Follow @USFFootball On Twitter
Like USF Football on Facebook
 
11 spring graduates join 13 that earned degrees in the fall
All-Conference punter Mattias Ciabatti earning civil engineering degree with 3.47 grade-point average
 
TAMPA, APRIL 30, 2015 – USF Head Coach Willie Taggart and the University of South Florida football program continue to produce graduates as 11 Bulls will receive their degrees this weekend during University commencement ceremonies at the Sun Dome.
 
The 11 Bulls football student-athletes earning degrees during spring commencement join 13 Bulls that received degrees at the conclusion of the fall semester for a total of 24 USF Football student-athletes earning their degree in the last two semesters. They are among 58 USF student-athletes earning degrees this spring.
 
Seven of the 11 Bulls earning degrees this weekend will return for the 2015 season, including All-American Athletic Conference first-team punter Mattias Ciabatti (Tampa) who is collecting his degree in civil engineering with a 3.47 grade-point average. All-American kicker and 2013 Lou Groza Award finalist Marvin Kloss (Naples) is also earning his degree as he keeps an eye on the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago.
 
Other returners earning degrees this weekend include quarterback Steven Bench (Cairo, Georgia), linebacker Zack Bullock (Sebring), linebacker C.J. Garye (Tallahassee), fullback Corian Hamilton  (Orlando), cornerback Torrel Saffold (Kansas City, Kan.) and tight end Tye Turner (Hampton, Ga.). They join fall semester graduates Brynjar Gudmundsson (Fort Lauderdale) and Thor Jozwiak (Hollywood) to give the Bulls nine graduates on the 2015 season roster.
 
Also collecting degrees this weekend are safety Trevon Griffin (Miami), fullback Brandon Harris (Jacksonvile) and defensive back Tyler Robb (Tampa).
 
USF returns 13 starters (5 offense, 7 defense and 1 specialist) for Taggart's third season at the helm. The Bulls will return their top five tacklers (9 the top 12 overall) and players that accounted for 73 percent of the team's tackles in 2014. USF returns 100 percent of its rushing yardage from 2014, including 1,000-yard rusher Marlon Mack, and 50 percent of its receptions and receiving yards.
 
The USF Football program completed its 18th season and 15th at the FBS level. The Bulls have made six bowl appearances, including every season between 2005-10, and have four bowl game victories. USF has produced 14 All-America selections, 23 NFL Draft picks and reached the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Poll in 2007.

Follow  @USFFootball on twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.