Tampa – The rotation at quarterback and running back continued throughout Tuesday’s practice at the Frank Morsani Football Complex – the 11th of USF’s fall camp.
Here are some notes from Fall Camp Day 11:
— Various media outlets entered the Morsani Complex to several sessions of up-downs in place of penalty flags on Tuesday. “We were a heavily penalized team last year, so we’re using that to eradicate that from our character and who we are as a team in 2018,” said running backs coach Shaun King.
— Chris Oladokun took first-team snaps with Jordan Cronkite when practice first opened to the media. Brett Kean fired a long bomb down the right sideline to freshman Terrance Horne in 11-on-11 work. Blake Barnett made some nice reads and looks like a really strong runner. All quarterbacks have gotten first-team looks over the last few practices, all still seem to be in the running for the starting job.
— It’s a similar situation at the running back spot – Cronkite, Trevon Sands, Elijah Mack, and Duran Bell all rotated snaps throughout Tuesday’s practice. “We’re just competing right now,” King said. “I just want all of our guys to know that every practice and every rep matters.”
— Although that competition exists, there’s still a good attitude in the locker room among those guys. “We’re all brothers, that’s what I don’t think people realize – we’re all really close.” Cronkite said.
— Running backs will be expecting to participate in special teams action this fall. The tailbacks got a little taste of it at the end of Tuesday’s practice, and it’s something that is an important part of everyday practice. It wasn’t necessarily returning kicks, but the ability to make a block or two was on display. “Special teams is important to me, so it better be important to them. We will not have a running back who gets a lot of carries that doesn’t contribute on special teams. A lot of college kids that have aspirations to make the NFL and for a lot of them – the way they’re going to stick early will be on special teams,” King said.
— Mitch Wilcox was not in pads for the second consecutive practice, instead he was lightly jogging around the complex during media availability – Wilcox has not seen action since Saturday’s scrimmage. With Ole Miss transfer Jacob Mathis now in the mix at tight end, Wilcox may not be rushed back onto the field.
by Will Turner
Columnist & Photographer, SoFloBulls.com | @TBTurner813