Graduate transfer Blake Barnett, expected to start USF's season opener against Elon next weekend, will become only the 15th quarterback ever to start a game for the Bulls.
Which begs the question: How did his predecessors perform in their respective inaugural starts? We did some research, and the results run the gamut, from ground-breaking (see B.J. Daniels) to grim (see Matt Floyd). Some made history (see Chad Barnhardt). Others barely made a cameo (see Courtney Denson).
But the good outweighs the bad. Bulls QBs are a combined 9-5 in their first career starts. Here's how each performed in his debut:
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)
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+
*-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