USF Football: Spring Progress Report

With the sights and sounds of construction for the new on-campus stadium in the background, a new era of USF Football has begun this offseason. There’s been plenty of notable changes both on and off the field, and believe it or not, we are already about halfway through spring practices. As the Bulls approach their annual spring game in just a few weeks, let’s go over what we’ve seen so far, who has stood out, and what’s on the horizon.

USF Football: Spring Progress Report

Pro Day Notes

To kick things off, a few notes on USF’s Pro Day.

The 14 Bulls that participated were John Cannon, Chavez Brown, Josh Celiscar, Garret Cates, DJ Harris, Sam Franklin, Christian Helms, Mac Harris, Zane Herring, Traevon Mitchell, Devin Lee, Jhalyn Shuler, De’Shawn Rucker, and Rico Watson.

Put simply, Rucker had himself a day, catching widespread attention throughout his workouts and on-field drills. Rucker recorded a 4.38-second 40-yard dash, a 37-inch vertical jump, 18 reps on the bench press, and a 10-foot 8-inch broad jump. All in all, it was a very impressive performance for the cornerback.

The standout linebacker duo of Harris and Shuler also tested very well throughout the day. Shuler recorded a 9-foot 10-inch broad jump and looked great moving smoothly throughout drills. Harris also showcased all of his abilities while displaying power and adaptability throughout the agility drills. Aside from his testing, Mac was also the biggest cheerleader in the room, consistently motivating all of his teammates.

Offensive lineman Zane Herring was moving well throughout drill work, along with running back Sam Franklin. Wide receiver Christian Helms looked efficient in speed testing and the 5-10-5 drill. During workouts, defensive tackle Devin Lee recorded 27 reps on the bench press, tying for third at the NFL Combine.

Spring Practice Standouts

It’s no secret that practically every position on USF’s roster is up for grabs on the USF football team. With that, those position battles have started up early this spring.

Starting out at the quarterback position, Luke Kromenhoek has shown a good throwing motion and efficient movement ability. He has stood out continuously throughout practices up to this point. The youngest in the room, Liberty transfer Jayden Bradford, has also shown very good footwork and velocity behind his throws.

Combining a good amount of returners and newcomers, this wide receiver unit is talented and dynamic. Josh Porter is a great route runner and has proven to be impactful every time he’s out on the field.  There are many other players, ranging from Bryson Rodgers to Arhmad Brnach, who could really emerge at this position.

Shifting to the running backs, Chase Garnett is another player on the younger side who did not get much playing time last year. However, he has continued to stand out throughout his reps this spring. D.J. Crowther, who comes to the Bulls after four seasons at Dartmouth, has also stood out in the running back unit.

A critical area of rebuilding for the Bulls is the offensive line, and freshman Jordan Harrison has consistently caught attention throughout practice. He has displayed great movement and could easily become a vital part of this USF offense. Thomas Shrader is another key member of the offensive line and has received high praise from OL Coach Mike Sollenne. Shrader’s leadership has developed a lot, as he brings veteran experience and poise to the entire unit.

Moving over to the defense, freshman cornerback Masiyah Limehouse undoubtedly has a lot of eyes on him and is expected to make a big impact. The Plant City, Florida, native had five interceptions in his high school senior season. STAR Tayvion Bealsey also brings a multitude of experience, most recently playing at BYU. He has showcased range and ability on the defensive side of things as well.

Quotes

Head Coach Brian Hartline on the first day of spring ball:

“Excited about the energy we had today, the buy-in, and the desire to get some ball. The training with AT was well received, and the energy was great. I think that with anything, the energy, being able to sustain that over time is ultimately the big indicator of what kind of team we have. And I think that again, from a first day perspective, you love it. I’ll definitely reevaluate it when it comes to practice 14 or 15, that it doesn’t match day one, that’s the goal.”

Wide Receiver Bryson Rodgers on his message to Bulls fans and what they should know:

“I’m player-led myself, I’ll do whatever it takes to win. If that’s like I said earlier, making a block, making a play that I need to make, just know you got a baller. But at the same time, I’m looking to help others around me and be that leader and take part in the community as well. Like I said, the city of Tampa is a great community, it’s a great place to be and I want to embrace that, all over the country I want people to know that it’s the place to be.”

Offensive Line Coach Mike Sollenne on setting the foundation early in the spring:

“First of all, as a whole team we talk about four goals. Number one is playing with relentless effort, number two is individual improvement, [and] number three is developing leadership. And then number four is building trust. So, we don’t talk about winning days, we’ll become masters of the scheme, we’ll get great at all of that stuff, but right now we have to hit on our four goals as a team everyday.”

USF Football: Looking Forward

So what’s next for the Bulls? Well, they’re making giving back to the fans a priority. USF students will have the opportunity to sign their name on one of the beams that will be placed in the student section of the future on-campus stadium. There will also be a student-only appreciation practice, where all students are welcome to get the first look up close and watch the team run through a practice prior to the spring game, which is coming up in just a few short weeks.

Speaking of, everyone can see USF Football back in action on Sunday, April 19, at 3:30 p.m. at USF’s Corbett Stadium.