American Athletic Conference: Post-spring 2017 power rankings
By Zach Bigalke
Though they lost Willie Taggart to the Oregon job, South Florida should still be the team to beat in the American in 2017. The team hired Charlie Strong to replace Taggart after Strong’s dismissal from Texas. His record at Louisville and as the defensive coordinator at Florida should allow the Bulls to continue drawing solid prospects to the program.
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The spring game revealed the impact of Strong’s arrival. The defense looked far more formidable than it did last year, keeping the offensive line on its heels all game.
Star quarterback Quinton Flowers, back for one more year in Tampa, saw limited action in one series for each team. Instead, Brett Kean threw two touchdown passes and Chris Oladokun looked good running the read-option.
For the Bulls, this spring was all about avoiding injuries as much as possible. They accomplished that feat, and should feel good about where they stand in Strong’s first season with the team. South Florida looks like the favorite to represent the East in the American championship game in December. The Bulls will also be one of the front-runners next year in the race for the automatic Group of Five bid into a New Year’s Six bowl.