Bull Speed Ahead Podcast: Episode 33 - COVID-19 Crisis Update 12
TAMPA, JUNE 5, 2020 – USF Vice President of Athletics
Michael Kelly covers important USF Athletics topics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and much more. Via his podcast, Kelly will keep fans updated every Friday on the latest information regarding athletics.
Kelly's special guests this week are USF football quarterback
Jordan McCloud and cornerback
KJ Sails. Both Tampa natives are providing community leadership and promoting positive change and unity during the social justice movement in the Bay area and nation. They talk about their involvement in that community leadership, their thoughts on current events and social justice as well as their long "family like" bond and the Bulls' preparations to return to practice and competition.
BULLS' PATHS TO USF: McCloud and Sails both talk about the reasons why they decided to attend the University of South Florida and become a part of the Bulls' football program. McCloud is a former Plant High School standout who made an instant impact for USF football in 2019, starting 10 of the 12 games he played in as a true freshman. Sails, a former East Bay High School star, transferred to his hometown program after playing for the University of North Carolina (2016-18). Sails is happy he's been able to 
spend more time at home with his 2-year-old son, King, and gave Bulls fans a lot to cheer about during his USF debut in 2019. As a season-long starter, Sails led the team with five takeaways (three INTs) and nine passes defended on the way to earning All-AAC Second Team and Pro Football Focus All-America Honorable Mention accolades.- 'TAKING A CHALLENGE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP': McCloud and Sails share their thoughts on how the USF football team has adjusted well since
spring practice was canceled after just one session due to the COVID-19 crisis. Both Bulls applaud USF football's coaching staff for keeping the team together and how the Bulls' training staff did a solid job of preparing student-athletes for spring ball.
- CLOSE BOND AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Sails and McCloud go into detail about the family-like bond they've enjoyed since growing up in Tampa. During the pandemic, both Bulls made sure to train together and make numerous improvements in order to be the best they can be for the upcoming season. McCloud said he's bulked up to about 200 pounds and hopes to keep transforming his body in an effort to increase durability. Sails has made more progress toward reaching his bodyweight goal of 180-81 and he's gained even more football knowledge in order to elevate his mental game, much like McCloud has as well.
ANTICIPATING RETURN TO PLAY: McCloud and Sails share their happiness and excitement about a return to campus (timetable TBA) and voluntarily training for the season with their teammates. Once the Bulls are back, McCloud said it's important for student-athletes to follow USF's social distancing and safety guidelines in order for things to stay on track for the season.- BULLS EXPRESS THEMSELVES: Sails shares his feelings of sadness around seeing continuing events involving racial brutality and injustice, along with stating the importance of "supporting a great cause for change" and uniting the community as leaders. McCloud adds that the repetitiveness of these issues through time are "heartbreaking" and a solution needs to be found as soon as possible.
PROVIDING LEADERSHIP FOR POSITIVE CHANGE: Since recent events surrounding the nationwide movement for change began, McCloud and Sails have taken it upon themselves to provide leadership and make a positive impact within the Tampa community through action.
On May 31, McCloud and his family helped lead a community cleanup event on Fowler Ave. at Champs Sports, which was set on fire hours before when protests in response to the death of George Floyd turned violent. Furthering the mission "to change all the negatives to positives," McCloud, his brother, Ray-Ray, and others accepted Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's invitation to meet Thursday morning. Castor thanked everyone for their cleanup efforts and the group shared ideas on unifying the Bay area community. Learn more HERE.
Sails has organized a peaceful "unifying walk" set for Saturday in downtown Tampa that will promote peace and "shed light on the injustices within the black community that have been taking place for decades." Through social media, Sails invited the USF Athletics family to join him, along with the "entire Tampa Bay athletic community" that includes the University of Tampa's athletic department, members of Tampa Bay's youth organizations, high school teams and pro athletes. Saturday's "peace walk through unity" will start at 1108 N. Franklin St. and end about a half-mile away at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, located in the culturally and historically rich Central Park area. "We show through a team sport what unity looks like all the time. Just imagine if everybody applied that same aspect to their life, how much smoother the world would be, how much smoother the world would operate," Sails said on the podcast. "I feel like showing this will show how powerful and how much of an impact that athletes have and how we could help change the world." "Peace walk" participants are asked to wear black in unity, wear masks and follow safety procedures during an event USF Athletics has embraced and looks forward to participating in.
- CLOSING REMARKS: McCloud finishes up his time on the podcast by reminding listeners about how USF Athletics is "full of different people from all over the world," and how it's important for everyone to understand and love each other. Sails echoes McCloud's statement about USF being very diverse university-wide, which was apparent to his mom on a Zoom meeting with parents coordinated by head coach Jeff Scott. Members of USF football have had an opportunity to express their thoughts and listen to others in numerous team and position meetings encouraged by Scott.
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.
Follow @USFFootball on Twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.
- #GoBulls –
