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By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

USF's two-deep features a solid mix of veteran experience and new talent. The Bulls will get an injection of 19 first-year USF players, including six true-freshmen and six redshirt freshmen seeing their first collegiate football action, as the Bulls head into the 2014 campaign. That is mixed with 26 upperclassmen and 13 seniors.

USF has 13 members of its senior class on the depth chart, including team captains Andre Davis (receiver), Reshard Cliett (linebacker) and Marvin Kloss (kicker). The seniors on the two-deep bring a combined 399 games and 159 starts into the season. Starting right guard Quinterrius Eatmon (Prichard, Ala.) is the most seasoned Bull when it comes to starting experience with 34 starts in 35 games played since 2011. Another notable senior is tight end Mike McFarland (Tampa), a preseason all-conference pick by Sporting News and Athlon who ranked second on the team with 23 catches for 288 yards in 2013.

USF's juniors are well represented with 13 players on the two-deep, including tight ends Sean Price (Citra), who made Phil Steele's preseason all-conference first team after totaling 42 catches for 394 yards the past two seasons. Other notable juniors are starting left guard Thor Jozwiak (Eagle Lake), who has returned stronger after missing all of last season with a heart condition, and starting right tackle Brynjar Gudmundsson (Wellington), who started all 12 games last season and tied for the lead with 735 snaps among USF's players on offense.

The Bulls' sophomore class has 12 players in the two-deep rotation, including starting safety Nate Godwin, a Tampa native who finished fourth on the team with 49 total tackles last season. Darius Tice (Miami) has earned the starting nod at running back after ranking second on the squad with 141 rushing yards last season as a true freshman.

USF has six redshirt freshmen on the depth chart, including inside linebacker Auggie Sanchez (St. Petersburg), who made a successful move from fullback in the spring. Another notable starter is Kennard Swanson (Lakeland) who will make his collegiate debut as a starting fullback after earning all-state honors at Lake Gibson High School

USF reeled in the top-ranked recruiting class in the American Athletic Conference this offseason and the Bulls have six true freshmen in the two-deep heading into the season opener, including backup running back Marlon Mack (Sarasota), receiver Ryeshene Bronson (Fort Myers), linebacker Vincent Jackson (Tampa), safety Devin Abraham (Tarpon Springs), cornerback Deatrick Nichols (Miami) and punter Eric Briggs (Fort Myers).

Along with the true freshmen, the Bulls will have 19 first-year players on the two-deep making their USF debuts, including starting safety Jamie Byrd (Dade City), a junior who earned NJCAA second-team All-America honors out of Iowa Western Community College.

Take a position-by-position look at what USF has to offer in its two-deep:

Offense

Quarterback: Sophomore Mike White won the starting job in camp after leading the team with 1,083 passing yards in six games (five starts) last season. The Bulls have a dependable backup in junior Steven Bench, who logged in seven games of experience last season.

Offensive Line: Starters Darrell Williams (LT), LG (Thor Jozwiak), center Austin Reiter ( C), Quinterrius Eatmon (RG) and Brynjar Gudmundsson (RT) bring 93 starts and 129 games of experience to the table.

Tight End: The position is packed with experience as junior starter Sean Price (Citra, Fla.) and senior Mike McFarland have 18 starts and 59 games of experience between them. McFarland, a Tampa native, ranked second on the team last season with 288 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Wide Receiver: Senior Andre Davis (Tampa) headlines the position and enters the season on the verge of breaking every major receiving record in program history. Senior starter Deonte Welch (Williston, Fla.) is another proven target with 57 catches for 739 yards in the past three seasons. Newcomers Ryeshene Bronson, a true freshman, and Rodney Adams, a sophomore, earned spots on the two-deep with impressive showings in fall camp.

Running Back: Sophomore Darius Tice will lead things off after starting once in eight games last season as a true freshman. Marlon Mack, a true freshman, is second on the depth chart and showed a lot of promise in fall camp after earned all-state honors out of Booker High School in Sarasota.

Fullback: Redshirt freshman Kennard Swanson (Lakeland) will get the start and he'll be backed up by junior Brandon Harris, who walked onto the team in 2012.

Defense

Defensive Line: Junior Eric Lee (Daphne, Ala.) and seniors Todd Chandler (Miami) and Elkino Watson (Miami) will anchor a revamped defensive line that also features first-year Bull Demetrius Hill, a junior, redshirt freshman Deadrin Senat (Immokalee, Fla.) and sophomore Derrick Calloway (Bradenton, Fla.).

Linebacker: USF has plenty of linebackers to use in the 3-4 look, including starters Reshard Cliett (Thomasville, Ga.), redshirt freshman Auggie Sanchez (St. Petersburg), sophomore Nigel Harris (Tampa) and junior Tashon Whitehurst (Gainesville). Juniors C.J. Garye (Tallahassee) and LeGrande Harley (Durham, N.C.), and senior Rahmon Swain (Lithonia, Ga.) and freshman Vincent Jackson (Tampa) make up the second-team unit.

Cornerback: Senior Chris Dunkley made the switch from receiver to cornerback this offseason and the former five-star prospect from Pahokee, Fla., has earned a starting nod. “We feel like that's the position for him and he can be a very solid football player for us,” head coach Willie Taggart said. The Bulls' other starter will be sophomore Johnny Ward, a Moultrie, Ga., native who posted 32 tackles and an interception in 12 games as a true freshman last season. Sophomore Lamar Robbins (Miami) will back Ward up after intercepted a pass last season and freshman Deatrick Nichols (Miami) will play behind Dunkley.

Safety: Sophomore Nate Godwin (Tampa) returns to the starting lineup after starting the final nine games last season and he'll be joined by newcomer Jamie Byrd, who totaled 53 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass-breakups and a fumble recovery last season for Iowa Western Community College. Backing up Godwin will be sophomore Hassan Childs, a Kissimmee, Fla., native who led the team with three interceptions in 2013, and playing behind Byrd will be freshman Devin Abraham, the son of former Bucs cornerback Donnie Abraham.

Special Teams

Placekicker/Kickoffs: Senior Marvin Kloss landed a spot on the Groza Award watch list after becoming one of three finalists for the award last season. USF's first player to be up for a major college football award earned the recognition by leading the nation with 11 field goals of 40 yards or more and four from 50-plus yards last season. The Naples, Fla., native also set a USF record with 13 consecutive made field goals, including kicks from 52, 50, 50, 50, 49, 49 and 47 yards, and he made at least one field goal in nine games during his first season as the team's primary placekicker.

Punter: Junior Mattias Ciabatti (Tampa) was a kicking machine all fall camp after ranking third in USF's single-season record books with 73 punts for 2,937 yards in 2013. The former Hillsborough High School star's career long of 68 yards against Cincinnati ranks third all-time in USF history.

Holder: Kloss is happy to have Ciabatti back as the team's holder after the two put together a standout season for the Bulls in 2013.

Long Snapper: Sophomore Alex Salvato (Lakeland) will make his collegiate debut as the team's primary long snapper and he'll be backed up by senior Jake Carlton (Bradenton, Fla.).

Kick Returner: Senior Chris Dunkley returns as the team's primary kick returner after leading the Bulls with 18 kickoff returns for 406 yards (22.6 yards per return) last season. Dunkley racked up a career-best 171 all-purpose yards last season against Houston and he earned the Most Improved Player Award at USF's postseason banquet. Also returning kicks will be sophomore Rodney Adams, a St. Petersburg native who played last season as a true freshman at Toledo.

Punt Returner: Senior Chris Dunkley will be returning punts again after racking up an average of 24.2 yards on four returns last season, including a 50-yard return for a touchdown against SMU, which was the longest return for USF and first for a touchdown since 2008. The Bulls also have a dependable set of hands in senior receiver Andre Davis.

Watch the Bulls kick off the season against Western Carolina 7 p.m. Saturday at Raymond James Stadium and check out the full season schedule HERE.

The Bulls return 16 starters (10 offense, 4 defense, 2 specialists) for Taggart's second season at the helm, which kicks off on Aug. 30 vs. Western Carolina at 7 p.m in Raymond James Stadium. The Bulls 2014 non-conference schedule features home clashes vs. Big Ten foe Maryland (Sept. 6 @ 3:30) and ACC opponent N.C. State (Sept. 13 @ 3:30) as well as a road game at perennial Big Ten power Wisconsin (Sept. 27). USF will welcome UConn (Fri., Sept. 19 @ 7:00), East Carolina (Sat., Oct. 11), Houston (Sat., Nov. 1) and UCF (Fri., Nov. 28) to Raymond James in American Athletic Conference action.

USF football single-game tickets, mini-plans and season tickets are now available on-line at GoUSFBulls.com, by calling 1-800-GoBulls, or in person at the Sun Dome Gate A Ticket Office. Season Ticket Members may renew their tickets on-line today.

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