TheAmerican.org will be previewing all ten American teams in advance of the start of the 2013 season. The previews will be released in reverse order of the preseason media poll.
STORYLINES
Willie Taggart, who led Western Kentucky from a 20-game losing streak to the school’s first bowl appearance, makes his debut as USF’s head coach in 2013.
Taggart led Western Kentucky to a 12-2 stretch between 2011 and 2012, with the only losses coming to Alabama and LSU —each of which was ranked No. 1 at the time.
USF played in five straight bowl games between 2006 and 2010, but has missed the postseason in each of the last two years.
USF is 32-8 in nonconference games since the 2006 season.
OFFENSE
USF is the only team in the American Athletic Conference that does not return its starting quarterback from last year. The Bulls will look to either QB Bobby Eveld, QB Matt Floyd or QB Steven Bench — a transfer from Penn State — to take over for B.J. Daniels.
WR Andre Davis, who ranked sixth in the Big East in receptions (3.8 per game), is one of just three returning offensive players who started at least half
of USF’s games last year.
The Bulls lost their three top rushers from last season. RB Marcus Shaw, who had 248 rushing yards, is the top returner in the backfield.
DEFENSE
USF should boast one of the better starting defensive line units in the American Athletic Conference. Senior DE Ryne Giddins will line up on one side, while DE Aaron Lynch —who was a Freshman All-America selection at Notre Dame in 2011 — mans the other side.
LB DeDe Lattimore was third on the team with 76 tackles last year and has been named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award.
The Bulls will need to improve a secondary that had just two defensive interceptions last year. USF returns both of its starting safeties from last year —S JaQuez Jenkins and S Mark Joyce.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Bulls will rely on new kicking specialists this season after the departure of veteran kicker Maikon Bonani and punter Justin Brockhaus-Kann.
Shaw gained 245 yards on kickoff returns last year and could be pegged as the primary return specialist once again.