Manatee Review

University of South Florida Athletics issued the following announcement on Aug. 10.

When it comes to quarterback competitions, the public always wants rapid-fire answers. Specifically: Who's the guy? USF football coach Jeff Scott wasn't ready to name a starter yet on Tuesday — Cade Fortin appears to be slightly leading the Bulls' four-QB derby — but he had reassuring words about the position's overall health.

"I think we have multiple guys,'' Scott said following USF's sixth fall practice. "Deep down, when (offensive coordinator Charlie Weis) and I get in the room and shut the door, there are more than two guys we feel like we can win with this year. We did not feel that way last year. That gives us confidence. Now we need to figure out the (top) one or two guys.

"We're not going to set any hard dates. As coaches, sometimes you look ahead to things you think might happen. We're just going to let it play out. I just want it (naming a starter) to be natural and happen when it's appropriate.''

Here are Scott's quick assessments:

Cade Fortin (6-foot-3, 222 pound), sophomore — "He had a very impressive spring and he's having an outstanding fall. He knows the offense inside and out.''

Timmy McClain (6-1, 190), true freshman — "Came to us in January. He's a freak (athlete). Really, really, special. He has a lot of those qualities like some of the guys we coached at Clemson.''

Katravis Marsh (6-5, 198), freshman — "The Big Unit. He's big and strong. Has a great throwing arm. We started him in a game (Cincinnati) last year, but he wasn't quite ready for that moment. He has really improved his football maturity and knowledge.''

Jarren Williams (6-3, 209), sophomore — "Good start to fall camp. He was a little rusty (after starting at Miami, then sitting out a season in junior college) in the spring. He was trying to learn everything. Now he's finding his rhythm.''

"You want to see competition at every position,'' Scott said. "But that quarterback room, if you have a bad series, the next guy coming behind you may go 4-for-4. It's how you improve the overall team. It's a quality competition going on. We like who they all are as people. They represent what we want to be known for — class, character and integrity.''

Marsh said the group has great camaraderie.

"If anyone makes a good throw, we cheer them up,'' Marsh said. "If we see a missed read, we point it out to them. We help each other and get along.''

Williams, whose conditioning has drastically improved from the spring (dropping 30 pounds to 210), said the competition has been fierce, but fun.=

"Honestly, when a coach (in recruiting) tells you that you're going to be the guy, that's a red flag,'' Williams said. "Maybe he's telling that to all the other guys, too. As a competitor, now that I'm older, I'm looking for certain things. Coach Scott is giving me an opportunity to compete for the starting job. That's all I can ask for.''

D-Line Developing

The Bulls are intent on improving their pass rush, along with their overall defensive-line play. As Scott pointed out, that's a priority for nearly every program in America.

"I'm always going to be concerned about them (defensive linemen),'' Scott said. "Other than about five or six teams in the country — Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Notre Dame — defensive line is an issue. It's the hardest position to get, always a struggle.

"You're always taking linebackers and growing them into defensive ends. You're taking defensive ends and growing them into defensive tackles. Our group has definitely improved. They get challenged every day because fall camp is always hardest on the defensive linemen and offensive linemen. Our guys have responded, but we're not anywhere close to where we're going to be in the future.''

Looking For Progress

Don't ask Scott to assign a numerical value to how he expects USF football to improve in 2021. But he definitely knows the big-picture trend he's seeking.

"Ultimately, here's what this whole season is about,'' Scott said. "Are we ready to go out and (become) the best team we've ever had? Who knows? Right now, we're not seeking perfection. We're seeking progress.

"That's really where we are as a program. We've got to see progress in the right direction. You're not just going to snap your fingers and it's going to look completely different. We have seen progress.''

Young Players Draw Praise

Scott singled out a pair of true freshmen — wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., and running back K'wan Powell — along with Demarcus Gregory, a junior transfer wide receiver from Ole Miss — as early surprises in fall camp. He termed them as "surprises'' because they were new to USF and he hadn't yet seen them perform.

"They're looking like they belong,'' Scott said. "That's a good first six days for Demarcus Gregory. K'wan Powell is a good tough runner who can get the short yardage. Jimmy Horn has been everything we hoped plus some. We're actively trying to get him prepared to play early this season.''

Scott also praised junior running back Darrien Felix, who was haunted by season-long injuries in 2020 after transferring from Oregon, and the leadership of senior tight end Mitchell Brinkman.

USF's secondary also drew notice. Scott said freshman TJ Robinson and sophomore Daquan Evans are performing well at cornerback. At safety, freshman Jayden Curry "had a good day,'' while freshman Will Jones II, sophomore Matthew Hill and junior Mekhi LaPointe were also performing well.

Original source can be found here.