When South Florida travels to South Bend, Indiana to kick off the 2011 season it will be the first time the Bulls and Irish have faced each other in football. It will be a return trip to Notre Dame for USF head man Skip Holtz, who is the son of former Notre Dame great Lou Holtz. It will also be a return trip for USF quarterback coach Peter Vaas, who coached the same position at Notre Dame under Charlie Weis. The Bulls are an athletic football team that matched Notre Dame's 2010 record at 8-5. Like the Irish, the Bulls entered the offseason on a high note after beating an ACC opponent in a bowl game.
2011 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
HEAD COACH: Skip Holtz (8-5 in one year at USF; 80-55 career record)
ASSISTANT COACHES: Todd Fitch (Offensive Coordinator), Mark Snyder (Defensive Coordinator), Vernon Hargreaves (Special Teams Coordinator, DE's), Peter Vaas (Quarterbacks), Phil McGeoghan (Wide Receivers), Larry Scott (Tight Ends), Steve Shankweiler (Offensive Line), Kevin Patrick (Defensive Tackles), Rick Smith (Defensive Backs)
2010 RESULTS
STONY BROOK W 59-14
at Florida L 14-38
WESTERN KENTUCKY W 24-12
FLORIDA ATLANTIC W 31-3
SYRACUSE L 9-13
at West Virginia L 6-20
at Cincinnati W 38-30
RUTGERS W 28-27
at Louisville W 24-21 OT
PITTSBURGH L 10-17
at Miami, FL W 23-20 OT
CONNECTICUT L 16-19
vs. Clemson W 31-26 (Meineke Car Care Bowl)
2011 SCHEDULE
Sep. 3 at Notre Dame
Sep. 10 BALL STATE
Sep. 17 FLORIDA A&M
Sep. 24 UTEP
Sep. 29 at Pittsburgh (Thursday)
Oct. 15 at Connecticut
Oct. 22 CINCINNATI
Nov. 5 at Rutgers
Nov. 11 at Syracuse (Friday)
Nov. 19 MIAMI, FL
Nov. 25 LOUISVILLE (Friday)
Dec. 1 WEST VIRGINIA (Thursday)
MAN AT THE TOP
SKIP HOLTZ: Holtz has deep Notre Dame ties, so the first game of the 2011 season will be a bit of a reunion for him. Holtz graduated from Notre Dame, played for his father (Lou Holtz) in 1986 at Notre Dame, and was an assistant coach at Notre Dame from 1990 to 1993. He got his first head coaching opportunity in 1994 as the Head Coach at Connecticut, where he built the Huskies into a I-AA powerhouse. In the four years prior to his arrival in Storrs, the Huskies went 20-24. During his five years at the helm they went 34-23, with a 10-3 record in his final season. That 10 win season remains the only such season in Connecticut’s history. He went back to coaching with his father in 1999, spending five years as an assistant at South Carolina. In 2005 he was hired as the head coach at East Carolina. In the four seasons prior to his arrival in Greenville, East Carolina racked up a 13-34 record, winning only three games in the two seasons prior to his arrival. Holtz turned ECU around quickly, taking them to a bowl game in only his second year as the head coach. He finished his five year career with a 38-27 record before landing the job at South Florida. Despite a tumultuous offseason, Holtz was able to maintain the status quo for the Bulls, going 8-5 in his first year at the helm. He has the Bulls on the cusp of being one of, if not the premier team in the Big East Conference. Holtz’s teams are known for their toughness, energy, and the fact they never back down from big opponents. East Carolina won their fair share of ballgames against teams from the ACC during Holtz’s tenure there. The Pirates also beat No. 17 Virginia Tech and No. 8 West Virginia in back-to-back weeks to open the 2008 season. Holtz also owns a bowl victory over Boise State, beating the Chris Peterson led Broncos 41-38 in 2007. Holtz’s teams do not always play pretty football, but his teams are always known for their willingness to fight and compete. His inaugural season in South Florida was no exception, and his Bull team will not come into Notre Dame with any fear; they will be ready to fight.
2010 RECAP
Holtz finished his first season at USF with an 8-5 record, winning the Meineke Car Care Bowl to finish the year on a strong note. The Bulls were an excellent defensive team and a sound special teams unit under Holtz. Both teams also won when their defense played well, although South Florida’s 2010 defense was more consistent than Notre Dame’s. The Bulls got off to a hot start, beating FCS opponent Stony Brook by a 59-14 score. A week later South Florida suffered their first loss of the season in Gainesville, losing to the Florida Gators. Florida’s 38-14 victory was not indicative of how hard fought the game was for much of the day. After two wins over mid-major opponents (Western Kentucky, 24-12; Florida Atlantic, 31-3) the Bulls began the Big East portion of their schedule. Things got off to a rough start, as South Florida lost their first two games of league play, falling to Syracuse (13-9) and West Virginia (20-6) as their offense struggled to move the football. During that two game stretch the bulls racked up a combined 421 yards of total offense and scored only 15 points. The defense continued to play at a very high level, but the points were just not coming for the Bulls. At 3-3 the Bulls were struggling and staring down a schedule with many potential pitfalls and road blocks.
A week after losing to West Virginia the offense woke up, and with their defense struggling to slow down Cincinnati’s up-tempo offense, it was needed. The Bulls outscored the Bearcats 38-30 on the road despite being out-gained by a 590-378 yard margin. Quarterback B.J. Daniels threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 completions as the Bulls controlled the game throughout. Against Rutgers the defense got back to its dominating ways, holding the Scarlet Knights to only 238 yards of total offense, but the USF special teams and offense allowed the game to stay close. RT Jacob Sims would recover a fumble in the end zone for a score in the fourth quarter to give the Bulls a 28-27 lead, which would be the final score. USF’s special teams would respond a week later against Louisville. Trailing 14-3 in the second quarter, return man Lindsey Lamar returned a kickoff 100 yards to get the Bulls back in the game. They would go on to score 17 unanswered points to take a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter. They would end up winning that game 24-21 in overtime.
Their lack of offense would hurt them over the season’s final three weeks. Despite holding Pittsburgh to 292 yards of total offense, the Bulls would fall on the road to Pittsburgh by a 17-10 score. A week later USF was able to beat Miami in overtime by a 23-20 score, despite only gaining 294 yards of total offense. Once again it would be their defense that would save the day. In the second quarter, Miami marched all the way down to the USF 1 yard line. A forced fumble and the subsequent recovery in the end zone thwarted a Miami scoring opportunity. On Miami’s first possession of the third quarter, Jacquian Williams picked off a Stephen Morris pass and returned it to the Miami 18 yard line. Three players later Demetris Murray scored from 8 yards out to give the Bulls a 10-0 lead. In overtime the Bulls stuffed Miami on their initial possession, forcing a field goal. Murray would score again, this time from one yard out to give the Bulls a huge 23-20 upset victory on the road against the Hurricanes.
South Florida’s offense was back to its old tricks a week later. Despite holding Connecticut to 232 yards of total offense, the Bulls would lose at home to the Huskies, giving Connecticut the Big East title. South Florida outgained Connecticut by 101 yards, but had three costly turnovers, including an interception that was returned 55 yards by UConn linebacker Lawrence Wilson for a score. In the Meineke Car Care Bowl the offense would once again struggle. USF racked up only 279 yards of total offense. They relied once again on two Clemson turnovers that resulted in 10 points. Despite their struggles, the Bulls offense was clutch in the bowl game. Clinging to a 17-13 halftime lead, the Bulls opened the third quarter with a 13 play, 83 yard scoring drive that gave them a 24-13 lead. After JaQuez Jenkins returned a Tajh Boyd pass 48 yards to the Clemson 5, the offense would punch the ball into the end zone to give the Bulls a 31-13 lead. They would hold on for a 31-26 victory, sending them into the offseason on a high-note with a victory over an ACC opponent.
RETURNING STARTERS
OFFENSE (4): QB B.J. Daniels, WR Evan Landi, LG Jeremiah Warren, RG Chaz Hine – WR Lindsey Lamar started 4 games as the third receiver
DEFENSE (6): NT Cory Grissom, MLB Sam Barrington, WLB DeDe Lattimore, SS Jon Lejiste, FS Jerrell Young, RC Quenton Washington – DE’s Ryne Giddens (2 games) and Patrick Hampton (3 games) as injury fill ins
SPECIAL TEAMS (2): P Justin Brockhaus-Kann, PK Maikon Bonani
STARTERS LOST
OFFENSE (7): RB Moise Plancher, WR Dontavia Bogan, LT Jamar Bass, C Sampson Genus, RT Jacob Sims, TE Devin Gidrey, FB Richard Kelly
DEFENSE (5): LE Craig Marshall, RE David Bedford, DT Terrell McClain, SLB Jacquian Williams, LCB Mistral Raymond
2010 TEAM STATS
OFFENSE (National Rank in Parenthesis)
PPG: 24.1 (No. 85)
RUSHING YARDS: 1883
- Per Game: 144.8 (No. 71)
- Attempts: 487
- Average: 3.9
- TD’s: 19
PASSING YARDS: 2139
- Per Game: 164.5 (No. 101)
- Com-Att: 185-323
- Com %: 57.3
- Average Per Att: 6.6
- Average Per Com: 11.6
- TD’s: 13
- INT: 16
TOTAL OFFENSE: 4022
- Per Game: 309.4 (No. 105)
- Plays: 810
- Average: 5.0
FUMBLES-LOST: 21-6 (No. 8)
THIRD DOWN EFF: 51/162
- Percentage: 31.5 (No. 113)
FOURTH DOWN EFF: 4/8
- Percentage: 50.0 (No. 63)
TIME OF POSSESSION: 28:33 (No. 96)
SACKS ALLOWED-YARDS: 26-157 (No. 68)
RED ZONE OFFENSE: 35/42
- Percentage: 83.3 (No. 49)
DEFENSE (National rank in parenthesis)
PPG: 20.0 (No. 22)
RUSHING YARDS: 1633
- Per Game: 126.5 (No. 22)
- Attempts: 470
- Average: 3.5
- TD’s: 8
PASSING YARDS: 2500
- Per Game: 192.3 (No. 24)
- Com-Att: 238-404
- Com %: 58.9
- Average Per Att: 6.2
- Average Per Com: 10.5
- TD’s: 18
- INT: 15 (No. 34)
TOTAL OFFENSE: 4132
- Per Game: 317.8 (No. 17)
- Plays: 874
- Average: 4.7
FUMBLES-GAINED: 10-5 (No. 106)
TURNOVERS GAINED: 20 (No. 72)
THIRD DOWN EFF: 70/195
- Percentage: 35.9 (No. 23)
FOURTH DOWN EFF: 10/17
- Percentage: 58.8 (No. 86)
TIME OF POSSESSION: 31:20
SACKS-YARDS: 30-249 (No. 35)
TACKLES FOR LOSS-YARDS: 88-417 (No. 22)
RED ZONE DEFENSE: 32-39
- Percentage: 82.1 (No. 57)
RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS
OFFENSE
RUSHING: Demetris Murray, 120-542, 4.5 avg., 4 TD’s; B.J. Daniels, 112-259, 2.3 avg., 5 TD’s; Marcus Shaw, 12-105, 8.8 avg., 1 TD
PASSING: B.J. Daniels, 143-245, 58.4%, 1685 yards, 11 TD, 13 INT
RECEIVING: Evan Landi, 28-390, 13.9 avg., 2 TD; Lindsey Lamar, 25-161, 6.4 avg., 0 TD; Demetrius Murray, 11-153, 13.9 avg., 2 TD; Joel Miller, 11-121, 11.0 avg., 1 TD
DEFENSE
TACKLES: DeDe Lattimore, 69; Sam Barrington, 65; Quenton Washington, 59; Jon Lejiste, 43; Jerrell Young, 41
SACKS: Jon Lejiste, 4; Ryne Giddens, 3.5; Patrick Hampton, 2.5; DeDe Lattimore, 2.5
TACKLES FOR LOSS: Jon Lejiste, 7.5; Patrick Hampton, 7.0; DeDe Lattimore, 6.5; Sam Barrington, 6.5; Ryne Giddens, 6.0
INTERCEPTIONS: Jerrell Young, 3; Mike Lanaris, 2; six players with 1
2011 PREVIEW
OFFENSE
If the Bulls want to take a step forward as a program they will have to show drastic improvements on the offensive side of the football. Offensive coordinator Todd Fitch is going to have his hands full making that happen this fall, as the Bulls suffered heavy personnel losses this offseason. Gone are both starting tackles, their starting center, their leading rusher, and their leading receiver. Despite their personnel losses, the Bulls return plenty of speed and talent on offense. Returning this fall is a roster filled with undersized but athletic football players. South Florida welcomes two transfers at running back and the return of two injured wide receivers as they hope to get their offense on the right track in 2011. If Fitch can get the offense going the Bulls will compete for the Big East championship.
QUARTERBACK: Their success largely rests on the shoulders of junior quarterback B.J. Daniels (6-0, 223). There is no mistaking his talent, but Daniels has yet to prove capable and consistent enough as a decision maker to truly excel as a quarterback. He took a step back in 2010, throwing for fewer yards, rushing for fewer yards, and he accounted for fewer touchdowns but increased his turnovers. When Daniels is on the Bulls can beat anyone on their schedule. Daniels is a dangerous dual-threat player with a big arm. He can make plays in space and can turn the smallest crease in the defense into a big gain. If teams step down in the box to stop the run his powerful right arm can throw the football overtop of the coverage for a big play. If he can improve as a decision maker and be more accurate with the football the Bulls will be good on offense. Walk-on sophomore Bobby Eveld (6-5, 211) replaced Daniels last year during the Miami game and helped lead the Bulls to victory. He was not as effective in USF’s loss to Connecticut, but he is a solid backup quarterback and has some talent.
RUNNING BACK: Running back Demetris Murray (6-0, 215) is poised for a solid junior season. The 6-foot-0 Georgia native ran for 533 yards last year in a backup role. After a solid spring he has emerged as the lead man heading into 2011. Murray is a stout runner with enough speed and wiggle to rip off big runs. He had big games against Western Kentucky and Louisville, going for over 100 yards in each game. Murray is more of a pounder than he is an open field runner, but he does both well. He was a bit inconsistent in 2010, but showed the talent to be an every down back for the Bulls. Backing him up is Colorado transfer Darrell Scott (6-1, 239), who was once one of the nation’s most highly sought-after recruits. He has battled consistency and conditioning issues his entire career. If his attitude has improved he will give the Bulls, along with Murray, a potentially dominant 1-2 punch at running back. Holtz likes to run the football, so Murray and Scott will be used early and often as both players can pound defenses. If they play well it should allow USF to take big steps as an offense, as it will help take some of the pressure off Daniels and allow the junior quarterback to make more plays downfield with his arm. Small but speedy Marcus Shaw (5-9, 187) also returns.
WIDE RECEIVER: USF lost their leading receiver, Dontavia Bogan, and significant questions remain at the position. Junior Evan Landi (6-3, 221) is a big possession receiver that racked up 28 catches and 390 yards as a sophomore, which leads all returners. Who starts opposite him remains to be seen, but there are plenty of options. Senior A.J. Love (6-2, 208) missed all of 2010 with a knee injury and sat out much of the spring practice while recovering. He has 943 career yards and was a big play threat before his injury. If he returns to form he gives the Bulls talent and size opposite Landi. Sophomore Sterling Griffin (6-0, 191) had 14 catches for 265 yards as a freshman, but also missed all of 2010 with an injury. If healthy, Griffin also gives the Bulls a downfield threat with good size. Also returning is sophomore Terrence Mitchell (5-10, 154), a speedy and athletic former cornerback. He is undersized but possesses excellent explosiveness and playmaking ability. Mitchell is looking to show the same explosiveness this fall as a receiver that he showed last fall as a punt returner. He is a wild-card for the Bull offense. As much as South Florida likes to throw screens and quick passes to their receivers, if Mitchell emerges it makes their offense quite dangerous. Lindsey Lamar (5-9, 168) is another undersized but speedy wide receiver that can hurt teams after the catch. Lamar made 25 receptions in 2010, but missed much of the spring with a shoulder injury. Lamar has excellent speed and elusiveness, which was evidenced by the fact he took two kicks back for scores last fall. If he is healthy he could be a dangerous after-the-catch player in the slot for the Bulls. Senior Joel Miller (5-10, 196) is a solid pass catcher and is slated to start in the slot heading into the fall. He was USF’s leading receiver (4 catches, 60 yards) in the Bulls upset victory over Miami. Freshmen Andre Davis (6-1, 190) and Ruben Gonzalez (6-3, 188) have a chance to make a splash in 2011. Davis especially has a chance to be a standout at some point during his career. There are plenty of questions for the Bulls at wide receiver, but with the depth and speed at the position it is conceivable that wide receiver could become a position of strength for the Bulls in 2011.
OFFENSIVE LINE: The Bulls suffered big losses up front, losing three starters along the offensive line. Center Sampson Genus was a first-team All-Big East performer and right tackle Jacob Sims was a second-team player. USF also lost left tackle Jamar Bass. The two returning starters are guards Jeremiah Warren (6-4, 340) and Chaz Hine (6-4, 299). The inside duo has started all but one game at guard over the last two seasons. They are both big and physical players and will give the Bulls a solid interior foundation to build around. The rest of the starting lineup appears to be set, with junior Mark Popek (6-7, 291) stepping in at left tackle. Over the past two seasons Popek has started nine games while filling in for Bass. He brings experience and good size to the position. Fifth-year senior Kevin McCaskill (6-1, 320) was a three year backup who will have his hands full trying to replace Genus, who was a two-year starter. At right tackle the Bulls are going to go with redshirt freshman Quinterrius Eatmon (6-6, 301). Eatmon has excellent size, and according to ESPN’s Brian Bennett was one of the spring stars for the Bulls. How quickly the line gels together will largely determine how successful the USF offense will be in 2010. If the can mesh together quickly and give some protection to Daniels and open up lanes for the backs the Bulls will have an opportunity to be an explosive offense in 2011. Health will be important, as the Bulls are thin and inexperienced behind the starters. This position is the one that could doom the Bulls 2011 season if depth is not established.
DEFENSE
Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder was a successful linebacker coach and defensive coordinator at Ohio State before taking over as the head coach at Marshall. In his first year at South Florida he had his Bull squad playing at a very high level despite the loss of four talented defensive players that were drafted into the NFL the prior year. Snyder’s 2010 defense had to replace bookend defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul (1st round) and George Selvie (7th round) as well as standout safeties Nate Allen (2nd round) and Jerome Murphy (3rd round). Despite the losses, the Bulls had the No. 22 scoring defense in the country and were No. 17 nationally in total defense. Snyder will be asked to repeat the same magic this season, as the Bulls lose three more starters to the NFL. DT Terrell McClain (3rd round), cornerback Mistral Raymond (6th round), and linebacker Jacquian Williams (6th round) are now getting ready for their NFL careers. Snyder’s defense returns plenty of talent as they look to once again dominate the Big East.
DEFENSIVE END: South Florida loses both starters at defensive end with the graduation of Craig Marshall and David Bedford. The Bulls could actually be just as good, if not better at defensive end this fall than they were in 2010. Marshall and Bedford were good football players, but the two new starters are even better athletes and more explosive off the edge. Sophomore Ryne Giddins (6-3, 262) was one of the nation’s top recruits when he signed with South Florida. Giddins started two games last fall when Marshall went down with an injury. As a reserve he racked up 19 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Giddins is fast off the edge and is emerging as a pass rusher. He is posed for a breakout sophomore season and could develop into one of the more dominant edge players in the Big East. Senior Patrick Hampton (6-2, 244) will start opposite Giddins. Hampton started three games last fall with Marshall out. He and Giddins combined to give the Bulls a good pass rush off the bench. Hampton finished the 2010 season with 20 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Like Giddins, Hampton is quick off the edge and has the speed to run past tackles on the edge. Size will be an issue for the duo, and that is where Snyder is going to have to figure out how to prevent teams from running right at his ends. If they can develop into three down players the duo should emerge as arguably the best 1-2 punch in the conference. The backups are Claude Davis (6-2, 233), Julius Forte (6-2, 264), and Anthony Hill (6-4, 288), who provide good depth and a bit more size at the position. Hill could also see some time at defensive tackle.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: With the graduation of standout DT Terrell McClain, the Bulls lost not only their most talented and disruptive interior player, they lost arguably the best defensive lineman the school has ever produced. Other players up front will have to step up their game. The likely starter at the three-technique is fifth-year senior Keith McCaskill (6-0, 289), who’s twin brother Kevin will be the starting center for the Bulls. McCaskill brings significant experience to the game, having served as McClain’s primary backup over the past two seasons. He is a short, stout, and relatively athletic player that will be more than serviceable at the position. Returning at nose tackle is junior Cory Grissom (6-2, 335), who started all thirteen games in 2010. Grissom is a big and physical player that can eat up blocks. He is not an overly athletic or disruptive player, but his strength forces opponents to double him inside. The issue for South Florida is that neither Grissom nor McCaskill are overly productive players. Neither is the type of player who is going to create havoc in the backfield and pressure the quarterback the way McClain was able to during his career. The backups, sophomores Luke Sager (6-3, 276) and Demi Thompson (6-1, 281) have a combined three tackles. Both players are a bit undersized and lack experience. Redshirt freshman Todd Chandler (6-0, 318) could push for time. He came into South Florida after being heavily recruited and highly regarded as a high school senior at Miami Northwestern High School. He is strong enough and athletic enough to be a disrupter inside, but will need time to develop. True freshman Elkino Watson (6-2, 291) has been one of the stars of South Florida's fall camp. He picked South Florida despite offers from Florida and Miami. He is a thick, quick, and potentially disruptive player that has a chance to be a standout for the Bulls down the road.
LINEBACKER: South Florida lost their leading tackler when Williams expired his eligibility. Williams was a second team All-Big East performer last fall. The Bulls do, however, return their No. 2 and No. 3 leading tacklers from a year ago in DeDe Lattimore (6-1, 230) and Sam Barrington (6-1, 226). Lattimore and Barrington are both physical players with decent size. Each is able to bring good power inside the box and both show good lateral quickness. Barrington is a physical inside linebacker and does a good job reading and attacking the ball carrier between the tackles. Lattimore is a bit rangier than Barrington and is the better pass defender of the two, but also brings good power from his Will linebacker position. He can chase plays down to the sideline and closes well on the football. Their talent and experience should allow the duo to take their game to another level, helping ease the loss of Williams. Two players are battling for the starting Sam linebacker position that was vacated by Williams. They are redshirt freshman Reshard Cliett (6-2, 208) and senior Curtis Weatherspoon (6-0, 211). Both players are undersized but do possess the range and speed to play the position with Weatherspoon being more experienced. Cliett lacks experience but he makes up for it with speed and athleticism. They will have big shoes to fill, but the duo should be able to provide enough playmaking ability and speed on the perimeter to allow the Bull linebacker corps to continue their standout play. Junior college transfer Mike Jeune (6-0, 226) provides good athleticism and depth at the linebacker position. Junior Michael Lanaris (6-0, 235) also provides depth.
DEFENSIVE BACK: Despite the loss of senior Mistral Raymond to the NFL, the Bulls return a talented and productive secondary. Strong safety Jon Lejiste (6-0, 199) and free safety Jerrell Young (6-1, 209) both return after big seasons in 2010. Although they are listed as strong and free safeties, the two players are virtually interchangeable. Each will be asked to do it all, against both the run and pass. Young has good speed and range. He racked up 41 tackles and picked off three passes during the 2010 season. Lejiste is an aggressive and physical player that made 43 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks during his sophomore season. Snyder does a great job finding ways to create pressure opportunities for Lejiste, who must be accounted for at all times. Also returning are the two primary backups, sophomore JaQuez Jenkins (6-2, 187) and sophomore Mark Joyce (5-10, 197). Both players got significant minutes during the 2010 season in the secondary and on special teams. If something were to happen to either starter, Jenkins and Joyce would be able to slide into the starting role and the defense would keep running at full speed. Senior cornerback Quenton Washington (5-10, 190) returns on the right side. Although he lacks ideal height, he is well built, athletic, and was a productive run defender during the 2010 season. He finished his junior season with 59 tackles and one pick. He is solid in South Florida’s zone defense, although he will have to improve his ball skills and ability to break on the football. In a league with several spread offenses, nickel back Kayvon Webster (5-11, 193) got plenty of experience last fall. He will be asked to replace Raymond, who was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. Webster is athletic and physical, so he fits nicely into USF’s zone defense. He can play the run (22 tackles in 2010) and is athletic enough to run with receivers on the perimeter. Junior George Baker (5-11, 180) and walk-on junior Ernie Tabuteau (5-10, 181) are the primary backups, but depth is going to be an issue for the Bulls at cornerback. After Baker there is some drop off. Redshirt freshman Spencer Boyd (5-10, 181) was really making some noise during camp until he was slowed with a knee injury. If he can return healthy he provides athleticism to the position. Also pushing for time is freshman cornerback Kenneth Durden (6-0, 176)
SPECIAL TEAMS
South Florida returns both starting kickers in junior punter Justin Brockhaus-Kann (6-2, 222) and junior Maikon Bonani (5-10, 187). Also returning is leading punt returner Terrence Mitchell, who is a fast and explosive return man. Standout kick returner Lindsey Lamar also returns, along with his 26.6 average. He returned two kicks for scores last fall, including a 100 yard score against Louisville.
TOP NEWCOMERS: Cornerback Kenneth Durden (6-0, 176) is a talented and athletic cornerback. He is thin and will have to gain some weight, but he is smooth and a natural cover player. He could easily work himself into the cornerback rotation as a freshman. Wide receiver Andre Davis (6-1, 190) is a smooth and fluid wide receiver with impressive ball skills. He has good height, something that is lacking amongst the younger wideouts on the roster. He lacks their speed, but he makes up for it with route running ability and good hands. The incoming freshmen linemen like David Simon (6-3, 287) and Max Lang (6-5, 280) could find themselves working into the two deep up front, where the Bulls lack quality depth. Classmate Thor Jozwiak (6-4, 295) was pushing for a spot in the two-deep and was having a good camp before he was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. Freshman defensive tackle Elkino Watson (6-2, 291) has a chance to be a standout for the Bulls.
