL]

Specialists
#39 K Ricky Turner, Junior :: 86 overall, 87 kick power, 85 kick accuracy
#43 P Allen Carrington, Junior :: 79 overall, 78 kick power, 83 kick accuracy

Schedule
OPEN
vs. #19 Florida :: A Overall, A+ Offense, B+ Defense
at #18 UCLA :: B Overall, B Offense, B+ Defense
at BYU :: B- Overall, C+ Offense, B- Defense
at Notre Dame :: A+ Overall, A+ Offense, A+ Defense
OPEN
vs. Iowa State :: C+ Overall, C+ Offense, B- Defense
at Kansas State :: B Overall, B+ Offense, B Defense
at Texas Tech :: B Overall, B Offense, B Defense
at Baylor :: B Overall, B Offense, B Defense
vs. TCU :: B Overall, B+ Offense, B- Defense
at #23 West Virginia :: B Overall, B Offense, B+ Defense
vs. #6 Texas :: A Overall, A Offense, A Defense
vs. Central Florida :: B- Overall, B- Offense, B- Defense

Preseason All-American
DE Chuck Sanders, Junior (first team)
ILB Scott Stewart, Junior (first team)
HB Troy Henry, Sophomore (second team)

Preseason All-Big 12
HB Troy Henry, Sophomore (first team)
DE Chuck Sanders, Junior (first team)
DT E.J. Newsome, Senior (first team)
ILB Scott Stewart, Junior (first team)
CB Ben Lewis, Junior (first team)
KR Greg Johnston, Rs Junior (first team)
TE Erik Bass, Sophomore (second team)
C Jamie Babcock, Rs Junior (second team)
K Ricky Turner, Junior (second team)

Big 12 Conference Outlook
1. Texas
2. USF
3. Oklahoma
4. West Vrginia
5. Kansas State
6. Texas Tech
7. Oklahoma State
8. Baylor
9. Kansas
10. TCU
11. Iowa State
12. UCF

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

Mitchell commits to the Bulls as USF, Francois get ready to reload once more
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider

Landing five stars at the University of South Florida is becoming the norm now.

Five-star all purpose running back Gerald Mitchell out of Newington, Virginia committed to the South Florida Bulls this weekend. Mitchell had offers from Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska and others.

A powerful runner with a NFL body already, Mitchell is slated to join a backfield next season that could have a few carries to go around if James Thomas does indeed go pro. USF hopes to pair Mitchell perhaps with another running back, maybe Georgia four-star athlete Joel Bass.

The most important position for this class, however, will be linebacker. The Bulls have just one freshman at the position and will need to load up, especially if Scott Stewart decides to forego his senior season.

Another interesting nugget in this recruiting class is a safety out of Steinbrenner High School in Tampa, Florida. The name -- Malcolm Francois Jr. -- might be familiar to Bulls fans as he is USF head coach Malcolm Francois' eldest son. Francois Jr. rose up in the rankings as a junior thanks to his work on special teams, becoming a three-star safety with interest from Maryland, Louisville, UCF and NC State. As expected, Francois Jr.'s recruitment has remained pretty private but according to those within the program, USF has offered him.

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

2022 USF Recruiting Board
WR Andy Austin [WR #1]: 5'11", 183lbs | Tarrant, AL | 5-star | Alabama, Auburn, USF, Tennessee, Georgia
OLB John Reed [OLB #2]: 6'3", 215lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | Florida State, Miami, South Carolina, Ole Miss, USF
S Ray Thompson [S #1]: 6'1", 187lbs | Calabasas, CA | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Arizona, UCLA, Oregon
HB/WR/DB Joel Bass [ATH #11]: 6'3", 220lbs | Marietta, GA | 4-star | USF, Wisconsin, Michigan, Alabama, Clemson
TE Jacob Dickson [TE #2]: 6'4", 244lbs | Roselle, NJ | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State
LB Alex Miller [ILB #9]: 6'2", 248LBS | Tampa, FL | 4-star | Marshall, New Mexico State, BYU, USF
T Tanner Patton [T #13]: 6'7", 264lbs | Brandon, FL | 3-star | USF, South Carolina, Louisville, Miami
OLB Skyler Wilson [OLB #25]: 6'3", 205bs | Miami, FL | 3-star| Miami, USF, UCF, FIU, FAU
CB Ray Hill [CB 20]: 6'0", 180lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, USF
OLB Matt Collins [OLB #41]: 6'5", 233lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | UCF, USF, Miami, FAU
DE Kelvin Davis [DE #75]: 6'5", 255lbs | Coral Springs, FL | 3-star | UAB, Miami, USF, FAU
S Malcolm Francois Jr. [S #55]: 5'11", 174lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | USF, Maryland, Louisville, UCF, NC State
ILB Calvin Franz [ILB #60]: 6'1", 226lbs | Pompano Beach, FL | 3-star | Pittsburgh, UAB, Iowa State, Auburn, USF
CB Cody Johnson [CB #59]: 5'11", 187lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | FIU, USF, FAU, East Carolina, Memphis

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

Week 1 Top Stories
1. Alabama notches their first SEC win of 2021 against South Carolina.
2. Hurricanes would not be denied in season opener, win 24-17 over Tennessee.
3. Morris and Missouri begin the year with a 45-42 OT win over Oregon.

Week 2 Notable Games
#18 Florida (0-0, 0-0) at #7 South Florida (0-0, 0-0)
#24 Tennessee (0-1, 0-0) at #20 Ole Miss (1-0, 0-0)
South Carolina (0-1, 0-1) at #14 Georgia (1-0, 1-0)

NCAA Players of the Week
Tony James (QB, Alabama) :: W vs. South Carolina :: 24 of 36, 365 yards, 16 carries, 100 yards, 5 total touchdowns.
Terrance Martin (CB, Tulsa) :: W vs. Connecticut :: 7 tackles, tackle for loss, 2 interceptions.

Big 12 Players of the Week
None

Top 247 Five-Star Commitments
Andy Austin [WR #1]: 5'11", 183lbs | Tarrant, AL | 5-star | University of Alabama
Gerald Mitchell [HB #3]: 6'0", 200lbs | Newington, VA | 5-star | University of South Florida
Adam Thornton [ATH #13]: 5'11", 216lbs | Hammond, LA | 5-tar | University of Michigan

[Thugger Jackson]

Re: Strength in Unity.

Bulls lose first recruit in calendar year as Austin commits to Alabama
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider

South Florida aimed and fired plenty of times last season on the recruiting trail, to the tune of a top four recruiting class. This year, Bulls fans got a quick reality check.

USF target and five-star WR Andy Austin, the number one ranked player in the country, committed to the University of Alabama. The five-foot-eleven receiver was also being recruited by Auburn.

While the lost isn't ideal, it does come at a position that USF doesn't necessarily need at the moment. They signed the top two receivers in the nation last season along with another freshman in Benji Bright.

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

2022 USF Recruiting Board
OLB John Reed [OLB #2]: 6'3", 215lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | Florida State, Miami, South Carolina, Ole Miss, USF
S Ray Thompson [S #1]: 6'1", 187lbs | Calabasas, CA | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Arizona, UCLA, Oregon
HB/WR/DB Joel Bass [ATH #11]: 6'3", 220lbs | Marietta, GA | 4-star | USF, Wisconsin, Michigan, Alabama, Clemson
TE Jacob Dickson [TE #2]: 6'4", 244lbs | Roselle, NJ | 4-star | USF, Stanford, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State
LB Alex Miller [ILB #9]: 6'2", 248LBS | Tampa, FL | 4-star | Marshall, New Mexico State, BYU, USF
T Tanner Patton [T #13]: 6'7", 264lbs | Brandon, FL | 3-star | USF, South Carolina, Louisville, Miami
OLB Skyler Wilson [OLB #25]: 6'3", 205bs | Miami, FL | 3-star| Miami, USF, UCF, FIU, FAU
CB Ray Hill [CB 20]: 6'0", 180lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, USF
OLB Matt Collins [OLB #41]: 6'5", 233lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | UCF, USF, Miami, FAU
DE Kelvin Davis [DE #75]: 6'5", 255lbs | Coral Springs, FL | 3-star | UAB, Miami, USF, FAU
S Malcolm Francois Jr. [S #55]: 5'11", 174lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | USF, Maryland, Louisville, UCF, NC State
ILB Calvin Franz [ILB #60]: 6'1", 226lbs | Pompano Beach, FL | 3-star | Pittsburgh, UAB, Iowa State, Auburn, USF
CB Cody Johnson [CB #59]: 5'11", 187lbs | Miami, FL | 3-star | FIU, USF, FAU, East Carolina, Memphis
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WR Andy Austin [WR #1]: 5'11", 183lbs | Tarrant, AL | 5-star | Committed to Alabama