Sights and Sounds of USF Media Day

On Wednesday, the Bulls football staff and players made themselves available to the media for questions on the upcoming season.

We were able to speak with head coach Willie Taggart, co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Darren Hiller, co-offensive coordinator T.J. Weist, and defensive coodinator Raymond Woodie.

On the player side, it was quarterback Quinton Flowers, running back Marlon Mack, wide receiver Rodney Adams, defensive backs Deatrick Nichols and Nate Godwin, and linebacker Auggie Sanchez.

Taggart on college football being around the corner:

“It’s an exciting time for USF football. It’s an exciting time for everyone really, football season comes back and seems like this entire country gets very exciting about living again.”

Taggart on the effort of the players so far in camp:

“Really, really excited about the way our guys are working. [They’re] not complaining, not being complacent, really going out there and competing everyday. Don’t have have to get them juiced up, they’re ready to roll.”

On WR AJ Legree suffering a torn ACL:

On RB Marlon Mack:

“We all saw from his first game (against Western Carolina in 2014) how special he was and I don’t think he’s let us down since. He’s a fantastic running back, one of the best in the country.”

On the progress of the revamped offensive line:

“I like where we’re at. We’re by far not where we need to be but I like the direction of where we’re going and I think by September 3rd we’ll be locked and loaded and ready to go.”

On the team’s conference championship aspirations:

On potential Big XII expansion talks dragging into the season:

A bit of a downer here:

On the maturation of QB Quinton Flowers:

“He’s comfortable with that we’re doing. Just like Marlon, he’s become more of a vocal leader and spending time with everyone on the team. Every time I saw Quinton this summer he was with a different teammate, going to put in some work.”

On interesting position battles in camp:

“Tight ends [between Elkanah Dillion and Mitchell Wilcox]. That’s been awesome to watch. [On Tuesday] Wilcox had a great scrimmage...The other receiver positions other than Rodney [Adams]...The back up quarterback position is pretty cool to watch right now. I’m loving that part of it. Brett [Kean] and Asiantii [Woulard] are doing a good job and Chris Oladokun, now, that kid is gonna be a player. He is gonna be a football player.”

Co-OC/O-line coach Darren Hiller on the team goals for the year:

On the running backs:

“It’s really a three-headed monster at running back. Marlon Mack, you know, is the headliner but you got D’Ernest Johnson and Darius Tice and they can play a lot of football for a lot of people in this country.”

On what part of the car he tells the O-line they are:

On former DL Eric Mayes becoming an OL:

On the goals for camp:

The offensive trio of Quinton Flowers, Rodney Adams and Marlon Mack did a joint press conference.

Mack on being 309 yards away from breaking Andre Hall’s USF career rushing record:

“I don’t try to focus on that too much. Just get ready for the season and get our wins up, that’s what our focus is.”

Adams on expectations for the season:

“That’s what we came here for, to build those expectations. We’re gonna try to play up to those expectations and exceed those expectations so we can continue to build our legacy here and continue to build our program up.

Flowers on the talent he has around him at the skill positions:

“Just get them guys the ball in space and let them do what they gotta do.”

Adams on Flowers becoming a more vocal leader and if he gets on guys in the huddle:

“Of course. He wants everything to be crisp. As receivers, as running backs, as linemen, we have to do what the commander says and what he says goes.”

Adams on moving into the slot:

“There were no big adjustments. It’s just like playing outside, it’s just more taking on linebackers and safeties. I gotta use more quickness [taking on linebackers], and try not to let them body me up.”

New defensive coordinator Raymond Woodie says they aren’t satisfied with last year’s results:

On taking over for departed DC Tom Allen:

On Texas transfer linebacker Cecil Cherry:

The defensive trio of striker Nate Godwin, cornerback Deatrick Nichols and linebacker Auggie Sanchez represented the defense together at media day.

Sanchez on the change of DC from Tom Allen to Raymond Woodie:

“Just the guy in charge. Nothing too crazy has changed, we run the same schemes, same blitzes. Hopefully it’ll be an even better defense... You don’t really like change as a person, but now we’re used to it because he’s taken us under his wing.”

Godwin on the gray jerseys some defensive players have:

“Coaches don’t just hand them out. It’s hard work and effort, they don’t care who you are or how many years you’ve played, you gotta come in and put in work in practice and be consistent.”

Sanchez on the strongest position on defense:

“We definitely have the most depth at our back end. That’s where a lot of our experience is and that where a lot of guys can step in and there’s a lot more competition there. The front is very young, the linebackers are very young, so the back end is kinda what we’re gonna be relying on a lot because they’re probably our strongest position.

Nichols on competing against the offense in practice:

“Going against the whole offense is good, we have the mentality of iron sharpens iron. We go out there and play hard, play physical everyday and just get each other better.”

Godwin on the adjustment to playing in the striker position closer to the line of scrimmage:

“I’ve put on weight. I’m 210 [pounds] now, that’s the heaviest I’ve weighed since I got here. Just watching film, I still talk to [Jamie] Byrd. I ask him questions even though he’s not here. He was great at the position. [Byrd said] play off instincts, don’t think, just go.”