GoUSFBulls.com Zebold: USF Offense Wants to Go Faster Under Gilbert

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USF Offense Wants to Go Faster Under Gilbert

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, JULY 27, 2017 – National awards candidate Quinton Flowers and six other starters return to an explosive USF offense that wants to go faster than last season's record-breaking pace.

"It's a great feeling when we look after the game and we realize how fast we were going," senior running back Darius Tice said Thursday. "Each week, we try to get better at it, each practice try to get better, to see how fast we can go."

USF's up-tempo offense sure did go last season, setting nearly 40 individual and team records, including total yards (6,650), rushing yards (3,714) and touchdowns (77). Flowers and other returners who produced 63 percent of last year's eye-popping numbers, along with promising newcomers, get to work with a new offensive coordinator that knows all about going fast.

Sterlin Gilbert has had the keys to USF's ever-accelerating attack since the spring after averaging 505.3 yards and 36.8 points per game with his last four offenses at Texas (2016), Tulsa (2015), Bowling Green (2014) and Eastern Illinois (2012-13).

Gilbert looks forward to what USF can accomplish while coaching Flowers, the 2016 conference offensive player of the year, who set school records last season with 4,342 yards (1,530 rushing) and 42 total touchdowns. Flowers already made more history this preseason by becoming the first Bull named to four national awards watch lists.

"He's dynamic," Gilbert said. "He can do things with his arm, he can do things with his feet, which makes him hard to defend. I'm just excited I get the opportunity to coach him on our football team. He's a quality kid."

Through three practices, USF's offense has had no problem hitting the gas pedal and players say it's a credit to the summer work they put in under the watchful eye of new head strength and conditioning coach Pat Moorer.

"The offseason was a big success, in my opinion, because we're able to come out here and ....

 

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