Hope leaving USF after aiding offense
TAMPA — USF co-offensive coordinator/line coach Danny Hope, credited with helping develop the Bulls’ resurgent “Gulf Coast Offense” last season, is resigning for family reasons, the school announced Thursday.
Former Buccaneers quarterback Shaun King is believed to be a candidate to join Willie Tag
gart’s staff. Various online reports indicated former Cincinnati offensive line coach
Darren Hiller would replace Hope, but a USF spokesman indicated no further coaching announcements were expected Thursday. In a USF news release, Taggart said he hoped to complete his staff “very quickly.”
Hope becomes the third USF offensive coordinator to depart in as many seasons, but the first by his own choosing.
Last month Taggart lost highly successful defensive coordinator Tom Al
len after one season to Indiana.
“I would like to thank Danny for his significant contributions to the success of our program over the past season,” Taggart said in the release.
“We appreciated having him as part of our staff and I know he enjoyed being a Bull. He loved it here and I loved having him, but sometimes you have to make choices in regard to what’s best for your family. I respect Danny’s desire to do what’s best for him and his family. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
A former Purdue coach raised in South Florida, Hope, 57, was instrumental in resuscitating USF’s once-moribund offense, which set school records for total yards (5,741) and offensive TDs (54) behind a zone-read option attack.
He also oversaw an offensive line that featured the same starting lineup all 13 games.
King, 38, currently serves as an NFL and college football analyst for Yahoo.
His Twitter page now features a Bulls background.
King set an Football Bowl Subdivision season record for pass efficiency in 1998 (183.3) when he led Tulane to an undefeated season and Liberty Bowl triumph. He then spent parts of nine years in the NFL, Arena Football League and Canadian Football League.
The highlight of his five-season Bucs career came in 1999 when he replaced injured starter Trent Dilfer midway through the season and led Tampa Bay to the NFC title game.
His career NFL totals: 4,566 yards, 27 TDs, 24 interceptions.
Bulls set dates for spring drills
For the third consecutive year, USF’s spring practice will culminate with an on-campus intrasquad game.
The Bulls released their spring information Thursday, confirming all practices — the first of which is set for March 23 — will be open to the public. The spring game is set for Saturday, April 16, at 4 p.m. at Corbett Stadium.
“I’m really excited about this spring because of [increased depth],” Taggart said last week.
“I’m excited about every practice and watching those guys compete. I’m excited about the spring game because it will be so much more competitive now because we have that depth now, not just of bodies but of really good football players.”