Preseason mags pick Bulls to again finish behind Knights

Three of the most nationally prominent college football preview magazines are on newsstands, and all concur on at least two things pertaining to USF.

Redshirt junior Marcus Norman is a first-team All-American Athletic Conference candidate, and the Bulls still are looking up at UCF in the East Division race.

All three publications — Athlon, Lindy's and Street & Smith — peg UCF as the best team in the AAC in 2018. Street & Smith and Lindy's pick the Bulls to finish second in the East, while Athlon has USF at third behind the Knights and Temple.

Athlon and Street & Smith both project USF to play in the Gasparilla Bowl against Army and Marshall, respectively.

"The obvious question: How do you replace (QB Quinton Flowers)?" reads the Athlon team profile of the Bulls. "The obvious answer: You don't."

None of the magazines mention the Bulls' recent signing of former Alabama/Arizona State QB Blake Barnett, whose arrival in Tampa clearly occurred well after the publications went to press.

Lindy's and Street & Smith project fourth-year junior Brett Kean as the Bulls' starter; Athlon puts third-year sophomore Chris Oladokun atop its depth chart.

All, however, have Norman as a first-teamer on their respective preseason all-conference squads. DE Greg Reaves also is a first-teamer according to Athlon, while MLB Nico Sawtelle makes the Lindy's first team.

Other magazine excerpts:

"The Bulls don't go into 2018 with quite the same attitude as a year ago when they had an undefeated season as their goal, but if they find the answer at quarterback, they aren't going to be an easy out." — Lindy's

"Strong's first season at USF was a bumpy adjustment at times from Willie Taggart's Gulf Coast Offense. But now there's more of a blank slate to implement Strong's preferred style. The running game will have increased importance, especially while a new quarterback develops." — Athlon