I-AA All-America candidate in 1998... Named USF's Offensive MVP in 1997 Inaugural Season... Named one of four captains in 1998... Won USF's starting quarterback job after transferring from South Carolina in time for 1997 Spring Football... Strong arm and tremendous poise are his biggest assets ... Strong right from the start, he became even more dangerous with growing familiarity of USF's intricate offensive package... Originally won starting job in 1997 Spring... Completed five of nine passes in Spring Game for 126 yards, including a 50-yard scoring strike to Charlie Jackson and a 40-yard TD pass to Marcus Rivers on back-to-back plays... Also enjoyed a fine 1998 Spring season, with a 50-yard scoring strike to Jackosn in the Spring Game.
SOUTH FLORIDA - 1997: Started all 11 games, throwing for 2,362 yards on 186-326 (57.1%) passes... Threw for 10 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, including none in his final 110 consecutive attempts of the season, covering the final four games, when he had become most knowledgeable of the USF offense ... Final four-game stretch saw him complete 60 of his 102 (58.8%) passes for 845 yards and five TDs... USF was 3-1 in that stretch with lone loss being a 24-23 setback to nationally ranked Georgia Southern (Nov. 15th) ... Flawless performance against Kentucky Wesleyan (Sept. 6th) in USF's Inaugural Game ... Completed 14 of 28 passes for 255 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions ... Second TD pass in that game was his second longest of the season, a 52 yarder to Clif Dell ... Season-long TD pass was 56-yarder to Charlie Jackson vs. Davidson (Nov. 22nd) in season finale ... Single game passing high 299 yards on 24 of 42 passing vs. Drake (Sept. 20th) ... 271 yard passing day at Cumberland, playing just three quarters in USF's first-ever (44-0) offensive shutout ... Converted USF's first-ever and only two-point conversion to date against Georgia Southern (Nov. 15th) when he tossed the ball to tailback Jermaine Clemons, who passed back to Barnhardt in the endzone... Led a first year offense that included almost all freshmen and sophomores to 373 yards and 28 points per game.
SOUTH CAROLINA- Played a backup role at South Carolina, seeing duty in 15 games over two seasons, including action in all 11 games in 1996 ... Completed eight of 18 passes in his 15 games for 105 yards ...Was seven of 17 for 89 yards in 1996 ... His only pass as a freshman was a completion against Florida ... Had battled with Steve Tanneyhill and Anthony Wright for starting work at quarterback ... Did have a solid 1996 Spring Game at South Carolina, completing 12 of25 for 138 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown ... Coached at South Carolina by Brad Scott, who is a USF graduate.
PREP- All-state quarterback and baseball catcher at Lake Wales High School... Polk County Player of the Year in 1993, throwing for 1,830 yards and 14 TDs among his 102 completions (177 attempts) ... Led team to state finals against Jacksonville Bolles... Eighth round selection of the Boston Red Sox in 1994, he played one summer of minor league baseball in Ft. Myers, platooning between catcher and DH... Played football for coach Rod Shafer ...Graduated from same high school as USF teammates Terrance Smiley and Therrimann Edwards.
PERSONAL - Born January 21, 1976 ... Given name is Steven Chad Barnhardt ...Business major and a solid student ... Potential GTE Academic All America candidate... Extremely personable and a regular on USF's community involvement circuit, including visits to the Shriners Children Hospital on the USF campus.
