Steven Bench Announces His Transfer To USF Via Twitter
By Kyle Kensing
Former Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Steven Bench tweeted and Instagram’d his transfer destination on Thursday, choosing USF over Mississippi State.
His Instagram confirmation as to qualify as the single greatest announcement in college football history, surpassing even Isaiah Crowell’s puppy reveal on National Signing Day 2011.
Bench was competing with Tyler Ferguson for the Penn State starting job Matt McGloin vacated. Bench played in the Nittany Lions’ spring game, but announced his transfer shortly after. Penn State is also bringing on five-star quarterback recruit Christian Hackenberg.
Bench is immediately eligible per a special NCAA exemption for any PSU transfer made before the open of 2013 preseason camp. New USF head coach Willie Taggart desperately needs a starting quarterback, and Bench could be the answer.
Taggart’s tenure in Tampa begins without four-year starter B.J. Daniels. Matt Floyd appeared to be the most likely contender during the Bulls’ 15 off-season practices. He threw for two touchdown passes in the spring game. Floyd had a dismal 2012 though, throwing five interceptions and no touchdowns for a USF offense that ranked No. 104 in points scored. Senior Bobby Eveld is also in the fold.
Bench told The Tampa Bay Times’ Greg Auman:
"“Everywhere you went, there was really a sense of excitement,” Bench said by phone Wednesday. “Whether it was in the coach’s voice or the player’s voice, whoever you talked to, if you were on campus, there was just kind of this buzz about it, and that really stood out. It was really special.”"
Taggart takes over a once-promising program that crash-landed at 3-9 in Skip Holtz’s final season. Taggart has experience turning programs around though, leading Western Kentucky to consecutive winning seasons and the program’s first bowl game. WKU went 0-12 in 2009, the season before Taggart’s arrival.