After a defensive-minded scrimmage on Friday, USF's offense strongly returned serve on Tuesday with a 12-touchdown flurry that included a 16-play march led by quarterback Cade Fortin, the rocket arm of quarterback Katravis Marsh, the quick burst of quarterback Timmy McClain and a productive running game led by junior Darrian Felix.
"I saw some things that were better,'' head coach Jeff Scott said. "But we have to be more consistent and more efficient in the overall things we're doing.
"The offense was better. The offense was a little bit better prepared for (defensive wrinkles) and did a nice job of executing. But on defense, we were more disruptive up front and we did good things on the back end (secondary) as well.''
USF showed a much greater commitment to running the football in the second scrimmage. The featured backs were Felix (12 carries, 53 yards, three touchdowns), a transfer from Oregon who was injured much of 2020, and junior newcomer Jaren Mangham (seven carries, 36 yards, one touchdown), a transfer from Colorado.
Additionally, junior Mychael Hamilton (seven carries, 16 carries, three touchdowns) showed well. In fact, during the scrimmage-ending goal-line session, Hamilton scored on four consecutive plays, including a 1-yard swing pass from McClain.
The passing game was highlighted by Marsh's 70-yard bomb to sophomore receiver Yusuf Terry, a transfer from Baylor, who pulled in Marsh's beautifully thrown ball (about 60 yards in the air) in stride in his dash to the endzone. Marsh was 3-for-6 for 88 yards.
Meanwhile, McClain was 3-for-4 for 47 yards and two touchdowns, including a 30-yarder to freshman receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., his high-school teammate at Sanford Seminole. Sophomore quarterback Cade Fortin was 3-for-9 for 17 yards and scored on a 1-yard run.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Demaurez Bellamy, freshman defensive end Keeon Terrell and junior linebacker Antonio Grier Jr., each had a tackle for a loss, while sophomore cornerback Daquan Evans, senior safety Brock Nichols and junior safety Isaiah Cromarty each had a pass breakup.
Scott said the Bulls are planning another scrimmage on Saturday.
Personnel Matters
Scott said USF's two scrimmages have shown him first-hand about the program's upgrade in talent.
"All we have to do is compare it to last year,'' Scott said. "We look at the back of the defense and the defensive line and we can say, regardless, this is better.
"It's fun when we go into personnel meetings. We have a lot more bodies to talk about. More guys are earning their way into the two-deep and it's not just because they're the last man standing.''
Scott said there's still tight competition at some spots and the two-deep roster is not set. But decisions are getting closer as the Bulls prepare for the Sept. 2 opener at N.C. State.
"Ultimately, we need to get it down to a 72-man roster before we head up to N.C. State,'' Scott said. "Right now, we're probably floating around 85, 86 guys that we think are in that group that could go (on the road trip) to N.C. State.''
The coaching evaluations are better this time around. Last season, during COVID preparations, Scott said the Bulls had about 20 fall practices. This season's team had 15 spring practices and is scheduled to have 25 fall practices for heading to N.C. State for an approximate total of 40.
"Twice as many,'' Scott said. "Big difference.''
