Graduate transfer quarterback Blake Barnett joins Bulls
TAMPA, MAY 18, 2018 – Head coach
Charlie Strong today announced the addition of graduate transfer quarterback Blake Barnett to the USF football team.
Barnett, who is transferring to USF after earning his degree from Arizona State University, will enroll in graduate school this summer and will be immediately eligible to compete for the Bulls in the 2018 season under NCAA transfer rules. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
A native of Corona, Calif., the 6-5, 217-pound Barnett was a consensus five-star prospect and earned MVP honors at the 2014 Elite 11 Quarterback Competition prior to signing with Alabama out of high school. He has seen action in seven collegiate games at previous stops at Alabama (2015-16) and Arizona State (2017), completing 14-of-24 passes for 259 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in two seasons on the field.
A big quarterback with an impressive arm and good mobility, Barnett appeared in four games for the Sun Devils during the 2017 season, his first with the program. He completed 3-of-5 passes for 40 yards on the year. He earned a degree in liberal studies from Arizona State in the spring of 2018.
Barnett redshirted his first season at Alabama in 2015 and began the 2016 season as the Crimson Tide's starter in the season opener vs. USC. He played in three games for the Tide in 2016, completing 11-of-19 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, before transferring later that season.
Coming out of high school, Barnett was ranked as the nation's No. 1 quarterback as a pocket passer by ESPN.com and the top dual-threat signal-caller by Rivals.com. A consensus five-star prospect, he led his team to victory in the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game, participated in Nike's "The Opening," and was named to the Prepstar Dream Team. Barnett was ranked the No. 2 quarterback prospect nationally by 247Sports and No. 3 by Scout.com after passing for 3,404 yards and 23 touchdowns in 11 games during his senior season at Santiago High School. He also ran for 479 yards and seven scores that season.
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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