The coaching vacancy left by Willie Taggart was filled when USF hired Charlie Strong as head coach on December 11, 2016.[1] Strong had been the head coach at the University of Texas before being fired after three seasons.
Sterlin Gilbert was named the new offensive coordinator on January 5, 2017.[2] Gilbert had been Charlie Strong's offensive coordinator at Texas in 2016. USF hired Brian Jean-Mary as the new defensive coordinator on January 8, 2017.[3] Jean-Mary has been on Charlie Strong's coaching staff since Strong started coaching at Louisville in 2010. He was Texas's linebackers coach in 2016.
Disciplinary issues
In late March 2017, senior USF defensive back Hassan Childs was dismissed from the team after being involved in a road rage incident in which he was shot three times. He was charged with aggravated assault and marijuana possession after the incident.[4]
In early May, another USF player was arrested, this time defensive end LaDarrius Jackson, who was charged with assaulting a female in student housing.[5] Judge Margaret Taylor, of Hillsborough County, criticized head coach Charlie Strong's lack of control over his players, saying that she was "ashamed of being an alum." Coach Strong had only been employed at the school for five months at the time of Jackson's arrest and had not recruited either of the players in question. A video of Judge Taylor's comments went viral, and she later recused herself from the case.[6]
Preseason
In the preseason AAC media poll, the Bulls were picked to finish first in the East Division of the AAC, receiving all 30 first-place votes.[7] They also received 26 of 30 votes as the favorite to win the AAC championship.[7]
Schedule
South Florida announced their 2017 football schedule on February 9, 2017.[8]
