Spring is in the Air – USF Rosters Set

Kickoff set for 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 at Corbett Stadium

Numerous high profile alumni returning for flag football game

TOUCHDOWN BULLS! Rodney Adams scores last season vs. UCONN (photo USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement)

 (courtesy of USF Athletics)

TAMPA, FLA.– Rosters for USF’s annual Spring Game have been set after the team held a weekend draft to determine the Green and White teams. The 2015 Spring Game, presented by USF Federal Credit Union, Tampa General Hospital and Florida Blue, returns to the USF campus this Saturday, March 28 as head coach Willie Taggart and the Bulls show off a new up-tempo offense and 4-2-5 defensive alignment at Corbett Stadium.

The Bulls divide into the Green Team and the White Team for Saturday’s game. The Green team will be led by new defensive coordinator Tom Allen while the White Team will be led by tight ends and special teams coach Stu Holt. The teams are expected to visit area hospitals Friday afternoon ahead of Saturday’s game. Many prominent past Bulls are also expected to return for an alumni flag football game to be played prior to the Spring Game at 2:40 p.m.

The Green Team began its roster by picking up sophomore tackle Jeremi Hall (Atlanta, Ga.) and sophomore linebacker Auggie Sanchez (St. Petersburg) during the free agent period while the White Team garnered the services of sophomore quarterback Quinton Flowers (Miami) and senior defensive end Eric Lee (Daphne, Ala.).

Saturday is expected to be an exciting and even clash. Among the players the Green Team added in the draft were quarterbacks Mike White (Fort Lauderdale) and Steven Bench (Bainbridge, Ga.). Bench threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s spring game, and White has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards. The Green also added AAC Freshman of the Year Marlon Mack, a 1,000-yard rusher last season, and tight end Sean Price (Citra), 56 career receptions, on the offensive side of the ball. The Green Team put together a very strong secondary unit on defense picking up starting safeties Jamie Byrd (Dade City) and Nate Godwin (Tampa), who finished first and third, respectively, in tackles for USF last season, as well as starting cornerback Johnny Ward (Moultrie, Ga.), who tied for the team lead with two interceptions. Derrick Calloway (Bradenton), who started the last three games of 2014 and is having a strong spring, anchors the defensive line.

The White team added top returning receiver Rodney Adams (St. Petersburg), Kentucky transfer A.J. Legree (Fort White) and Ryeshene Bronson (Fort Myers) to catch the ball for Flowers. The White also added running back Darius Tice (Miami), whom coach Taggart referred to as “the MVP of the spring” last week, as well as center Cameron Ruff (Tampa) and veteran guard Brynjar Gudmundsson (Wellington) on offense.  Linebacker Nigel Harris (Tampa), who led the nation with six forced fumbles last year and was second on the team in tackles, defensive backs Lamar Robbins (Miami) and Devon Abraham (Tarpon Springs) and sophomore defensive linemen Deadrin Senat (Immokalee) and Josh Black (Tampa) also highlight the defense.

Among the alumni returning to the play in the alumni flag football game are current Green Bay linebacker Sam Barrington and Super Bowl alums Kayvon Webster (Denver) and B.J. Daniels (Seattle). Standout-quarterback Matt Grothe and top-five all-time receiver Hugh Smith will also be among a group of more than 30 former USF football players participating. Grothe and Daniels combined to pass for more than 17,000 yards at USF and rank No. 2 and No. 3 on the all-time passing chart.

Spring Game kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. with gates opening at 2:30 p.m. at the home of the Bulls’ soccer teams on USF’s athletic campus. More than 3,000 fans turned out to enjoy a day of tailgating and college football fun on the USF campus last year.

Parking on the east end of the USF campus will be free with lots open Saturday morning and football fans encouraged to use the Sycamore Lot for pregame activities.  A USF student tailgate presented by Bulls Radio will be held outside the east gate of Corbett Stadium near Sycamore road starting at 2:30.  The Bulls Club Champion Seating Program tailgate begins at 2:30 p.m. inside the northwest corner of Corbett Stadium and is open to all fans. Season ticket members that have renewed for the 2015 season will receive free entrance. Tailgaters will enjoy a barbecue spread and a selection of tailgate beverages for just $15 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under, and $10 for football alumni.

A full day of USF sporting events surrounds the Spring Game on the Athletics Campus. A full schedule of the day is below:

Schedule of Events for the Day

10:00 am-2:00 pm – USF Football Women’s Clinic – Morsani Practice Field

1:00 pm                  – USF Softball vs. Tulsa  – USF Softball Stadium

2:30 pm                  – USF SPRING GAME Gates Open – Corbett Stadium

2:30 pm-4:00 pm   – Bulls Club Champion Seating Program Information Session – LRSAC

2:40 pm-3:00 pm   – USF Football Alumni Game – Corbett

3:45 pm                  – USF Softball vs. Tulsa – USF Softball Stadium

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm            – Kickoff/USF SPRING GAME – Corbett Stadium

6:10 pm – 6:30 pm            – Postgame Game Autographs – Corbett Stadium

6:30 pm                    – USF Baseball vs. Cincinnati – USF Baseball Stadium

USF returns 14 starters (6 offense, 7 defense and 1 specialist) for Taggart’s third season at the helm. The Bulls will return their top five tacklers (9 the top 12 overall) and players that accounted for 73 percent of the team’s tackles in 2014. USF returns 100 percent of its rushing and passing yardage from 2014, including 1,000-yard rusher Marlon Mack, and 50 percent of its receptions and receiving yards.

The USF Football program completed its 18^th season and 15^th at the FBS level. The Bulls have made six bowl appearances, including every season between 2005-10, and have four bowl game victories. USF has produced 14 All-America selections, 23 NFL Draft picks and reached the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Poll in 2007.

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