Bulls' 2020 Signing Class 'Exceeded' Scott's Expectations
USF CLASS OF 2020 SIGNEES ROSTER & BIOS
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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, FEB. 6, 2020 – Not even a coaching transition and whirlwind recruiting cycle could keep
Jeff Scott and his staff from building a sturdy foundation for the future of USF football.
Roughly two months after Scott was named USF's new head coach, the program completed its 17-member class for 2020 with the addition of eight very promising prospects during NCAA Late Signing Period, which opened Wednesday.
"I think it exceeded my expectations, as far as the quality of players and the quality of people that we were able to bring in, in a very short period of time," Scott said during his Signing Day press conference.
Despite Scott's first USF coaching staff yet to be in place, the pieces started to fit right away when nine new players officially committed during Early Signing Period in December. The first Bulls of the Scott era included five defensive players – cornerbacks
AJ Hamilton (Dunnellon, Fla.),
Ben Knox (DeLand, Fla.),
Christopher Townsel (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), safety
Mac Harris (The Villages, Fla.) and tackle
Sione Tuitupou (Kailua, Hawaii).
Quarterback
Cade Fortin (Suwanee, Ga.) capped off an infusion of fresh offensive talent that began with running backs
Brian Battie (Sarasota) and
Darrian Felix (Fort Myers, Fla.), along with receiver
Omarion Dollison (Columbia, S.C.).
"Those are the kinda guys I would want to recruit if we started a year out," Scott said of his 17-member class. "This is the kind of group that I want to get to, and the fact that they're all here in a short amount of time is really amazing."
While completing co-offensive coordinator duties during Clemson's run to the CFP National Championship Game, Scott pulled off another incredible feat by assembling his 10-man coaching staff prior to the Tigers national championship clash with LSU mid-January. Hitting the ground running, the Bulls' new team of recruiters opened more eyes during Late Signing Period.
Offensively, USF fortified the front with incoming freshman linemen
Cesar Reyes (Tampa) and
Uriah Greene (Charlotte, N.C.), and added more competition to the quarterback room with
Jordan Smith (Lake City, Fla.) and
Katravis Marsh (Hialeah, Fla.). By summertime, they'll be throwing to two big targets in 6-foot-5 receiver
Sincere Brown (Charleston, S.C.) and 6-foot-4 tight end
Holden Willis (Greenback, Tenn).
Two-time all-state linebacker
Le'Vontae Camiel (Lake City, Fla.) and state champion end
Tramel Logan (Miami) will bring more big-time potential to the Bulls' improving defense.
"I know every single one of these young men that we signed, we put through a pretty thick filter," Scott said. "It was not just finding somebody online and signing them up because we're going late."
Scott noted USF is strategically holding more scholarships for after spring ball, but high standards still need to be met.
"For us, being a great player is just one of about five or six boxes that need to be checked for us to offer an opportunity to come here," he said. "One of my big jobs, and our staff's big job, is really to create the culture that we want - to have a championship program that can last. Not just a championship team for one season, but a championship program that can have success year after year after year."
QB Competition Open
Scott told the team "every spot is up for grabs," starting in spring ball when North Carolina transfer
Cade Fortin, a sophomore who made two starts as a true freshman for the Tar Heels, hits the field for 15 practice sessions with returning quarterbacks like
Jordan McCloud, who started 10 games for the Bulls as a redshirt freshman in 2019.
Incoming freshmen
Jordan Smith, who tallied 2,665 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior, and
Katravis Marsh, who led Miami Central to the Class 6A state title, will arrive in the summer. They'll have a heavy helping of practices to show what they can do in fall camp.
"In an ideal world, at least two weeks before the opener, I'd like to have a starting quarterback, where they can be out there with first-team reps," Scott said. "If it's earlier than that, then great."
Smith a Second-Generation Bull
Quarterback
Jordan Smith is carrying on the family tradition of playing football for USF.
Smith's father, Quinton Callum, suited up in 31 games at running back for the Bulls from 2001-03.
Callum is still a very proud Bull and a collector of cool USF items, as Scott found out when he visited the family home in Lake City, Fla.
"I'm walking in and first off all, his dad, a former player here, he's got a USF license tag on the back of his truck," Scott said. "We walk in, they've got stuff all over, Bulls horns, just like that in the living room. I said, 'I need to get some of that for my house.' They had it all."
Two Huge Gets Up Front
Two new Bulls caught the keen eye of veteran offensive line coach
Allen Mogridge, who tirelessly evaluates one of the toughest positions in the recruiting process.
Tampa native
Cesar Reyes definitely had the skills at numerous spots and was a huge get for the Bulls to keep home in the Bay area after being pursued by numerous prestigious college programs during his prep career at Chamberlain High School.
"We feel very fortunate that he was available," Scott said. "With Cesar, what I'm excited about is he's got a big frame. He's a physical guy and has unlimited potential as a player. But the thing that stuck out to me is he was one of the guys that told me that he wants to kind of set the trend of the top players staying right here in Tampa. That was important to him."
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USF went out of the state to get another lineman who reminded Scott of Tremayne Anchrum, an all-conference player and three-year starter at Clemson.
Uriah Greene (Charlotte, N.C.) had the attention of lots of college teams due to his high football IQ, versatility and athleticism while playing for Mallard Creek High School.
"We signed multiple guys from that program while I was at Clemson, one of the top programs in North Carolina," Scott said. "…The last eight or 10 years, they've had a number of top college and NFL linemen that have come out of there."
Greenback Pass-Catcher Has Plenty of Growth Potential
Holden Willis was about 185 pounds when Scott saw him shine at a Clemson camp two years ago.
By 2019, the 204-pound Greenback School receiver earned Mr. Football honors for Class 1A after setting the state record with 28 touchdown receptions as a senior.
With
Mitchell Wilcox headed to the pros, Willis is looked at as a player who can grow into the mold of being a physical playmaker at tight end for the Bulls.
"When you're thinking about long-term success, you're planting some seeds and you see really see some athleticism," Scott said.
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Bay Area, Sunshine State Key Areas for Bulls
Eleven of USF's 17 new players originally hail from the Sunshine State and fans can expect more Florida talent heading to Tampa in the future.
"We've got the best location to get to North Florida and South Florida," Scott said. "I mean, it's no longer than a three, three-and-a-half hour drive at most to get to both these places."
Covering Florida's complete area won't be difficult for Scott's staff that has potential signees' whole families in mind.
"To me, that got me really excited to think about the potential that is here because usually as a recruiter, you think about a four-hour radius," Scott said. "A four-hour radius, a mom can get in the car, a dad can get in the car in the morning and drive to see their son play on a Saturday, and then drive home."
Scott said priority No. 1 – the Bay area – will give future Bulls' loved ones lots of convenience commuting to Raymond James Stadium.
"My plan is to have all 10 coaches to have about eight or nine schools within this radius. Then outside of that, the next priority is the state of Florida," Scott said. "If we can just focus on those two, we'll have a chance to be a very successful program if we can do a good job in that area."
As four out-of-state recruiting, Scott noted he and his staff have a plethora of contacts when needed.
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About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and just 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 have seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft.Â
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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