USF Athletics

Bulls Bring the Noise in First Full-Padded Practice of Fall Camp

August 13, 2020

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, AUG. 13, 2020 – Music pumping through loudspeakers was complemented by the sweet sound of football pads popping loudly during USF's intense fifth practice of fall camp on Thursday.

For the first time in 258 days, eager Bulls got to fly around the field in full pads, which head coach Jeff Scott called "the next step" of preparations for the 2020 season.

"Coach Scott was reminding us that we haven't been in full pads since November," said junior center Brad Cecil (Jacksonville, Fla.). "We were hyped about that. This whole week, we were waiting for this day right here."

With spring ball called off after just one practice because of the pandemic, USF had to patiently wait to execute the staff's new schemes in a real game-like nature. A sunny Thursday in Tampa provided the Bulls with the perfect setting to start ramping up the physical level for what's ahead.

"It was hot, but we had to push ourselves, push our minds and keep on going," said junior linebacker Dwayne Boyles (Miami).

Some rust was expected for a team that hadn't fired on full-padded football cylinders since the 2019 season finale.

High motors were needed near the end of practice that featured plenty of toughness and some explosive plays on both sides of the ball during true, live down and distance situations. Two highlights were senior safety Brock Nichols' scoop-and-score on a fumble near midfield, and a touchdown sprint of 50-plus yards by freshman running back Brian Battie (Sarasota).

Short-yardage situations - where Scott says the game is won - were the main focus for the final 10 minutes of practice, when the Bulls were allowed to tackle each other to the ground.

"It ended up being even between the offense and defense after doing two periods of that," Scott said. "Each group had some success."

Limiting all-out play in the first full-padded practice of camp, which Cecil called a "grind," was all by design. Scott's staff is being smart about the Bulls' gradual process of getting back to football mode.

Players will get a chance to rest their bodies Friday while still making progress with video work and meetings. What Scott calls a "mental practice" should set the stage well for the Bulls' first scrimmage of the fall, set for Saturday at Raymond James Stadium. It will the coaching staff's first opportunity to see the Bulls on the home field Bermuda grass of Ray Jay since Scott was named head coach. 

"I'm excited about getting into Raymond James myself and watching those guys go and compete," said Scott of returning to the venue where, as a co-offensive coordinator, he helped Clemson rally past Alabama in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Junior-Led Offensive Line Impressing Scott 
One of the position groups Scott is "most proud of and most optimistic" about so far this fall is the offensive line.

Three reasons why are center Brad Cecil (Jacksonville, Fla.), left guard Demetris Harris and left tackle Donovan Jennings (Tampa). Now all juniors, the savvy veterans bring a combined total of 54 starts to the table.

"Not only are they good players that have a lot of experience, they're great leaders for our offense," Scott said.

Other big guys up front making a great first impression on their new head coach are senior right tackle Jarrett Hopple (Suffolk, Va.) and senior right guard Michael Wiggs (Lakeland, Fla.). Scott mentioned both players name Thursday, and this fall they've consistently taken snaps with the first-team line that is tagged the "Gold Group."

Cecil noted the second-team "Gold Group," and "Pride Group" behind them, also are pushing the entire position forward in camp.

"You see younger guys coming along and the the older guys bringing them along," Cecil said. "If they miss something, we're picking them up. We're making strides every day."

Fortunately for all the linemen, they have a highly motivated position coach in veteran Allen Mogridge, whom Cecil calls "super intense." Also Scott's assistant head coach, Mogridge brings nearly 20 seasons of college football staff experience to Tampa, yet he still zooms around the field like his old playing days for North Carolina in the 1990s.

"He gets the most out of you," Cecil said. "He emphasizes every day, there's nowhere else he'd rather be in the country. He says he loves us, he's proud of us. He wants us to be the best we can be."

Bulls Bits

• AAC PRIDE: Coach Scott hasn't been shy on social media lately about The American being competitive football conference that continues to move forward as kickoff of the 2020 season gets closer. "If we are able to play this fall in a safe manner, it would be a great opportunity for our conference because we're gonna be able to get some of the primetime TV slots that maybe the other conferences that are not playing are giving up," he said. "No. 1, I'm very hopeful for our team, but also it could potential be a great spotlight for our conference." Scott commended the AAC on having "some outstanding" players, teams and coaches, and said the league was one of the factors in him becoming USF's new head coach "I had a lot of respect for our conference before I got here," said Scott, who got great intel from friends and former AAC coaches Tom Herman and Mike Norvell.

• BULKED-UP BOYLES: Junior Dwayne Boyles led the USF defense in a number of stat categories last season and he's primed for more production this fall with a bulked-up, 227-pound frame. "When I hit, when I run, with anything I do, I just feel more confident," said the Miami native who weighed about 20 pounds less when he first arrived on campus in 2018.
• DEATRICK A DOLPHIN: Former USF standout cornerback Deatrick Nichols is headed home to Miami after signing with the Dolphins on Thursday. Nichols played in two games for Arizona in 2018 and was with the Cardinals during the 2019 offseason. He made plays with the Houston Roughnecks earlier this year, leading the XFL with three interceptions in its shortened season, before signing with the New Orleans Saints. Nichols was a three-time all-conference selection who shined for the Bulls from 2014-17.

 
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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