USF Biggest Questions Approaching 2022 Season
What are USF’s Biggest questions approaching the 2022 season? Well, On September 3rd, 2022, USF commences its first game of the new season. Until then the Bulls still have a lot of loose ends to tighten up. That being said, a bunch of questions still don’t have answers to them even following the Spring game. The question of what to expect is still an open one nearing summertime. Regardless though, Jeff Scott and the Bulls are just hoping to make a splash in the AAC.
Will the O-line step up?
As the season gets closer and closer, you start to wonder how the offensive line will hold up. The Bulls last year gave up 24 sacks for 182 yards in 12 games. Giving up 2 sacks a game won’t be a positive for USF this year. Furthermore, it’ll be hard to do worse than that considering the new faces on the O-line such as Zach Perkins a transfer from Maryland, and Mike Lofton a transfer from UCF. Even though the bulls are shaping to be better in that category, the O-line could still be an issue throughout the season.
Who Will Be The Next Breakout Star?
Despite all the transfers coming for USF, who’s looking to have a breakout season? The spring game shined a lot of light on the defense with the game ending 17-14, but the offense on the other hand slacked.
Last year, Xavier Weaver played the role of the breakout star with how many big plays he made. Weaver ended last year with 41 catches for 715 yards in 10 games. Averaging over 70 receiving yards per game, he played that role. With a lot of hype around some of the transfers were still yet to see if there will be a breakout player for the bulls on offense or defense this coming season.
Can The Defense Hold Up Against Top AAC teams?
Since the AAC is a quality with quality opponents USF might be in for another tough season. Teams like Cincinnati, Houston, SMU, Memphis, and UCF are all top 25 contenders with a bunch of offensive potential. Cincinnati this past year just became the first group of five team to make the playoff.
All that being said, the bulls are going to have to be aggressive and tough to be able to hang with teams like these. In addition to this, the Bulls struggled to keep teams under 30 points. USF gave up more than 30 points to eight of the twelve teams they faced last year. Considering that, there are still a couple of question marks around the defense as a whole even after their surprisingly good showing in the spring game.
Who’s QB 1?
Before the spring game, Timmy McClain looked to be in position for the starting role at quarterback for the bulls. After the spring though was a whole different story considering how well Katravis Marsh played.
The discussion of QB1 is still looking to be a battle of Marsh vs McClain. Even though the decision could be down to one of them to start vs BYU on September 3rd, 2022, both quarterbacks are looking sharp so the decision will be a tough one. Considering it’s only Summertime, the Bulls have time to figure it out, but the question still lies until then.
Is Jeff Scott the guy?
The Jeff Scott era started back in 2020 with the Bulls. That season they ended 1-8 in a shortened season due to covid. Following that poor season, Jeff Scott, and the Bulls ended their next season together 2-10 barely improving. Now Jeff Scott will be regrouping and heading into his third season hoping to make drastic changes. As the Bulls look to improve and get back to their old ways of winning, Jeff Scott’s career isn’t looking the brightest so far.
Despite this past year’s contract extension, the Bulls still might not know if Jeff Scott is the real deal. Even though Jeff Scott could still be getting used to the bulls, you would believe it’d be time for something to change. More work to still has to be put in to turn the team around for the program’s sake.
A Hope and A Prayer
With all these questions approaching the 2022 season, the Bulls could be in trouble this coming season. USF will have to tighten up some of these areas of concern for the team to be able to succeed this season. The Tampa Bay area is hoping and praying the Bulls can get it together to secure a much better outcome of a season.
Main Image courtesy Tampa Bay Times
