USF Bulls

Look at the roster: Fullbacks

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Richard Kelly and company will see more work this season.

I begin a new series where I take at all of the positions for the 2010 USF football team, first on the list is the fullback position. I know, not the most exciting position on the field, but under Coach Leavitt’s system, it was a hardly used position, often just for blocking for the quarterback (Leavitt tended to forget he had running backs). Under Coach Holtz though, look for the fullback to get more carries and even be part of the passing game, here are the fullbacks coming out of spring practices.

First on the depth chart is senior Richard Kelly. Kelly is 6′ and 233 lbs. with good hands and a hard worker both on and off the field. In his career, Kelly has 26 rushes for 118 yards and 1 touchdown, he also has 4 receptions for 42 yards. He can line up at tight end if needed, showing he can be a useful weapon whether he is rushing or passing catching out of the backfield, giving B.J. Daniels another weapon. He hasn’t seen much playing time over his years, but that should change as he will play an important role this year.

Second on the depth chart is Isaac Virgin, the 6’4″, 245 lb. freshman. Virgin has good hands and size that was listed at times at tight end. He was rated the 91st best athlete coming out of high school, according to ESPN. Virgin also played quarterback while at Westwood High School. showing both a strong arm adn good speed for someone his size. He was not used much last year, but Holtz and his coaching staff see his athletic potential and want to get him the ball in space and more involved this year. Virgin has tremendous upside and could become a standout on offense.

3rd on the depth chart is Chase Griffiths, the 6’3″ 224 lb. freshman. Griffiths is actually a converted linebacker, ranked the 43rd best strong side linebacker, according to Scout.com. He has made the move to provide depth at fullback. He is still raw in the offensive side of the ball, but is a good athlete that can learn quickly and could be used on special teams as well. He willl most likely spend time playing as a reserve or on special teams.

So there you have, the depth chart for the fullback position for the 2010 football season. It is an unproven group that has been misused in the previous years, but with Holtz and the new offense, the fullbacks should get a few more touches and they have the talent to produce when called upon. They will help provide carries as well as catch passes coming out of the back field, opening up the offense for Daniels and company.