1-12-17

O

January 12, 2017 Vol. 54 No. 61

A fresh new look

Page 3 USF library undergoes remodeling as spring semester kicks off

Obama’s farewell Page 4

Trendy Tampa businesses Page 6

Strong staff taking shape Page 10

2

T H U R S DAY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966

Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor Miki Shine oraclemeditor@gmail.com Assistant News Editor Chelsea Grosbeck Sports Editor Vinnie Portell oraclesportseditor@gmail.com

Multimedia Editor Jackie Benitez oraclemultimediaeditor@gmail.com

Graphic Artists Destiny Moore Mark Soree Advertising Sales Alyssa Alexander Jess DiLiello Destiny Moore Dylan Ritchey

The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and once weekly, Wednesday, during the summer.

The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002).

Lifestyle Editor Nicole Cate oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Staff Writer Abby Rinaldi

Main ..................

Editor .................

News .................

Sports ................

Advertising ............

Classified ..............

Website: Facebook: Twitter:

T H E O R AC L E

The Index News........................................................3 Opinion.................................................4 Lifestyle................................................6 classifieds...........................................8 Crossword..........................................8 sports...................................................10

BY PHONE

Opinion Editor Breanne Williams oracleopinion@gmail.com

●

974-6242 974-5190 974-1888 974-2842 974-2620 974-6242

usforacle.com facebook.com/usforacle @USFOracle

CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors.

Contact Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag at 974-5190.

News Briefs

news

Library getting fresh new look UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

●

T H U R S D AY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

T H E O R AC L E

Trump admits Russian involvement in DNC hack On Wednesday in New York, President-elect Donald Trump held his first news conference in six months.

Addressing one of the hot topic discrepancies of the past 167 days, Trump recants his prior stance on Russia’s hacking and acknowledged Russian interference with the Democratic National Committee. Trump’s change of heart was influenced by an announcement from the CIA to U.S. senators earlier this month revealing the hacks were meant to aid Trump’s presidency, according to CNN. Trump reassured the press during the conference, “If Putin likes Donald Trump, guess what, folks: That is

Obama gives farewell speech

With eight days left of his Presidency, Barack Obama delivered his farewell address in Chicago on Tuesday. Obama thanked supporters and volunteers of his campaign, his staff and those closest to him: his wife, First Lady Michelle, Vice President Joe Biden, according to the New York Times. His final speech as President, expressed his optimistic hope for the future of America.

Due to MLK Day, The Oracle will be printing on Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Regular printing schedule will resume Thursday.

3

Provost voices concerns over governor’s plan to decrease cost of education

By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G

Of the design options presented to students, the design that was ultimately chosen was the WAVE. Dean of USF Libraries Todd Chavez said the renovations will increase the number of seats on the fifth floor of the library to at least 400 from the original 120. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE There will be three dedicated for seven years, according to

By Abby Rinaldi S T A F F W R I T E R reading rooms. Rooms will be Chavez. Responses to those glass enclosed and one will surveys, he said, called for more Ceiling tiles missing, light be specifically for graduate individualized spaces, new fixtures sitting in stacks leaning students. There will also be eight lighting and climate control. The against the wall, workers bustling sound-proofed study rooms. new design will address these around a lobby now empty save A variety of furniture and light issues. a single pole in the center of the fixtures are being added, which “First and foremost, students room filled with wires – the fifth Chavez said is designed to cater wanted quiet study spaces,” he floor of the USF Library is almost to the various study styles of said. unrecognizable aside from the students. Seats and stations will The complaints about the shelves of books. also have charging stations. library being too hot or too cold, For students who came back The total cost of the multiple Thornton said, are related to to USF to find the fifth floor renovation projects and the the age of the building and the of the library closed for the addition of compact shelving in system it uses for heating and semester, the renovations were the basement Chavez estimated cooling. This older system will somewhat of a shock. But, after at $4.3 million. be replaced, Chavez said. its beginning a year ago, the There will still be books on the “We’re still using a water complete renovation of the floor fifth floor. Eileen Thornton, the chilled system, and that is not a is underway. communications and marketing great system in Florida,” Chavez “This project, it is not a director for USF Libraries, said said. casual project,” Dean of USF the shelves of books will also The air handling system and Libraries Todd Chavez said. “It help absorb sound. the installation of new types of has undergone a lot of planning “We want you guys not to lighting, specifically LED, will and preparation.” forget you’re in a library,” Chavez significantly increase energy Originally, the fifth floor had said. savings in the library as well, about 120 seats, Chavez said.

To develop the plans for according to Chavez.

The renovation will increase the library, USF Libraries “It is a reflection of the that number to at least 400. conducted surveys of students n See LIBRARY on PAGE 5

E D I T O R

Governor Rick Scott unveiled a new idea for higher education, but during Wednesday’s Faculty Senate Executive Committee meeting, Provost Wilcox shared his views on the proposed changes.

“There are some things in here that we like, some things in here that we don’t like and some things in here that we don’t quite understand,” Wilcox said.

Some of Scott’s “Finish in Four, Save More” plan includes keeping tuition and fee rates from rising, expanding Bright Futures and cutting taxes on college textbooks.

The idea is that these measures would encourage students to graduate sooner and with less debt.

The provost voiced concerns about the “freeze” of tuition and fee rates when it comes to the university’s ability to continue to grow.

“Different universities are at different stages of evolution,” Wilcox said. “Older universities have built infrastructure over 150 years or more, newer universities are still in the process of building.

Students recognize that. Students are willing to pay, have been willing to pay, higher fees. It’s not a surprise that local fees paid by at the University of South Florida are higher than those paid in Gainesville.”

Some of the fees that would be affected by this legislation, according to the provost, include the Activity and Services fee, athletic fee, health fees, lab fees and facility and equipment fees.

“The governor, to his credit,

n See PROVOST on PAGE 5

Opinion

4

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

●

T H U R S D AY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

T H E O R AC L E

Thanks Obama

President Barack Obama addressed the nation one last time on Tuesday, bidding the country farewell and calling for a focus on unity. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

Breanne Williams COLU M N I ST

After serving our nation diligently for the past eight years, President Barack Obama bid the nation farewell Tuesday night. No president ever has a perfect record in office, however Obama’s term fulfilled many of the promises he made on the campaign trail so many years ago.

His approval rating is currently at 55 percent and despite the many controversies surrounding multiple aspects of his platform, his policies and beliefs allowed 20 million U.S. citizens to obtain health insurance, reversed the Great Recession, opened up trade with Cuba and saw the protection of marriage equality across the board.

His eight years in office were not without missteps, he has failed to pass comprehensive gun control despite many mass shootings under his presidency, Libya should never have been invaded, not to mention the Affordable Care Act, which is by no means perfect and is still unaffordable for

many Americans.

Our lack of action toward Syrian refugees has caused many not only within our nation but across the world to judge our isolation technique and immigration reform, a major and necessary component of Obama’s platform, is still in major need of revision.

However, his legacy will undoubtedly be that he was a man who lifted our country out from an economic crisis, worked on bringing our troops home from a decade long war and successfully terminated Osama bin Laden.

He will forever go down as the president who made our country reflect. Under his leadership race-relations have been re-examined and major flaws, which for decades had been ignored, came to light sparking movements across the nation.

Police brutality came under scrutiny and minority issues came to the forefront of the last presidential campaign.

We, as a nation, examined the outdated and oppressive laws restricting marriage to heterosexual couples only and realized it

was time for change. We then stood by our Supreme Court’s decision by ostracizing hateful mindsets like that held by Kentucky clerk Kim Davis and by cutting off financial means toward oppressive government like those formerly held by North Carolina’s prior governor Pat McCrory.

Obama symbolized tolerance, hope, acceptance and love and taught this nation how to analyze the legitimacy and morality of practices we had accepted for years as tradition. LGBT rights are still threatened in many areas of this nation and racial tensions are far from healed, but they are no longer being ignored.

“I am asking you to believe,” Obama said. “Not in my ability to bring about change — but in yours. I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American

whose story is not yet written: Yes, we can.

Yes, we did.”

Obama led our nation through a recession without once losing hope in a better tomorrow. His optimism was contagious and bled over into America’s view of a multitude of issues ranging from the economy to foreign affairs.

We live in a disquieting era yet the future never seemed utterly doomed with a leader who shouldered each tragedy with grim determination to make it through the otherside. No, the path toward a prospering tomorrow will not be easy, but we survived a decade-long war and a crippling recession under Obama’s presidency and have hope that betterment is an actual possibility.

So with full sincerity and gratitude, thanks Obama.

You will be missed.

Breanne Williams is a senior majoring in mass communications.

The complex nature of feeding the homeless

T H U R S DAY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

By Jacob Hoag E D I T O R

I N

C H I E F

Homelessness is an intricate issue, much like the relationship between those enforcing regulations on the homeless community and the people who seek to aid them.

Those sides clashed Sunday at city-owned Lykes Gaslight Square Park in downtown Tampa when seven volunteers from Tampa Food Not Bombs, an organization who helps feed the homeless, were arrested for doing just that.

A video posted on Facebook showed the officers warning the organization of the laws they were violating and after the volunteers continued to serve the homeless men and women, the group was arrested.

Gautam Koipallil, the outreach coordinator for Hope for the Homeless at USF and head of the Hunger and Homeless division of the Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement, said officials in Tampa continue to focus on the wrong thing, though he said the subject is not an easy issue to handle.

“From our experiences, we see both the city and the county neglect to look at their needs and they’re often more interested in putting regulations on what you can’t do and what land they can’t occupy,” Koipallil said. “It just seems like it takes away a fundamental right to help another human being.”

There are close to 2,000 people suffering from homelessness in the Tampa area, enough to fill the Juniper Poplar residence hall twice over.

PROVOST

Continued from PAGE 3

we know where his mind is. He wants to keep the sticker price for students attending university as low (as possible) and put all protections in place that he can,” Wilcox said. “I don’t take issue with him on that, but there has to be a counter-balance of state appropriations and that’s where performance-based funding, preeminence, comes in.”

Both performance-based funding and pre-eminence prove state funding to schools based on a set of criteria that the schools need

5

T H E O R AC L E

There are nearly 2,000 homeless people in Tampa with countless organizations trying to help by simply providing meals. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

But Koipallil and others like him face the issue of not only attempting to keep those without a bed fed and nourished, but also the close to 700,000 food-insecure residents of Tampa.

“This isn’t a homelessness issue, it’s a hunger issue,” Koipallil said.

“This is more than just feeding someone that’s homeless, this is about feeding someone that’s (food) insecure.”

Hope for the Homeless, a student organization on campus, volunteers at various places in Tampa that help to aid the homeless community. It’s an experience, he said, which is unlike any other.

“It’s rewarding because you get to see how grateful they are,”

Koipallil said. “When we’re sitting here in an educational setting and we’re given student loans and we’re given money and meal plans, when you see how appreciative someone is from just a simple meal or breakfast once a day.

“I don’t think arresting people who are giving that to someone else is at all OK.” But the members who were arrested weren’t just handing out sandwiches at random. They were setting up tables in a city park without a permit, which is why police spokesman Steve Hegarty said the seven individuals were arrested, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The permit required ensures

to meet. Currently, USF meets the requirements for emerging preeminence.

The provost wasn’t completely critical of the governor’s plan.

For instance, he praised the idea of expanding Bright Futures scholarships. These expansions would include allowing the scholarship to cover summer semester.

He also voiced approval for the idea of cutting sales tax on textbooks. According to Scott, cutting textbook sales tax would save a student taking five courses per semester an estimated $60 a year.

The last part of the governor’s

plan that Wilcox touched on is the idea of decreasing the fees paid by graduate teaching assistants by 25 percent. This is something that the Graduate Assistants Union has been bargaining with the university over for longer than a year.

“We have said ‘no.’ There are direct costs associated with those fees,” Wilcox said. “Now, all of a sudden if we eliminate 25 percent of the revenue of fees being paid by graduate assistants, we’re going to have to offset that loss of revenue in some way.”

Wilcox’s main reason for arguing against this change is that the graduate assistants still use facilities such as Student Health

the city is not liable if anyone is hurt at the event being held on city property. It also comes with a liability insurance coverage requirement of at least $1 million, which is why many who deliver food choose not to get the permit.

The permit is necessary if equipment like tables or chairs are used in an area, as it then becomes an event rather than simply a charitable deed. Those who wish to buy a meal or bring a sandwich to someone sitting in a park is completely legal. It is the use of the tables and organizing of an event that can cause a legal dilemma due to the possibility of harm.

With new developments taking over the Tampa area, Koipallil said the homeless population is being “squeezed into a corner,” with the Tampa officials doing little to help fix the problem.

“I don’t think they’re doing all that they could at the political, judicial level,” Koipallil said.

Groups like Tampa Food Not Bombs and other organizations hope to change that today when they plan to take the floor at the Tampa City Council meeting at 9 a.m. to voice their concern of the issue.

Koipallil said that he will be in attendance and hopes it will begin to reverse the stigma that seems to linger around the homeless population.

“People like to see the bad and inflate it and find reasons not to help,” Koipallil said. “It just boils down to whether you’re hungry or not, or homeless or not. They’re humans too. I think people fail to see that a lot.”

Services that the fees pay for.

Scott’s plan isn’t officially enacted and needs to go through the Florida Legislature before the changes could start taking affect.

“We’ll see how other universities respond to this, but its not like the Florida Legislature is going to step up and say, ‘Well, if we’re going to reduce student fees and, by the way, we’re going to invest the difference in your base budget,’” Wilcox said. “That’s not going to happen. This is all about doing the same, if not more, acknowledging increased costs, with less. That continues to be what keeps me up at night.”

LIBRARY

Continued from PAGE 3

campus effort to become more energy efficient,” he said.

Demolition of the fifth floor has already started. In preparation for the undertaking, Chavez said all of the books in the library were moved. Some are in the new compact shelving, some are still on the fifth floor and some are in stacks in the staff area on the basement floor while more compact shelving goes in. However, as the density of print materials goes up, the supply is not following in this increase.

“The truth is, our purchase of print materials has been going down …” Chavez said. “… Our needs for additional print space have declined.”

For those students who want to access print materials in the library with call numbers QH through Z, the library has systems in place, as those call numbers are currently unavailable. Thornton said to speak to the front desk concerning materials normally on the fifth floor. Students can talk to the front desk and the library staff will either retrieve the book for the student or help the student acquire the book through interlibrary loans.

“There is going to be some inconvenience and we’re going to have some noise,” Chavez said.

Despite any inconveniences, Chavez said he feels the projects will be a great improvement to the library and spot-on for what is needed and wanted by the students.

“There’s a lot of support for this,” he said.

The fifth floor is just part of the projects underway in the USF library over the next two semesters. The library will also be adding a Wellness Center to the fourth floor that will be open the same times as the library, complete with massage chairs, fresh fruit, Wellness Education services and nap pods for students to sleep in. All bathrooms in the building will also be renovated.

All of the work is to be finished and the renovated areas reopened by next fall, according to Chavez. Closer to the end of this semester, samples of the furniture that will be added to the fifth floor will be available on the first floor for students to try out.

LIFESTYLE

Tampa Bay’s new movers and shakers 6

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

●

T H U R S D AY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

T H E O R AC L E

Three trendy, must-visit businesses have opened in the past year

store.

Urban Bungalow is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

By Nicole Cate L I F E S T Y L E

E D I T O R

One of the best things about living in a mid-sized city is that it is always growing, and this is definitely a characteristic of Tampa and the Bay area. USF students should take advantage of this, as there is always something new to try and somewhere new to explore. These three businesses in particular are bound to offer students fresh and unique experiences.

The Bikery

Whatever Pops and Bowls

Whatever Pops owner Steve McGlocklin and his wife have always wanted to open a smoothie shop, but on the day they got engaged, they walked into a Popsicle shop and changed their minds.

Located in Seminole Heights, Whatever Pops is not entirely new to the area.

While the store has only been open since Dec. 1 of last year, their idea first debuted as a Popsicle cart at the Shops at Wiregrass with Tampa Bay Market back in July of 2011. They expanded to a couple carts and then a food truck before opening the store.

“We started completely with a soft opening. We didn’t even advertise on our Facebook until a few days later, mainly due to the fact that we wanted to make sure that we were up to par with making our acai bowls, espressos, coffee and waffles on a stick,” McGlocklin said.

“Business has been increasing.

We’ve had great feedback from everyone and we’re getting ready to release our smoothies and shakes in the next couple weeks.”

While he went on to say that they chose Seminole Heights as their first physical location because of its reputation as “one of the best areas for foodies and new restaurants and those who are thinking outside the box with what they’re put-

The Bikery in St. Petersburg is a one stop shop for cyclists who love coffee. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE. ting out food-wise,” McGlocklin a smaller scale that’s better for a of the versatility of the businesses. mentioned that they were look- smaller apartment, a condo, or One of their crowd-pullers is the ing to open locations in South the historic bungalows that we fact that they offer Intelligentsia Coffee, a Chicago-based coffee Tampa, Carrollwood, Brandon have located around our store.”

Now, it sells items such as cock- brand. and Channelside in the future.

“We have a great outpouring While his favorite item on the tail mixers, cocktail utensils, gourmenu is the Earl Grey lavender met food, gourmet kitchen items, from the community. We have lemonade pop, McGlocklin rec- kitchen utensils and artwork, people who specifically come ommends that students try an as well as furniture. However, in for the Intelligentsia brand,” acai bowl or a waffle-on-the-stick, Hansen had larger plans still, Hansen said. “We’re the only especially one with chocolate and in September of last year, ones in the region to actually Bungalow Coffee opened inside brew their coffee.” drizzle.

Hansen said his favorite item Whatever Pops and Bowls is the store.

“We have always wanted to in the coffee shop is the cafe bon open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. have kind of a mixed-use space, a bon, either iced or hot. seven days a week.

“It’s my favorite. I think I have space that our clients could come Urban Bungalow and Bungalow and have a great cup of coffee one every day and it’s probably and also shop and take their time. not the best thing for me to do Coffee We have had that in the plans for every day. It is a cross between a latte and a cafe con leche and it’s Also in Seminole Heights, a very long time,” Hansen said.

“Originally, Blind Tiger Coffee done with sweetened condensed Urban Bungalow opened in September 2014 as a furniture was in, but they wanted to move milk,” Hansen said. “There’s no store. Over time though, because to their own free-standing space, syrup. You’re not adding like a of input from clients, it has turned so we decided to open a coffee mocha or a pure cane syrup, but it just makes it a very creamy, into more than that, according to shop ourselves.”

Hansen co-owns the cafe nice, frothy latte-esque drink.” owner David Hansen.

As for his favorite item in “It’s really a home store. Our with Greg Curtis from Cleanse tagline is ‘essentials for everyday Apothecary next door, and said Urban Bungalow? He cannot living,’” Hansen said. “What we that sometimes they get called a choose, as he personally hand specialize in is furniture that’s on ‘mini Oxford Exchange’ because picks everything for the home

The Bikery in St. Petersburg is similar to Urban Bungalow, as it is a combination store, with the twist being that it is a bike store and repair shop in addition to being a cafe. Manager and USF alum Taylor Norton explained that this unique entrepreneurial idea came from the West, as there are a few in larger cities with cooler temperatures, such as Portland and Seattle.

“One of the partners here, Andrew Bridgman, was living out in Fort Collins, Colorado, and we’ve been friends for a long time. I went out and visited and there was a shop a lot like this that kind of had a similar concept,” Norton said. “Not exactly the same, but it had coffee and bike repairs in the same building. We really liked it and fell in love with the idea, and said, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if we did something like that for ourselves some day?’ little knowing we really could actually.”

The shop opened in July of last year and has been getting busier since. Norton said the goal for The Bikery is to foster a community for lovers of both coffee and bicycles, not just to be a bike shop or a cafe.

“It’s been a lot of fun seeing the different kind of reactions we get from the community because there really isn’t something like this in the Tampa Bay area,” Norton said. “We get a wide range of people that really dig it, and sometimes we get people that come in and are really confused, and that’s cool.”

Students who take a trip to St. Pete should try the nitro-brewed coffee. Not a lot of places carry this type of coffee as of yet, as it is new, but surprisingly growing in popularity.

T H U R S DAY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

T H E O R AC L E

7

8

Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

To place a classified ad go to

●

T H U R S D AY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds

CHILD CARE

CHILD CARE

Driver/tutor Female driver for middle school student, from Tampa Palms to Land’O Lakes. 2X a day, around 6-8am, & 3:15-4:15pm. Pay time will start out from driver’s home & end at driver’s home. Will pay gas. Some Saturday night coverage.

Email kejiazhang@yahoo.com

Part Time Nanny position I’m looking for a great and reliable nanny for my 2 children. My daughter is 13 and my son is almost 11 and are both extremely active. I am looking for someone to pick them up from school (2 different schools), take them home and make sure they rest, get homework done, have dinner and then get them to their sports or activity. Monday from 3-7 and Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday’s from 2-7. Some nights may be later and will need help in the summer.

Some light housekeeping/cooking is required and you will need your own car. My kids love games, sports, crafts, their friends, our hedgehog and our dog!

Email stcnole@gmail.com

Crossword

ANNOUNCEMENTS

myAPAeditor@gmail.com

●

T H E O R AC L E

T H U R S DAY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

Women’s Basketball

●

Reality check

T H E O R AC L E

9

Bulls’ worst-ever loss at the hands of UConn shows how far they still have to go Losing to UConn is nothing new for USF women’s basketball.

Pitted in the same conference as the perennial No. 1 team in the nation, the Bulls have tried and tried again against the Huskies, but have come up short 21 Vinnie Portell consecutive times.

COM M ENTA R Y Dropping another game to No. 1 UConn in Hartford on Tuesday wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for No. 20 USF, but the way in which it happened certainly made some fans do a double take at the box score.

The Bulls’ 102-37 loss marks the worst in program history and a harsh reality check when it comes to the bigger picture of NCAA women’s basketball.

After becoming nationally ranked for the first time in school history in 2015, it seemed as

though a setback was inevitable this season. USF (13-2) lost its program leaders in scoring and rebounding in Courtney Williams and Alisia Jenkins along with starting point guard Shalethia Stringfield.

Despite this, USF began one of its hottest starts ever under coach Jose Fernandez, as it took just a month before it climbed back into the national rankings.

Led by the superb shooting of sophomore forward Kitija Laksa (20.6 points per game) and the stellar guard play of junior Laia Flores (6.7 assists per game), Fernandez’s international recruits have helped buoy the Bulls through what should have been a rebuilding period.

Entering Tuesday night with only one loss this season, overcoming the top-ranked Huskies for the first time appeared to be within sight.

Merely one quarter into the game, it was apparent a USF upset wouldn’t be in the cards.

Trailing 30-6 after the game’s first five minutes, the blowout would only continue as the Bulls

struggled all night with UConn’s defense. The Bulls were forced to create their own shots all night long, finishing with just three assists compared to the Huskies’ 31.

By halftime, UConn led 65-19 and cruised to its largest victory over a ranked opponent.

While the loss was only the second of the season for USF, it serves as the best measure of just how close (or far) the Bulls are from competing with the nation’s best.

It shouldn’t be overlooked that the 2016-17 Bulls have already outperformed expectations and are cementing themselves in the national discussion as each week with a spot in the top 25 passes.

But the senior leadership and program-changing players USF lost to graduation is nearly impossible to replace in a single season.

Though Tuesday night’s result makes it clear that the Bulls aren’t ready to compete with the best, the growing expectations that they should shows it’s only a matter of time.

Despite leading USF to one of its hottest starts and cracking the top 20 in the nation, coach Jose Fernandez’ Bulls suffered their worst defeat ever on Tuesday. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

Meeting of the minds

USF coach Charlie Strong (middle) and Athletic Director Mark Harlan (right) converse while taking in USF men’s basketball’s loss to Tulane on Wednesday night in the Sun Dome with newly hired strength coach Pat Moorer (left). ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

10

Sports

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Rundown

Football

●

T H U R S D AY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

T H E O R AC L E

Strong adds collection of former assistants to ‘17 staff

Outside USF

Ice Cube to begin 3-on-3 basketball league Ice Cube has plans to launch a 3-on-3 basketball league named the BIG3 for retired NBA players over 30 this summer, and already has legends such as Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Chauncey Billups and Stephen Jackson committed to the idea, according to ESPN. The games Ice Cube will be half-court style and the first team to 60 points wins, with a seven minute halftime after the first team reaches 30 points. Teams will be comprised of a player/ captain and four teammates.

The draft for the BIG3 league will take place in March.

Weekend sports schedule Men’s Basketball

USF (6-8) @ Memphis (12-4, 2-1) When: Saturday, 6 p.m.

Where: FedEx Forum

Women’s Basketball

East Carolina (10-6, 1-2) @ USF (13-2, 2-1) When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Where: USF Sun Dome

Men’s Tennis

FGCU Spring Invite Opponents: Louisville, Wisconsin, FGCU When: Beginning Friday, 2 p.m.

Where: FGCU Tennis Complex

Sterlin Gilbert

Brian Jean-Mary

Charlie Williams

Corey Bell

Matt Mattox

Justin Burke

The future of USF football takes shape as Strong fills coaching staff

By Chuck Muller S T A F F

W R I T E R

Following the departure of former USF coach Willie Taggart to Oregon, much of the excitement around the program has been centered around his replacement — former Texas head man Charlie Strong.

However, the Bulls are turning over far more than just the face of their coaching staff.

Though Strong still has two more vacancies to fill, USF’s 2017 staff will have nearly a complete new look from top to bottom.

Excluding newly-named running backs coach Shaun King, who recently switched over from coaching quarterbacks last season, Strong has brought in a new staff comprised of both longtime assistants and those with solid Florida recruiting ties.

Here is a quick rundown of the new faces set to lead USF in 2017: Offensive Coordinator Less than a month into his tenure at USF, Strong began building his staff by naming Sterlin Gilbert the Bulls’ new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks’ coach on Jan. 6.

While serving as Strong’s offensive coordinator at Texas in 2016, Gilbert guided a Longhorn offense that was not far behind USF’s, averaging only 20 yards less (491.3 yards per game) than the Bulls’ 11thbest offense in the country

(511.5 yards per game).

“Sterlin has put together a tremendous track record of developing players and producing highly productive offenses that build his on players strengths,” Strong said in a press release.

“He’s young and passionate about his players and the game of football. We are excited to have Sterlin on our Bulls staff and to have him working with the very talented players we have at South Florida.”

Gilbert’s most notable project to date was the development of Texas running back D’onta Foreman last season.

Under Gilbert, Foreman grew from a back that split carries his sophomore year with two other running backs to the nation’s second-leading rusher in 2016, with 2,028 yards.

Defensive Coordinator Two days after hiring Gilbert, Strong made fellow Longhorn assistant Brian JeanMary his defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

The new leader of the Bulls’ defense, Jean-Mary takes over for the departing Raymond Woodie.

“I’m very excited to come to South Florida and have the opportunity to serve as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator under Coach Strong,” Jean-Mary said in a statement following his hire.

“I have had the honor to work with Coach Strong over the last seven seasons and appreciate his confidence in

me to lead his defense. We have some terrific talent at USF and in the state of Florida and I’m excited to be back in the state and getting to work building the Bulls defense.”

Before joining Strong in Austin to lead Texas, Jean-Mary was Strong’s defensive coordinator at Louisville, where the Cardinals went 37-15 under the duo.

Jean-Mary is also a native of Apopka, Florida, the hometown of current Bulls’ quarterback Quinton Flowers.

Wide Receivers Charlie Williams returns to the Bay area, joining the Bulls as the wide receivers coach after a 31-year coaching career in both college and the NFL. Williams, who also served on Strong’s staff at Texas last season, worked as the running backs and receivers coach for the Indianapolis Colts for four seasons before joining Texas in 2016.

“I have very fond memories of my time here and the people and community here,” Williams said in a release. “We have a great opportunity at USF with some really talented players, and I’m excited to be back in Florida and to get started.”

His job with the Bulls will be Williams’ second coaching stint in Tampa. He worked previously as the wide receivers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Tony Dungy from 1996-2001.

Defensive Backs- Corey Bell, the first assistant to have not worked directly with Strong at any level, previously served as the defensive backs coach at FAU the past two seasons.

Bell comes to the Bulls after coaching two Owls defenders, sophomore Jalen Young and junior Raekwon Williams Jr., to Conference USA Honorable Mention awards this past season.

“It is great to continue my coaching career in the state of Florida,” Bell said. “I know the players and coaches in the state very well and have great respect for the talent that resides here. It’s an exciting time at USF, and I’m ready to get to work.”

Bell has also aided thenhead coach Randy Shannon at the University of Miami from 2007-10 as the director of football operations for the Hurricanes.

Offensive Line

Strong’s second hire of Wednesday came soon after the announcement of Bell, as Matt Mattox was named the Bulls’ offensive line coach and run-game coordinator in the wake of losing former coach Daren Hiller, who joined Taggart at Oregon.

Another assistant under Strong at Texas in 2016, Mattox was rumored to join the USF coaching staff after the addition of Gilbert, who he worked under in the same position

n See ASSISTANTS on PAGE 11

T H U R S DAY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

11

T H E O R AC L E

Men’s Basketball

Bulls remain winless in AAC with disappointing loss to Tulane

USF coach Charlie Strong wasted no time hiring a new coaching staff as he brought over several fellow former Longhorns. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

ASSISTANTS

Continued from PAGE 10

USF interim coach Murry Bartow has gotten off to an 0-3 start since the firing of former coach Orlando Antigua. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

By Chuck Muller S T A F F

W R I T E R

The new year remains unkind to the Bulls, as USF fell 82-67 to the Tulane Green Wave in the third game of the Murry Bartow era.

In their first game at the Sun Dome under Bartow, who was named interim coach after the dismissal of Orlando Antigua, the Bulls (6-9,0-4) fell behind early after the Green Wave (4-12, 1-3) raced out to an early 11-2 lead in the game’s first three and a half minutes.

“It’s obvious, but you want to get out to a quick start,” Bartow said.“We’ve had good preparation coming in, and it was disappointing obviously getting down 11-2 before I could settle down in my chair.

It’s a long game and you don’t want to overreact, but we had a lot of work to do.”

Tulane allowed the Bulls to climb back in to the game at the foul line, with USF going 9-of-12 on free throws in the first half.

Bulls’ guard Troy Holston put USF back on top 45-44 with 15:24 to go in the sec-

ond half, but that would be as close as the Bulls would come to their first AAC victory of the season.

From that point, the Green Wave went on a 13-4 run that ultimately served as the breaking point for USF on its way to the 15-point loss.

“I’m disappointed,” Bartow said.“I really thought that SMU game we competed and fought. Tonight, we just didn’t have quite the same zip.”

For junior guard Geno Thorpe, USF’s 14 turnovers in the second half is what ultimately did the Bulls in.

“It was turning the ball over that was killing us,” Thorpe said.“We couldn’t get ourselves in a rhythm, a couple made shots here and then we’d turn it over. It was really about turning the ball over, we should have taken better care of the ball.”

As the only remaining team in the AAC without a win in conference play, USF will travel to Memphis on Jan. 14 and UCF on Jan. 17 in hopes of finding its first win against an AAC opponent.

at Texas. Those early reports came to fruition with the official announcement on Wednesday.

“USF was very productive on the ground last year and has some outstanding players returning, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with them and the talented players in the state of Florida,” Mattox said in a release.

Mattox, who also coached with

Gilbert at Tulsa in 2015 as co-offensive coordinator, guided the Golden Hurricane as the 11th ranked passing offense and the 13th ranked team in total offense in the country.

Special Teams/ Tight Ends Justin Burke would become the third and final coach officially hired Wednesday, joining USF as both the special teams and tight ends coach.

“He’s a former collegiate quarterback and an All-Big East

Academic Team honoree with an MBA, so he’s a smart guy with recent playing experience and will work great with our players at USF,” Strong said of Burke in a release.

Burke’s relationship with Strong dates back to 2008, where he played quarterback for a Strong-led Cardinals team for three seasons.

Burke has also served under Strong as an offensive assistant since 2013, after beginning his coaching career as a recruiting intern under Nick Saban at Alabama in 2011.

12

T H U R S DAY, J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

●

T H E O R AC L E