(Photo Credit: USF Athletics)
Key Players Returning:
QB Bryce Archie, QB Byrum Brown, WR Joshua Porter, OC Cole Best, OG Zane Herring, OT Derek Bowman, DE Bernard Gooden, LB DJ Harris, LB Mac Harris, LB Jhalyn Shuler, LB Rico Watson III, CB Brent Austin, CB Ben Knox, CB De’Shawn Rucker, NB Kajuan Banks, and FS Tavin Ward.
Key Players Departing:
RB/KR Kelley Joiner, RB Nay’Quan Wright, WR/PR Sean Atkins, WR Michael Brown-Stephens, WR Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, OG Andrew Kilfoyl, OT RJ Perry, DE Decarius Hawthorne, LB DJ Gordon IV, LB Jamie Pettway, LB Jason Vaughn, CB Aamaris Brown, SS Tawfiq Byard, KR Taron Keith, PK John Cannon, and PT Andrew Stokes.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: CB Gavin Jenkins (Lake Butler, Florida), WR Christian Neptune (Cantonment, Florida), RB Tray Kinkle (Holly Springs, Mississippi), RB Gerrick Gordon Jr. (Tampa, Florida), EDGE Brooks Williams Jr. (Port St. Lucie, Florida), QB Locklan Hewlett (St. Augustine, Florida), EDGE Christian Smith (Kennesaw, Georgia), DE Richard Scott III (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) LB DeAngelo Bowden (Washington, DC), and WR Chas Nimrod (Tennessee transfer).
2024 Results:
G01 BETHUNE-COOKMAN W 48-3
G02 @ #4 Alabama L 16-42
G03 @ Southern Miss W 49-24
G04 #8 MIAMI (FL) L 15-50
G05 @ Tulane L 10-45
G06 MEMPHIS L 3-21
G07 UAB W 35-25
G08 @ FAU W 44-21
G09 NAVY L 7-28
G10 @ Charlotte W 59-24
G11 TULSA W 63-30
G12 @ Rice L 28-35
BOWL vs. San Jose State W/5OT 41-39
Misc. Team Information:
2024 Record: 7-6 (6th in AAC)
Home: 3-3
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-0
AAC: 4-4
Non-AAC: 3-2
Head Coach: Alex Golesh
South Florida: 14-12
Bowls: 2-0
Career: 14-12
(Phot Credit: USF Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Bryce Archie (172-290, 1679 yards, 59.3%, 6.6 avg., 9 TD, 9 INT)
Rushing: Byrum Brown (68 car., 269 yards, 4.0 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Keshaun Singleton (26 rec., 408 yards, 15.7 avg., 3 TD)
TDs Scored: Byrum Brown (4)
Sacks: Mac Harris (4)
Tackles: Mac Harris (82)
Interceptions: Tavin Ward (3)
Pass Deflections: Brent Austin (10)
Tackles For Loss: Mac Harris (12)
Forced Fumbles: M. Harris/B.Knox/J. Lee (2)
Kick Returns: JeyQuan Smith (1 ret., 18 yards, 18.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kickers: Nico Gramatica (3-5 fg/fga., 60%, 1-1 xp/xpa., 10 pts.)
Punters: Pierse Stainton (2 ret., 88 yards, 44.0 avg., 1 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 17 Byrum Brown (RS JR)
RB: 5 Cartevious Norton (SR/TR)
WR: 00 Mudia Reuben (RS JR/TR)
WR: 81 Keshaun Singleton (RS SO)
WR: 2 Chas Nimrod (RS JR/TR)
TE: 18 Weston Wolff (RS SR/TR)
LT: 57 Thomas Shrader (RS SR/TR)
LG: 78 Jack Wilty (GR/TR)
OC: 72 Cole Best (RS SR)
RG: 51 Zane Herring (GR/TR)
RT: 62 Derek Bowman (GR/TR)
KR: 19 JeyQuan Smith (RS SO)
PK: 25 Nico Gramatica (SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 8 Josh Celiscar (GR/TR)
NT: 91 Dre Butler (GR/TR)
DE: 3 Bernard Gooden (RS SR/TR)
LB: 34 Rico Watson III (GR/TR)
LB: 24 Mac Harris (GR)
LB: 7 Jhalyn Shuler (GR/TR)
NB: 13 Kajuan Banks (SR/TR)
CB: 22 De’Shawn Rucker (RS SR/TR)
CB: 5 Brent Austin (SR/TR)
FS: 2 Tavin Ward (RS JR)
SS: 19 Boogsie Silvera (RS SR/TR)
PR: 19 JeyQuan Smith (RS SO)
PT: 37 Chase Leon (SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/28 BOISE STATE BRONCOS | First meeting.
09/06 @ Florida Gators | First meeting.
09/13 @ Miami (FL) Hurricanes | USF trails the series 1-6. The Bulls lost (15-50) last season’s meeting, and they lost (21-49) the prior meeting in 2013.
09/20 SC STATE BULLDOGS | USF won (55-16) the only prior meeting in 2019.
10/03 CHARLOTTE 49ERS | USF leads the series 2-0. The Bulls won (59-24) last season’s meeting and they won (48-14) the inaugural meeting in 2023.
10/10 @ North Texas Mean Green | USF leads the series 2-0. The Bulls won (24-17) the last meeting in 2002, and they won (28-10) the inaugural meeting in 2001.
10/18 FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS | USF leads the series 4-2. The Bulls won (44-21) last season’s meeting, and they lost (14-56) the prior meeting in 2023.
10/25 @ Memphis Tigers | USF trails the series 4-9. The Bulls are 1-5 since 2015, and their last series win (49-42) was in 2016.
11/06 UTSA ROADRUNNERS | USF lost (21-49) the only prior meeting in 2023.
11/15 @ Navy Midshipmen | USF trails the series 2-3. The Bulls are 2-3 since 2015, and their last series win (44-30) was in 2023.
11/22 @ UAB Blazers | The series is tied 2-2. The Bulls won (35-25) last season’s meeting, and they lost (35-56) the prior meeting in 2023.
11/29 RICE OWLS | The series is tied 1-1. The Bulls lost (2-35) last season’s meeting, and they won (42-29) the inaugural meeting in 2023.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 5-3
Non-AAC: 1-3
Overall: 6-6 (4th in AAC – Bowl Eligible)
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