Game 3 Player Spotlight: Brad Cecil
GAME 3 MATCHUP: USF (1-1, 0-0 in AAC) at No. 15 Cincinnati (2-0, 0-0 in AAC)
DAY & TIME: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
TV: ESPN+
RADIO: Over the Air: 95.3 WDAE &
Digital: Bulls Unlimited
SERIES: Cincinnati leads, 10-7
GAME NOTES: USF |
Cincinnati
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, OCT. 3, 2020 – The "general" of USF's offensive line is returning for duty at a very important time.
Starting center
Brad Cecil is set to make his 2020 season debut when the Bulls (1-1) kick off conference play at No. 15 Cincinnati (2-0) on Saturday.
"I'm prepared, I'm ready to go and I'm feeling better than ever," said the junior, who has been USF's primary starter at his position since he was a freshman in 2018.
Getting Cecil back in action is a huge plus for USF, which looks to get rolling on offense against a highly talented opponent that's won 15 straight home games. Dominant play in the trenches has helped the Bearcats rank 14
th nationally in total defense (314.5 ypg) and scoring defense (15 ppg).
"They're a great team. They know what they're doing, they play hard, they're big, they're strong," Cecil said. "But it's a great opportunity for us to go out there and play our best and show who we are."
College football experts definitely know who Cecil is and what he's capable of. Heading into 2020, the Jacksonville, Fla., native was named to preseason all-conference teams by both Athlon and Phil Steele.
"I still have to go out and show that I'm worthy of having that spot," Cecil said. "It was a blessing and it was nice to see. I appreciate it and I'm ready to prove them right."
There's no doubt Cecil has been a very dependable asset for USF, starting 19 games over the past two years, including seven as a true freshman in 2018. His toughness was on full display last season when he started all 12 games despite dealing with numerous injuries.
"Playing through them taught me to fight through adversity and just keep pushing, keep being there for my teammates. I'm not here for myself, I'm here for the guys next to me," he said. "It really shaped me and I think it's really helped make me the person and player I am today. I wouldn't change anything that happened last year."
Since then, Cecil has shown new head coach
Jeff Scott's staff he can be a leader they can always count on. Offensive line coach
Allen Mogridge has no problem empowering his seasoned center to take command up front.
"What Coach Mo says is I have the keys to the car. I run the show on the O-line. I make sure everyone's on the same page. I make sure everyone knows the calls. I make sure everyone is doing the right thing," Cecil said. "That's my favorite part about it – being able to be like the general of the O-line. I take that responsibility seriously."
Becoming the Man in the Middle
Although Cecil looks like a natural center, he really hasn't played the position for very long.
Cecil grew up on the baseball diamond in Jacksonville where he held down one of the corners as a first baseman, which the 300-pounder refers to as the "big boy position." He joined the middle school football team in eighth grade and didn't play much, but it didn't deter him from fully committing to the sport.
"I got to high school and both sports required a lot of commitment. I wanted to be able to devote my time to mainly one of them," he said. "I was kind of worn out with baseball, so I was like, 'I'm gonna give football a shot.'"
That proved to be a very wise move for the current business management major.
Beginning his prep career on Bartram Trail High School's JV squad, Cecil moved up to varsity during his freshman year and became an all-state guard at the Class 7A level by the time he was a junior. Cecil also played tackle as a prep star, but his true calling was at a different position as a senior. Center was where he was rated as a top-20 prospect nationally by 247Sports.
"Every coach who was recruiting me was telling me I was gonna play center," he said. "My coaches in high school, fortunately enough, said they wanted me to move to center, so I could get the feel for it before I got to college. They were really looking out for me there and I really appreciate them for that."
Playing center requires a player to handle a lot of responsibilities, which Cecil had no problem doing throughout his super busy high school career.
In addition to his football feats, he was a four-year letterman in track and field as a throws specialist. He earned three varsity letters in wrestling and three more in weightlifting.
"I didn't want to be out of season ever," he said. "I always wanted to be doing something and be a part of a team. They all kind of correlated to what I did on the football field."
Cecil credits his shot put/discus events for helping him develop balance and footwork needed to play offensive line. Wrestling really taught him to use his hands and feet at the same time while having to be mobile and use leverage.
Weightlifting was obviously beneficial for Cecil and his success in a grueling sport he wants to eventually play at the next level. Fortunately for Cecil, the Bulls have a solid track record of producing NFL O-linemen and he's well aware.
"Guys like Austin Reiter, I watch him every time he's playing because I like to see what he does. I want to try to play like him because he got it done," Cecil said. "He was able to get to the league, win a starting job (in Kansas City) and win a Super Bowl. It doesn't get much better than that."
More Cecil Details
FOOTBALL IS A FAMILY THING: Talking football with loved ones is common for Cecil, who is one of four current or former players in his family. His father, James, was an offensive lineman in high school. Cecil has three younger siblings and his two brothers both play football as well. Freddy, the second-oldest sibling in the family, is a senior guard/center for Bartram Trail High School, where Cecil played. His youngest brother, Blaze, also puts on pads and a helmet as an eighth-grader. "None of us are small," Cecil said. "Everyone has always been an O-lineman or D-lineman in the family."- ASPIRING BUSINESS OWNER: Currently working on business management degree, Cecil wants to put it to good use one day. "I've always been interested in weightlifting, so I want to have my own gym, my own training facility and my own academy for young athletes," he said.
- MUCH LIKE MINSHEW: Cecil's favorite NFL offensive lineman is Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, but the Jacksonville native's favorite player overall is Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew. "I'm a big Jacksonville guy," Cecil said. "I like what he's doing and he's funny." So is Cecil, who admits he's a "goofball," and his teammates would definitely agree. "I always like to make people laugh, no matter if they're feeling down, they're having a great day or a bad day," he said. "Making people laugh is one of my favorite things to do."
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23rd season (20th at the FBS level) in 2019. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 14 All-America selections and 29 first-team all-conference selections and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft. USF has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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