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USF injuries force youth into action

While injuries have been costly for the 3-6 South Florida Bulls, they also offer the team a chance to look toward the future.

By Adam Stites
Al Messerschmidt

A slew of injuries, including a season-ending ankle injury for quarterback B.J. Daniels, has forced the USF Bulls to start many young players, but perhaps that is a blessing in disguise during a 3-6 season.

With a deep senior class that featured 12 starters to begin the season, the Bulls have had the opportunity to get a head start on prepping the next generation of USF players to fill in for the departing senior class. While the situation has been forced on them by injuries rather than done by choice, many young players have been able to fill in for their senior counterparts somewhat seamlessly.

The Bulls will have to hope that's the case with new quarterback Matt Floyd, who will be forced into action for the last three games in replacement of Daniels. A redshirt freshman from Milton, Fla., Floyd has very little experience and completed 1 of 3 pass attempts after filling in for Daniels against Connecticut.

Among the other young players that have filled in for injured seniors are linebacker Reshard Cliett, defensive end Eric Lee and linebacker Tashon Whitehurst.

Photographs by cstreet.us, thelastminute, turtlemom nancy , fesek, kthypryn, justinwright, sue_elias, pointnshoot, and scrapstothefuture used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.