Early look: What to like about No. 20 South Florida in 2017
Each week, USA TODAY Sports will give a more detailed look at the teams listed on our early top 25 for the 2017 college football season.
Up next: No. 20 South Florida. The Charlie Strong era begins with promise, as the former Texas coach inherits an 11-win team prepared to sit among the elite in the American Athletic Conference.
Why No. 20?
1. Strong effect. Maybe this is overblown. (A counterpoint is below.) But the palpable sense of excitement and anticipation surrounding this program is thanks in no small part to a hiring coup: USF lost Willie Taggart, now at Oregon, and replaced him with one of the top names on the coaching market. In the long run, it’s difficult — if not impossible — to find fault with the Bulls’ decision to hire Strong.
COUNTING DOWN THE TOP 25
Early look: What to like about No. 21 Utah in 2017
Early look: What to like about No. 22 Florida in 2017
Early look: What to like about West Virginia in 2017
Early look: What to like about No. 24 Texas in 2017
Early look: What to like about No. 25 UCLA in 2017
And the benefits might be seen immediately. This isn’t a rebuilding project; USF was one of just 11 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision to win 11 or more games last season. Still, with a few moving pieces, Strong and his assistants could take the foundation set in place by the previous staff and quickly lead the Bulls to the forefront of the Group of Five ranks.
2. Returning contributors. They’ll have talent, depth and experience at their disposal. The star is quarterback Quinton Flowers, a dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate after a breakout junior season. But the offense as a whole returns a number of key pieces, including a good chunk of its offensive line, while the defense might be the AAC’s most experienced. In terms of overall talent, perhaps only Houston brings more to the table in the conference.
3. The schedule. It’s not just at USF pulls Temple at home, giving the Bulls a potentially deciding edge in the chase for the AAC East Division. The Bulls also get a Power Five opponent, Illinois, at home, along with Cincinnati and West Division contenders Tulsa and Houston. That’s a very workable schedule for Strong’s first year, and reason enough to expect a minimum of eight wins during the regular season.
Why not higher?
1. First-year blues. It all looks good on paper — but sometimes things just don’t go according to plan. In a perfect world, Strong adds some defensive stinginess to an impressive offense to find the combination needed to win the AAC. Yeah, but how realistic is that? The same was suggested at Texas, that Strong would supply a breath of fresh air to a stale program. So much for that. In other words, this isn’t some flip-the-switch team, where Strong’s arrival alone provides the impetus for a conference title and January bowl.
2. Unknowns on offense. In terms of personnel, USF needs to find a replacement for three-time all-conference running back Marlon Mack, who opted to leave his senior season on the table and enter the NFL draft. But the bigger question marks are schematic and philosophical: How effectively can Strong and his coordinator, Sterlin Gilbert, meld together their own no-huddle approach with the impressive — and familiar — approach used by Taggart and his staff?
3. Need for defensive improvement. Strong’s pedigree makes this less of a concern, but the Bulls must improve upon last season’s middling defensive production before grabbing the access-bowl bid to a New Year’s Six game. Last year’s unit ranked 76th nationally in yards allowed per play and 92nd in points allowed per game — numbers that are survivable, as seen in 2016, but clearly not good enough.
Biggest games
►Vs. Temple, Sept. 21
►Vs. Houston, Nov. 4
►At UCF, Nov. 24
Three players to know
1. RB D’Ernest Johnson. Mack’s likely replacement, Johnson has flashed an ability to contribute on the ground — though that might be a by-committee approach in 2017 — and as a receiver out of the backfield.
2. LB Auggie Sanchez. He’s flown under the radar even within his own conference, but the Bulls’ defensive captain will be the glue that holds together the entire unit. Sanchez will miss the spring following shoulder injury but is expected be ready to go come fall camp.
3. TE Mitchell Wilcox. The sophomore is destined to earn all-conference honors multiple times before his college career is through.
PROJECTING THE PRESEASON TOP 25
