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After a less-than-stellar 2021 season, Coach Jeff Scott is building the Bulls back better. This week, Scott joined Steve Russell for an episode of Sport Scene to talk long-term success, the potential of a few quarterbacks and the ever-growing transfer portal.
A Team Built to Last
Looking back at USF’s history, there are few bright spots. Since the program’s inception, the team’s had only two seasons with ten or more wins. According to Scott, South Florida needs to aim for long-term success rather than building a team that’s only good for one winning season. Scott said the work ethic of the program has changed since his arrival in 2020 – and he expects great things in the coming seasons.
Quarterback Potential
This year, USF’s roster boasts six players at QB – but no starters yet.
“There’s no returning starters in our mind,” Scott explained. “You literally have to go out there and earn it each and every day.”
However, that doesn’t mean Scott isn’t keeping an eye on a few potential starters. In particular, returning sophomore Timmy McClain has the coach’s attention.
Katravis Marsh, another returning sophomore, is also a frontrunner. Scott sees Marsh as a talented player with “a very strong arm.” He expressed excitement over two freshmen being added to the roster as well, one of whom is Byrum Brown, a three-star recruit from North Carolina.
The Good, The Bad, The Transfer Portal
Scott compared the current state of college football to the state of the sport when his dad was coaching. One of the biggest changes in recent history was the addition of the transfer portal. It seems in his short time as head coach at USF, Scott has already made good use of the recruiting tool.
Though some have expressed concern at the transfer portal’s increasing popularity, Scott seems enthusiastic about the potential the portal provides. And why not? At the end of 2021, USF had the number one transfer class in the nation, per 247Sports. The team added over 20 new players to the program in January alone.
USF spring football practices officially begin March 1. With the addition of transfers as well as new offensive and defensive coordinators, the Bulls might just be a team to watch this year.
