There is no doubting that last season was a tough one offensively for the USF Bulls football squad. But hope for the next year lies in the return of two stars who missed all of last season – redshirt sophomore Sterling Griffin and sixth-year senior A.J. Love.

Griffin, who suffered an ankle injury in the offseason last year, was excited to get back to spring practice, feeling ready and confident, he said.

“I’m not going to be limited at all for the spring,” Griffin said. “I’m just gonna do whatever the coaches ask me to do.”

Griffin said he is also looking forward to the most exciting part of spring practice – scrimmaging.

“I’m working on being reliable, accountable, making plays, blocks downfield, doing whatever,” he said.

Love is also returning from a full year off due to a torn ACL.

“The healing process is going pretty smoothly,” Love said. “I’m definitely expecting myself to go for the scrimmages. Obviously you can’t really be worried about getting hurt.”

The time off has made Love work even harder, he said.

“I am working on getting my footwork just right, and improving my running form now that we are finally back to practice,” he said.

The two stars’ return, combined with the experience sitting on the depth chart behind them, should give the Bulls offense and quarterbacks plenty to be optimistic about.

Junior Victor Marc said he is especially excited about the play of the quarterbacks in spring practice.

“B.J. (Daniels) is doing real good, Bobby (Eveld) is doing real good, Jamius (Gunsby) is doing real good, Matt (Floyd) is doing real good,” he said. “Everyone is doing real good, making good throws … and we’re all trying to make catches.”

Improved RB depth

Redshirt junior Darrel Scott and redshirt sophomore Dontae Aycock may be new to the football team, but both are looking to leave their mark on the Bulls offense.

Scott said he is excited for the new start at USF, and is trying to improve himself this spring.

“Right now I’m working on improving my break away speed, I want to get faster,” Scott said.

The former five-star recruit has gotten rave reviews from coach Skip Holtz, but the praise has not stopped him from being very focused for the upcoming scrimmage.

“In the next scrimmage, I just want to get lots of plays in,” he said, “and try to avoid mental mistakes.”

Aycock, the former Cham- berlain star, is also focused and ready.

“I tried to get my mind right over break,” Aycock said, “and now I’m ready to get started.”

Though he is new to USF, Aycock is not new to the experience of spring ball. “It’s really about getting the defense a good look,” he said, “I redshirted at Auburn so I was kind of used to it.”

USF Pro Day

USF’s senior NFL Draft hopefuls will look to catch the eye of NFL scouts Thursday at the Bulls Pro Day. The highest-rated prospect who will be working out is defensive tackle Terrell McClain, who already participated in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month.

McClain will be running the 40-yard dash, among other drills. He will not, however, be bench-pressing Thursday, because he said he is satisfied with his performance at the NFL Combine.

Former walk-on turned defensive captain Mistral Raymond is also going to be working out for scouts, along with Jamar Bass, David Bedford, Dontavia Bogan, Sampson Genus, Kevin Gidrey, Sabbath Joseph, Richard Kelly, Chris Lane, Craig Marshall, Mo Plancher, Eric Schwartz, Jacob Sims, and Jacquian Williams.