Only Darius Tice Days Until USF Football Season

2015 Stats: Darius appeared in all 13 games and had his most productive year in a USF uniform. He carried the ball 88 times for 476 yards and scored four touchdowns, often getting work in short yardage and seeing extended action in a couple of the Bulls’ lopsided wins. Tice also caught 5 passes for 10 yards.

Position on Depth Chart: Tice is listed behind Marlon Mack and D’Ernest Johnson in the USF backfield, but it doesn’t mean that much because Johnson and Tice have their specialties.

How He Came To USF: Darius played at Miami Northwestern High School. As a senior he ran for 1210 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging almost nine yards per carry and helping the Bulls reach the second round of the state playoffs. Tice was named to the Class 6A all-state second team. USF picked up its recruitment of Darius very late in the 2013 cycle. He made an official visit in late January and committed the day before signing day.

Recruiting Rankings: Tice was rated as a three-star prospect on 247 and ESPN. Scout and Rivals each gave him two stars.

Projected Playing Time: The Gulf Coast Offense gave USF’s three main running backs a clear role. Mack is the unquestioned starter and gets most of the carries in regular play. Johnson is the pass-catching back, and Tice is the short-yardage and goal line option. Those roles should continue this year, giving Tice a fair amount of work. However, if Mack is sold on trying to enter the NFL Draft next year, the coaches may give him some chances to show off his versatility, which would cut into Tice’s playing time.

Follow Him On... We couldn’t find a Twitter feed for Darius, but his Instagram is at _whop13.