USF Bulls
Bulls wild win over ACC foe Georgia Tech will get some attention
After a string of nine lead changes, the USF Bulls came out victorious over their first “Power 5” opponent of the year in Georgia Tech. USF fought back from a ten-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter to regain the lead and hold on for the victory.
Led by transfer quarterback Blake Barnett, the Bulls offense put together three consecutive touchdown drives in the final 12 minutes of the fourth quarter to pull away with the 49-38 victory. Barnett finished the game passing for 202 yards and tossing two touchdowns with only one interception.
He also led the team in rushing with 16 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were scored in the fourth quarter as part of the comeback effort.
Duran Bell Jr. and Tyrie McCants were also bright spots on the USF offense. Bell Jr. carried the ball 12 times for 69 yards and scoring a touchdown on a 14 yard run in the third quarter to put USF ahead 28-24 at the time. McCants led a receiving corp that saw six different Bulls catch a pass against the Yellow Jackets. McCants caught 10 passes for 99 yards with his longest being a 24 yard reception.
As expected, the USF defense had difficulty stopping the running game of Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets rushed for 419 yards behind the efforts of quarterback TaQuon Marshall. Marshall accumulated nearly 300 yards of total offense, as well as throwing for one touchdown and rushing for one. Tobias Oliver carried the red zone offense for Georgia Tech, scoring three times from inside the five yard line. Oliver finished the game with 97 yards on 18 carries.
The special teams play proved to be a huge momentum spark for USF early in the game. Terrence Horne ran not one, but two kick returns for touchdowns, the first being 98 yards and the second 97 yards.
THAT. MAN. DID. IT. AGAIN!!!
TERRENCE HORNE TO THE HOUSE!!
97-yards this time..tied for 4th longest in #USF history. pic.twitter.com/NXpc9pnCen— USF Football (@USFFootball) September 8, 2018
South Florida now holds a 2-0 record under new head coach Charlie Strong. The Bulls will travel to Illinois next week for their first road test of the season.
The USF Bulls coaching search to replace Charlie Strong lasted only eight days and his replacement has a National Championship pedigree.
The school announced late Monday afternoon that they have hired Clemson offensive coordinator, Jeff Scott, to become their fifth head coach in program history:
Great Scott! We got our guy!
Jeff Scott named head coach of USF football.
📰 https://t.co/gLaLfd2D98🎟 Season Tix Deposits: https://t.co/XNLE7OFu0M#HornsUp 🤘 pic.twitter.com/8G0y9u4BaY
— USF Football (@USFFootball) December 9, 2019
Scott, who actually shares the offensive leadership with Tony Elliott, will receive a five year deal to leave the Tigers and come to West Central Florida.
Bulls atheltic director Michael Kelly said in their statement about the hiring of Scott,
“Jeff is a very bright, enthusiastic and driven leader for our program and we are thrilled to welcome him to USF and back to Florida, where he was born and where he has recruited so well for Clemson for many years,” Kelly said.”
“He is a young and extremely gifted offensive mind, a developer of high-level talent and an elite national recruiter who brings the experience of having played an integral role from the beginning in helping to build one of the most successful programs in college football.
“We are thrilled that he and his wife, Sara, and their daughter, Savannah, are joining our Bulls family and will be part of the exciting future of USF football.”
As we wrote last night, Scott is Clemson through and through, as he played for the Tigers in the early 2000s for three years and returned to become a coach for the Tigers in 2008. Since then, he has been a receiver’s coach, recruiting coordinator, and now to co-offensive coordinator.
The Tigers, behind All-American QB Trevor Lawrence, just rolled through a second straight unbeaten season and a Saturday night 62-17 blowout win over Virginia in the ACC Title Game. The Tigers will play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on December 28th in one of the College Football playoff semi-finals.
Scott will reportedly stay and coach the Tigers in the CFP Playoff bid, as they attempt to repeat as National Champions.
Further, there’s some more that USF fans can be excited about: Scott’s successes with wide receivers. He has helped develop some great NFL prospects like DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, and Mike Williams. He currently has one of the best groups in the country.
After years of the inconsistent offense, it appears that the Bulls leaders felt a change in philosphy was needed.
Scott tweeted this photo Monday evening with his daughter showing him signing an agreement with USF:
A great day to be a Bull! #HornsUp 🤘 pic.twitter.com/yDXn2EkhFF
— Coach Jeff Scott (@coach_jeffscott) December 9, 2019
Scott will bring knowledge of coaching from Clemson, as well as his stint as a high school coach. His father Brad, was also a coach in college, spending time as an offensive coordinator himself at Florida State, then onto South Carolina, and settling at Clemson.
The USF coaching search appears that it might be close to concluding. This with Sunday night reports surfacing that the Bulls will reach a deal with Clemson co-offensive coordinator, Jeff Scott.
The website, The Clemson Insider reported Sunday night that Bulls athletic director Michael Kelly has tabbed the 38 year old Scott as his top target to replace Charlie Strong, who was fired a week ago:
All signs point to Jeff Scott to South Florida https://t.co/1XraC4ZBTZ
— TheClemsonInsider (@ClemsonInsider) December 9, 2019
After struggling on the offensive end, it was thought that the Bulls would pursue a coach with an offensive background. And Scott fits the bill.
The Bulls would be doing that if they land one of the men in charge of one of the most prolific offenses over the past few years in college football. Scott, his QB Trevor Lawrence and the Tigers destroyed Virginia in the ACC title game 62-17 Saturday night.
This appears to be a big hire for the Bulls and a bit unexpected. It is known that Clemson assistants don’t move often. Aside from former offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, all other assistants stay in Death Valley. This includes guys that have been highly targeted in Tony Elliot and Brent Venables.
Scott is Clemson through and through, as he played for the Tigers in the early 2000s for three years and returned to become a coach for the Tigers in 2008. Since then, he has been a receiver’s coach, recruiting coordinator, and now to co-offensive coordinator.
Something USF fans can be excited about is Scott’s successes with wide receivers. He has helped develop some great NFL prospects like DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, and Mike Williams. He currently has one of the best groups in the country.
After years of the inconsistent offense, it appears that the Bulls leaders felt a change was needed.
Scott would bring knowledge of coaching from Clemson, as well as his stint as a high school coach. His father Brad, was also a coach in college, spending time as an offensive coordinator himself at Florida State, then onto South Carolina, and settling at Clemson.
Add all of this together, and the Bulls may just have “the next big thing” to come into the AAC and make an impact.
A conference that has springboarded coaches into Power 5 positions like Scott Frost two years ago to Nebraska and Memphis’ Mike Norvell to FSU Sunday.
Without getting too far ahead, it appears the Bulls are going to make a strong assistant coach hire, who has the chance to make a great splash quickly.
