2017 South Florida Bulls football team

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.

2017 South Florida Bulls football
Birmingham Bowl champion
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 21
APNo. 21
Record10–2 (6–2 AAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorSterlin Gilbert (1st season)
Offensive schemeVeer and shoot
Defensive coordinatorBrian Jean-Mary (1st season)
Base defense3–3–5
Home stadiumRaymond James Stadium
Seasons
← 2016
2018 →
2017 American Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
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.

Offseason edit

Coaching changes edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

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

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 267:30 p.m.at San Jose State*No. 19CBSSNW 42–2213,377
September 24:00 p.m.Stony Brook*No. 19ESPN3W 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.TempleNo. 21
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNW 43–724,325
September 3012:00 p.m.at East CarolinaNo. 18CBSSNW 61–3134,883
October 14 [a]7:30 p.m.Cincinnati No. 18
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNUW 33–343,708
October 217:00 p.m.at TulaneNo. 16ESPN2W 34–2817,256
October 28 [b]3:45 p.m.HoustonNo. 17
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNUL 24–2832,316
November 4 [c]3:30 p.m.at UConnESPNUW 37–2018,430
November 168:00 p.m.TulsaNo. 23
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
ESPNW 27–2026,195
November 243:30 p.m.at No. 13 UCFNo. 22ABCL 42–4947,129 
December 2312:00 p.m.vs. Texas Tech*No. 23ESPNW 38–3428,623
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • 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 edit

At San Jose State edit

1 2 3 4 Total
No. 19 Bulls 0 28 7 7 42
Spartans 16 0 0 6 22

Stony Brook edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Seawolves 7 3 0 7 17
No. 19 Bulls 7 0 10 14 31

Illinois edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini 2 7 0 14 23
No. 22 Bulls 9 14 14 10 47

Temple edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Owls 0 7 0 0 7
No. 21 Bulls 3 17 13 10 43

At East Carolina edit

1 2 3 4 Total
No. 18 Bulls 21 10 17 13 61
Pirates 10 14 7 0 31

Cincinnati edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Bearcats 3 0 0 0 3
No. 18 Bulls 3 20 7 3 33

At Tulane edit

1 2 3 4 Total
No. 16 Bulls 7 13 14 0 34
Green Wave 0 7 7 14 28

Houston edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Cougars 0 0 14 14 28
No. 17 Bulls 0 7 7 10 24

At UConn edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 10 17 3 37
Huskies 0 7 0 13 20

Tulsa edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Hurricane 7 10 0 3 20
No. 23 Bulls 21 3 3 0 27

At UCF edit

1 2 3 4 Total
No. 22 Bulls 7 13 14 8 42
No. 13 Knights 21 0 7 21 49

Vs. Texas Tech–Birmingham Bowl edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Red Raiders 10 0 14 10 34
No. 23 Bulls 3 7 7 21 38

Rankings edit

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP1921222118181816–T17RV222322232321
Coaches21202117171615131423212019232421
CFPNot releasedNot released

Roster edit

2017 South Florida Bulls football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 1 Chris Barr Jr
RB 2 D'Ernest Johnson Sr
WR 3 Darnell Salomon So
RB 6 Darius Tice   Sr
QB 7 Brett Kean So
WR 8 Tyre McCants   Jr
QB 9 Quinton Flowers Sr
QB 10 Chris Oladokun   Fr
WR 11 Marquez Valdes-Scantling   Sr
WR 12 Temi Alaka   Sr
WR 14 Deangelo Antonie   So
QB 16 Mike Dean Fr
QB 17 Kyle Trina Fr
WR 18 DeVontres Dukes   Fr
RB 22 Duran Bell Jr. Fr
RB 27 LaDarion McBride Sr
RB 31 Elijah Mack   Fr
RB 32 Jordan Cronkrite Jr
RB 36 Davion Sutton Jr
TE 40 Derek Hintze   Fr
FB 40 Riley Sheehan So
TE 48 Spencer Adkinson Sr
TE 49 K. J. Miles   Sr
OL 50 Christion Gainer   Fr
OL 52 Michael Wiggs   Fr
OL 55 Eric Mayes Jr
OL 61 Jacob Maxfield Fr
OL 64 Demetris Harris Fr
OL 66 Matt Nelson   Fr
OL 67 Hal Roberson   Fr
OL 68 Michael Galati   Jr
OL 69 Erik Listoe   So
OL 70 Glen Bethel Sr
OL 71 Jeremiah Stafford Fr
OL 72 Brooks Larkin   So
OL 73 Jeremi Hall   Sr
OL 74 Cameron Ruff   Sr
OL 75 Jean Marcellus Fr
OT 77 Marcus Norman   So
G 78 William Atterbury So
OL 79 Grant Polk   So
TE 80 Ryan Hintze Sr
WR 80 Trevor Steinke Sr
WR 81 Ryeshene Bronson Sr
WR 83 Jernard Phillips Fr
WR 84 Randall St. Felix Fr
TE 85 Elkanah Dillon   Jr
WR 86 Stanley Clerveaux   Jr
TE 87 Frederick Lloyd Jr. Fr
WR 88 Kevaughn Dingle Fr
TE 89 Mitchell Wilcox   So
TE 97 Nicholas Munera Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
CB 3 Deatrick Nichols Sr
DE 4 Jimmy Bates   Jr
DT 10 Deadrin Senat   Sr
LB 12 Andre Polk Jr.   Fr
CB 13 Tajee Fullwood Sr
DB 14 Mike Hampton   Fr
DE 15 Vincent Jackson   Jr
S 18 Jaymon Thomas Jr
CB 19 Ronnie Hoggins Jr
S 20 Devin Abraham Sr
S 21 Khalid McGee   Jr
DB 22 Mekhi LaPointe Fr
CB 23 Mazzi Wilkins   Jr
DB 24 Nick Roberts Fr
DB 25 Bentlee Sanders Fr
S 26 Craig Watts   Fr
DB 27 Naytron Culpepper Fr
DB 28 Donelle Thomas Fr
LB 29 Devon Jones-Stewart Sr
DB 30 Jeffery Farrar   Jr
LB 33 David Small Fr
LB 34 Keirston Johnson Fr
DE 35 Jabreel Stephens Fr
CB 37 Nate Ferguson Jr
CB 38 Nick Cuccia So
DB 39 Trent Shaw So
LB 41 Greg Reaves   So
LB 43 Auggie Sanchez   Sr
DT 44 Garry Cadet Jr
DE 45 Darrien Grant Fr
LB 51 Mi'Cario Stanley   Fr
LB 53 Danny Thomas Jr
LB 54 Nico Sawtelle So
LB 55 Josh Black   Jr
DE 56 Juwuan Brown   Jr
LB 57 A. J. Franco Fr
LB 58 Anthony Beko Jr
LB 59 Andrew Mims Fr
DT 60 Bruce Hector   Sr
DT 90 Kevin Kegler Fr
DE 91 Frank Johnson Jr
DE 92 Marquies Price Jr
DT 93 Brandon Boyce Jr
DE 94 Kirk Livingstone   So
DT 95 Marlon Gonzalez So
DT 96 Kevlin Pinkney Jr. Fr
DE 98 Mike Love   Sr
DE 99 Kevin Bronson   Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 35 Emilio Nadelman   Sr
K 38 Marco Salani Fr
K 42 Jake Vivonetto Sr
P 44 Jonathan Hernandez   Sr
LS 46 Zach Deitz So
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
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Roster
Last update: October 10, 2017

[9]

Players in the 2018 NFL Draft edit

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Deadrin Senat DT 3 90 Atlanta Falcons
Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR 5 174 Green Bay Packers

References edit

  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. ^ a b "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.