Jordan McCloud’s debut among best by a USF QB

From a scoring standpoint, redshirt freshman Jordan McCloud’s performance Saturday night against South Carolina State was the most prolific by a first-time starting quarterback in USF history.

The 19-year-old Plant High alumnus totaled five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing), eclipsing the school record for a first-time starter held by Blake Barnett (four vs. Elon in 2018).

Going by the numbers, McCloud’s performance is among the best of the 17 starting debuts in USF history. Granted, others were more significant (B.J. Daniels at FSU) or historic (Chad Barnhardt vs. Kentucky Wesleyan), but few have been more statistically prolific.

As proof, we offer the stat lines of all 17 of those debuts:

Chad Barnhardt, vs. Kentucky Wesleyan (Sept. 6, 1997)

Result: USF, 80-3

Barnhardt’s line: 14-for-28, 255 yards, two TDs

Glen Gauntt, vs. Cumberland (Nov. 7, 1998)

Result: USF, 69-3

Gauntt’s line: 13-for-19, 266 yards, three TDs

Marquel Blackwell, vs. Western Kentucky (Sept. 18, 1999)

Result: USF, 21-6

Blackwell’s line: 16-for-27, 169 yards, three TDs

Ronnie Banks, at Alabama (Aug. 30, 2003)

Result: Alabama, 40-17

Banks’ line: 17-for-33, 199 yards, one TD, one INT; three carries, minus-8 yards

Brian Fisher, vs. Charleston Southern (Oct. 18, 2003)

Result: USF, 55-7

Fisher’s line: 1-for-3, 7 yards; four carries, 6 yards, one TD*

Pat Julmiste, at East Carolina (Nov. 8, 2003)

Result: USF, 38-37 (2 OT)

Julmiste’s line: 4-for-6, 15 yards, one TD; 10 carries, 3 yards

Courtney Denson, at Penn State (Sept. 3, 2005)

Result: Penn State, 23-13

Denson’s line: 0-for-3; two carries, 2 yards^

Matt Grothe, vs. FIU (Sept. 9, 2006)

Result: USF, 21-20

Grothe’s line: 15-for-28, 174 yards, one TD, two INT; 16 carries, 82 yards

B.J. Daniels, at FSU (Sept. 26, 2009)

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Result: USF, 17-7

Daniels’ line: 8-for-21, 215 yards, two TDs, two INT; 23 carries, 126 yards

Bobby Eveld, vs. Connecticut (Dec. 4, 2010)

Result: UConn, 19-16

Eveld’s line: 22-for-41, 195 yards, one TD, three INT; five carries, 29 yards

Matt Floyd, at Cincinnati (Nov. 23, 2012)

Result: Cincinnati, 27-10

Floyd’s line: 21-for-39, 176 yards; eight carries, 21 yards

Steven Bench, vs. Cincinnati (Oct. 5, 2013)

Result: USF, 26-20

Bench’s line: 1-for-1, 7 yards, one carry, 1 yard#

Mike White, at Houston (Oct. 31, 2013)

Result: Houston, 35-23

White’s line: 26-for-41, 311 yards, two TDs, one INT

Quinton Flowers, at SMU (Nov. 15, 2014)

Result: USF, 14-13

Flowers’ line: 6-for-15, 105 yards; four carries, 33 yards+

Blake Barnett, vs. Elon (Sept. 1, 2018)

Result: USF, 34-14

Barnett’s line: 24-for-34, 305 yards, three TDs; eight carries, 31 yards, one TD

Chris Oladokun, at Cincinnati (Nov. 10, 2018)

Result: Cincinnati, 35-23

Oladokun’s line: 10-for-22, 165 yards, two TDs

Jordan McCloud, vs. South Carolina State (Sept. 14, 2019)

Result: USF, 55-16

McCloud’s line: 16-for-27, 217 yards, three TDs; 12 carries, 56 yards, two TDs

*-Replaced in first half by Ronnie Banks

^-Replaced by Pat Julmiste in first quarter after a fumble leading to a Penn State scoop-and-score

#-Injured in the first half and replaced by Bobby Eveld

+-Replaced by Mike White, who led two fourth-quarter TD drives to rally USF