USF to Honor Special Senior Class Saturday
November 22, 2016 | Football
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, NOV. 22, 2016 – Trailblazing Bulls responsible for starting the USF Football revival get their much-deserved day under the sun at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday.
USF will honor 18 seniors during the War on I-4 rivalry game against UCF that's set for a noon start. Fourth-year head coach Willie Taggart's very first signing class at USF can help the program reach a new milestone with 10 victories in a season.
“They wanted to be here and turn this program around, and they're doing it now,” Taggart said Monday. “It would be great for these guys to leave here having the most wins in program history.”
USF's senior class is headlined by record-breaking receiver Rodney Adams (St. Petersburg), safety Nate Godwin (Tampa) and linebacker Nigel Harris (Tampa).
The class also includes receiver Austin Aikens (Tampa), left tackle Kofi Amichia (Riverdale, Ga.), defensive tackle Daniel Awoleke (Lakeland), kicker Brandon Behr (Fleming Island, Fla.), Alex Mut (Port Charlotte), Lamar Robbins (Miami), long snapper Alex Salvato (Lakeland), defensive back Jalen Spencer (Pensacola), right guard Dominique Threatt (Atlanta), running back Darius Tice (Miami), cornerback Johnny Ward (Moultrie, Ga.), receiver Marcus Wingate (Boyne City, Mich.), running back Zaybreion Gunter (Baldwin, Fla.), receiver A.J. Legree (Fort White, Fla.) and long snapper Dylan Rutledge (New Port Richey).
“I appreciate every single one of them and I think we can all learn a lot through those guys,” Taggart said. “You set out to do something and you really want it, you do it together and great things can happen for you.”
Among this impressive list of Bulls' accomplishments could be completely flipping the script on their first season with the program under Taggart in 2013.
“Our first year, we were 2-10 and they can end the regular season of their senior year 10-2. That would be pretty cool,” Taggart said.
USF also can earn some pretty sweet hardware in the process. Aside from priceless bragging rights, the winner of the rivalry game will receive the new War on I-4 trophy that's 4 feet, 3 inches and weighs 160 pounds. Learn more about the trophy and the War on I-4 series HERE.
“You always look forward to this game here at the end of the season,” Taggart said. “I'm sure both teams have it circled on their schedules.”
Flowers Earns More Honors, Praise
Quarterback Quinton Flowers was named to The American's weekly honor roll after rushing for a game-high 142 yards, throwing three touchdowns and totaling 337 yards in the 35-27 win at SMU last Saturday.
Flowers recently became a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and he's a name that's becoming popular in the Heisman Trophy discussion. On Monday, Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville said Flowers deserves Heisman consideration and Taggart agreed.
“I think when you look at the Heisman, he'd be exactly what you're looking for – what you bring to the team, what you do on the football field as an individual, and the character,” Taggart said. “He's everything you look for.”
Look for Flowers to be a front-runner among candidates for the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Award. The junior from Miami is tops in the conference in total offense (333.8 ypg) and scoring (35 TD, 210 points) and he leads The American's top offense with 516.2 yards and 43.2 points per game. Flowers ranks second in the league with 1,273 rushing yards and third with 13 rushing touchdowns.
“You turn on the film, I think everybody will be in awe of some of the things that he does,” Taggart said.
Bulls Bits
- USF received 46 votes in this week's Amway Coaches Top 25 Poll and 24 votes in the AP Top 25 Poll. Check out the latest rankings HERE.
- USF students can request their tickets for the War on I-4 rivalry game by following the instructions HERE. Fans out of town can catch the game on CBS Sports Network.
The USF Football program is in its 20th season overall and 17th at the FBS level. The Bulls have made seven bowl appearances, including every season between 2005-10, and have four bowl game victories. USF has produced 14 All-America selections, 25 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.
