USF Athletics

Deep USF Receiver Group Stretching the Field This Spring

April 05, 2018

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, APRIL 5, 2018 – Spring football is showing USF's up-tempo attack is in good hands with a deep and dangerous group of receivers making plays on a daily basis at the Morsani Complex.

While household names Tyre McCants, Darnell Salomon and Deangelo Antoine continue to do their thing, the Bulls are getting are a huge boost from sophomore Jernard Phillips, along with freshmen Zion Roland and Randall St. Felix, who hauled in a 30-yard touchdown catch in Thursday's practice.

Add in impressive comebacks from healthy junior Stanley Clerveaux and senior Ryeshene Bronson and you have lots of confident depth in year two of coordinator Sterlin Gilbert's scheme.

"Last year around this time, there was a lot of thinking and trying to know what Coach Gilbert wanted us to do," Clerveaux said. "Right now, we've got a whole year under our belt knowing the offense and everybody is competing right now, just trying to win a job."

Veteran receivers coach Charlie Williams is seeing the makings of a big 2018 season ahead for his group that returns four of the top six position players from last year.

"Year two, for the guys that were with us last year, you can see it's coming," Williams said. "We're going to be able to mix and match these guys and play them inside and outside. As long as we keep them healthy, it's going to be fun to watch them compete."

Established Bulls Taking the Next Step
USF will certainly miss program season receiving yards record-setter Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who is preparing for the NFL, but the Bulls definitely feel good about what they have coming back.

It all starts with senior Tyre McCants, who broke out in a big way in 2017 by leading the team with 19.1 yards per catch and seven touchdown receptions. Against rival UCF, the Niceville, Fla., native set USF's single-game receiving record with 227 yards on a career-high nine catches.

Fans still watch highlights of McCants dragging a UCF defender nearly 20 yards at the end of his 47-yard touchdown a game before hauling in the winning touchdown against Big 12 foe Texas Tech in the Bulls' Birmingham Bowl victory.



"You know what Tyre is going to bring to the table," receivers coach Charlie Williams said. "If the ball is close to him in that tackle-to-tackle area, he's going to make the play and he's going to have a chance to run with it after."

Williams also knows what he's going to get from Darnell Salomon, who made himself known as a sophomore in 2017, ranking third on the team with 512 receiving yards (16.0 ypc) and five touchdowns. Against UCF, the Miami native helped tie the War on I-4 clash up in the final two minutes with an 83-yard touchdown catch.

Salomon is already building on his 2017 performance by consistently finding the end zone this spring, especially in red zone situations.

"Man, he's doing a nice job outside," Williams said.

The same could be said inside for junior slot man Deangelo Antoine, who averaged 15.3 yards per reception last season. The Orlando native continues to make tough catches over the middle look easy, like his 14-yard touchdown in traffic deep in the end zone Thursday.

"D-Lo is making the progress that we need him to make and he needs to continue to progress, which all of them do," Williams said.

Young Bulls Breaking Out
Established talent is producing like usual this spring while USF is seeing freshman receivers thrive in the up-tempo attack that's stretching the field.

Redshirt freshman Randall St. Felix (Miami) has often been at the end of long touchdown connections, like his 30-yarder Thursday. St. Felix led Dr. Krop High School in receiving as a senior in 2016 and the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder excels at getting up to grab deep jump balls, which was evident in the first spring scrimmage.

"Every ball that's in the air, he believes it's going to be his," receivers coach Charlie Williams said. "He's won the 50-50 balls more so than he's lost that battle. He just keeps on coming every day and we love that out of him."

Another freshman that's getting his hands on passes often is Zion Roland, an early enrollee who caught an 8-yard touchdown in last Saturday's scrimmage. The St. Petersburg native was a big get in USF's 2018 signing class after being rated a four-star recruit by ESPN.

"He's a midyear guy that's learning every day," Williams said. "He's doing a really good job. Once he really understands the offense, he's going to have a chance to be special too and help us as well."

A third freshman that's proving he can help USF go fast is Jernard Phillips. The sophomore is showing he can be a go-to guy in the slot after playing in eight games last season.

"He just finds a way to get open day after day after day," Williams said.

The Miami native also plays much bigger than his 5-foot-10, 167-pound frame. Proof is in the tape of Phillips holding onto several gutsy, first-down catches this spring while defenders delivered the punishment.

"He's a small guy, but he's got a big heart," senior receiver Ryeshene Bronson said. "I call him a lion."

Clerveaux and Bronson Happy to Be Back in Action
Despite receiver DeVontres Dukes (Tampa) helping USF at safety lately this spring, the Bulls' receiver group is still in great shape from a depth standpoint. That's been made possible by the return of healthy upperclassmen Stanley Clerveaux and Ryeshene Bronson.

Clerveaux has been reclassified as a junior upon being granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after battling shoulder and knee injuries that caused him to miss significant time at USF since 2014. The North Miami native looks rejuvenated this spring and showed it in the first scrimmage, making a one-handed grab in the midst of a 60-yard score.

"I just feel awesome, man," he said. "I'm stronger, I feel like I got faster a little bit, so it just feels good to be back out here with the guys."

After coming into the program at around 175 pounds, 6-foot-3 Clerveaux has bulked up to 225 through his extensive rehab process and he's also hit the books hard. Already equipped with an undergrad degree in criminology, Clerveaux is on track to soon earn a master's degree in entrepreneurship.

"Getting that masters, I know that will make my parents happy," he said. "Then I get another chance to play with my guys. Two extra years, I've gotta take advantage of it."

Bronson also is taking advantage of another year of playing time after tearing his rotator cuff at the end of fall camp in 2017. The senior from Fort Myers, Fla., has declared his health status at 90 percent this spring and he's added 15 pounds since last season to get up to 208.

"We're trying not to tackle him to the ground, but he's learning how to take hits again," Charlie Williams said. "… He's moving in the right direction. He's practicing every day. Now it's just a matter of recall. What he learned last year, he has to continue to grow and build that to this year."

Having Bronson back gives USF another home run threat with a 6-foot-3 receiver that's averaged 17.7 yards per catch in his collegiate career.

"It feels good to be healthy," Bronson said. "I'm thankful for it every day."

 BULLS BITS

• QB UPDATE: Brett Kean and Chris Oladokun continue to keep the battle close for the starting QB job. Kean threw touchdown passes to Deangelo Antoine and Tyre McCants in 11-on-11 work late in Thursday's practice. Oladokun was on target finding Randall St. Felix in the corner of the end zone for a 30-yard score on top of using his dual-threat ability to run for numerous first downs. "They're doing a terrific job, both of them. They're slinging that ball," receiver Stanley Clerveaux said. "Right now it's tough. I don't know how the coaching staff is going to make a decision because that's a tough battle right now. I'd hate to be in that room having to make that call, make that decision." That decision won't come soon, as coordinator Sterlin Gilbert alluded to last week.
• YOUNG DEFENSIVE BACKS MAKE PLAYS: Freshmen defensive backs continued to impress Thursday during two big plays. Mekhi LaPointe (Seffner, Fla.) showed off his hands on an interception before Bentlee Sanders (Tampa) denied a rusher of a potential touchdown by stripping the ball out at the 1-yard line.
• SPRING GAME APPROACHING: Anticipation continues to build for players eager for the USF Spring Game experience on Saturday, April 14 at Corbett Stadium. "You've got the fans out there rooting for you. Other athletic teams are out there rooting for you as well," Ryeshene Bronson said. "It just feels good to invite your family up to see you run around. You actually get to shake little kids' hands." Learn more about the free and fun event that includes a pregame street fest HERE.

Up Next
USF will complete its fourth week of spring practice with a scrimmage Saturday at the Morsani Complex.
 
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF posted its second straight 10-win season in 2017 (10-2) by winning its second straight Birmingham Bowl with a 38-34 victory over Texas Tech. USF is one of just 14 teams nationally to win 20-plus games in the last two seasons (21-4) and has spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the top 25, reaching as high as No. 13 in Week 8 of the 2017 season. The Bulls have won five of their last six bowl appearances and made nine (6-3) total bowl appearances in 21 seasons, including a current run of three straight bowls. USF won a program-record 11 games in 2016 (11-2) and has posted 14 winning seasons. The USF program, which first took the field in 1997, reached No. 2 in the rankings in 2007 and has seen 28 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and had 32 first-team all-conference selections.
 
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