Bulls Aim To Capitalize on Unique Circumstances To Build Depth and Talent on Wednesday's Early Signing Day
2022 SIGNING DAY CENTRAL
2022 NCAA EARLY SIGNING DAY - WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15
USF FOOTBALL SOCIAL: @USFFOOTBALL (Twitter & Instagram)
- Posts for each new Bull as they sign
#USFNSD22 SIGNING DAY CENTRAL: GoUSFBulls.com:
- Signee bios, headshots and 2022 Class roster as they sign
LIVE SIGNING DAY STREAM: 1-2 p.m.
WATCH: GoUSFBulls.com,
Youtube &
Facebook ;
LISTEN: Bulls Unlimited (iHeart Radio)
- Hosts Jim Lighthall & Sam Barrington; Head Coach
Jeff Scott
- Guests: Offensive Coordinator
Charlie Weis Jr. & Defensive Coordinator
Bob Shoop
PRESS CONFERENCE: 3-4 p.m.
LISTEN: Bulls Unlimited (iHeart Radio)
- Head Coach
Jeff Scott breaks down the 2022 Class;
- Media introduction of Defensive Coordinator
Bob Shoop
By Joey Johnston
When USF head coach
Jeff Scott announces his second full-cycle recruiting class on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA's Early Signing Period, he expects an influx of depth and talent that could position his program for great improvement in 2022.
Scott said some new recruiting wrinkles have created "a unique window that has never existed in the history of college football.''
The cornerstone of USF's program remains building with BayMade players, the high-school products from the 10-county Tampa Bay area that comprise USF's core recruiting territory. A territory that within a 100-mile radius of Tampa includes 121 high schools and in which each of Scott's 10 full-time assistants has been assigned 12 schools (with one getting 13).
But with the growth of the NCAA transfer portal, the NCAA's new one-time transfer rule allowing immediate eligibility, and the NCAA granting a bonus year of eligibility due to the 2020 COVID-19 season, Scott said the Bulls can add unprecedented levels of experience and maturity.
Add to that the NCAA's passing of a one-year waiver in October that expands recruiting class signing limits for 2022, allowing schools to sign a recruiting class of 25 student-athletes, plus one additional spot for each current scholarship player that enters the portal (capped at seven total), and the landscape is primed to add players with collegiate experience and physical development.
"You can actually sign a player who's going into his fourth year of college and he'll still have three years of eligibility remaining,'' Scott said.
How?
Example: A player signs in 2019 and redshirts. He plays in 2020 (but that's the COVID year, so it doesn't count). He plays in 2021, then enters the transfer portal. So, 2022 would be his fourth year in college, but he has technically played only used one season of eligibility.
"He could come to us in January and he already has three years of being a college football player, three years of eating at the training table, three years of lifting weights,'' Scott said. "You have a chance to add levels of maturity and experience, a chance like you've never had before. It can be really advantageous for our program.''
USF's efforts and the attractiveness of new facilities and playing in the Bay area already have received national notice. The 247 Sports web site ranked USF No. 1 nationally in attracting transfer players during this recruiting cycle.
"The transfer portal is huge,'' Scott said. "You look at Michigan State. They signed 15 transfers (last season), including their starting running back (Kenneth Walker) who was considered for the Heisman Trophy. SMU took close to 75 transfers over four years and that helped turn around their program.
"We're losing some guys on the defensive front and we have a chance to bring in some older experienced guys. And it's not just a stop-gap solution. They can be here for three or four years. That part gets me excited. These are some advantages and opportunities that have never been out there before.''
Scott said the connotation of a transfer player has changed. In the past, transfers would prompt red flags and create concerns over potential problems.
"My experience now is seeing guys who are great young men, who are backups, who want the chance to come back home and play,'' Scott said. "You still protect your culture and develop a good culture with those type of transfers. Now there's definitely a balance because we're in an area with such great high-school players. You always want to build through the high-school ranks. That's the foundation.''
USF is coming off two straight weekends of highly successful official visits, which included a trip to Raymond James Stadium, where the green LED stadium lights and the creativeness of Scott's staff set a nice USF atmosphere. Scott said the ongoing construction of USF's Indoor Performance Facility, the addition of a state-of-the art $3 million locker room and emerging details for the proposed on-campus stadium have added to a groundswell of interest from recruits.
"What do kids want? They want to come to a good place with a good culture, good people and a good support system,'' Scott said. "Your best recruiters are your players and they tell it like it is. Of course, they want a chance to play. On our D-line, we're basically recruiting our two-deep right now.
"I do think there's great opportunity here in so many ways. There is an opportunity to build something. Rather than going to another place and just being another guy in the machine, you can come to USF and have a chance to build a legacy. Ten years from now, you can say you were a part of it when it really got going.''
The Bulls are encouraged by a fleet of returning players. Key pegs include first-team All-American kickoff returner
Brian Battie, quarterback
Timmy McClain, running back
Jaren Mangham, wide receiver
Jimmy Horn Jr., wide receiver
Xavier Weaver and the return of the entire veteran offensive line. Veteran and productive linebackers
Dwayne Boyles and
Antonio Grier and the entire starting secondary that took the field at UCF, including veterans
Daquan Evans,
Vincent Davis and
Mekhi LaPointe.
With some strategic additions, the Bulls could be positioned for a big jump.
"For where we are, with this new environment, if we go about it the right way, it gives us the opportunity to build our depth and team a lot quicker than the old-school model,'' Scott said. "You'd sign 25 high-school kids and in three years, you'd know whether you did it or not.
"Signing and developing high-school kids is still a huge part of it. But we have been presented with some other options and they are going to help us get there quicker. The opportunities are very exciting.''
– #GoBulls –
