From the moment he was hired as University of South Florida defensive coordinator, Josh Aldridge laid the foundation for his unit’s preferred identity and performance.
“We’re going to create havoc.”
“We’re going to be the aggressor. We’ll swing first and ask questions later.”
“Tips and overthrows … gotta get those.”
It becomes a math formula. According to Aldridge’s decade-long research, if the South Florida defense has a havoc-creating moment (sack, tackle for a loss, pass breakup, forced fumble, fumble recovery or interception) on 25-percent of the snaps, the Bulls should approach nine victories. Improvement to 30-percent should have the South Florida win total nearing 10 (or greater).
When Aldridge was DC at East Carolina (9-4) last season, the Pirates had a havoc rate of nearly 29-percent. In 2022 at Liberty, his Flames (8-5) led the nation in havoc rate and that momentum carried into a breakthrough the following season (13-1, Fiesta Bowl berth). Notice a trend here?
“Taking the ball away specifically is the biggest one,” Aldridge said. “Over the course of time, the TFLs (tackles for a loss) affect the quarterback a lot because you’re putting him in third-and-long, more pressure on him. If you’re constantly tipping balls, the affects his arm angle. And those are all things that lead to taking the ball away.
“You definitely are what you emphasize. Your thoughts have got to be on the ball. You’ve got to change up the picture on the quarterback and get to him. I think the quarterbacks we face nowadays have gotten better because all of them are older. You hardly play freshman quarterbacks anymore. So you’ve got to be on point with rushing the passer, changing the look, what you emphasize, what you practice and how you scheme.”
Also what kind of defensive talent you put on the field. From the looks of things, as the Bulls prepare for head coach Brian Hartline’s first season and the Sept. 5 opener against Florida International University, the USF defense appears to be a strong point.
“It’s really our communication and how fast we play (that are important factors),” said cornerback Teddy Foster, a University of Florida transfer. “We’ve got great guys up front to pressure the quarterback, then we’ve got really smart, fast players in the secondary. We’re going to get to the ball and play hard. Relentless effort will help us do those things.
“Our identity is pretty set. Coach Aldridge kind of gave us one. We’re going to play with relentless effort. That’s No. 1. We’re going to be violent when it comes to tackling or being physical. Then we’re going to have very elite mental execution. Communicating and being on the same page is something that we prioritize.”
Hartline was attracted by Aldridge’s recent track record in the American Conference. At ECU last season, Aldridge’s defense led the league in seven categories — total defense (348.8 yards per game), scoring defense (20.3 points per game), rushing defense (120.3), red-zone defense (71.4-percent, seventh nationally), third-down defense (30.2-percent), sacks (2.5 per game, fourth nationally) and tackles for a loss (7.8 per game).
“We’re excited by the possibilities and what we have in front of us,” veteran safety Tavin Ward said. “There’s crazy depth at every position. When a new guy comes in, there’s no drop-off.”
Here’s a quick sprint around South Florida’s defensive position groups:
Jack C.J. Hicks
Defensive Line: Looking Good Up Front
Based on early returns, Aldridge said the D-line “has got a shot to be really good there.”
Throughout training camp, while working at the Jack position (hybrid defensive lineman/linebacker), former 5-star prospect C.J. Hicks (6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Ohio State) has shown eye-catching flashes of strength and athleticism. Hicks never found a true home with the Buckeyes, but Aldridge expects him to make a big impact with the Bulls. Graduate student defensive tackle Asani Redwood (6-3, 300, West Virginia), a rotational player with the Mountaineers, has opened eyes with his ability to crash into the backfield. Meanwhile, earth-moving senior nose tackle Major Dillard (6-2, 330, Norfolk State) will occupy space and play strong against the run while providing the physical presence that allows his teammates to make plays.
Graduate student defensive end Michael Williams II (6-3, 250) returns for his fifth South Florida season. Sometimes haunted by injuries, Williams has proven to be a playmaker and a leader when healthy.
The Bulls have multiple mix-and-match possibilities that will allow them to play 4-2-5 or 3-3-5 formations.
Expect some of the important roles to be filled by graduate student Terrell Jones (6-5, 270, Virginia) and junior Levi Smiley (6-4, 260) at defensive end; juniors Jahari Grant (6-2, 310), Terry Simmons Jr. (6-2, 325) and sophomore Marcus Williams (6-2, 305) at nose tackle; junior Ryan Jenkins (6-4, 275) and sophomore Richard Scott Jr. (6-4, 270) at defensive tackle; and junior Shamar Meikle (6-3, 235, Oregon State), junior Ashton Mosley (6-3, 245) and graduate student Marshon Oxley (6-1, 227) at Jack.
Linebacker Pup Howard
Linebackers: Long, Powerful And Explosive
The two leading candidates appear to be senior Grayson “Pup” Howard (6-4, 240, Florida) and junior Sam Robinson (6-3, 225, Rutgers). Both Howard (Jacksonville Jackson) and Robinson (Tallahassee Lincoln) are products of well-known Florida high-school football programs.
Howard started nine games with the Gators in 2024, but last season was sabotaged by a high ankle sprain that required surgery and never allowed him to fully recover. Outside linebackers coach Chad Creamer describes Howard as a “coach’s dream.” Aldridge said Howard’s physical presence will “create a lot of issues.” Meanwhile, strength and conditioning coach Antonio Turner said Howard is the “gold standard” when it comes to body-fat percentage and overall conditioning.
Robinson, who played in 10 games with Rutgers over two seasons, was a 4-star prospect and the No. 28-ranked linebacker nationally as he entered college (although he primarily played safety at Lincoln). Aldridge said Robinson had a “phenomenal spring and fall camp.”
“I feel like (we’ll) be a great duo,” Robinson said. “Grayson is a great kid, very smart. I know what he’s going to do with his 1/11 (one-eleventh of the defense) and I feel that he trusts me to do my 1/11. I feel like whenever we’re out there, we can command the front, command the back end and take control.”
Undersized junior Rodney Hill Jr. (5-10, 225) and junior Zavier Hamilton (6-2, 230) return with a good track record at USF. Hill, a stalwart on Daytona Beach Mainland’s state championship team in 2022, has always possessed the intangibles that coaches love. Hamilton (eighth in tackles with 37 last season) always seems to be around the ball.
There’s a potentially fascinating X-factor in senior Michael Harris (6-0, 223, Maryland), who arrived at South Florida following spring practice. A former 4-star prospect from Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley High School, Harris played in 32 games over three seasons with the Terrapins.
Safety Ayden Jackson
Secondary: Depth Is The Byword
The more Aldridge watches South Florida’s secondary, the more he believes it will be a unit of strength.
“At safety, we have a lot of guys who have played a lot of football,” Aldridge said. “At corner, that’s probably the one (unit) that surprised me the most going through spring. You lost a ton of production there from the previous roster. We brought in a bunch of guys who hadn’t necessarily been the guy yet, then you’ve got guys who have risen who have been here and haven’t played yet that are doing well.
“I’ll tell you, we’re legit (in the secondary). We have a lot of depth.”
The unquestioned leader is returning graduate student safety Tavin Ward (6-1, 197), who has played 36 games (starting 28) in three South Florida seasons. He missed all of spring with injury, but remained a constant presence with “mental reps” and film work to the point where barely missed a beat at the start of fall camp.
“Impressive young man,” Aldridge said. “He talks about a lot of big-picture stuff, not just stuff concerning him specifically. He’ll be important for us.”
So will senior Ayden Jackson (5-11, 190, Georgia Southern), who will also line up at safety.
“Why Ayden stands out is when you’re worried about how we can get our best 11 (players) on the field, Ayden’s always going to be one of them,” Aldridge said. “He can play almost all the spots back there, the Star, the boundary safety, the free safety. He’s probably our best tackler in the secondary right now and he plays really, really fast. He makes full-speed decisions.”
Other names to watch include senior Za’Quan Bryan (5-11, 190, Minnesota), junior Teddy Foster (6-0, 188, Florida), senior Jair Murphy (6-0, 203) and sophomores Herlin Perry Jr. (5-11, 180) and Deylen Platt (6-3, 185) at cornerback; juniors Israel Boyce (6-0, 195, West Virginia) and Cedrick Hawkins Jr. (6-0, 192),) and Malcolm Ziglar (6-3, 205, North Carolina) at safety; and graduate student Tayvion Beasley (5-10, 185, BYU), junior Amarion Fortenberry (5-10, 188, Kansas State) and sophomore Jabari Smith (5-11, 185at Star.
–#GoBulls–