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By Josh Fiallo S P O R T S

E D I T O R

It all started at the age of 7.

Before Quinton Flowers and Deatrick Nichols were making plays for USF, they were just two best friends playing backyard football in the Miami heat.

That backyard football quickly turned to competitive youth football when Flowers experienced his first small taste of recruiting before the age of 10.

“How I met Deatrick was in the neighborhood, all the kids played together and his cousin is my god sister, so we kind of met that way,” Flowers said. “Deatrick played for the Northwest Boys (& Girls) Club and his cousin and uncle coached over there, and when they seen me throw one time with Deatrick outside they asked me to be on the team. Then it just went from there.”

Constantly playing with older kids, sometimes up to three years older than them, Nichols and Flowers stuck together to survive, developing their special skills along the way.

“We were kind of the youngest, so we played with each other,” Nichols said. “We just had a knack.

We were the youngest people out there, so we had to be together and that’s how we got each other better at a young age without even knowing.

“Playing with the older guys, they know you’re younger, and that if you’re still doing talented things around them they knew you had a gift – and that’s how we were able to play with them, because we did have a gift.”

The duo loved to do anything active growing up, but football was their No. 1 passion, playing together all the way until 2010 when high school zoning split the two.

Despite living right down the road from each other in the north part of Miami, Flowers went to Miami Jackson Senior High and Nichols to Miami Central.

Nichols, a cornerback, would go on to win a Class 6A state championship his senior year, while Flowers and his Generals went 5-5 the same year.

After starting his freshman year

as a cornerback, Flowers became Miami Jackson’s star player, accumulating three straight team MVP’s to close out his time there.

Despite being less than five miles apart, Nichols’ and Flowers’ schools never played against each other. Despite going to different schools, the two still yearned to play for the same team again – one day.

“There was a time my last year or two, I was planning on going to play with Deatrick in high school, but I didn’t get that chance,” Flowers said. “Me and him kind of linked up and talked about all the schools we had (offering us).

Deatrick was a guy that decided he wanted to go to a school early to learn the techniques and try to get on the field early.

“I found out that he was going to end up going to USF (for a visit) where we’re at now. When he got here, we started talking and we told each other that we’d be on the same team along down the line and here we are now.”

Before Flowers made the decision to go to USF, however, he had plenty of offers from several “Power 5” schools.

Some of those schools included Miami and Nebraska, but a mix of former coach Willie Taggart’s faith in him as a 6-foot quarterback, and his best friend ultimately pushed him to Tampa.

“For me, I was really big on leaning toward Marshall or Nebraska,” Flowers said. “They were in the mix. Florida came and talked to me. I (originally) wanted to go to Miami because that’s the hometown team. I wanted to do something for the hometown, but once Al Golden said what he said to me about playing running back, I shut that down.

“Florida didn’t bring a quarterback coach to me, so I shut that down, too. The only school that really believed in me was USF and Coach Taggart.”

To close out the deal and get his best friend on board, Nichols had one last message for his lifelong friend.

“I told him let’s go to USF. It’s close to home, it’s something that we’ve been doing (in the past) – building programs, because we

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Quinton Flowers, left, and Deatrick Nichols have been friends and teammates since age 7.

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS

never went to the best Optimist (youth football) team, and we never played for a good team. We usually tried to brighten up a team, and we said let’s do it on the next level.”

After some deliberation, Flowers agreed. USF football could use some brightening up, so he signed.

Ever since, there’s been nothing but progress for USF, Nichols and Flowers, with the possibility to make even more in 2017.

Ranked in the Associated Press’ preseason poll for the first time since 2008, USF is currently favored to win every game regularseason 2017 game. Flowers is receiving national attention as a potential Heisman candidate, as well as being placed on a plethora of award watch lists.

Four years ago, the idea of USF having a chance to make the college playoff – if it were a thing in 2013 – would have been absurd.

In 2017, it’s still far off, but far from impossible.

“I think Charlie Strong and the USF Bulls have a chance to be that team. Sixteen starters back including (Quinton Flowers) Won 11 last year!” – National college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit

tweeted in a reply about if a nonPower 5 school could make the college playoff.

Though his name isn’t passing through the national airwaves like his quarterback, Nichols has made a name for himself at USF and has been named to the Nagurski, Bednarik and Thorpe preseason watch lists. In 2016, he led the Bulls’ secondary with four interceptions.

In an August article by Sports Illustrated, an “anonymous” rival coach mentioned just how talented Nichols is.

“Deatrick Nichols was the hardest cornerback for us to get open on in the league last year,” the anonymous coach said. “Overall, (USF’s) pass defense wasn’t as bad as people think. They’re a big-play offense, and because they scored so fast, their defense played more plays than the offense.”

Despite the attention, however, Flowers’ and Nichols’ only focus is winning.

“We always said it was bigger than us,” Nichols said. “We love the individual things we have, but first and foremost, we go for the team goals – winning, being nationally ranked and everything like that.

That’s our biggest goals.”

No matter what happens in USF’s highly anticipated 2017 season, Flowers and Nichols will have a bond they share for life.

“It’s like a communication without talking,” Nichols said. “If he sees me down, I don’t have to come to him and be like ‘I don’t feel good.’ It’s just something he knows. It’s like your mom knowing, and asking what’s wrong with you…

“Just knowing somebody all of their life you know when they’re having their ups and downs and when they’re pushing hard. It’s like being around a brother.”

Flowers and Nichols will start their senior campaigns on Saturday at 7 p.m. against San Jose State.

They’ll return for the home opener on Sept. 2, but beating San Jose State is the only game on their mind for the time being.

“You have to make every game count,” Flowers said. “You’ve got to take things one game at a time and not look ahead. Just take everything one game at a time and trust each other.

“Everybody’s got a target on us and we have a target on them.”

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Hector, Senat among the keys to Bulls’ expectations on defense

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By Sam Newlon T I T L E

USF’s defense finished the 2016 season 122nd in Nation in passing yards allowed per game, yielding opponents an average of 285.

Over the course of the season, USF’s defense was far better at stopping the run, allowing opponents 196 yards per game. In the Bulls’ two losses, however, it was the run defense that let them down – surrendering 478 yards on the ground to Florida State and 319 to Temple.

The loss at Temple on Oct. 21, USF’s only conference defeat, ultimately kept the Bulls from reaching the school’s first-ever conference championship game and a potential “New Year’s Six” bowl bid.

Nobody remembers the pain of the loss more than senior defensive tackles Deadrin Senat and Bruce Hector, who look to lead the Bulls’ 2017 defense amid high expectations with nine starters returning.

“Last year, on the defensive side of the ball, we didn’t have a really hot year,” Hector said. “Our goal is to come out confident on defense.”

In the loss at Temple, the Owls converted 10 of 16 third downs. In 2017, Bulls firstyear defensive coordinator Brian Jean-Mary is putting extra emphasis on bringing opponents third down conversion percentage down.

“They couldn’t get off the

Defensive tackle Deadrin Senat is on the Nagurski and Outland Trophy watch lists. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE field on third down,” Jean- up to play behind the two leadership on the defensive Mary said. “There were too at tackle. In the search for a line. many missed opportunities. fifth tackle, Cronin pinpointed “As seniors, we have to When you can’t get off the freshmen Kelvin Pinkney and make sure we bring everyone field, that leads to fatigue. Kevin Kegler to possibly fill the along,” Hector said. “We still We’ve got to focus on that.” fifth spot, but still has some have to have the young guys In order to combat the concerns. come out and produce for us fatigue, USF defensive tackles “They’re still learning how this year.” coach Sean Cronin wants we do things and they’re still “If a coach says something, to have three more “solid” adjusting,” Cronin said. “One they [freshmen] might not get players who can rotate with play they look like they’re it,” Senat said. “But if a player starters Hector and Senat at ready right now and the does, it’ll stick more. I believe the position. other play they couldn’t seem we have some young guys that With Hector and Senat as further away.” are going to step up and play the primary run stuffers, junior As the summer camp a big role for us and they’re Kevin Bronson and sophomore progressed, Hector and actually going to help us win Marlon Gonzalez will step Senat prepared to shoulder games this year.”

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Senat, a projected middleround pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, according to ESPN. com, was a redshirt freshman in 2013, but has played in all but one game in his past three years as a Bull. His list of accolades in 2016 alone included a second-team allconference selection, 2016 USF Defensive MVP award and a career-high and team-leading 49 tackles, seven for a loss.

Before the season has even started in 2017, Senat has been placed on the Nagurski (best defensive player in NCAA) and the Outland Trophy (best interior lineman in college football) watch lists.

Hector tied the team high with six sacks in 2016. Senior linebacker Auggie Sanchez, who also had six sacks and a team high 120 total tackles, is fully healthy for the 2017 season after he spent spring practices rehabbing right labrum surgery.

“We know we can be a top 25 defense,” Hector, said. “We have all of the capabilities to make it work.”

While leading the team in sacks on the field, Hector serves as a role model off as well.

Hector, who graduated with an engineering degree in the spring, earned the Frank Morsani Leadership Award and the Defensive Lineman Award at the annual football banquet last December.

As the anchors of the defensive line, Hector and Senat seek to improve

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DEFENSE

Continued from PAGE 6

last season’s defensive performance under Jean-Mary, and should have no problem in under their new coach when the Bulls travel to play San Jose State in Week 1.

Still without a starting quarterback named for the 2017 season opener, the Spartans ranked 94th in total offense last season.

In order to succeed, however, Jean-Mary emphasized that the team needs depth and young players to step up.

“It’s a collective build,” Senat said about the young players progress. “We’re all growing together.”

Though San Jose State’s 4-8 record last season doesn’t make it a threat to No. 19 USF on paper, some seniors on the team who’ve redshirted have experienced the unknowns associated with the first game back after a coaching change. During Willie Taggart’s inaugural season as head coach in 2013, the program posted a 2-10 record that included a 53-21 loss to McNeese State in the season opener.

McNeese State, which was paid $400,000 to play USF in Week 1 in 2013, plays in the NCAA Division I-AA. USF would go on to finish the season 2-10.

Regardless of what happens in Week 1 and the rest of the season, the will to lead by Senat and Hector is strong.

“All together we stand and all together we shall fall.”

Senat said. “I’m going to lead them the best I can. I’m going to lead by my actions.

“You know how you sharpen iron? You put it in the fire, you take it out and you stomp on it. Then you put it right back in the fire and I feel that’s exactly what Coach Strong is doing.

He’s putting us in the fire, he’s letting us know we gotta grind day-in and day-out.”

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USF football depth chart ●

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STAFF PREDICTIONS

Josh Fiallo SP O RT S

Week 1 at San Jose State

W

Week 2 vs. Stony Brook

W

Week 3 at UConn

W

Week 4 vs. Illinois Week 5 vs. Temple Week 6 at East Carolina Week 8 vs. UMass

W W W W

Week 9 at Tulane

W

Week 10 vs. Cincinnati

W

Week 11 vs. Houston

L

Week 13 vs. Tulsa

W

Week 14 at UCF

W

ED I TO R

45-17 58-13 28-7 42-21 31-28 49-10 55-3 35-28 56-10 42-38 31-21 42-17

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Sam Newlon

Jontae Davis

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38-14 41-10 24-17 27-24 17-14 21-7 59-35 45-24

W 56-17

56-20 L 41-35 W 41-20 W 56-35

W 38-24

W W W W L W W W W

66-7 W 48-17 W 38-20 W 41-24 W 42-20 W 62-3 W 48-10 W

W 38-23

49-3 W 48-21 W

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John Black

Alex Verdelus

COR R ESPON DE NT

W W W W W W W W

55-14 63-9 42-21 38-28 35-31 48-17 49-10 40-7

35-14 W 42-31 W 31-28 W 45-38 W

COR R E S PON DE NT

W W W W W W W W W

35-16 24-7 21-10 42-20 38-21 32-17 30-10 35-28 45-30

W

40-24 27-21

W

42-21

W

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How will the Bulls do?

With the football season starting, the question on people’s minds is how the Bulls will do in 2017. Oracle correspondent Jontae Davis took to campus to see what USF students think about the team’s chances.

“Now that we are ranked 19th in the nation, all I can expect is that we move up. I expect Quinton Flowers to do what he did last season and lead our team to a bowl game.

I expect us to go 11-1.”

- Patrick Felisma, senior majoring in biomedical sciences

“Since we started off ranked, I have high expectations and hope that we make it to one of the New Year’s Six bowls, undefeated would be nice.”

- Nathaniel Barthelemy, junior majoring in health sciences

“I hope that we can improve on what we did last year. We went 11-2 last year, and I feel USF can go undefeated if they work at it.”

- Benjamin ClerveauxJean, sophomore majoring in mass communications

“I’m expecting wins.

I just want a whole bunch of wins; I want us to go undefeated if possible because I always want the best.”

“I want my Bulls to be on top. We are going to win a bowl game this year; my expectations are to go at least 11-1.”

- Geldine Ambroise, senior majoring in biomedical sciences and public health

- Mario Hanna, junior majoring in accounting “My expectations are pretty high. We made it to No. 19 in the AP poll, and I expect us to win a bowl game.”

- Colton Evans, sophomore majoring in political science

“Good expectations, they killed it last year, and they are picked first in the American Conference and 19th in the country. I hope we can go undefeated.

I know Houston is tough every year, so is Temple.”

- Ryan Hunziker, junior majoring in mechanical engineering

“They are ranked No.19 in the AP poll, but I’m not too confident. So far, Charlie Strong hasn’t done a great job at wrangling his new team.”

- Grace Hoyte, senior majoring in English

“Honestly, I think undefeated, the schedule is soft.”

- Steven Laskay, a junior majoring in business

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2017 football schedule ●

,7:30 p.m.

,4 p.m. , noon ,7 p.m. ,8 p.m. ,TBA ,TBA ,TBA ,TBA ,TBA

,8 p.m. ,TBA

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A look at USF’s 2017 opponents 20

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By John Black C O R R E S P O N D E N T

San Jose State University

Saturday, Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m.

San Jose, California, CBS Sports Network The Bulls open their 2017 campaign in California Saturday.

USF will take on the San Jose State Spartans in the two programs’ first ever matchup. After going 4-8 in 2016, the Spartans have gone in a completely new direction, hiring a first-time head coach in Brent Brennan. The Spartans haven’t found a starter at quarterback and that could hinder USF in its preparation, but also help due to the quarterback’s inexperience.

San Joses defense, on the other hand, will be led by returning senior cornerback Andre Chachere. South Florida’s first legitimate Heisman candidate Quinton Flowers will be facing a tough opponent in Chachere. He finished fourth in the nation in passes defended per game, was voted First Team All Mountain West Conference, and team MVP. Despite Chachere’s experience, the rest of the San Jose roster is full of unproven talent.

The Spartans finished 2016 with the 122nd-ranked rushing defense (246 YPG), which opens the door for the Bulls’ explosive offense.

Stony Brook University

Saturday, Sept. 2, 4 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, Tampa The Bulls will welcome the Stony Brook Seawolves to Raymond James Stadium in their home opener. An unknown team from NCAA Division I FCS, Stony Brook ended the 2016 season 5-6 and tied for seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Seawolves will be led by third-team All-CAA running back and team captain Stacey Bedell. In 2016, Bedell ran for just under 700 yards, with 10 TDs. Coach Charlie Strong’s defense will look to improve over last year, when it finished 84th in total rush defense. Senior leaders Auggie Sanchez, Deatrick Nichols and Deadrin Senat will be looking to show USF has a as a top-tier defense.

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UConn

Saturday, Sept. 9, noon, Hartford, Connecticut, ESPNNEWS Last year, when USF and UConn faced off in Tampa, the Bulls were able to take care of the Huskies on their way to a 42-27 victory. That loss was only one of UConn’s nine in 2016. After a dismal season, the Huskies rehired Randy Edsall, who served as Huskies coach from 1999-2010. At this point in the beginning of the season, it’s unclear who UConn’s biggest threat will be.

Edsall recently named juco transfer David Pindell as the Week 1 starter.

Pindell played at Lackawana College in 2016 and threw for over 2,400 yards with 31 TDs. He also ran for over 450 yards.

Illinois

Friday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, ESPN This is South Florida’s only notable out of conference game on the 2017 slate, and it is hardly notable. The Bulls face their only Power 5 team in the Illinois Fighting Illini. Illinois also finished the 2016 season 3-9, putting it sixth in the Big Ten West. Second-year coach Lovie Smith is hoping to improve upon an unfortunate first year, but the Fighting Illini are still in the rebuilding stages. Smith will likely find his return to Raymond James Stadium as unrewarding as his time as the Bucs coach.

Temple

Thursday, Sept. 21, 8 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, ESPN The Bulls most disappointing loss last year came in Week 8 in Philadelphia as USF fell 46-30 against the Temple Owls. In one of the last drives of the game, quarterback Quinton Flowers suffered an injury that kept the Heisman hopeful from leading a South Florida comeback. Although this is not the same Temple team the Bulls faced in 2016, (the Owls have a new head coach, new quarterback, and lost defensive end Haason Riddick in the first round of the NFL Draft) look forward to Flowers and the rest of the Bulls coming out ready to

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new coach Major Applewhite after the departure of Tom Herman. Led by defensive tackle Ed Oliver, the Cougars ended the 2016 season as the fourth overall rushing defense.

One of the two teams the Bulls face in the 2017 season that received votes in the preseason AP Poll, a victory over the Cougars would be a big boost for the USF program on the national level.

Tulsa

Former Bucs and Bears coach Lovie Smith brings his Illinois Fighting Illini to Raymond James Stadium on Sept. 15. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE redeem themselves. wants to change the culture in New Orleans from a losing one East Carolina to a winning one. Facing an Saturday, Sept. 30, Greenville, experienced defense, the Bulls’ North Carolina offense hopes to remain explosive Last year’s homecoming at this point in the season. The opponent, the East Carolina Pirates Tulane Green Wave offense will host South Florida in the Bulls’ sixth be lead by junior college transfer game of the year. The Bulls walked Jonathan Banks. As a dual-threat away with a 16-point victory (38- quarterback, Banks will hope to be 22) in 2016 and plan on repeating able to confuse the South Florida the results in 2017. Newly named defense with his athleticism and ECU starting quarterback Gardner pocket presence. However, by the Minshew hopes to improve upon eighth game of the season, Strong his two starts from 2016 where should have his defense at the top he lost to both Navy and Temple. of the ranks, ready to stop any In Gardner’s time against USF last opponent. year, he threw one touchdown and one interception.

Cincinnati Saturday, Oct. 28, Raymond UMass James Stadium, Tampa, Florida Saturday, Oct. 14, Raymond The Cincinnati Bearcats will James Stadium, Tampa come to Tampa looking to redeem The Massachusetts Minutemen themselves from last year’s loss. finished 2-10 in only the program’s The Bulls took home a 25-point fourth year in Division I FBS. Their victory (45-20). Flowers ran for only two wins came against Florida 74 yards and two touchdowns International University and FCS against the Bearcats, while running opponent Wagner College. Coming back D’Ernest Johnson also ran for off their first bye week, the Bulls one touchdown. Last year’s win look to take an easy homecoming was arguably USF’s best defensive victory against the independent effort of the 2016 season (7 tackles Minutemen in their final out of for loss and 3 interceptions). conference game of the year.

Tulane

Saturday, Oct. 21, New Orleans This will be the two programs first time meeting as American Athletic Conference opponents.

Coming off a 4-8 campaign in 2016, Tulane coach Willie Fritz

Houston

Saturday, Nov. 4, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa The Houston Cougars are easily the toughest team South Florida will face in the 2017 season.

However, Houston will be entering its first season under unproven

Thursday, Nov. 16, 8 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, ESPN The final installment in a three game home stint, the Bulls will take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane after their second and final bye week. Although the Bulls schedule is a weak one, scheduling their three toughest opponents for the final month will help garner some clout as the season draws to a close. Tulsa is the only other team that received votes in the preseason AP Poll after finishing 10-3 and second in the American West in 2016. Tulsa should remain in relatively good graces with the AP Poll as the season progresses if it can maintain a solid record.

UCF

Friday, Nov. 24, Orlando, ESPN or ABC The War on I-4. The annual battle for central Florida wraps the Bulls’ season for the third year in a row. South Florida hopes to be able to take home the trophy for the third year in a row as well. Although UCF will be led by a strong coach in Scott Frost, the Knights remain inconsistent at quarterback. Frost’s defense, however, will improve upon its solid performance last year. Expect this year’s War on I-4 to be the toughest game the two programs have ever played. If the Bulls can remain undefeated to this point in the season, their playoff hopes will rely on a victory against their rival.

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Strong ready for the challenge

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By Josh Fiallo S P O R T S

E D I T O R

Back in the state where his coaching career began, new USF coach Charlie Strong and the Bulls are set up to succeed immediately with a star-studded roster returning in 2017.

After starting his career at the University of Florida in 1983, Strong has moved around the country, most recently at the University of Texas where he was fired after going 16-21 in three seasons as the Longhorns’ coach.

Despite his struggles at Texas, Strong’s prior record of 37-15 as Louisville’s head coach shows that he’s more than capable of leading a team on the rise.

At Louisville, Strong recruited and developed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater into a Heisman candidate and eventually into a starting NFL quarterback.

Now, Strong couldn’t be in a better situation to win right away with USF reutrning 16 starters from the 2016 team that went 11-2.

However, despite USF being voted No. 19 in the preseason Associated Press Poll and being the favorite to win the AAC, Strong and the Bulls are taking nothing for granted entering the season opener and the rest of the season.

“It’s great that we’re in a position we’re in, but still at the end of the day, nobody is

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going to roll that ball out there and just let us go up and down the field,” Strong said. “Now, we have a target on our back and we’re going to get the best. You expect that and that’s really what you want.”

With Heisman candidate Quinton Flowers leading the offense, USF is returning seven starters on offense, but has more-than-ready players to fill in the gaps.

Two of those players are running backs Darius Tice and D’Ernest Johnson who’ll try to recreate the rushing numbers of former Bull Marlon Mack, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2017.

The lead back, Johnson, matched Mack’s reception total of 28 last season, ran for over a thousand yards and scored 14 total touchdowns.

USF’s defense, despite being in the bottom third of yards allowed per game last season is returning nine starters, including sack leader Bruce Hector, tackles leader Auggie Sanchez and No. 1 cornerback Deatrick Nichols.

To combat last season’s tackling woes, Strong called for a more physical fall camp.

“We talk about it every day on the defensive side of the ball,” Hector said. “We have great guys on the offensive side, but this year we’re just going to show everybody that we’re one of the top defenses and people should be worried about us also.”

The Bulls return 16 starters in Charlie Strong’s inagural season as coach. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

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