It's been clear since the end of last season that right tackle would be a crucial position for USF, and despite a strong spring from former walk-on Jake Sims and promising freshman Mark Popek coming in, the Bulls are continuing their efforts to upgrade the position. USF could make a late addition to its incoming recruiting class, and one prospect the Bulls are targeting is Zach Hanson, a 6-foot-8, 315-pound tackle from Sacramento City Community College in California.

USF's interest in Hanson was first reported by Josh Newberg at USFnation.com, and I was finally able to get Hanson on the phone Thursday night. Hanson's an interesting case, in that USF and other schools had already offered him a scholarship to join them in January 2009, but he recently learned that he could get his associate of arts degree this summer, allowing him to play major-college ball this fall.

The good news for USF? The Bulls are the only school that's locked down a visit from Hanson, who expects to fly to Tampa early next week. He told me Cal and UCLA are also schools he's considering -- he's from Linden, Calif., about 45 minutes south of Sacramento. The bad news? Three schools have jumped into the mix this week -- Florida, Tennessee and Ohio State -- and while none of the three have offered, they've asked for his game tapes, so the Bulls have some elite-level competition for him.

Hanson played guard last season, but only because the left tackle was his brother Matt, who will play at Midwestern State in Texas this fall. Hanson wants to play left tackle, but said one of the reasons he's interested in USF is "the coaches at South Florida said I'd have a chance of stepping in and playing right away." Playing in Raymond James Stadium is "a huge thing" for him, and it's worth noting that a recruit in California knew about the Bulls before they knew about him. He watched the Bulls on ESPN a few times last season as USF rose to No. 2 in the national rankings, illustrating the power of those national TV appearances.

Hanson originally signed with Nevada-Reno out of high school, but didn't like the atmosphere at summer workouts and never enrolled there. He only played one season at Sac City, so he'll have three years of eligibility wherever he signs, and he said he'll even have a redshirt season available. USF has a connection in that receivers coach Mike Canales has worked with Sac City coach Mike Clemons, who declined to comment on Hanson when reached this week. Sounds like he's frustrated to be losing a starting lineman right before the season starts. Anyway, Hanson said he'll take at least two visits before making a decision, but USF is solidly in the mix by landing the first visit ...