Two Bulls selected for Medal of Honor Bowl

ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

USF announced Monday that senior linebacker Reshard Cliett and senior guard Quinterrius Eatmon have been selected to compete for Team America in the Medal of Honor Bowl on Saturday at The Citadel.

As a team captain, Cliett led USF with a career-best six sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in 2014. Cliett started 27 games at linebacker in his career, totaling 135 tackles.

Eatmon started all 12 games this season and finished second in USF history with 46 career starts. Though the offensive line struggled this season, Eatmon helped freshman running back Marlon Mack become just the fourth 1,000-yard rusher in school history.

The pair joins four other seniors, playing in three different postseason all-star games, and will also join cornerback Chris Dunkley and tackle Darrell Williams in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

Senior wide receiver Andre Davis and senior kicker Marvin Kloss accepted invitations last month to play in the East-West Shrine Game in St. Pete on Jan. 17.

After missing four weeks to start the season, Davis’ production dropped off as a whole, but he was still able to secure a USF-best 12 receiving records in his career. Davis finished the season with 36 catches for 594 yards and seven touchdowns.

After finishing second to FSU’s Roberto Aguayo in the Lou Groza Award voting, Kloss returned to USF and made 13-of-17 kicks for the Bulls.

Winning only four games in 2014, USF as a team was not bowl eligible, but the collegiate careers for these six seniors is extended at least two more weeks.

 

New DB’s coach

 

Alonzo Hampton announced via Twitter on Monday that he has been hired as the new defensive backs coach for USF. 

Hampton has 13 years of coaching experience along with two years in the NFL as a player, where he started just three games.

This would be a reunion with USF coach Willie Taggart. The two were on staff together during Taggart’s final two years at Western Kentucky, with Hampton as his DB coach. Western Kentucky ranked 34th in the nation in pass defense during 2012.

After being let go following Taggart’s departure, Hampton worked the past two seasons as an assistant at Tift County High School.

Hampton replaces Ron Cooper who was fired early last month.

 

Honor roll

 

Following her 10th double-double of the season against Tulane with 10 points and 14 rebounds, junior forward Alisia Jenkins received her third straight conference honor. Jenkins received Player of the Week honors Dec. 29.

Jenkins, who has recorded 123 defensive rebounds this season, has more defensive rebounds than any other Bull.

 

    Team USA    

 

After a two-day tryout in Irvine, California, USF freshman Astin Donovan was selected as one of three alternates for the 2015 USA Softball Junior Women’s National team.

The team consists of 17 players as well as three alternates, who will compete at the World Cup of Softball from June 29 through July 5.

Donovan is the fourth Bull in five years to be a member of the Junior National team, joining Kourtney Savarola, Lee Ann Spivey and Erica Nunn.