GoUSFBulls.com Linebackers Loaded With Leadership, Emerging Talent

[Brad]

Linebackers Loaded With Leadership, Emerging Talent

August 25, 2016
By  USF

 

By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, AUG. 25, 2016 – USF’s aggressive defense has been making strides all fall with new coordinator Raymond Woodie at the helm.

USF’s deep secondary is creating turnovers, the defensive line is providing consistent pressure and it’s been business as usual for the Bulls in the middle of it all. Linebacker is another position of strength for USF with the return of veteran starters Auggie Sanchez and Nigel Harris.

“Those guys played a lot of football together,” head coach Willie Taggart said. “You expect those guys to be sharp, running around fast and communicating really well. They’ve been doing all of that.”

Sanchez, a junior, has been barking out play calls with authority as the team’s well-established, starting middle linebacker and newly elected team captain. The St. Petersburg native started all 25 games the past two seasons and he’s been directing the defense better than ever in year two of the 4-2-5 scheme

“That linebacker is just like the quarterback on offense. He has to make the checks to the front end and also the back end,” Woodie said. “That’s a pivotal spot being a MIKE linebacker in our defense. They have to know everything. Auggie, he’s running the ship.”

Sanchez eyes another 100-tackle season after racking up 117 stops in 2015, the second-highest season total in USF history. The all-conference pick ranked fourth in The American with nine tackles per game last season and he’s the league’s top returning tackler. Sanchez also has the honor of joining Quinton Flowers as team captains this season after USF players selected the duo in a team vote.

“For them to have that faith in me, and for them to believe in me is big. It’s truly an honor and it’s very humbling,” Sanchez said.

USF’s defense also is getting leadership from Harris, a senior that starts at weak-side linebacker. The Tampa native has started 26 times the past three seasons and he’s been a steady producer with 154 career tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss. Harris led the nation with six forced fumbles in 2014 and his role in the 4-2-5 scheme will allow him to make more big plays.

“We've just got to go out with a bang,” said Harris of teaming up with Sanchez again. “This is the longest I’ve played with a fellow backer in my football career. We’re just going to enjoy this last year together, make sure we get the most out of it and just have fun with it.”

Young Talent Ready to Emerge at Linebacker

Sanchez and Harris are the household names of the linebacker group that includes three emerging playmakers – Danny Thomas, Cecil Cherry and Nico Sawtelle.

Thomas is really grasping the ins and outs of the 4-2-5 scheme behind Sanchez at middle linebacker. The sophomore from Fort Lauderdale gained 12 games of experience last season after signing as a three-star recruit out of Amos P. Godby High School.

“The last couple weeks, I’m seeing him kind of step out and be able to run the defense,” Woodie said.

It’s not hard to spot Cherry, a 6-foot, 240-pound force at middle linebacker that bench presses 415 pounds. The redshirt freshman and former four-star recruit from Frostproof, Fla., sat out last season after transferring from Texas.

“I feel real good with our depth right now,” Woodie said.

Sawtelle, also a redshirt freshman, is seeing a lot of time behind Harris at the weak-side position. The former three-star recruit out of Jensen Beach High School is someone fans should keep an eye on, according to the defense’s captain.

“He’s had a huge camp,” Sanchez said. “I’ll be the first one to say it right here that he’s going to be a big-time linebacker at USF.”

Bulls Bits

- Quarterback Asiantii Woulard is sidelined with a foot injury and Taggart did not give an exact timetable for his return. The sophomore from Winter Park was competing for the backup spot won by redshirt freshman Brett Kean.

- Woulard’s injury means true freshman Chris Oladokun is taking on the No. 3 QB role heading into the season opener. The Tampa native has all the physical tools, especially a strong arm, and he’s been impressing Taggart all fall. “Hopefully we don’t get to that point, but I’d be OK if he did have to get in the game and play,” Taggart said. “I like Chris, I think Chris is going to be one heckuva football player for us. I can sleep at night knowing that QB position is pretty well in place right now.”

- The battle for USF’s punting job continues to heat up between sophomores Brent Gordon and Jonathan Hernandez, who transferred from FSU. “We haven’t named one yet, we will soon,” Taggart said. “We’ve got some guys still competing. They’re doing a great job competing and we feel good about our punting situation.”

 

 

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[bullnupe]

Good insight thanks

[raptorcj]

9 hours ago, Brad said:

CWT: "I can sleep at night knowing that QB position is pretty well in place right now.”

Me too, coach, meeeee tooooo. Thank you, sir.

[thatboykane]

Is Jimmy Bayes playing DE?

[206BULL]

1 hour ago, thatboykane said:

Is Jimmy Bayes playing DE?

I believe so. Think he made the switch last year when we changed to the 4-2-5