Florida isn’t the only team who has an unclear quarterback situation after Week 1. In fact, it can get a lot worse. South Florida had a sub-par offense last year, averaging just 365.3 yards per game and ranking 103rd in the FBS in points per game with 23.1.
Last year’s starting quarterback, Jordan McCloud, transferred to Arizona after what was actually a solid season, all things considered. Taking his place in Week 1 was Cade Fortin, a North Carolina transfer who saw limited action last season due to injuries.
But Fortin was not effective in that game. He finished 7 of 20 for 41 yards and an interception, and he struggled with accuracy on downfield passes. In the second quarter, Scott turned things over to true freshman Timmy McClain, a three-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class.
McClain is much more dynamic with his legs, but he too wasn’t effective passing the ball, going 7 of 13 for 126 yards and two picks. Still, given his athleticism, it seems likely that he’s the passer the Gators will face on Saturday.
After Florida’s secondary struggled a bit in Week 1, it should feast against a hapless Bulls passing attack. USF does return some talent at receiver, as two of last year’s three leaders in receptions, Bryce Miller and Latrell Williams, return. However, they totaled just 327 and 260 yards last year, respectively. New in the starting lineup is junior Xavier Weaver, who had just 10 catches last year but led the team in receiving against NC State with two catches for 73 yards.
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On the ground, the Bulls are a bit better, but they were not effective against the Wolfpack. They return last year’s leading rusher in Kelley Joiner Jr., but he saw only three carries in Week 1, taking a backseat to Darrian Felix and Jaren Mangham. Felix finished with eight carries for 21 yards, while Mangham took his five carries for 26 yards.
The strength of the offensive unit is an experienced offensive line that features entirely seniors and graduate students in the starting group, headlined by left tackle Donovan Jennings, a potential NFL prospect. Despite a shutdown defensive performance from NC State, that unit didn’t allow a sack all game.
NEXT: A favorable matchup for the run game