Taggart makes two new additions to staff

USF made more additions to its football team Tuesday with the hiring of Paul Gonnella, as the staff’s director of player personnel, and former Bulls quarterback Marquel Blackwell, as director of player development.

Blackwell becomes a Bull again after serving four years as the starting quarterback for USF from 1999-2002. He originally rejoined the Bulls in 2009 as a program assistant until 2011, and became a graduate assistant under coach Willie Taggart at Western Kentucky in 2012.

The former Bulls player has professional experience as well. Blackwell started in the last preseason game for the New York Jets in 2003, signing with them coming out of college.

Blackwell holds a hefty amount of the Bulls’ passing records including 67 touchdowns, 795 completions and 9,108 yards. He also holds the records for most attempts and ranks ninth in career rushing yards.

As the other addition to the staff, Gonella is coming off the 2012 season at the same position with Alabama.

The Crimson Tide, with the help of Gonella, signed the nation’s top class. His position with Alabama had Gonella assisting with camps and clinics, but mainly focused on recruiting.

He held similar positions with the University of Memphis in 2010, along with Miami, Tennessee and North Carolina in prior seasons. 

Memphis experienced great success with recruiting Gonella, signing 17 three-star players.

Tennessee and North Carolina also benefited from Gonella’s touch on the recruiting process, as the schools placed as the No. 10 and No. 9 recruiting class in the nation with him.

The two new members to USF football join a brand new staff whose members carry impressive resumes such as the current defensive coordinator and former NFL coach Chuck Bresnahan, and Ron Cooper, the defensive back coach who served as a coach in 2012 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.