(QB Byrum Brown – Tampa Bay Times)
Key Players Returning:
QB Byrum Brown, RB Nay’Quan Wright, WR Jaden Alexis, WR/PR Sean Atkins, WR Michael Brown-Stephens, WR Naiem Simmons, OC Mike Lofton, OG Cole Skinner, OG Zane Herring, OT Derek Bowman, DE Rashad Cheney, LB DJ Harris, LB Mac Harris, LB Jhalyn Shuler, CB Aamaris Brown, CB Tavin Ward, SS Logan Berryhill, PK John Cannon, and PT Andrew Stokes.
Key Players Departing:
WR Khafre Brown (Arkansas transfer), OT Donovan Jennings, DE Tramel Logan (Louisville transfer), DE Jonathan Ross, CB Braxton Clark, NB Daquan Evans, and KR Matthew Hill.
(TE Jonathan Echols – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: TE Jonathan Echols (Bradenton, Florida).
3 Star Recruits: DS Fred Gaskin III (Ocala, Florida), WR Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen (Purdue transfer), LB Rodney Hill (Daytona Beach, Florida), DE Dinellson Exume (Miami, Florida), RB Ta’ron Keith (Western Kentucky transfer), WR Brandon Winton (Alcoa, Tennessee), LB Zavier Hamilton (Ft. Walton Beach, Florida), CB Camren Campbell (Tampa, Florida), and CB Deylen Platt (Venice, Florida).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Western Kentucky L 24-41
G02 FLORIDA A&M W 38-24
G03 #10 ALABAMA L 3-17
G04 RICE W 42-39
G05 @ Navy W 44-30
G06 @ UAB L 35-56
G07 FAU L 14-56
G08 @ UCONN W 24-21
G09 @ Memphis L 50-59
G10 TEMPLE W 27-23
G11 @ UTSA L 21-49
G12 CHARLOTTE W 48-14
BOWL vs. Syracuse W 45-0
Misc. Team Information:
2023 Record: 7-6 (5th in AAC)
Home: 4-2
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 1-0
AAC: 4-4
Non-AAC: 3-2
Head Coach: Alex Golesh
South Florida: 7-6
Career: 7-6
Bowls: 1-0
(WR Sean Atkins – USF Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Byrum Brown (276-427, 3292 yards, 64.6%, 7.7 avg., 26 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Byrum Brown (203 car., 809 yards, 4.0 avg., 11 TD)
Receiving: Sean Atkins (92 rec., 1054 yards, 11.5 avg., 7 TD)
TDs Scored: Byrum Brown (11)
Sacks: Jhalyn Shuler/Jaelen Stokes/Jason Vaughn (2)
Tackles: Jhalyn Shuler (97)
Interceptions: Logan Berryhill (3)
Pass Deflections: Tavin Ward (8)
Tackles For Loss: DJ Gordon IV (9)
Forced Fumbles: 6 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Jaden Alexis (4 ret., 64 yards, 16.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Sean Atkins (18 ret., 70 yards, 3.9 avg., 0 TD)
Kickers: John Cannon (11-16 fg/fga., 69%, 52-52 xp/xpa., 85 pts.)
Punters: Andrew Stokes (56 ret., 2292 yards, 40.9 avg., 24in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 17 Byrum Brown (RS SO)
RB: 5 Nay’Quan Wright (GR/TR)
WR: 7 Michael Brown-Stephens (GR/TR)
WR: 2 Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen (GR/TR)
WR: 38 Sean Atkins (GR)
TE: 18 Weston Wolff (RS JR/TR)
LT: 70 RJ Perry (RS SR/TR)
LG: 56 Cole Skinner (SO)
OC: 65 Mike Lofton (RS SR/TR)
RG: 51 Zane Herring (RS SR/TR)
RT: 62 Derek Bowman (RS SR/TR)
KR: 8 Kelley Joiner (GR)
PK: 39 John Cannon (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 14 Michael Williams II (RS SO)
NT: 0 Doug Blue-Eli (RS JR/TR)
DE: 90 Rashad Cheney Jr. (GR/TR)
LB: 4 Jason Vaughn (GR)
LB: 24 Mac Harris (RS SR)
LB: 7 Jhalyn Shuler (GR/TR)
NB: 13 KaJuan Banks (JR/TR)
CB: 9 Aamaris Brown (SR/TR)
CB: 1 Ben Knox (GR)
FS: 37 Logan Berryhill (GR)
SS: 21 Jaelen Stokes (RS JR)
PR: 38 Sean Atkins (GR)
PT: 36 Andrew Stokes (SR)
(CB Tavin Ward – USF Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: D
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Alabama Crimson Tide | USF trails the series 0-2. The Bulls lost (3-17) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (17-40) the inaugural meeting in 2003.
09/14 @ Southern Miss Golden Eagles | USF trails the series 1-3. The Bulls lost (20-27) the last meeting between schools in 2004.
09/21 MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES | USF trails the series 1-5. The Bulls lost (21-49) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
09/28 @ Tulane Green Wave | USF trails the series 1-3. The Bulls lost (31-45) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/11 MEMPHIS TIGERS | USF trails the series 4-8. The Bulls are 1-5 since 2014, and their last series win (49-42) was in 2016.
10/19 UAB BLAZERS | USF trails the series 1-2. The Bulls lost (35-56) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series win (45-20) was at the prior meeting in 2004.
11/01 @ FAU Owls | USF leads the series 3-2. Last season’s 14-56 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2013.
11/09 NAVY MIDSHIPMEN | The series is tied 2-2. The Bulls The Bulls won (44-30) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series loss (3-35) was in 2019.
11/16 @ Charlotte 49ers | Last season’s 48-14 win was the first meeting between schools.
11/23 TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE | The series is tied 3-3. The Bulls lost (42-48) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/30 @ Rice Owls | Last season’s 42-29 win was the first meeting between schools.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 2-6
Non-AAC: 1-3
Overall: 3-9 (12th in AAC)
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