Bulls Focused on Winning Plays and Mentality As Spring Practice Resumes
By Joey Johnston
Building a sustainable college football program involves several hard-to-quantify attributes — senior leadership, work ethic, an unshakable culture, resiliency, teamwork, player development, positive attitudes all around — and USF coach Jeff Scott said he believes his players have displayed those qualities in his two seasons.
A solid foundation has been laid.
Now it's time to win. Veteran Bulls players agree on that notion.
"I want it … and I'm not waiting,'' USF senior defensive lineman Rashawn Yates said. "I want to win now. I'm not going to wait until next year when I'm not playing. I'm not going to say, 'We might win.' We're going to win.''
Urgency seems evident when talking with USF players. Scott acknowledged that "going to a bowl is a very strong goal for us, showing that next level of progress.'' Scott also pointed out some very optimistic predictions. He said one early prognosticator had the Bulls winning the American Athletic Conference championship.
"I wouldn't put any limits on this team,'' Scott said.
The Bulls were 2-10 last season — dropping four games by an average of 6.5 points — but Scott said he believes quicker turnarounds might be more commonplace in a college football landscape that now includes the transfer portal.
Michigan (2-4), Baylor (2-7) and Utah (3-2) had difficult years in the COVID-shortened year of 2020. Last season, Michigan won the Big Ten Conference and played in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Utah won the Pac-12 and earned the program's first Rose Bowl bid. Baylor captured the Big 12 title and won the Sugar Bowl.
"Those teams made a decision in January, February, March and April that it (the following season) was going to be different,'' Scott said. "They didn't make that decision in September and it wasn't the coaches who made that decision.
"The leadership of those teams took on the ownership of the offseason workouts. The message to our players is you guys have to make the decision. At some point, South Florida is going to win a conference championship. The question I asked our guys is, 'Is it going to be your team?' ''
Bulls' linebacker Dwayne Boyles said he's optimistic.
"We're definitely talking about winning the championship,'' Boyles said. "We're speaking it into existence. We know we haven't been that good. We know we haven't pleased the fans. But we're working toward that direction (of winning).''
How do the Bulls get there? First-year defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said the missing ingredient is more than playing better. It's playing smarter.
"It's doing better in winning situations,'' Shoop said. "Winning first-and-10, holding the other team to 3 yards or less (on first down), winning third down, getting off the field, holding them to field goals in the red zone.
"Sometimes, it's being composed, having good communication, being well-conditioned, putting it all together. There's always a reason why you win and a reason why you lose. There's a difference between playing well and playing winning football.''
That's what the Bulls are seeking — winning football.
"The best of it is you don't have to say it — everybody is thinking the same thing,'' Bulls linebacker Antonio Grier said. "The coaches are bringing in guys to help us right now with the transfer portal. We've got some great pieces that are really going to make a difference.''
"Being a winning team is definitely the plan,'' Bulls wide receiver Xavier Weaver said. "We're preparing for a change. Change is getting ready to come. We're excited for ya'll to witness it.''
– #GOBULLS –
