College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the USF Bulls season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
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2019 Record: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in AAC
Head Coach: Jeff Scott, 1st year
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 76
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 104
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 78
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: USF Bulls Offense 3 Things To Know
– And here comes the USF offense. After finishing 112th in the nation and last in the AAC – it averaged just 331 yards and 21 points per game – the program now gets Dabo Swinney’s offensive coordinator to ramp things up.
Jeff Scott spent the last five years dealing with the Clemson wide receivers along with his job as the co-OC, and now the 39-year-old will combine forces with his own coordinator – Charlie Weis Jr. – to turn things around.
And they have the pieces to do it. At least, they have the experience to do it.
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USF at Texas, Sept. 5
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It all starts with finding a quarterback who can start pushing the ball down the field more for an attack that finished 116th in the nation. Last year’s offense wanted to throw more, but it just didn’t work.
Sophomore Jordan McCloud led the way with 1,429 yards and 12 scores with eight picks – and ran for 283 yards and four touchdowns – but in comes 6-3, 220-pound North Carolina transfer Cade Fortin to make a push.
Also entering the ring is Alcorn State transfer Noah Johnson – a dangerous dual-threat option – and freshmen Jordan Smith and Katravis Marsh will each get a shot.
– Leading receiver Mitchell Wilcox is gone after making 28 grabs from his tight end spot. Juniors Bryce Miller and Randall St. Felix are back after combining for just 43 catches for 493 yards and six touchdowns, and they were the team’s top two wide receivers.
Senior Jacob Mathis has the upside to be a deep threat tight end, and former Michigan star recruit Eddie McDoom has the potential to blow up as a deep threat after making 13 grabs. Everyone should get to fed a lot more passes under the new coaching staff.
– The offensive line that struggled so much in just about every way – the Bulls were 126th in the nation in sacks allowed and 114th in tackles for loss given up – gets back three starters and gets a little help from the recruiting class and transfer portal.
One thing this group has is bulk – 6-5, 328-pound junior Donovan Jennings will handle one tackle job, and 6-3, 324-pound junior Demetris Harris will work at a guard spot. The starting five will likely end up averaging close to 320 pounds per man.
Leading rusher Jordan Cronkrite is gone, but the running backs should be interesting. South Carolina transfer Lavonte Valentine comes in to battle with Johnny Ford – a 5-5, 180-pounder who missed half of last year and never got going – and speedster Kelley Joiner.