Blue Adams, Damon Cogdell not expected back at USF

USF defensive ends coach Damon Cogdell and defensive backs coach Blue Adams are among the four Bulls assistants not expected to return in 2019, the Tampa Bay Times has learned.

A number of sources confirmed neither participated in last week's Gasparilla Bowl, a 38-20 Bulls loss to Marshall.  Coach Charlie Strong didn't respond to a text message Wednesday morning, but a source told the Times over the weekend that 11 players were suspended before the bowl game, and four members of the staff weren't expected to be retained.

Immediately after the game, Strong told the Times that the program, which ended the season on a six-game losing streak after a 7-0 start, would undergo a significant house-cleaning.

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The Bulls defense, which lost four players to the NFL from last season's unit, suffered a significant regression in 2019, entering the bowl game ranked 104th nationally in total defense (441.9 ypg) and 121st against the run (244.7).

Both Cogdell and Adams spent two seasons at USF.

An Opa-Locka native, Cogdell is a former Miramar High head coach whose resume includes two seasons on the staff at West Virginia. Adams, who spent parts of two seasons as a Bucs defensive back, arrived at USF with NFL (Dolphins) and Division I-A (Purdue, West Virginia) coaching experience.