Quinton Flowers Named Team MVP For Second Season
Mack Offensive MVP; Senat Defensive MVP
TAMPA, DEC. 5, 2016 – USF celebrated a record-breaking 2016 season that saw it win 10 games, return to the Top 25 rankings and secure a second straight bowl bid Sunday night at the annual USF Football Banquet held at the Marshall Student Center on the USF Campus.
Head Coach Willie Taggart and the Bulls' coaching staff honored 18 seniors and handed out team awards at the evening event for family and friends of the program hosted by the Voice of the Bulls Jim Louk and former offensive lineman and current sideline reporter Thor Jozwiak.
Three-time first team all-conference running back Marlon Mack (Sarasota) was named Offensive MVP for the third time. The Bulls' all-time leading rusher (3,559 yards) also became USF's career leader in all-purpose yards (4,045) and total touchdowns scored (33) while rushing for 100-yards or more in seven games to increase his USF career record total to 20. Mack, a junior, ran for 1,137 yards, his third-straight 1,000-yard season, and a season record tying 15 touchdowns while catching a career-best 26 passes for 215 yards.Junior quarterback Quinton Flowers (Miami) was honored with the John & Cynthia Ruzic Team MVP award for the second straight season after a record-shattering performance that saw him earn American Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors. Flowers finished the regular season ranked in the top 20 in the nation in nine offensive categories. He set new USF season records for total offense (3,976 yards), rushing yards (1,425), rushing touchdowns (15), total touchdowns (37) and 300-yard total offense games (8).
Junior running back/returner D'Ernest Johnson (Immokalee) earned unit MVP honors for the second straight season, this time taking Special Teams MVP honors. Johnson led The American and ranked ninth nationally, averaging 12.4 yards per punt return, including an 83-yard return for a touchdown at Syracuse.
The Bulls Defensive MVP was presented to junior defensive tackle Deadrin Senat (Immokalee) who led all defensive linemen with a career-best 46 tackles on the year. An immovable force in the middle of the 4-2-5 defense, Senat also logged a sack and six tackles for loss.
Another explosive member of the Gulf Coast Offense earned the team's Most Improved Player Award. That went to senior wide receiver Rodney Adams (St. Petersburg), who logged a team-best 1,499 all-purpose yards and scored 10 touchdowns on the year. Adams led USF with 60 receptions for 755 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 210 yards and five touchdowns.
Punter Jonathan Hernandez (Bradenton) was honored with the Jim & Laurie Ragsdale Outstanding Walk-On Award. The sophomore transfer from Florida State punted in every game for USF and ranked sixth in The American with a 41.2 yards per punt average while ranking second in the league with 25 punts inside the 20 and 12 punts of 50-plus yards.
Senior A.J. Legree (Fort White.) was presented the Lee Roy Selmon Award for courage, perseverance and determination. The wide receiver had a tremendous spring and was on pace to be a major factor in the Bulls offense before tearing knee ligaments during fall camp and missing the season.
Flowers and junior linebacker Auggie Sanchez (St. Petersburg) were honored with Captains Awards.
The Frank Morsani Leadership Award was presented to junior defensive tackle Bruce Hector (Tampa) and junior wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (St. Petersburg). Hector posted 28 tackles, four sacks and five tackles for loss on the year. Valdes-Scantling logged 21 receptions for 401 yards and five touchdowns. Hector was also awarded the Defensive Lineman Award, while first-year center Cameron Ruff (Tampa) earned the Offensive Lineman Award after starting every game for a USF offense that set program records in total offense (6,181 yards) and rushing yards (3,501).
First-year tight end Mitchell Wilcox (Tarpon Springs) earned the team's Freshman of the Year Award after logging 11 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns and proving to be a devastating blocker. Wilcox earned second team all-conference honors in his first season on the field.
Senior offensive tackle Kofi Amichia (Riverdale, Ga.) was named the recipient of the Tough Man Award. Amichia has started 25 straight games at left tackle and battled through injuries in the final weeks of the season to lead a USF offense that ranked No. 5 in the nation in rushing (291.8), No. 8 in scoring (43.6 ppg) and No. 9 in total offense (515.1 ypg).
Senior long snapper Alex Salvato (Lakeland) was presented the team's Academic Excellence Award. He is on pace to earn a master's degree in entrepreneurship in applied technology this spring.
Scout Team Awards were presented on offense to freshman quarterback Chris Oladokun (Tampa) and on defense to freshman safety Craig Watts (Tampa).
The “I Got Your 6” Award was presented to Bob Donaldson an Iron Bull and longtime donor to the football program and USF Athletics.
The Bulls (10-2) will compete in the program's eighth bowl game, second straight under Head Coach Willie Taggart, in just its 16th season of FBS football. USF had a program-record 10 players earn all-conference honors in 2016.
Season ticket deposits for the 2017 season start at $50 per seat and can be placed at USFBullsTix.com. The Bulls will play seven home games in Raymond James Stadium in 2017, hosting notable games vs. Illinois, Houston, Temple, Tulsa and Cincinnati.
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- #GoBulls –
2016 USF TEAM SEASON AWARD WINNERS
John & Cynthia Ruzic MVP Award – Quinton Flowers
Lee Roy Selmon Award – AJ Legree
Offensive MVP Award – Marlon Mack
Defensive MVP Award- Deadrin Senat
Special Teams MVP Award – D'Ernest Johnson
Offensive Lineman Award – Cameron Ruff
Defensive Lineman Award – Bruce Hector
Most Improved Player Award – Rodney Adams
Freshman of the Year Award – Mitchell Wilcox
Frank Morsani Leadership Award – Bruce Hector &
Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Jim & Laurie Ragsdale Outstanding Walk-On Award – Jonathan Hernandez
Captains Award – Auggie Sanchez &
Quinton Flowers
Academic Excellence Award – Alex Salvato
Tough Man Award – Kofi Amichia
Scout Team Award, Offensive – Chris Okladokun
Scout Team Award, Defensive – Craig Watts
“I Got Your 6” Award - Bob Donaldson
