Returning offensive tackle Donovan Jennings named to second team
TAMPA, MAY 24, 2023 – The South Florida football program saw five players recognized when Athlon Sports released its 2023 Preseason American Athletic All-Conference teams.
Offensive tackle Donovan Jennings (Tampa) earned second-team offense recognition for the second-straight year as he returns from an injury that ended his 2022 campaign after four games. The sixth-year senior earned Athlon All-Conference honors in 2021 and has blocked for two 1,000-yard rushers while starting 35 games on his career to date.
Linebacker DJ Gordon (Plant City) was named to the third-team defense after starting nine games in 2022 and finishing second on the team with 67 tackles and third with 6.5 tackles for loss. He had a season-best 11 tackles and a tackle for loss vs. ECU last season.
Florida transfer running back Nay’Quan Wright (Opa-Locka) was named to the fourth-team offense. He comes to USF after earning his degree at Florida and running for 753 yards and five touchdowns while catching 35 passes for 415 yards and a touchdown for the Gators.
Returning defensive end Jason Vaughn (Miami) and defensive back Aamaris Brown (Tampa) earned fourth-team defense recognition. Vaughn is coming off a break-out year in which he led the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks while posting 35 tackles (second among defensive linemen), two pass break-ups and a quarterback hurry. Brown made a big impact in his first season with the Bulls in 2022, earning All-AAC fourth-team honors from Phil Steele after starting 11 games and leading the team with two interceptions and five pass break-ups while posting 27 tackles.
USF opens the 2023 season on Sept. 2 at Western Kentucky before returning to Raymond James Stadium to face Florida A&M on Sept. 9 and Alabama on Sept. 16. The Bulls open American Athletic Conference play at home on Sept. 23 vs. Rice.
USF returns three primary starters on offense from the 2022 season, four including Jennings who started four games in 2023 before a season-ending injury but brings a team-high 35 career starts into his final campaign. The Bulls return nine primary starters on defense from 2022, led by safety Matthew Hill (Lawrenceville, Ga.) who brings 17 career starts into his senior campaign. USF returns 22 players with starting experience, including quarterbacks Gerry Bohanon Jr. (Earle, Ark./7 starts in 2022 before a season-ending injury) and Byrum Brown (Raleigh, N.C./started the last two games of 2022).
New season tickets for the 2023 USF football season at Raymond James Stadium are on sale now. Secure your seats for the 2023 season by calling or texting 1-800-GoBulls or by visiting USFBULLSTIX.com. All tickets are once again dynamically priced for each game based on demand and are subject to change. Tickets can be purchased online at USFBullsTix.com, by calling/texting 1-800-GoBulls or using the direct links below.
Season tickets: https://bit.ly/3yXpIgD
Single-game tickets: https://bit.ly/3PJrTdN
Group tickets (10+): call 1-800-GoBulls.
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 26th season in 2022 while completing construction on a new $22 million Indoor Performance Facility. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections, including 2021 consensus All-American kick returner Brian Battie, and had 32 first-team all-conference selections. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and has made 10 bowl game appearances (going 6-4 in those games), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and most recently making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. The Bulls posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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