Retooled Secondary Looks To Be a Strong Part of The Bulls' Defense
By Joey Johnston, Special to USF Athletics
Smoke Davis.
That sounds like an eye-opening name for USF senior safety Vincent Davis, who was given the "Smoke'' moniker his first week on campus by teammate Brandon Boyce. Davis ran hard to the ball, made plays and delivered big hits.
Where there's Smoke, there's fire … so the nickname stuck.
"That's kind of my identity now,'' Davis said Thursday, following USF's 11th spring practice. "I prefer to go by 'Smoke.' I might get that name changed on the roster.''
It's just encouraging for Davis (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) to be back on the active roster. Last year, he suffered a season-ending PCL tear at Memphis, a game where USF built a 13-point lead with 4:36 to play, only to lose 34-33 when Tigers' quarterback Brady White went 11 of 14 for 135 yards on two quick-hitting touchdown drives against a depleted secondary.
Davis, who started six of seven games in 2020, could only watch.
"I feel like every problem in football is physical,'' Davis said. "Are you willing to put in the amount of detail? Are you putting in the extra time after practice? Are you watching that extra film?
"Last year, we had a young team and a new system. We didn't have a spring (due to COVID-19) and we were feeling everything out. I feel like this is the year when we get to a Memphis game, we're going to have that mental and physical toughness to push through it and get that W instead of letting it slip away.''
Hill in the mix
Sophomore safety Matthew Hill (6-1, 190), a transfer from Auburn, is among the new players competing for a spot in the USF secondary.
There are multiple new faces, including freshman TJ Robinson (Rutgers), sophomore Christian Williams (Miami) and freshman Will Jones II (Kansas State), who will join holdovers such as sophomore Daquan Evans, freshman Christopher Townsel and junior Mekhi LaPointe.
"All the transfers, I feel like we kind of clicked,'' Hill said. "We knew we were coming into a new environment. We knew we could count on each other. We also knew what we were here for. Since Day One, we've been grinding, trying to make a difference and set an example.''
Bulls coach Jeff Scott said he wanted to upgrade the size and speed throughout the secondary and it appears the newcomers have accomplished that goal.
"We all have our own little traits about us that we apply on the field,'' Hill said. "I'm physical, fast, play the ball well in the air because I have some offensive traits. C-Will (Williams), you can tell he's got something to him. He's very long playing at corner and once he gets his hands on you, I already feel like it's going to be over.
"We're still learning. We just need to come together as a unit and then we'll be on to bigger things.''
New cornerbacks coach
George Barlow, USF's new cornerbacks coach, said he is pleased with the progress of his unit. Barlow, who was the assistant head coach/cornerbacks coach at N.C. State, also has experience at Vanderbilt, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Marshall.
With Barlow's arrival, defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer is coaching the safeties and Ernie Sims was elevated to linebackers coach.
"They brought me in for an interview, thought I'd be a good fit and it has been a good fit,'' Barlow said. "I haven't coached with Coach Spencer before, but we know a lot of the same people. I knew his mentality and his philosophy. I love the way he coaches kids and the way he works with other coaches.
"Ever since I have been here, the kids have been buying in. You come in and set the standard. The standard is the standard. If you have enough kids buying into the standard, the ones who aren't will start to stick out. They have to get aligned or do something else. We are doing things the right way here. It's what attracted me to USF. Coach Scott has a great vision. It's a family environment. He's about developing men, developing leads and doing things the right way.''
