2017 South Florida Bulls football team

Last updated

2017 South Florida Bulls football
South Florida Bulls wordmark.png
Birmingham Bowl champion
Birmingham Bowl, W 38–34 vs. Texas Tech
Conference American Athletic Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 21
APNo. 21
Record10–2 (6–2 AAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert (1st season)
Offensive scheme Veer and shoot
Defensive coordinatorBrian Jean-Mary (1st season)
Base defense 3–3–5
Home stadium Raymond James Stadium
Seasons
  2016
2018  
2017 American Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
No. 6 UCF xy$  8 0   13 0  
No. 21 South Florida  6 2   10 2  
Temple  4 4   7 6  
Cincinnati  2 6   4 8  
UConn  2 6   3 9  
East Carolina  2 6   3 9  
West Division
No. 25 Memphis xy  7 1   10 3  
Houston  5 3   7 5  
Navy  4 4   7 6  
SMU  4 4   7 6  
Tulane  3 5   5 7  
Tulsa  1 7   2 10  
Championship: UCF 62, Memphis 55
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
As of January 9, 2018
Rankings from AP Poll.

The 2017 South Florida Bulls football team represented the University of South Florida (USF) in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, and were led by first-year head coach Charlie Strong. The Bulls competed as members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 10–2, 6–2 in AAC play to finish in second place in the East Division. They were invited to the Birmingham Bowl where they defeated Texas Tech.

Contents

Offseason

Coaching changes

The coaching vacancy left by Willie Taggart was filled when USF hired Charlie Strong as head coach on December 11, 2016. [1] Strong had been the head coach at the University of Texas before being fired after three seasons.

Sterlin Gilbert was named the new offensive coordinator on January 5, 2017. [2] Gilbert had been Charlie Strong's offensive coordinator at Texas in 2016. USF hired Brian Jean-Mary as the new defensive coordinator on January 8, 2017. [3] Jean-Mary has been on Charlie Strong's coaching staff since Strong started coaching at Louisville in 2010. He was Texas's linebackers coach in 2016.

Disciplinary issues

In late March 2017, senior USF defensive back Hassan Childs was dismissed from the team after being involved in a road rage incident in which he was shot three times. He was charged with aggravated assault and marijuana possession after the incident. [4]

In early May, another USF player was arrested, this time defensive end LaDarrius Jackson, who was charged with assaulting a female in student housing. [5] Judge Margaret Taylor, of Hillsborough County, criticized head coach Charlie Strong's lack of control over his players, saying that she was "ashamed of being an alum." Coach Strong had only been employed at the school for five months at the time of Jackson's arrest and had not recruited either of the players in question. A video of Judge Taylor's comments went viral, and she later recused herself from the case. [6]

Preseason

In the preseason AAC media poll, the Bulls were picked to finish first in the East Division of the AAC, receiving all 30 first-place votes. [7] They also received 26 of 30 votes as the favorite to win the AAC championship. [7]

Schedule

South Florida announced their 2017 football schedule on February 9, 2017. [8]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 267:30 p.m.at San Jose State *No. 19 CBSSN W 42–2213,377
September 24:00 p.m. Stony Brook *No. 19 ESPN3 W 31–1726,460
September 157:00 p.m. Illinois *No. 22
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNW 47–2335,404
September 217:30 p.m. Temple No. 21
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPN W 43–724,325
September 3012:00 p.m.at East Carolina No. 18CBSSNW 61–3134,883
October 14 [a] 7:30 p.m. Cincinnati Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 18
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNU W 33–343,708
October 217:00 p.m.at Tulane No. 16 ESPN2 W 34–2817,256
October 28 [b] 3:45 p.m. Houston No. 17
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNUL 24–2832,316
November 4 [c] 3:30 p.m.at UConn ESPNUW 37–2018,430
November 168:00 p.m. Tulsa No. 23
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNW 27–2026,195
November 243:30 p.m.at No. 13 UCF No. 22 ABC L 42–4947,129 
December 2312:00 p.m.vs. Texas Tech *No. 23ESPNW 38–3428,623
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time
^[a] The game between UMass and USF was cancelled. The game between Cincinnati and USF was moved from October 28th to October 14th.
^[b] The game between Houston and USF was moved from November 4th to October 28th.
^[c] The game between UConn and USF that was cancelled on September 9th was rescheduled for November 4th.

Game summaries

At San Jose State

1234Total
No. 19 Bulls0287742
Spartans1600622

Stony Brook

1234Total
Seawolves730717
No. 19 Bulls70101431

Illinois

1234Total
Fighting Illini2701423
No. 22 Bulls914141047

Temple

1234Total
Owls07007
No. 21 Bulls317131043

At East Carolina

1234Total
No. 18 Bulls2110171361
Pirates10147031

Cincinnati

1234Total
Bearcats30003
No. 18 Bulls3207333

At Tulane

1234Total
No. 16 Bulls71314034
Green Wave0771428

Houston

1234Total
Cougars00141428
No. 17 Bulls0771024

At UConn

1234Total
Bulls71017337
Huskies0701320

Tulsa

1234Total
Golden Hurricane7100320
No. 23 Bulls2133027

At UCF

1234Total
No. 22 Bulls71314842
No. 13 Knights21072149

Vs. Texas Tech–Birmingham Bowl

1234Total
Red Raiders100141034
No. 23 Bulls3772138

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
— = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below.
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP 1921222118181816–T17RV222322232321
Coaches 21202117171615131423212019232421
CFP Not releasedNot released

Roster

2017 South Florida Bulls football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
WR 1Chris BarrJr
RB 2 D'Ernest Johnson Sr
WR 3Darnell SalomonSo
RB 6Darius Tice Redshirt.svg  Sr
QB 7Brett KeanSo
WR 8Tyre McCants Redshirt.svg  Jr
QB 9 Quinton Flowers Sr
QB 10Chris Oladokun Redshirt.svg  Fr
WR 11 Marquez Valdes-Scantling Redshirt.svg  Sr
WR 12Temi Alaka Redshirt.svg  Sr
WR 14Deangelo Antonie Redshirt.svg  So
QB 16Mike DeanFr
QB 17Kyle TrinaFr
WR 18 DeVontres Dukes Redshirt.svg  Fr
RB 22Duran Bell Jr.Fr
RB 27LaDarion McBrideSr
RB 31Elijah Mack Redshirt.svg  Fr
RB 32Jordan CronkriteJr
RB 36Davion SuttonJr
TE 40Derek Hintze Redshirt.svg  Fr
FB 40Riley SheehanSo
TE 48Spencer AdkinsonSr
TE 49K. J. Miles Redshirt.svg  Sr
OL 50Christion Gainer Redshirt.svg  Fr
OL 52Michael Wiggs Redshirt.svg  Fr
OL 55Eric MayesJr
OL 61Jacob MaxfieldFr
OL 64Demetris HarrisFr
OL 66Matt Nelson Redshirt.svg  Fr
OL 67Hal Roberson Redshirt.svg  Fr
OL 68Michael Galati Redshirt.svg  Jr
OL 69Erik Listoe Redshirt.svg  So
OL 70Glen BethelSr
OL 71Jeremiah StaffordFr
OL 72Brooks Larkin Redshirt.svg  So
OL 73Jeremi Hall Redshirt.svg  Sr
OL 74Cameron Ruff Redshirt.svg  Sr
OL 75Jean MarcellusFr
OT 77Marcus Norman Redshirt.svg  So
G 78William AtterburySo
OL 79Grant Polk Redshirt.svg  So
TE 80Ryan HintzeSr
WR 80Trevor SteinkeSr
WR 81Ryeshene BronsonSr
WR 83Jernard PhillipsFr
WR 84Randall St. FelixFr
TE 85Elkanah Dillon Redshirt.svg  Jr
WR 86Stanley Clerveaux Redshirt.svg  Jr
TE 87Frederick Lloyd Jr.Fr
WR 88Kevaughn DingleFr
TE 89 Mitchell Wilcox Redshirt.svg  So
TE 97Nicholas MuneraJr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
CB 3 Deatrick Nichols Sr
DE 4Jimmy Bates Redshirt.svg  Jr
DT 10 Deadrin Senat Redshirt.svg  Sr
LB 12Andre Polk Jr. Redshirt.svg  Fr
CB 13Tajee FullwoodSr
DB 14Mike Hampton Redshirt.svg  Fr
DE 15Vincent Jackson Redshirt.svg  Jr
S 18Jaymon ThomasJr
CB 19Ronnie HogginsJr
S 20Devin AbrahamSr
S 21Khalid McGee Redshirt.svg  Jr
DB 22Mekhi LaPointeFr
CB 23 Mazzi Wilkins Redshirt.svg  Jr
DB 24Nick RobertsFr
DB 25Bentlee SandersFr
S 26Craig Watts Redshirt.svg  Fr
DB 27Naytron CulpepperFr
DB 28Donelle ThomasFr
LB 29Devon Jones-StewartSr
DB 30Jeffery Farrar Redshirt.svg  Jr
LB 33David SmallFr
LB 34Keirston JohnsonFr
DE 35Jabreel StephensFr
CB 37Nate FergusonJr
CB 38Nick CucciaSo
DB 39Trent ShawSo
LB 41Greg Reaves Redshirt.svg  So
LB 43Auggie Sanchez Redshirt.svg  Sr
DT 44Garry CadetJr
DE 45Darrien GrantFr
LB 51Mi'Cario Stanley Redshirt.svg  Fr
LB 53Danny ThomasJr
LB 54Nico SawtelleSo
LB 55Josh Black Redshirt.svg  Jr
DE 56Juwuan Brown Redshirt.svg  Jr
LB 57A. J. FrancoFr
LB 58Anthony BekoJr
LB 59Andrew MimsFr
DT 60 Bruce Hector Redshirt.svg  Sr
DT 90Kevin KeglerFr
DE 91Frank JohnsonJr
DE 92Marquies PriceJr
DT 93Brandon BoyceJr
DE 94Kirk Livingstone Redshirt.svg  So
DT 95Marlon GonzalezSo
DT 96Kevlin Pinkney Jr.Fr
DE 98 Mike Love Redshirt.svg  Sr
DE 99Kevin Bronson Redshirt.svg  Jr
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K 35Emilio Nadelman Redshirt.svg  Sr
K 38Marco SalaniFr
K 42Jake VivonettoSr
P 44Jonathan Hernandez Redshirt.svg  Sr
LS 46Zach DeitzSo
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Sterlin Gilbert (offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach)
  • Brian Jean-Mary (assistant head coach / defensive coordinator / linebackers coach)
  • Blue Adams (defensive backs)
  • Justin Burke (Tight Ends / special teams coordinator)
  • Damon Cogdell (defensive ends)
  • Sean Cronin (defensive tackles)
  • Shaun King (running backs)
  • Matt Mattox (offensive line / run game coordinator)
  • Charlie Williams (wide receivers)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Roster
Last update: October 10, 2017

[9]

Players in the 2018 NFL Draft

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Deadrin Senat DT 390 Atlanta Falcons
Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR 5174 Green Bay Packers

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References

  1. John Del Bianco (December 11, 2016). "South Florida hires Charlie Strong". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  2. Allison Leslie (January 5, 2017). "South Florida Hires Sterlin Gilbert As Offensive coordinator". Sports Talk Florida. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  3. Jeff Odom (January 8, 2017). "USF hires Brian Jean-Mary as defensive coordinator". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  4. Nick Simon (March 28, 2017). "Hassan Childs dismissed from USF football". The Daily Stampede. Vox Media. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  5. Joey Knight (May 2, 2017). "USF football player LaDarrius Jackson arrested on sexual battery charge". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  6. Mark Schlabach (May 4, 2017). "Judge Margaret Taylor recuses herself from LaDarrius Jackson case over critical comment toward South Florida Bulls coach Charlie Strong". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "USF Is The Favorite In 2017 American Athletic Conference Media Poll". theamerican.org. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  8. 2017 USF Football Schedule Announced. February 9, 2017. GoUSFBulls.com. University of South Florida Athletics. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  9. Football - Staff. GoUSFBulls.com. University of South Florida Athletics. Retrieved May 4, 2017.