Camp Quick Hits: Gilbert's Offense Progressing as Game Week Nears
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, AUG. 21, 2018 – USF is approaching the camp finish line and the man in charge of the Bulls' up-tempo offensive attack likes what he's seeing from his group 16 practices into the fall.
"It's just continually gotten better. You just really see kind of that middle-range group of guys, with some young guys, just the improvement really over the last two weeks has really risen in a direction we anticipated, the direction that we've coached to get to," offensive coordinator
Sterlin Gilbert said. "Those guys are really honed in on it, focused in on it and our middle group has really gotten a lot better, along with the returning starter-type guys."
While skill position players and physical linemen are raising their games, the three-man battle for the starting quarterback spot continues between juniors
Blake Barnett (Corona, Calif.),
Brett Kean (Lakewood, Ohio) and sophomore
Chris Oladokun (Tampa).
Gilbert didn't name a starter after Tuesday's practice but gave all three Bulls credit for their contributions just days away from game week.
"Those guys have been steady. They've all been what we want them to be, who we want them to be," Gilbert said. "Those guys have been competitive the whole time and have led some good drives and have done all those things. There's still 11 days and we've still got a lot of work with those guys with the direction we want those guys to go."
Quarterbacks have a prime opportunity to shine Wednesday afternoon, when the Bulls go through their third scrimmage of camp at the Morsani Complex.
"We're looking for a guy that can manage a game for us, go out and execute what we ask them to do and whatever helps us win on Saturday is what we want in a quarterback," Gilbert said.
Barnett, Kean and Oladokun have all made plays Bulls fan would cheer loudly about throughout different parts of fall camp, which presents Gilbert with a good problem to have at this point.
"All three of those guys can play," Gilbert said. "You're dealing with a dynamic that not many people have been in and been around where all three of those guys are capable of playing. We're just excited about those three guys."
Camp Quick Hits
BACKS KEEP PRODUCING: Sterlin Gilbert also likes what he's seeing from a deep running back group that's being led by Jordan Cronkrite (Miami), Elijah Mack (Punta Gorda, Fla.), Trevon Sands (Miami) and Duran Bell Jr. (Tampa), who broke off two huge runs Tuesday, including a 31-yarder for a touchdown. "That room is so dynamic because all of those guys bring a different running style and everything when they're in the football game," Gilbert said. "We feel really good about that group of guys and the progression they've made, where they're sitting right now as far as being 11 days out from game time."- 'INTERCHANGEABLE' SAFETIES: Whether a Bull is a free or strong safety on the depth chart, they better be ready to play wherever when their number is called in today's fast-paced game. "Because of the offenses that we face, the safeties have to kind of be interchangeable because they go so much with the up-tempo," defensive coordinator Brian Jean-Mary said. "You don't necessarily have a strong and a free designated now. They just play safety because they have to be able to do both now."
ALAKA BACK ON CAMPUS: The Bulls were happy to get a special visit at Tuesday's practice from former receiver Temi Alaka, who helped the Bulls rank sixth nationally in total offense (513.0 ypg) during his graduate season in 2017. Alaka is back on campus to continue his coursework and he's on track to graduate in December with his master's degree in entrepreneurship.- PACK BACK IN THE HOUSE: Green Bay had a scout watch USF's second scrimmage of the fall last Saturday and another Packers representative was at Monday's practice. Other NFL teams checking out the Bulls' talent at camp have included the Bengals, Bills, Browns, Chargers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Falcons, Giants, Lions, Packers and Rams.
Up Next
The Bulls will continue to battle for starting spots during USF's third scrimmage of the fall Wednesday afternoon at the Morsani Complex.
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 15 teams nationally to win 20-plus games in the last two seasons (21-4) and posted 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 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and had 28 first-team all-conference selections.
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