USF Athletics

Bulls Making Notable Progress Under Scott as Season Approaches

July 02, 2020

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, JULY 2, 2020 – As USF football moves closer to the beginning of organized, on-field team preparations for the 2020 season, much progress has already been made during a unique time for the program.

Since head coach Jeff Scott's highly lauded hiring, USF has assembled a super talented staff, achieved recruiting success and strengthened the program's culture and bond despite a pandemic that allowed for just one spring practice.

"I feel like we're in a really good place as a team, as we get back," said Scott on the first day of on-campus voluntary workouts that began in June.

Flip the calendar back to late December and you'd find Scott gathering his group of USF coaches in the midst of fulfilling his co-offensive coordinator duties during Clemson's fifth straight College Football Playoff appearance.

Once the Tigers' fourth national title game trip since 2015 was in the books, Scott headed back to Tampa to unite with his Bulls staff that brings much winning experience to the table.

Including Scott, seven new primary USF coaches have been members of a national championship team at least once – Charlie Weis Jr. (offensive coordinator/QBs), Jules Montinar (cornerbacks coach/recruiting coordinator), Xavier Dye (wide receivers), Da'Quan Bowers (defensive line) and Wes Neighbors (safeties).

"We bring the energy and we've got some guys who are gonna bring the wisdom," said Bowers, who enters his first season as a primary staff member. "It's a mixture of great individuals and I'm extremely happy and excited to work with them."

Plenty more coaches with conference championship experience were quick to jump aboard. Together the youngest staff in The American jelled very quickly as Bulls who are fully invested in Scott's plan for the program.

"It's not a sales pitch when you believe, and your core values and your core belief system lines up with exactly what he's saying, there was no compromise there," said offensive line coach/assistant head coach Allen Mogridge said. "He's a strong, strong man with a great vision."

After USF's 2020 signing class committed, USF's coaches were encouraged by the athleticism and determination the current roster showcased during offseason workouts. This winter, Scott's staff got to supervise eight MAT drill sessions, where Bulls had to work their way through several football-related stations in the early morning hours.

"It was really teaching guys the expectations, how to finish through the line and the importance of doing the little things right," Scott said.
 

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Bulls gave their new coaches another glimpse of what they can do when spring ball began on March 10.

"Once we got out to practice, you were able to see that some of the guys do have some good size, speed and things of that nature," Dye said. "For the most part, the guys they were moving around good and you can tell they're hungry for success. Those are the things that you really look for."

Scott's staff looked forward to learning much more about the Bulls, but on-field work was put on an extended hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although spring ball was off the table, USF's student-athletes stayed locked in mentally by performing well in team meetings and academic commitments.

"I'd say 95 percent of the guys did a great job of being where they're supposed to be and being engaged," Scott said. "… I'm a firm believer that how you do anything is how you do everything. If we want to be less penalized on the football field, then we gotta be accountable off the field. I don't believe you can turn it on or off when you step on a football field. It has to be a way of life."

Buying into Scott's "best is the standard" approach sure paid off in school. USF football reached a new milestone with a 3.05 team grade-point average during its record spring term. Sixteen other USF programs also topped the 3.0 mark to help  Athletics set an overall department record with a 3.41 GPA.

On top of academic success, the Bulls made the most of their quarantine time at home by learning much more about each other in numerous virtual meetings, both as an entire team and in position units. The #US2F vibe got even stronger  on June 6 through the "unity walk" to create positive change in downtown Tampa that was organized and led by senior cornerback KJ Sails.

"I feel that we've come closer together here over these last 12 weeks, even though we've all been home and practicing social distancing, just through our communication," said Scott on June 10.

Since they've gradually been returning to campus, players have been preparing their bodies for a big 2020 season during voluntary workouts. As the university's phased return continues, USF football wants to accomplish much more before the season opener at Texas on Sept. 5.

One huge task ahead is players putting months of virtual playbook studies into action while the clock is ticking.

"There's a learning process that has to take place that you cannot skip on the field," Scott said. "The biggest difference for us is we'll be doing that during fall camp for the first time as opposed to spring practice."

Coaches are taking a wait-and-see approach to play installation in an effort to make sure USF operates efficiently on both sides of the ball.

"If it takes later on in the season before we can truly get to everything that we want to do offensively and defensively, then I'm perfectly fine with that," Scott said. "It's really about teaching at the pace that these guys allow us to teach and how quickly they're able to go out and execute what we're teaching them."

All the notable progress the program has made up to this point will benefit the Bulls greatly as they navigate through the COVID-19 situation and the second strongest 2020 schedule in the nation.

"I'm a big believer that it's more about how you play – HOW – than it is about who you play – WHO," Scott said. "I think when you have that internal mindset and you're preparation, your focus, your work ethic, desire and all that is not tied to an outside opponent, then that's how you have a chance to have consistency within your seasons. There's no doubt that we've got some great opportunities."

For now, the Bulls can only keep training and prepping for the opportunity to finally unite as a team once again on the turf at the Morsani Complex.

Next steps aren't set in stone, but Scott sure feels good about the shape the program is in before the pads are put back on.

"I do feel very confident that we have a bunch of guys in that locker room who are willing to put in the work required, that have bought into the vision and the standard of this new coaching staff," he said. "I'm excited to get out there on the field with them and see what happens."
 
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23^rd season (20^th 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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